Textures for 3d studio max ?

[d1p5y]

just got 3d studio max and now "currently not having money to buy the book" I'm watching tutorials. I found that I am missing textures or maps in the map editor.
http://www.deviantart.com/print/139623/
That would be something around what I'm trying to do. Do you have to buy a plug-in to create this effect or go through the long process of making that effect? I want the transparent, glass, water look through out the tentacles that reach out from something like an exploding star.

[John G]

You make your objects, asign your surface attributes (which may or may not include images for the textures, i.e. bump maps, transparency, refraction index etc.). Then render it out using multi-pass and edit a bunch in Photoshop.

I strongly recommend you read your 3ds manuals, and I'm pretty sure if you look deviant art has some tutorials up on how to do that effect in 3ds max (seen them before).

[sapillon]

there's a new free site for textures for 3d MAX and other stuff, if you want to check it out go to www.archiforge.com
Hope this helps