3dsmax 2017

[jstrob]

I just installed max 2017 (jumped from 2014).

I really like it so far, without major problems, other than some max 2014 scenes with a few issues on 2017.

Could anyone spare me reading the whole thread and let me know a couple of things I should be careful with or pay attention to?

thanks.

In fact max 2017 is getting there but it's too slow! I wonder if it will be usable for me before 2018 comes out.

My main concern was without a good render pass manager I just can't work so I did not yet upgraded to max 2017. I use RPManager but there was a few problems with it, the main ones has already been fixed now and there is a new fix just released this week that I didn't have time to try.
If you don't use it, there is the state sets but they were also too buggy to use in my setup, but I had a skype session with the very helpful Michael Mcartie and he is working on fixing this for the next version. Once I go through my bugs I need to test it more to make sure there no other bugs and follow through with Michael if I can.
Yes there are other plugins but I hate plugins and even more when it's for render pass. Cause when I have a bug with a render pass plugin, that means I have to check with Chaosgroup (V-Ray cause other max render engine suck), Thinkbox (Deadline cause backburner sucks), and your render pass plugin too (cause state sets sucks). All of these you have to pay and maintain at each update = nightmare! It's my main reason for looking at Houdini Indie = 199$year only for all the Houdini FX power with some limitations)


Some problems:

-Many plugins (like RPM) seem to have problems with it. Hairfarm is not compatible yet with max 2017 SP2 because of a bug on the Autodesk side, I hope they fix this in SP3.

-The "pick material from object" does not work at all. (should be fixed in SP3 too).

-Some reported crash with scene coming from earlier version, it's yours to test with your setup and cross fingers you don't discover it in production.

-Problem with selecting objects. see thread. Maybe fixed but not sure since it's hard to reproduce so it's yours to discover on production. Bertrand Benoit says on the thread: "I can confirm having this problem too. It doesn't happen all the time but as scenes get more complex, some objects become kind of "haunted" and you can't select them easily. Both in object and sub-object mode. For me, it's generally a sign that Max is about to crash when working in sub-object mode in orthographic view.. Do you run any plugins on your install of Max?"

-you can do a google search on the Area for max 2017 problems.. A bit frightening!


Some problems were fixed:

-The shading problem I got with newly created object when you created sphere and changed the subdivision number, the shading got broken.

-Snapping the pivot on an edit poly vertex was not working (has been fixed in SP2 I think).

[glorybound]

Since I figured out why I was getting checkboard crashes, mine has been rock solid, for the most part. I do crash 1-2 X a day, but that's pretty good for MAX. The Select by Material, which I use 100X a day, is being done by a script I found.

[BBB3]

My install of 2017 is completely ornamental for now. I keep using 2016, which has all I need and hardly ever crashes. I could check 2017 again with SP2 to see if things now work. But life's just too short. On the top of my head, I can't remember any 2017 feature that I would actually need. It's just a shame I pay for it...

[glorybound]

It's sad that we are forced to pay for things we will not use. What did you pay for 2017 upgrade? I pay $160 a month. MAX 2017 has been out since April, so that is close to $1000. I wish I could have a business model like that. Sorry for the MAX rant

[jstrob]

Hi Bertrand and Bobby,

I paid around 1000$ CAD too for nothing. I am planning on keeping max 2016 as long as I can. I have to decide in a month if I renew. I will wait until the last minute but I think if I don't renew it will give me a kick in the the butt to switch faster to Houdini for most of my pipeline while still keeping max 2016 (perpetual license) for little things.

[glorybound]

Yeah, once you let it laps, it'll cost you a lot more. I don't see any reason to upgrade from 14, for most users. The needs for us archviz guys is pretty small. I think a MAX lite would be awesome. I put blocks together to make a house, so I don't need much. It is silly to pay for all the other stuff. I would have saved around $6,000 had I stayed on MAX 2014. Most of the people I collaborate with require me to save back to 2014, so the logic is shared with many.

[jstrob]

Yeah, once you let it laps, it'll cost you a lot more. I don't see any reason to upgrade from 14, for most users. The needs for us archviz guys is pretty small. I think a MAX lite would be awesome. I put blocks together to make a house, so I don't need much. It is silly to pay for all the other stuff. I would have saved around $6,000 had I stayed on MAX 2014. Most of the people I collaborate with require me to save back to 2014, so the logic is shared with many.

By the way Bobby have you seen this architecture modeling free add on for blender? It's called archimesh and if I had to model architecture that's what I would use!

[Ihno]

Well I find the Unwarp UVW improvements quite usefull. And still there is IPR comming up for 2017 only in the first place...

[rikou]

Well I find the Unwarp UVW improvements quite usefull. And still there is IPR comming up for 2017 only in the first place...

with a bunch of other broken things and yet work well before...

[padre.ayuso]

Hi Bertrand and Bobby,

I paid around 1000$ CAD too for nothing. I am planning on keeping max 2016 as long as I can. I have to decide in a month if I renew. I will wait until the last minute but I think if I don't renew it will give me a kick in the the butt to switch faster to Houdini for most of my pipeline while still keeping max 2016 (perpetual license) for little things.

AD always comes up with new upgrade prices. You wait long enough you get the one that you want. Sometimes they will up the price, but then they lower it again and then up again, until you get so whatever about it that you spend few years with the version you have. Like me, still have 2013 and I'll be letting go of the specials they are giving me as well for the next month. So I think I can easily wait for 2018 when they give me a new special. Anyhow, enough of the rant, like Bobby.

[glorybound]

I'll check it out, thanks!

By the way Bobby have you seen this architecture modeling free add on for blender? It's called archimesh and if I had to model architecture that's what I would use!

[glorybound]

It the big picture, in my case, it is all tax deductible. The way our economy works, is by spending money, so the government encourages it. The more I spend, the less taxes I pay.

[padre.ayuso]

It the big picture, in my case, it is all tax deductible. The way our economy works, is by spending money, so the government encourages it. The more I spend, the less taxes I pay.

Go Bobby! Do you want to add 7 seats to your Purchases? If it helps you, I'll do the sacrifice.

[Lupaz]

So it seems that, even after SP2, most of you are sticking with 2016 and under.

I can't look at 2014 anymore, and also tons of plugins and scripts that are included with 2016 and above (quad chamfer for example).
I'm doing a roll back one step to 2016

Thanks!

[gandhics]

But, 2017 also have many fixes, too.
I think you need to carefully evaluate what you would gain and what you would lose.

For example, it has very important Obj export fix for ZBrush user.
Or.. it is really faster for tons of static objects.