I know that currently the people that don't feel like paying 400$ (or more) for a student version of max had just stuck with gmax. While this works, I find that max has many more features that make life much easier.

In my searches for buying max 2011 I came across a free version. All you need is a .edu email account or a teacher to refer you. As most of the people here are students this shouldn't be a problem.

I want to make sure you all understand that this is LEGAL (so don't lock this or ban me Dennis)

just join here http://students.autodesk.com/ and follow the process. After you register you can download a bunch of free autodesk software (3ds max, maya, Mudbox, etc).

I feel like this could benefit a lot of people and save them a lot of money.

I have an .edu email account from my college. This might be useful. Thanks!

Grrr, only one year away. Thanks for the post and links though!

My uncle works with a computer security company, and several part-time employees work with Autodesk aswell, and that is how I found out about this.

He got a me a legit $3999.99 Studio Liscnesed 3ds max, CD, Box and all, this is legal, and official by autodesk, so before any noobs say its a scam, virus, hack, or illegal, you are wrong.

Technically if you are not in college and you use this, then it's considered illegal.

Where does it say this? I'm in the clear, but from what I read all you need is a .edu email or a teacher recommendation.

cause on the FAQ it says



I don't know very many 14 year olds in college (full time at least) .
Edited by Stagnant on Jul 12, 2010 at 01:15 PM

Autodesk Students is a program for students in College providing free software for courses involving digital design, architecture, game designer/engineering and CGI Movie production and effects.

Not for a 14yr old playing halo to get a free $400 software to make crappy box map on a 10 yr old game.
Edited by iHalo on Jul 12, 2010 at 01:14 PM

Sorry for the ninja edit there, but I win :)

Haha, nice. But it is for College, anyway, Im in high school, my uncle got me my 3ds max anyway tho, lol, he got it free, but it's the $3500-$4000 one lmao

Is it really worth the money to buy something like that?

If you have a buisness, it allows you to make models and then sell them, or put them into a movie or game and sell that. Its the stand alone liscense as opposed to the student liscense which is much cheaper, but you can't make money off it. Otherwise they're exactly identical.

To make halo maps. no.

To use particles, Sub-D, full geo, movie quality, physics, animations, curve edits, track edits,exporting to maya, making skeletons, and muscles, export to MotionBuilder, animate it realisticly, or wear the suit, and record yourself, then export to Flame, mnake some firey effect with your particles and crazy stuff, then to ToXiC or Maya again, and render a movie, than yes... It's well worth the money

Making a Halo map uses about 1% of 3ds max possibilites, and liek 0.0000000001% of all Autodesk products.

Truest thing I've heard all day

Can i register for it then? i start 9th grade this fall(highschool)

Making Halo maps helps build the skills you need for "digital design, architecture, game designer/engineering and CGI Movie production and effects." What better way to learn about a program than to use it to make maps for a game? And who says that's all we are gonna use it for? Chances are that if someone is REALLY into making halo maps, that they will likely go into one of those fields.

if someone is planning into going into those careers/fields of education, the halo engine, in these years, is not the best engine to work with. there are many engines out there that can utilize many features of 3DS max that the halo one cannot, thus makes them learn more and have more likely of a change of going into that type of career/field of education