3DS Max Product Manager Frank DeLise interview
What are the plans for Naiad? (will it be bundled with Max as happens with Composite or bundled in a suite / sold as a separate tool?)
Unfortunately I can’t go into details of our Naiad plans yet. However you should check out the videos if you haven’t seen them.. Holy cow we are impressed.
What are the plans for Project Geppetto / People Power? Will it be incorporated into Max? (or bundled in a suite / sold as a separate plugin?)
Stay tuned, I will have more information on this soon.
Where would you like to see 3DS Max go 10 years from now? What are the most important issues for you to address in the middle/long term?
My immediate work is performance, stability and improved workflows. Long term we want to improve the life of our users by bringing the power of the cloud to everyone, enabling our users to do things they couldn’t do before.
Additionally a renewed focus on usability so you can be more productive day to day.
What kind of feedback did you get from long-time Max users who heard you were back as 3DS Max Product Manager?
In general I got a lot of support from new and old users of 3ds max, we all want to see 3ds max continue to be a workhorse of our industry.
I am excited to be back and we have a great team ready to move 3ds max into the future.
-Frank
We would like to thank Frank DeLise for answering our questions. This interview is based on an original idea by Paul Roberts. The 3DS Max logo is © Autodesk. All images are the property of their respective owners. © 2014 CGPress.
Notes:
- Frank DeLise and the 3DS Max team will be giving a talk discussing the future development of 3DS Max on February 6th, 2013, at the next 3DS London user group meeting. As NDA’s will be required from attendees, we encourange those who go to bring some of the questions from our list that Frank could not answer publicly.
- It should be noted that the recent subscription price increases and changes to upgrade paths were not covered in this interview (even though we were tempted to ask questions about them) for the reason that the 3DS Max product manager is not responsible for handling such decisions at Autodesk.
Wait, is it 1997 again? For you new kids who don’t remember 3ds DOS, Frank is going back to his old job.
Er…well, almost.
Hey Brandon. Does this one ring a bell?
http://lonerobot.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Kinetix2.jpg
(Courtesy of Pete Addington)
I’m 42 now and that’s my mid-20s calling me. Frank was the one of the first people to do a video training series….oh VHS! And in the latter half of the 90s was probably the most visible person involved with 3D Studio. I still remember his motion capture controller demo with the turret that was live controlled by mouse and fired by keyboard presses. Revolutionary stuff back in 1998.
he sounds very “suit”, let’s see what happens
Awesome! Welcome back – and thanks for this interview
“performance, stability and improved workflows” are good but Along this , max apart from arch&design and game Industry is poor in other Industries .
need more standard tools (not profesional and update tools! only standard tools ) for animation,VFX and new tecnology support
maya,xsi,houdini,cinema4D,modo,blender have more tools for every industries
Liquids,smoke,fire,powerful and fast fraction and bullet tools,good and fast skinnig,terrain tools,fast 3d paint and UVlayout,good project managment,ptex and alembic support and etc
now max is not index tool in entertainment industries
when ?!!
we are tired to using plug-ins for Filling max’s Holes ….
Animation performance is number one priority? That would be a dream come true…
@abangan:
“Liquids,smoke,fire,powerful and fast fraction and bullet tools…”
I do not think we will see this anytime soon integrated into 3ds max – well, maybe liquids with Naiad technology. So you got to rely on FumeFX, RayFire and thinkingParticles and you have to keep dreaming of a complete 3ds Max.
dear chris
I know we can’t see this tools soon but I near 6-7 years Linger for this upgrades and now more of this tool and tecnologies near 7-8 years old …
yes I have to keep dreaming of a complete 3ds Max but why this dreaming tools for max users and daily used tools for other 3d users ?
I love max and more then 10 years using this in my projetcs and finally I being forced to using maya ! why ? because with one price give a more complete tools !
with alone max can’t support big and even some small projects because very incomplete in many context , for exam if I need working in VFX industries I must spend money for max,fumefx,rayfire,xsi but some times I can do all of my work only with XSI,maya,modo even free blender and if these software can’t support my work I can use nayad,arnold render,vray and Recently fume fx and etc for other packs . in VFX and animation max lives for max’s plug-ins and now these plug-ins publishing for other 3d packs and max is step to step going to memories .
now see Status of max in some big 3dsmax-base companies : blur studio add XSI to their pipeline,illusion start replace maya Instead max,blizzard add maya,pixomondo,scanline and even makutaVFX in india use maya and xsi near max and ….
why they can’t using only max in their 3d base pipeline ?
I Upset for this and like many of other max’s users hoping frank rescue max and know frank low timing for this big !
@abangan
Among all major 3D tool 3ds max is the most “complete” tool(or balanced).
Have you use Maya particle?
