3DS File Viewer

3DS File Viewer is a lightweight and portable application designed as an alternative to paid 3DS viewers, being able to open and play files created with Autodesk 3DS Max.

Autodesk 3DS Max is an industry-leading 3D modelling software that allows for the design of complex and unique animated objects with rich 3D effects. It has become, over the years, the number one choice of artists, game developers and architects all over the world.

Although 3DS is the proprietary format of Autodesk 3DS Max, it can be opened with a wide array of third-party tools that don’t necessarily charge for the operation.

Such an application is 3DS File Viewer, designed solely for viewing 3DS files – as such, no other manipulations are allowed, not even rotations, resizing, zooming and other such operations.

An advantage of 3DS File Viewer is portability; it comes wrapped inside an archive that can be carried around on a removable drive and launched on any computer without leaving a footprint on the system’s registry.

Having been written in Delphi, its design is not impressive, but rather plain and rudimentary. Its main and only window hosts a single menu that allows you to open a 3DS file or to exit the program.

Most of the space inside the GUI is reserved for the viewing area, which will become populated as soon as you load the 3DS file of interest. You’ll also find a few samples inside the download archive, if that’s of any interest to you.

On an ending note, 3DS File Viewer is a very simplistic application, but despite its raw appearance, it manages to carry out the task. Taking into consideration that it hasn’t received updates in quite a while, enhancements to its design or engine are less likely to be issued in the future.