Verdict on Max 2018?

[BBB3]

Max 2018 has been very solid for me, whereas 2017 was completely unusable. That said, there are a few glitches here and there. I recently used MassFX and my sims went completely bonkers. I had to go back to 2016 for this. That's been the only show-stopper for me. Stability has been great apart from some issues with the IPR and very few unexplainable random crashes, maybe once or twice a week. I still feel 2016 was more stable overall though.

[Garryclarke]

So far Max 2018 has been pretty good, no crashes or glitches, and it seems pretty fast too.

However there's one thing that I noticed within the first 30 mins. You can't right click on a toolbar and delete buttons, rename them or edit the script.

I use a lot of my own scripts and also a lot of scripts from other users, like Neil Blevins script pack. So the first thing I do is to add extra toolbars and buttons. It's been reported but it's a pain not being able to alter anything.

[Richard7666]

I installed it for Stingray, it is easy as hell getting a VR experience, instead of walking through Unreal Engine process. And for free...why not!

Is there a way to easily go from V-ray to Stingray?
(not on 2018 myself)

[vlado]

It's supposed to support V-Ray materials and lights, but I'm not sure to what extent exactly.

Best regards,
Vlado

[anthonyh]

hi,
just curious, has nobody else suffered the pain that is having to click twice on most menus/buttons/inputs when moving focus from one window to another in 2018 ? it`s painful.
anthonyh

[sheehan_partners_nm]

Is there a way to easily go from V-ray to Stingray?
(not on 2018 myself)

Very. All the scene is transported in the other software as it is. No more fighting with textures, mapping, unwrapping.... Every change you will do in Max+ Vray will be updated in real time in Stingray.
I need to say that I have ONLY tested with Vray standard materials (material + maps), not procedural ones. Maybe some one else can comment on those, or Vray scans materials.

[chipnuts]

Very. All the scene is transported in the other software as it is. No more fighting with textures, mapping, unwrapping.... Every change you will do in Max+ Vray will be updated in real time in Stingray.
I need to say that I have ONLY tested with Vray standard materials (material + maps), not procedural ones. Maybe some one else can comment on those, or Vray scans materials.

There's some pretty entry level support for most things but even that is still pretty decent. Vray Proxies for instance only transfer the viewport mesh. We don't merge the referenced file than send it over. Material support is really the VrayMtl and bitmaps. Procedurals of any kind won't go across yet. There's also a couple hiccups with light settings but easily updated in Max Interactive. Other than that, glad to hear you're liking it. We'll be looking to improve it very soon.

[sheehan_partners_nm]

For someone who has never even opened the software before, I could do a whole VR scene in less then 1 week, picking objects in VR, adding sound etc. I found the templates that come with it very useful, plus there are youtube videos. Of course it is in the early stages and won't compete right now with UE, but personally I found it quite pleasant.

[AC5L4T3R]

I was enjoying 2018 until yesterday. I was shading an interior with RT Activeshade and it would freeze every 10 minutes or so. Scene is only 1gb and no problem for my 1080. I went back to 2017 and no crashes whatsoever. I'll stick with it though because they finally got rid of that fucking button in the top left corner so that alone is a reason to switch to 2018.

[kosso_olli]

2018 doesn't allow DR on our render clients. The software crashes at start with the error: "Could not initialize graphics device". Of course the render clients don't have any graphics card.
Setting Max to Nitrous Software does not help, also the -vxw flag described here does not help: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-m...t/td-p/6799438

Alfred, if you are reading this: Can you help? It is extremely urgent!

[Richard7666]

There's some pretty entry level support for most things but even that is still pretty decent. Vray Proxies for instance only transfer the viewport mesh. We don't merge the referenced file than send it over. Material support is really the VrayMtl and bitmaps. Procedurals of any kind won't go across yet. There's also a couple hiccups with light settings but easily updated in Max Interactive. Other than that, glad to hear you're liking it. We'll be looking to improve it very soon.

Are you speaking on behalf of Autodesk/Stingray, or Chaos? (guessing Autodesk by lack of a Bulgarian name :P but not 100% sure!)

[chipnuts]

Are you speaking on behalf of Autodesk/Stingray, or Chaos? (guessing Autodesk by lack of a Bulgarian name :P but not 100% sure!)

Autodesk. I am one of the Product Managers for 3ds Max.

[Deflaminis]

Alfred, if you are reading this: Can you help? It is extremely urgent!

Hello Kosso_Olli: According to my notes this issue was resolved in 2018_Update1. Is it possible you don't have that installed?

I checked the tracker and and the best suggestion was the 2nd suggestion in the link you posted in red type if warp mode fails. If neither of those are working and you have Update1 and this issue persists, I'll need to reopen that tracker case.

If you ever have a major emergency (or anyone else) please use the PM function on the Area. I do read this forum during the day as I'm waiting for scenes to open or render tests from customers, but I'd hate to miss an urgent message as I want to help people as best I can.

Best,
AJ (Alfred)

[hoppergrass]

"So far Max 2018 has been pretty good, no crashes or glitches, and it seems pretty fast too.

However there's one thing that I noticed within the first 30 mins. You can't right click on a toolbar and delete buttons, rename them or edit the script.

I use a lot of my own scripts and also a lot of scripts from other users, like Neil Blevins script pack. So the first thing I do is to add extra toolbars and buttons. It's been reported but it's a pain not being able to alter anything."

I ran into this one too, the help files still tell you to use the old method of modifying the buttons, but that doesn't work

[kosso_olli]

Hello Kosso_Olli: According to my notes this issue was resolved in 2018_Update1. Is it possible you don't have that installed?

Hey,
Update 1 fixed it. Didn't know there already was one.