 ELSA MAXtreme Version 3.00
=============================
 
Copyright (c) 2000 NVIDIA Corp. 

Internet   : http://www.nvidia.com

This README document contains the following information:

	1. Introduction
	2. Contents of Directory
	3. Installation
	4. Uninstallation
	5. Notes
	6. Known Issues


1. 	INTRODUCTION
	==============

	ELSA MAXtreme is a driver designed for 3D Studio MAX 
	and 3D Studio VIZ. The ELSA MAXtreme 3D driver is highly 
	optimized for use with NVIDIA workstation graphics cards, 
	which enhances the capabilities of the interactive renderer. You 
	can use the configuration dialog box to customize the ELSA
  	MAXtreme 3D driver for display quality and speed. You can 
	access the configuration dialog box from the MAXtreme main menu.

	ELSA MAXtreme comes with MAXtremeRender, a utility that allows you
	to use the current software production renderer to render into a 
	viewport. This method of rendering may not be as fast as using the 
	graphics card hardware engine, but it is easy to use and provides
	better control of the final rendering.

	If you are using an NVIDIA workstation graphics card, you can view 
	your drawings and animations in true stereo. You only need some stereo
	shutter glasses in addition to ELSA MAXtremeStereo, which is part of the
	MAXtreme installation. ELSAA MAXtremeStereo is a plug-in utility located
	in the Plugins directory of 3D Studio.

	For information on ELSA MAXtreme Version 3.00 features,
	see online Help.

	For further information about NVIDIA and its products, go to
	 http://www.nvidia.com.


2. 	CONTENTS OF DIRECTORY
	=================================
	The ELSA MAXtreme SETUP directory contains the following files:

	Readme.txt	this file
	Setup.exe       	installation program for Windows
	MAXtreme.chm	Help in English
	(all others)   	files required for installation 

3. 	INSTALLATION
	============= 

3.1  	Prerequisites
	----------------
	Before you install and use ELSA MAXtreme, make sure you
	have the following:
 
	* Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 operating system

	* An NVIDIA workstation graphics card, such as any card in the 
		NVIDIA Quadro family. 

	* NVIDIA Windows NT 4.0 Display Driver or NVIDIA 
		Windows 2000 Display Driver (Version 6.46 or higher)

	* 3D Studio MAX or 3D Studio VIZ must already be installed 
		on your computer.


3.2  	Installation Procedure
	-------------------------
	From the installation directory, click the SETUP.EXE program and 
	follow the instructions that appear in the InstallShield prompts.

	NOTE: 	If the installation program stops processing and generates an 
		error message, try to run it with Administrator access rights.


4. 	UNINSTALLATION
	================

	1. From the Windows desktop, click 
		Start  > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.

	2. Click the "Add/Remove Programs" icon.

	3. Click "ELSA MAXtreme" from the list.

	4. Click the "Change/Remove" button. 

	5. Follow the instructions from the InstallShield program to 
		complete uninstall.


5  	NOTES
	======

5.1 	Fog
	-----
	ELSA MAXtreme supports the rendering of standard fog into the
	viewports since version 1.01.00. You can enable this feature from 
	the configuration dialog box. Currently, only one Linear or 
	Exponential Standard Fog is supported. Additional Standard 
	Fogs and all Layered Fogs are ignored.  
 

5.2   	Transparency
	----------------
	To produce more realistic images, ELSA MAXtreme supports the
	display of various Transparency modes in Shaded Views. 
	Transparency is used for drawing elements that have an opacity 
	of less than 100. Transparency modes include: None, Standard, 
	Blended, and Sorted Blended.
	

5.3  	MAXtremeStereo
	------------------------
	ELSA MAXtreme supports stereo within viewports. For the plug-in 
	"MAXtremeStereo" to work, it should be installed together with 
	the MAXtreme driver. Stereo viewing is possible on a 	stereo-capable 
	NVIDIA workstation graphics card and a resolution and color depth
	that are not too high, since twice as much video-memory is required.
	
	NOTE:    You also need 3D stereo shutter-glasses to view in stereo 
		mode.

5.4  	MAXtremeRender
	-----------------------------------
	ELSA MAXtreme supports using the software production renderer into a
	viewport. For this the plug-in to work, "MAXtremeRender" should 
	have been installed together with the MAXtreme driver. This plug-in 
	can be used on all graphics cards that MAXtreme support. To control 
	this rendering, you have to activate the plug-in MAXtremeRender by 
	pressing "More..." on the "Utilities" tab and	selecting "MAXtremeRender"
	from the list box. The renderer can be used in high, medium, or low resolution; 
	under medium and low resolution, you can smooth the rendered image by
	linear interpolation. Because the software production renderer is relative slow,
	the viewports are not always updated automatically. To force an update, 
	you can use one of two Update buttons to update either all rendered 
	viewports or the active viewport.


6.	KNOWN ISSUES
	==============

6.1	Fog:
	-----
	* The fogging depends on the environment range of the camera.
      	 When the near and far values are equal, everything at this
      	 distance should instantly vanish into the fog. With MAXtreme,
      	 there is a small range around this distance where the fog intensity 
      	 rapidly grows.

     	* When the environment range of the camera is set in such a 
     	way that large picture elements are within the fogged range
     	as well as outside, those parts of the picture elements in
       	front of the fogging range should be clear. With MAXtreme, 
       	these picture elements are not completely clear and seem to be fogged.

    	* The "Active" toggle in the "Atmosphere" section of the
        	Environment dialog is not supported. Supported fog is
        	always rendered as active in the viewports.

6.2	Stereo
	--------
     	With Stereo selected, there is no Dual Planes support in
	stereo-capable resolutions.

6.3 	MAXtremeStereo
	---------------------
    	When storing a stereo-paired animation as defined in the
        	Render dialog box, "File Number Base" is ignored. The animation
        	frames are stored with a "File Number Base" of zero.