How would render volumetric in XSI without plugin?
Will you do character animation in Modo?
Some of max houses adopted Maya or XSI.
Some of Maya houses adopted max, too
I agree max need more improvement.
i agree we need better skin/UV/alembic.
But, I don’t think “Liquids,smoke,fire,powerful and fast fraction and bullet tools, terrain tools,fast 3d paint ” is more important than “performance, stability and improved workflows”
oh no, please no max with 100 build-in fancy sfx programs (build-in once and never updated again)!
– Max would cost $ 25.000,- (with $ 6000,- subscription)
– Max would boot 8 minutes till it raise all those dlu-s
In Maya and XSI you don’t have FumeFx, Vray and Naiad as default either. If you work in VFX industry, you will need anyway to mix dozens of software, there is no surprise. And the studios have the money to chose and invest in it. I don’t want Autodesk to chose for me weather i am Krakatoa or destruction simulator.
I don’t need Naiad and i don’t need RayFire each time i start max, and i am sure almost none of need it in the fundamental everyday work. We spend 1/2 day with geometry and the other half of the day with light, rendering and scene setup (3d art&design processes). The rest is … the rest.
Max need on first place core-rework and finishing base functionality: modern selection and modeling tools, vertex (and other painting tools), perfect fast and progressive viewport, UV tools, excellent IK… MudBox or ZBrush like geometry tools or implementation… you know, all this stuff we talk about since 10 years.
@Igor Posavec
How you think their rewrite core tools of 20 years old software ?
This never happen, just forget.
BTW rayfire in base just a maxscript. Most 3rdparty plugins has couple mb dlo or dlu.
Watch how much unusable stuff loaded with standard max installation.
So 3rdparty plugins is just drop in the ocean
hi again
I come back only for some answer and quastion ! 😉
daer well
1-do you have any unit for “3ds max is the most “complete” tool(or balanced)” ?
complete tools set ? performance,stability or workflows ? max in which part is very indicator vs other 3d pack ?
2-I agree None of 3d softwares aren’t complete but for comparation we must more Fair ! with only one or two or three tools or problems not any of this software better , Although nparticle in maya is nice and character animation in modo is powerful . for more info can search nparticle in youtube and read modo 601 reviews and user forums in internet :
http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/05/24/software-review-modo-601/
3-do you have any sample for “Some of Maya houses adopted max” ?
VFX user know if any maya houses company using max most for “max’s plug-in” but if these plag-ins publish for maya or other packs how much companies have extra money ?
4-i’m agreed with you “performance, stability and improved workflows” are important but for new version aren’t enough,please comparate with new version upgrades for modo,C4D,houdini,blender and etc.when I read list of these softwares upgrades and then see max 2013 upgrades only say @&*^%…!
in max 2013 ken so more focus on performance, stability and improved workflows and now you can see user’s feedbacks :
http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/ken/3ds_max_2013_announced
and also you can see max’s users what needs from max :
http://3dsmaxfeedback.autodesk.com/forums/80695-general-feature-requests
also better see rumors about 3ds max in 2012 and see how many users easily accept these rumors (but why easily accept?) :
http://www.reddit.com/r/vfx/comments/z8o09/autodesk_is_no_longer_going_to_develop_3dsmax_and/
and also see idea and hope to next max version between users :
http://area.autodesk.com/forum/autodesk-3ds-max/autodesk-3ds-max–3ds-max-design-2013/will-there-be-a-3ds-max-2014-or/
http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-1074681.html
http://area.autodesk.com/forum/autodesk-3ds-max/autodesk-3ds-max–3ds-max-design-2013/3ds-max-2014whats-coming-down-the-line/
What is your opinion ? I say my view ! I can see many users disappointed from max and future of max Dependent to frank’s strategies Especially for 2014 and 2015 versions
i love max, but its a collection of bandaids. A frankenstein of plugins. Max is almost completely unusable ( at least on high end productions) with out a handful of plugins.
Then explain how Maya is “with one price give a more complete tools !”. Except rigging/character animation, I don’t think Maya is better than max out of box.
If you think “character animation in modo is powerful”, you need to do your homework first,
nParticle looks great on paper. If it is really that good, why does many many studios spend money on Houdini or even TP/PFlow.
I looked ” comparate with new version upgrades for modo, C4D, houdini, blender “. I don’t see much different.
Lets look at Modo. It vertion 6. Where is a full animation system? Particle? The new kind of IK system is not even their own code. They bought the code.
C4D 14? Digital Sculpting / Improved Modeling Toolset / Camera Enhancements / Better and Faster Rendering Integration(with Nuke)
It looks as boring as max.
Honestly some users will always be disappointed.
If you put a new features, someone will scream “no new feature, make it stable and fix bugs!”
