ACU 3ds Max study plan

Navigate the four viewports and set up a custom quad-menu and keyboard shortcut set for the ten commands you use most

Configure scene units, grid snapping, and pivot behavior before starting any geometry

Build a hard-surface prop from primitives using only transforms, alignment tools, and the modifier stack

Organize the scene with layers and named selection sets so every object is identifiable at a glance

Reproduce a simple still-life arrangement from a written description using only object placement and cloning

Model a beveled hard-surface object using editable poly sub-object levels, insets, and extrusions

Apply a TurboSmooth or OpenSubdiv workflow and correct pinching with support loops

Use the symmetry modifier to build half a character or vehicle shell and mirror it cleanly

Retopologize a messy boolean result into clean quad-dominant topology

Check the model for non-manifold edges, flipped normals, and stray vertices before export

Unwrap a complex object with the Unwrap UVW modifier and minimize texture stretching using checker maps

Pack UV islands efficiently and set texel density consistently across multiple objects

Build a layered material in the Slate Material Editor with diffuse, roughness, and normal maps wired correctly

Bake ambient occlusion or normal maps from a high-poly source to a low-poly target

Assign material IDs and apply a multi/sub-object material to a single mesh

Set up a physically based material library and reuse it across three different assets

Light an interior scene with a daylight system plus portal or fill lights and justify each light's role

Configure Arnold or V-Ray render settings for a final frame, balancing samples against render time

Render a depth-of-field or motion-blur pass and composite it over the beauty pass

Diagnose and fix common artifacts such as fireflies, shadow acne, and light leaks

Animate a camera along a path with eased timing using the curve editor

Set and edit keyframes on transform tracks, then adjust tangents to remove robotic motion

Use the dope sheet to retime a short sequence without breaking existing keys

Render a short animated preview to verify timing before committing to final output

Apply a simple constraint or wire parameter to link one object's motion to another

Rig a simple mechanical object with bones or a hierarchy and link it with a constraint-based setup

Animate a bouncing object with squash and stretch that respects weight and contact frames

Build a walk-cycle loop for a biped or simple character rig and verify the loop is seamless

Use the track view to clean up, filter, and organize animation curves

Export an animation to a common format and confirm it plays back correctly outside 3ds Max

Revisit weak areas identified in earlier weeks and rebuild one asset from scratch without notes

Complete a timed modeling exercise to test speed on familiar tools

Answer practice questions across fundamentals, modeling, and materials and log every miss with a reason

Refine your personal shortcut and workspace setup based on what slowed you down

Document a repeatable asset pipeline from blockout through texturing

Complete a timed rendering and animation practice set and log every miss with a reason

Render a final portfolio-quality image and animation from one scene to confirm end-to-end fluency

Review all logged errors and rewrite each corrected answer in your own words

Simulate exam conditions with a full mixed-domain practice run under time pressure

Finalize a one-page cheat sheet covering render settings, animation shortcuts, and common pitfalls