You may qualify for a limited free 3DS Max license from AutoDesk (veterans, students & faculty, unemployed)

[Legacy_OldTimeRadio]

               If you've ever wanted to move up from GMax but balked at the $2,995 pricetag of 3DS Max, now is the time to see if you qualify for a limited free license from AutoDesk.  The license length varies by program but it looks like the licenses go from around 12 to 36 months:

Students & Educators via AutoDesk's Education Community
General Eligibility Requirements:
"To join the Education Community you need to be a faculty member or a degree-, diploma- or certificate-seeking student participating in a valid academic program at the secondary or postsecondary level.

Secondary includes anyone from age 14 up to a postsecondary program. Postsecondary includes students in four-year colleges, two-year colleges, technical schools, postgraduate degree programs, and so forth.  A degree, diploma or certificate-seeking student means a student who is participating in a valid academic program and taking either three (3) or more credit hours or a nine-month or longer certificate program."

Veterans, Unemployed via AutoDesk Assistance Program
General Eligibility Requirements:
-Be over age 13
-Be currently unemployed, or a Military Veteran
-Have worked in the architecture, engineering, design or manufacturing community
-Complete online application required elements, including personal contact information, and industry
-Specify their date of departure from their former employer, employer name, and HR contact information (except Military Veterans)
-Self-certify that eligibility requirements are met

From my limited experience with 3DS Max 2011, it appears NWMax (Plus) along with Vel's Tools and Velmar's TileSet Creator (TSC) work fine without much hassle.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy__six]

               Good info to spread around. I got my copy of 3dsMax 2011 this way via university, and I haven't had any hitch using NWMax with it. Only issue I've actually had with 2011 is that doing too many levels of undo quickly seem to crash it, but I suspect that may be more operating system related.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_OldTimeRadio]

               Bump
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rubies]

               Note that if you do this, I'm jealous of you. That is all. '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Carcerian]

               I just tried, but the site just dumps you to a "landing" for their education options, and the option for actually signing up for the program is nowhere to be seen. The Info PDFs just take you to same place. (and only speak of the program being extended to jan 2011...)

Guess I could try calling them if nothing else '>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Carcerian, 12 juin 2012 - 03:59 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Bannor Bloodfist]

               You have to register on their site, and when it asks you what company you work for, your answer should be college or unemployed.

Their site is a bit confusing I admit, and I don't remember step by step what you have to do to get the files, but it does work.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ehye_khandee]

               A word to the wise. I read a story years ago, this same company engaged in a very effective anti-piracy scheme. They posted a program that printed a coupon entitling the user to a free copy of the prior version's manuals. The offer went on to say they were trying to get rid of their overstock. Many people printed the coupon and sent it in - only to discover after the fact that the printer had encoded into the decorative border of the coupon rather a great deal of information about the computer, any pirated copies of the company's flagship software on it and other identifying data. Many participants, found to have pirated copies of the software were shocked to receive a letter from the company demanding a payment for license fee of several thousand dollars or the opportunity to defend themselves in court.

Reading this thread reminded me of that story from years ago. Makes me (paranoid tho I am) wonder if this is anything similar. *shrugs*

Still, if the program is what it says it is, it sounds like a wonderful way to get the product into the hands of people who have time and desire to learn it. Best wishes to all you intrepid modellers!
               
               

               

                     Modifié par ehye_khandee, 12 juin 2012 - 06:03 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Carcerian]

               In such cases it It says you must be an approved member of the "AutoDesk Assistance Program".
However, there is no way to sign up for it anymore apparently...
(Clicking link inside the downloadable pdf just takes you back to same general area in main site...)
Otherwise yes, you could be liable for a 3k+ bill (nice of you to give them all that contact info huh?)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Carcerian, 12 juin 2012 - 11:29 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <pointing...>

Try here.

Let me know if it works (did for me).

<...thataway>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Rolo Kipp, 13 juin 2012 - 02:48 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Carcerian]

               

Rolo Kipp wrote...

<pointing...>

Try here.

Let me know if it works (did for me).

<...thataway>

That looks like it for sure '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Bannor Bloodfist]

               Bumping to keep this as a finable topic.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <being very careful...>

I wonder how many new CC Maker's we'd get if more people knew about these programs...

<...not to bump anything>