If you improve an existing feature, someone will say “I don’t use that, I use xx. Why do you waste resource? Just buy that”.
If you really buy “that”, someone will complain “Autodesk just buy stuff.”
If you improve/fix something invisible but fundamentally important, people does not even know the change. But, just say “fix the core”.
Days of 3d max finished. Every new max release works slower, ancient tools must be completely rewritten. But every time AD adds useless, slow and buggy piece of code.
I don’t buy this.
vray in render full slow
mentalry slow render all not professional
plz
for 3dsmax working render support renderman or furyball or arnold render
I’ve been using max since its DOS version, but still I’m amazed how slow and non efficient it is now.
On big scene, I’m experiencing so much freezing and lagging it’s a nightmare.
I hope Mr Delise will cut the b***** on user experience and all, and just put the f***** coders to work and have a fully multithreaded 3DSMAX.
Come on! it’s 2013 and still when Im doing operations on objects I can see than only one of my 16 process is working, while VRAY is multithreaded and all, the core program is so slow it’s beyond understanding.
Come on guys, do some REAL work on the program PLEASE
The overall work
Particle fumefx and thinking program should be 3ds max
Another point of all companies. Why not render in 3dsmax
renderman Arnold Furryball do have the ability
The next step is to pull one of these three programs
New measures should be done after to 3dsmax6 after you added something significant?
New programs such as Blender makes it much stronger than 3dsmax
Would you sell it to fit 3dsmax
Priced at $ 1500 with limited features
4000 price features professional
6000 prices with full amenities, all facilities should be
I’ve been using 3ds Max for over 9 years (starting with 5.5) and everyday I’m disliking it more. I’m working as a professional in the architectural visualisation for over 7 years,. Today I’m still using Design 2009, for the reasons they keep adding new features in every version we are not using, especially for Mental Ray (we use Vray) and animation. Now I understand there are a lot of people using it, but it makes the program way to complex and slow to load. Give people an option to choose what parts they want loaded, or standard setups for different users. Compared to Modo (yes, I know there are more features in 3ds Max, but still) 3ds Max feels outdated in terms of loading time and user interface.
The only reasons we keep using it, is all the custom scripts we made, and because it’s the industry standard, which provides lots of content and tutorials etc.
And I believe it’s priced way to high. We stopped with the subscription in 2009, because Autodesk gives us a new versions (sometimes ever more unstable) with more and more features (plugins) we don’t need!
my discuss with well about max going to other 3d softwares! I opening speak about other 3d packs only for exam,Comparison and Criticism to max not for analysing other
softwares and also I think with Prejudice to max and destroying other softwares , 3ds max not going top.
but now I Forced defending from my Claims and answer to questions about other 3d softwares ! 😉
–about maya :
1 – I before told my job is animation and VFX so maya with one price give a more complete tools for me and if my job been arch&design max with one price give a more
complete tools !
2 -every body can read about particle and nparticle in maya’s documents in internet and Judge (Although I more love pflow and toolboxs).
maya have particle (ordinary or good) and can do some work (maybe simple work) but we have not some standard and normal tools in max . so we can not compare for example
pflow in max vs particle in maya and then camparate flouid,fire,smoke in maya vs max !
3 – and about why houdini or fumefx or thinking particle or rayfire or … more using for VFX ? this is easy ! because dynamic tools in maya are normal for works but
houdini have powerful and Efficient pack for dynamic&VFX and the other plug-ins are specialty for VFX
–about modo:
1 – modo have particle or have not ,their IK for their or not , what Relevance to our discuss ? with these
2 – modo have particle and used for cloud simulate and if some code from other developers team are bad what are your views about mentalray,iray,character studio,CAT,lens
effects,pflow toolbox and etc in max ?!
3 – everybody need more info about modo’s facilities can see in modo site and for now I only give a exam for better compare.for many 3d users maya=animation so better see maya users ideas about fast modo upgrades,new modo 601 animation tools and compare with maya after release maya 2013 :
http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/cory/announcing_maya_2013
and see review about new animation upgrades in 3dworld magazine :
http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/05/24/software-review-modo-601/
and also see how much upgrades in one version and compare with autodesk softwares …
–compare with new upgrades in C4D :
your opinions is honorable but in my opinion C4D,modo,blender new upgrades are nice and I have enough Reasons for my claim but this page isn’t suitable Place for discuss
and Propaganda for other packs !
but one exam in C4D 14 : new complete sculpting pack income (and thinking use it with powerful C4D’s podypaint3d in one pack) ! nice camera tools set for matte painting and
animation,nice dynamic upgrade for more complete tools set,intepolate with photoshop,aftereffect,nuke and alembic with them and etc.if is low upgrade so what is max 2013
upgrade ?
