The Schematic view is a great tool for debugging inverse kinematics chains. For example, to link all our lamp objects to a skeleton, we simply chose a parent for each object by working our way up the chain. You could get lost wandering in this sea of gadgets. This database, which you can query, is one key to Softimage's strength as a package for teams of animators. Managing each project database, though, can be a burden for users who don't need it.
Some jobs require nuclear power, while others can get by with a smoothly running combustion engine.
If 3D Studio MAX isn't up to the task when your livelihood depends on it, and if you're willing to spend double its price, Softimage is the program to buy. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company .