PDA

View Full Version : I'm sorry doto do this... but

Henry Ellsworth
10-14-2002, 08:09 PM
(I have also posted this in the MAYA forum)


I have read all I could find in the subject of software A vs. Software B. Mostly I have learned that it’s the person not the software that really make a difference, and that to determine what package is best for an individual, the end result has to first be determined.

So a little about myself.

I have never modeled a thing in my life… I am not a particularly good at sketching… My storyboards make Scorsese’s look like Rembrandts. My sole intention for learning and applying 3D tools to my work, is in visual effects like a bullet flying (that’s original) or an explosion (yes I know). I mostly shoot commercials and music videos. I have no interest, due to lack of ability mostly, in designing those super cool rooms, still fifes, human figures, and futuristic worlds that are ubiquitous in 3D software how-to books. If I ever do an animated short, they will probably be stick figures. I wouldn’t even begin to pretend I have the imagination to design games. I have played with the Maya freebie and Gmax.

I found Gmax easier to use. Not sure why… maybe it was because it was the first one I tried.

So here are the questions:

1. Given my output i.e. bullet, explosion, flying tire, computer mouse cord that attacks user, bubbling coffee in mug… what is the best choice of software? Maya or 3D Max?

2. I have a very stable Dell Precision 330 with 1.4gig, 512ram, Matrox RT2500, two HD’s totaling 220 Gig of space, and a Matrox G450 32MB. Is the G450 a major no-no? I use Premiere and AE. I have not had a problem running the Freebies yet. Will the G450 completely falter when I get the big guns?

Of course this is all dependent on Discreet matching the MAYA price.

Thank you so much.

Henry.
Joel Hooks
10-14-2002, 08:25 PM
discreet won't match the Maya price. They sent out a press release stating as much.

I think you'd be best off with lightwave as an inexpensive out of the box solution to all the situations you described. Both maya and max would require aftermarket plugs to really excel at those situations.

There is a LW trial too, no? have you tested it?

Good luck!
3dsmax5
10-15-2002, 03:04 AM
You cant really compare Gmax to 3ds max...since its for game developers....it lacks the material editor and rederer, and lots of other things.
3ds max IS easier to learn than Maya
(dont want to start a max vs maya war, but it's a fact that it has more resources on the web...tutorials...plugins...scripts....etc etc)
erilaz
10-15-2002, 03:51 AM
How about XSI?:p

I honestly found Max a lot easier to learn than Maya. But that is me, not you. Definately do not judge 3ds max by gmax. Contact your local reseller and ask for a copy of the free 30-day trial cd. That way you can test all the features. It comes with it's own tutorial cd to get you going.
visualboo
10-15-2002, 06:02 AM
Originally posted by erilaz
How about XSI?:p

Because XSI is quite a bit more expensive than Max which is a bit out of his price range.

All I can say about a subject like this is.... Get every demo and try for yourself. Sounds like you might want maya tho.
Ryan-B
10-15-2002, 06:29 AM
I've done some effects stuff, but not for television or movies.

I've mostly used 3D Studio Max, and I've found I could do everything I needed to do. This includes particle effects, physics simulations, volumetric smoke, fire, and explosions. But for most of the effects I've done, I've had to use 3rd party plugins to get the level of detail I wanted. If you want very detailed explosions, you can buy something like Afterburn. There are lots of free scripts and plugins available (like SimCloth) which makes life easier.

3D Studio Max 5 now comes bundled with Reactor, so if you need to do physics simulations it's right there (of course, you pay for it whether you need it or not).

Maya Complete costs about $1000 dollars less than 3D Studio Max, and has all of the features of 3D Studio Max. It's more widely used in the film industry. I've started using it at home, and it's at least equal to Max in every way (so far, at least). There doesn't seem to be as many free plug-ins for Maya, but there are lots of free MEL scripts.

I don't know about your specific video card, but you should do a search for some benchmarks using 3D Studio Max and your card.

Having a lot of RAM will save you a lot of time rendering effects. Volumetric effects (like Afterburn) can render a lot faster with a lot of RAM (instead of swapping to the hardrive). 512 MB is enough for television work, but you would probably have very slow renders at higher resolutions (assuming you are doing huge, detailed, volumetric explosions).
Grosserfrosch
10-15-2002, 06:47 AM
I've never lliked Max's volumetric fog. It just looks too fake for me. I spend hours designing particle fog. I might just be using the volumetrics incorrectly.
gaggle
10-15-2002, 08:16 AM
Just a quick thought on this: Maya Complete does indeed come at a low cost, which is all kinds of cool and all, I just wanted to mention that as far as I know it's Maya Unlimited that the big boys uses. It has.. er.. Cloth?.. and... and.. Fluids.. and Fur? I think.. Idunno exactly, but there are some unique features to Unlimited at any rate. Just though I'd throw that in so it's at least considered.
CHRiTTeR
10-15-2002, 03:44 PM
Well, this is my personal opinion and I don't wanna piss u mya guys of and start another useless war so...


3DStudio MAX is Much easier to learn thanks to it's very visualized interface. Therefor it's also fun to work with. Maya can also be fun to work with, but that's more if u like a very proffesional, no bullsh*t interface.

It's a good thing that you mention your system being very stable, because MAX is known not to be (is this english?). Maya must be one of the most stable 3D packages around (maybe even the most), if your hardware is supported.

Also there are a lot of plugins and script available for max (also for maya, but much lesser), but a fact is that maya doesn't need all those plugins because much more is integrated in the package.

This might sound dumb, but if u wanna keep that Rembrandt style of yours. It seems to me that maya renders look more like this then max renders. Don't know, might sound stuppid, just thought i'd mention it :shrug: .



Well, I could go on and on like this, but those are the most important things to know in your case (I think).


GooD LuCK,
CHRiTTeR :wavey:

PS to the pros's: If I'm wrong about something, please correct me. (not the well-known 3d-packages-war-style plz)
Chris Thomas
10-15-2002, 05:16 PM
Well, if you havent learn' a 3D app yet you have no ties, so use the app of your choice. I think you should go for Maya Complete (incomplete?) or Max. There are good points in Maya and Max. Here are some reasons for why I'd go for Max....

Maya allows for pretty much anything, but to get there requires very in depth kownledge of the software. Max is still limited by comparison (in many areas) though this is getting less so as time goes by. On the whole though max is easier to learn and also has great documentation and support (probably the best)

Max's default renderer is much better than Maya's right now. the only thing that it lacks is super sampled AA. Other than that its supperior in most areas. The GI and toon features added in 5 re-inforce this (I've worked as a lighting lead on two tv series and the Max one looks the better of the two if you ask me... plus the characters were furry :) )

Max as a built in, well featured net render system. Maya does not.

Character studio is available, with 4 due soon. You have to learn to be a character TD rigger in Maya to get anywhere like the same functionality (mind you when you have, the worlds your limit)

If the max renderer is not good enough you have a great choice of excellent value replacements. With Maya you have Mental Ray or PRman, neither is cheap (PRman is VERY expensive)

I'd say if you have a huge budget and a large team of artists and TD's maya's the one to go for. If your a small shop and you need an off the shelf solution, go for max
CGTalk Moderation
01-13-2006, 07:00 PM
This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.