Still been trying hard at 3ds MAX. I think my modelling is now past the "i'm-a-ten-year-old-with-a-new-computer" stage, but MAX's rendering options are persistently giving me headaches.

From the past two weeks of experimentation, trial and error and general meddling usage, I have arrived at two conclusions:

1. MAX's rendering interface and tools are deliberately designed to be inscrutable, obnoxiously difficult to use and often consist of functions that are inherently confusing or esoteric in nature.

2. MAX's default scanline rendering engine is at best, on par with the one found in Google's Sketchup (free to use downloadable amateur 3d software). It uses the computer ineffectively and renders at a snail's pace.

I wonder if anyone feels the same way?
Hmm