see 3dworld magazine for C4D 14 reviews and result of this reviews :
http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/10/22/cinema-4d-studio-r14-review/
–“Honestly some users will always be disappointed”:
yes complete agreed but Few percent of users are dissapointed and dissatisfied from max,softimage,maya (and other autodesk entertainment pack tools) VS other companies’s 3d
software ? can see in forums …
— At the end I have a Request from other max users !
if max Progress is important for your jobs and belief max for some industries in the Boundary edge please more active and writing your ideas about max (like me and dear
well) even giving more info about user’s views to developer teams,maybe effect …. 😉
I hope to mr delise for changes because :
1-I think he love 3ds max and intrest to his work and max’s Progress
2-for now he is new manager and need to Prove himself So ready for changes
3-he been max user and more familiar with problems in max for production
4-nice history in game industries and enough info about entertainment industries and max’s deficiencies.
@ali: i think you had no idea what you are talking about…
Please 3ds max remove plugs from
thinking particle fumefx ray fair Replaced in its 3ds max 2014
@Tommy: Please be corteous when replying to others. You may disagree completely with someone’s opinion, but you can express it with courtesy. Rudeness is unnecessary.
@Tommy:
I think ali opninion about need suitable render engine for animation in max.
vray and mental ray (and any raytracer-base engine) are more used for single frame rendering,these engines are slow for animation and animation effects (like motion blur) and some time their renders have flicker.
renderman engine-bases and arnold render have suitable performance for animation&VFX render and furryball is a nice and fast GPU render for animation.some news come about furryball’s plug-in coming soon release for 3ds max.
these render engines are one important reason for animation and VFX users to choise other 3d pack like maya or houdini for their jobs.
I have used PRMan in production, and I’ve used Arnold since early 2000 when all it could do was basic Monte Carlo Skydome renderings that caused so much fuss back then. To say that V-Ray can’t compete with Arnold and PRMan, I personally think is nonsense. I try to always have an open mind and if there are any benchmarks out there that shows me that PRMan and Arnold are superior in every way, then I’ll take on-board that information.
The thing is, most renderers have their own strengths and weaknesses. There is no one perfect renderer for all scenarios. Krakatoa is a also a renderer but designed to be good at a particular aspect, which is why it’s useful for most any 3D artist as an off the shelf solution and your studio don’t have a dedicated RnD department.
As for 3DS Max, I personally feel I am one of the few who still thinks it’s a really solid platform. Especially coupled with a few plugins. 3DS Max, I find, when working on massive feature film scenes, is as fast as Maya and Houdini but that can change depending on what plugins are installed. Unfortunately if you have certain plugins installed, performance takes a huge hit.
My main concern with 3DS Max is pricing and where it’s going in the future development wise, which I wish Autodesk would be more open about. I am keeping my options open. While it’s early days for me, I do enjoy Houdini a lot as well. I love(d) Naiad and feel I have a very strong knowledge of the software. I think Clarisse shows promise, but since it’s so early it’s still lacking so many features that you need to put it into production for a lot of tasks. And it lacks a lot of 3rd party support. I am very concerned about Autodesk’s future but I feel confident in knowing that I can go to other software packages if needed and my solid foundation won’t be wasted. I’ve found Houdini to be easy to pick up and I suspect that the same would go for most experienced 3D artists, regardless of the package they’ve invested a lot of years in. Autodesk isn’t bulletproof and hopefully they realize that. For now, I still enjoy creating in 3DS Max. For areas like liquid simulations and organic modeling, I turn to other software, but at the moment 3DS Max 2013 is still a good package that I see plenty of good work coming out of and find comfortable producing good work in.
Anyway… that was a long rant. But while I question 3DS Max’s future, I would never go as far as saying it’s been useless since v4,5 or whatever old version that some of you have fond memories of.
I wouldn’t say useless, but there’s a rather good thread on polycount commenting that it peaked in 2009 for VFX work, and the additions since then have not helped.
It certainly feels like there’s a lot of bloated tonka toy UI on top of the (already aged) shell, aimed at new users that alienates existing ones.
Interesting… discussing vfx side of 3ds max in “polycount” forum.
Sorry I should have said in general (although I hear plenty of complaints from VFX/Particle people)
Although it’s a games forum there’s crossover for pre-rendered cinematics.
Here’s the thread
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104082
I think the most telling thing about the interview is when the 3ds Max Product Developer himself says “I have missed out on the last 4+ releases,”
Why would that be?
@Damon Because he wasn’t the Product Manager at the time?
PLEASE AUTODESK!!!!!
Put back “Polyboost” how it was originally in 3ds max 2009….
That graphite system absolutely butchered a simple and effective tool that I am fully accustomed to.
Please rebuild graphite to resemble polyboost…I beg you, seriously!