Clients wants my model... no problem... but how...

[add101]

that what i used to use, but I thought vray cameras could not be used or something like that...

Vray cameras can be used for panos. There was a version upgrade quite a while ago which allows an overide in the vray panel (spherical override, and 360 degrees- image should be 2x width and 1x height). You'd need some software to convert to quciktime pano, and they'll need quicktime to view it.
http://gardengnomesoftware.com/pano2qtvr.php can convert equirectangular images to QTVR. there is a free version, and another version that can link hotspots etc.

Depends what your client wants to do with model.
I recently sent some sketchup models to a client for design review. He found it really useful to be able to look at the model from different angles, and modelled some windows in. I modelled that project in sketchup (nice snaps!.
I've also sent them a previous project modelled in max as sketchup, but had problems with import in sketchup. the only format that came through was .dwg. it didn't have materials, and i had to collapse to mesh for some of the extruded objects to export properly (could try workaround of max to cad to sketchup, or re-apply materials in sketchup depending on feasability- client was fine with me just sending them sketchup model with no materials).

Recently read about http://flatiron.3d-plugin.com/ on this forum. I've just downloaded it, but haven't tried it out yet. I was thinking about texture baking and exporting to cult3d (o Unity) a while ago, but could also try in sketchup. Product won't be the same quality as max/vray renders, but could give more depth to sketchup renders.
Not sure how sketchup will handle texture wrapping though. .3ds file i've exported to max and tried importing to sketchup haven't come through. Could be file size or something incompatible in scene...

Images and animations (or QTVR) have better 'image' quality than VR though, and simpler for end user/s.

[mike_kennedy]

In re-reading the tread I picked up on a later post, was real time some thing the client needed, what is the client looking to do?

[stef.thomas]

If you bake all your lighting into your texture maps then either Autodesk Design Review (DWF Viewer) or creating a 3d PDF that can be viewed and navigated using Adobe Acrobat Reader are both valid options and will retain the 'Vray look'. Design Review also gives you the option to turn layers on and off as well as retaining your camera views. I don't have experience of doing either but maybe someone else can advise you.

The bonus here being that they are for viewing purposes only and the model couldn't be extracted, say to give to another firm for rendering additional views.

[Neilg]

Quick light bakes dont really exist, theres a suprising amount of work to do a well detailed scene. I'm talking a good few days, more if you've got no experience with software to deliver it in. Add even more time if you've got high poly objects and need to create a low poly/bake normals.
Flatiron is pretty much essential for this too, it'll save you days of time.

It's an option, but do some working tests through the whole process before you cost up.

[sea2stars]

The RTTGroup demo might be something to check out too, although they don't have any current plans for Max 2011 unless their user base requests it.

I've done some quick and dirty scenes with Unity and it is an involved process. I didn't realize that Design Review had that capability; something to look into.

[mike_kennedy]

I saw an example done with a 3d PDF, but low FPS but retained the Vray look...not sure how painful it would be to create....