9

972 Glossary
MAXScr ipt
MAXScript is the general-purpose scripting
language for 3ds Max and related products. While
it works the same for a ll products, some f unctions
are specific to each. You can use MAXScript
to automate man y tasks, including modeling,
animation, material construct ion, and rendering.
You can also use MAXScript to add custom
command-panel rollouts to the user interface.
The interface to MAXScript is on both the
MAXScript menu (page 3–780) and the Utili ties
panel (page 3–778).
Mesh
A mesh is a type of geometric model of a
three-dimensional object in w hich the basic shape
is made up of points, or vertices (page 3–1030),
connected by edges (page 3–932).Therenderable
surface of the mesh object is made up of faces or
polygons (page 3–936) that connect the vertices
and edges. Examples of mesh objects in 3ds Max
areprimitivessuchasSphereandTeapot,aswell
as Editable Mesh and Editable Polygon objects.
In 3ds Max you can edit a mesh by transforming,
adding, and deleting the various elements, or
sub-objects: ver tices, edges, faces, and polygons.
You can also apply various changes with modifiers
(page 3–974).
Metaballs
Atypeofobjectthatjoinsitselftootherobjects
with a connecting surface. When one metaball
objectmoveswithinacertaindistanceofanother,
a connecting surface is formed between the two.
Metabal ls are ideal for simulating liquids and
thick,viscoussubstancessuchasmud,softfoods,
or molten metal.
Yo u c a n c r e a t e m e t a b a l l s w i t h t h e BlobMesh
compound object (page 1–331).
MFE Files
AMFEfilecontainsamotion flow graph (page
2–1045) and any scr ipts created for the graph.
See Saving, Loading, and Appending Motion Flow
Graphs (page 2–1032).
MI Files
TheMIfile(.mi) contains a mental ray scene
description that a mental ray renderer can use to
render your 3ds Max scene. When you render
w ith the mental ray renderer, you can expor t to a
text (ASCII) .mi fi le. (There is a binary .mi format
as well. The mental ray renderer in 3ds Max does
not generate t his format.) The exporter always
generatesmi3(mentalrayversion3)format. It
does not suppor t mental ray version 1 (mi1).
You specif y a name and location for the .mi fi le
on the Render Scene dialog > Processing panel >
Translator Options rollout (page 3–119).
See the mental r ay manual, Programming mental
ray , for a complete description of the mental ray
scene description language.
Mirroring
When working with a biped (page 2–843),the
Mirror control in the Keyframing Tools rollout
(page 2–962) allows you to mirror the entire biped
animation.
Mix
Data in the Motion Mixer (page 2–604) for
asinglebiped. Thetermmix refers to the
arrangement of elements in Motion Mixer (clips