The more you have the less performance dip...
The less performance dip, the faster you create
So add more rame and dont procrastinate!
Ah, yes, more ram CAN mean better loading. But usually it's just better with large scenes AFTER they're loaded - No time writing to the page file on your hard drives - which can also be improved with SCSI as opposed to IDE drives.
Also, how large are your scenes (megs)? How many poly's? Are you using any XRef's? Are you displaying everything or only what's neccisary to animate? Are you also displaying textures? Do you have degradation on? Are you using optimize on high in the viewport and no optimization for rendering? All this can contribute to lag when changing a scene.
And if you do decide to pick up a graphics accelerator, check various graphic magazines and websites and the packaging or specs of the card. Most game accelerators DO NOT actually work to help out the rendering process in MAX unless they are specifically stated as doing so. So make sure you know what you are getting, and ask around before making a purchase. Also try
http://www.journeyed.com for good deals on good cards. I'll see what I can find on the web and I'll let you know.
Good luck at card hunting, and happy rendering!
-Robby O
FIRSTanimators Moderator
oshortwan@hotmail.com