Exporting to 3DS

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File menu > Export > Select File To Export dialog > Save As Type > 3D Studio (*.3DS)

3DS is the 3D Studio (DOS) mesh file format. You can export Autodesk VIZ files to this format.

When you export a 3DS file, the following information is exported:

Position, Rotation and Scale animation. If the controller is a TCB controller, the TCB, Ease In, and Ease Out values are also saved. If the controller is any other type of key controller, the keys are saved but the tangent information is lost. If the controller is not a key controller, only the object's transformation at frame 0 is saved.
Basic material color/parameters from the Standard material.
Single maps with their amount, offsets, scales, etc.
Auto-cubics and Mirrors.
Target cameras, target spotlights and omni lights.
Most "static" parameters for cameras and lights, and animation tracks for Roll, Falloff, Hotspot, and FOV.

When you export a 3DS file, the following information is not exported:

Composite and procedural maps.
Grouped object transformations. There's no concept of group hierarchy in the 3D Editor. Groups export to the Keyframer because the Keyframer understands hierarchies.
Global shadow parameters.

When you export a 3DS file, the following occur:

All non-mesh geometry, such as procedural primitives and patches, is collapsed to meshes before export.
Objects are exported as they exist on the frame Autodesk VIZ displays at export time.
Meshes are saved with edge display information and smoothing groups.
Autodesk VIZ instances are saved as Keyframe instances.
Modifier animation is frozen at the current frame, collapsed, and exported as a simple mesh.

Interface

When you choose 3DS as the export file format, enter a file name, and click Save, an Export Scene To .3DS File dialog is displayed. This dialog has a single option:

Preserve MAX's Texture Coordinates—When on, preserves mapping coordinates. When off, mapping information is discarded. Default=on.