The following are the most significant changes to the 3ds Max 2010 since the previous version.
Assets - There is a new system is used for managing assets. For information on the impact on existing plug-ins see the Plug-in Upgrade Guide.
Asset File Path Resolution - A new system is used for resolving asset file paths. For information on the impact on existing plug-ins see the Plug-in Upgrade Guide.
Animation Track Locking - Animation tracks can be locked to prevent editing until unlocked.
Geometry Checker - The geometry checker system enables interactive examination and testing of meshes and poly objects for possible errors, such as flipped faces, etc., and visualizing the results in the viewport. When the system is turned on it will perform a user supplied test on the current selection of objects and show the results of the test in the current viewport.
Containers - 3ds Max has a new feature called containers, which make it easy for users to organize scene contents into logical groups. The container functionality is exposed to 3ds Max SDK.
User Interface Updates - A number of changes have been made to the user interface.
