My dumb question for the month. Is there a difference or are they the same. Is there a utility that converts Max to something I can use, lwo, DXF, something I can use to convert to what I need? I don't have 3dsMax, so the dumb question. I have never thought about the dif till I started to model. Thank-you for your time. Tashar 59

Poser can be used to convert between .3ds format and several others by importing and then exporting. It can't opan a .max scene file, though.

That is what I need to know, is there a utility that converts a max to anything else. Tashar 59

Nothing but Max, as far as I know, can convert a Max scene file. There's a thread down below on importing that mentions some utility -- don't know if that will open a Max file or not.

Deep Exploration from 3d Hemisphere can do it but you need Max installed for it to work.

That a drag. I found a couple of great meshs that I was hoping to use. I have Amapi4 and there is a max screen that pops up, but it may need Max installed for that too. I'll just have to experiment with it and see. Thank-you for the help. Tashar 59

beryld : theres allot of people at Renerosity who have max that will convert them for you. It depends on what version of max the model is though.

Some 3ds max objects can be converted by Deep Exploration or imported into TrueSpace. About twenty percent of the time, it works ok. In TrueSpace, sometimes the parts are moved around, but the heirarchy is still there and can be moved back in place. The best bet is to find a close and dear personal friend here who will convert them for you.

what do you need converted?it's free right?where do i download it from?what format do you need it in?and where do you want it sent too?

For the mac users it's quite simple, we can use 3ds and can't use Max

rodzilla- Thank-you, I will IM you. Big THANK_YOU to everyone for the help. Tashar 59

What IS the point of such a restricted file format?

it's merely 3dsmax's own internal format,almost every program has one,it's just like poser's pz3 files.a .max file is a scene file that contains the mesh[s],lights,mats and rendering settings...there's really nothing any more restrictive about it than any other file format. how many progs can open .pz3 files?only poser can actually create or modify them,3dsmax's .max files are the same thing...they are for max only,allthough if the original artist wants to make it accessible to all then they should learn to export to something everyone can use like .3ds mesh files...it ain't the prog or the the file format but the people using it