I want to move from Gmax to 3DS max due to the more user friendly interface, the plethora of features and tutorials that exist. I have heard that 3DS max crashes with some HEK related scripts (at least it's newer version) and I would like you oppinion to which version to download from your personal experience. Thanks in advance.

3ds max 8 is the best for Halo Custom Edition. Works with Blitzkrieg too.

Killer is right. Almost everything in the halo programs was designed for Max 2008.

3ds max 2015 when it comes out.

Can you guys send me a link for 3ds max 8 please.

Max 8 is the best version.

Modacity has 30-day trials (do these even still work?...) for 5-9:
http://files.modacity.net/software/3dsmax/

Otherwise, it'll cost you thousands to buy the program legit. That, or if you're a college student like me with a valid .edu, you can get a student version (which I've noticed no major differences in yet) for free for 3 years. So right now I've got 2012, which I will wholeheartedly say with full bias that it is the second best version to Max 8 for Halo. But probably not really.

WOW WOW... WOW!! The damn thing costs 3.500$!! Isn't it supposed to be free? I searched all the version you guys suggested, and they are all of them overpriced. Never mind, I will just stick with Gmax.

It is if you are a student or a pirate.

Max 8 is best for compatibility with ce but max 2010 works well with the exporter programs, better than any version past 8. 2011-2013 has annoying issues when you're trying to export models, as you need to close max to run it through tool. 2014 however is decently compatible

G-Max is free, which is essentially a really stripped down 3ds Max with basic tools. Autodesk doesn't support it anymore though and never really did.

And yes, 3ds Max costs about 3600 dollars for the latest version, for a perpetual license (you own it forever). You can also rent it per month, for about 150 I think. In comparison, you can rent Maya LT for 35$ a month.

Like ODX said you can get a educational copy (nothings stripped, you just cant commercially use it).

For Halo CE you'll want to use 3ds Max 8 (don't get it mixed up with 2008). However if you do stuff for newer games in CryEngine, Source, UDK, etc, the newer versions are way more beneficial and way less buggy. They also have a great amount of new tools and modifiers.
Edited by Higuy on Mar 15, 2014 at 01:50 PM

student licenses :D

I like max2009 :)
It's newish compared to the original options mentioned in the HEK, It's super resoponsive, works in windows 7 64, and has nice little options to display and flip triangulation so you don't have to constantly import WRLs. Combine it with JMS exporter 104 and you got ZIPPIDIDOODAH!

Earlier versions of bluestreak work fine though.
Edited by altis94 on Mar 15, 2014 at 06:57 PM

....it does?



wwwwwwhat are you doing wrong that's getting you tons of random errors?

I tried to export my BSP with 104 (I usually use 103) and I kept getting errors with materials which I didn't get before.

Bluestreak 104 is a mod of 103 meant for gMax 1.2; it strips it of the loading bar and uses a more efficient formula to write the data into the MaxListener. 104 also is stripped of its rigged model support, so it is only meant for basic uni-armature geometry and BSPs.

In other words, it is a HELL-OF-ALOT-FASTER for gMax.

I use it all of the time, unless I am exporting a rigged model or something that is to be animated.

im just gonna make this easy and say that you shouldnt have anything higher then 2012 and it should be 32 bit. if you get 2012 and up if you decide that for whatever reason, i would suggest also getting a 2nd max, max 5-8.

Why? 32 bit is more useful cuzz of wrls.

Last time I recalled people used 5-7 n 8, that was years ago tho shoot.

This makes absolutely no sense.

Please enlighten me.

Bsp stuff.

What is a wrl...?

It stores vrml information based on geometry, if you open it in notepad for example, you see it
stores info on transparency, diffuse colour, material binding etc.

The wiki explains it more indepth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML

Wrl saves the error location data.
Import it to the max scene and it shows where the errors/warnings are.