Xsi & Max

[EdHarriss]

Originally posted by shocky
Btw, can the render trees in XSI be converted to MAX's materials using dotXSI?
Sorry, they can not.


Originally posted by shocky
We're deciding which renderer to use. Max have Brazil, and XSI MentalRay. Help? :D
It all depends on which direction you are going. If you want to model in XSI and animate/texture in Max then use Brazil. If you want to model in max and animate/texture in XSI then use mental ray.

[shocky]

Just wondering: Will texturing in Max, animating in XSI, then render in Max work out well?

[Paul L. Ming]

Hiya.

While I'm still coming to grips with XSI (an old SI3D user), I am getting the very distinct feeling that XSI does NOT play well with..well, anyone other than XSI. It seems to "tolerant" of SI3D...but everyone else is treated "with disdane". My experiments with dotXSI and max have been, shall we say, "less than stellar". So far, I've been able to export (then import to XSI) my MAX models only as long as the object is dirt simple (no meshsmooth, no hierachy of objects, no texture maps or UV maps, etc.). I havn't tried animation yet...I'm kind of affraid to. Also, AFAIK, there is not way to go from XSI to MAX.

Now, don't get me wrong, I really am/was starting to like XSI (especially with that kick ass plugin suit "RS Polytools" or whatever it's called; gives EdgeLoop, EdgeRing, etc.)...but if you have any other assets that you want to bring into XSI or share with others who aren't using XSI, well... :shrug:

At any rate, good luck in whatever endeavor you go. The easiest I think would be you model in XSI, then export as .obj (theres a free plugin for that). Do everything else in MAX (texure, animate, light, render, etc.). Oh, as a side note, VRay would be my renderer of choice for MAX. It's *very* fast!

[robert east]

i suggest get a new friend and do the lot in xsi

regards robert:eek:

[krisr]

Originally posted by Paul L. Ming
Hiya.

While I'm still coming to grips with XSI (an old SI3D user), I am getting the very distinct feeling that XSI does NOT play well with..well, anyone other than XSI. It seems to "tolerant" of SI3D...but everyone else is treated "with disdane". My experiments with dotXSI and max have been, shall we say, "less than stellar".

Actually, the dotXSI format is very open and the gaming industry is loving it. There are ways to go from XSI to Max but some things may not transfer. I found that importing a dotXSI file into SI3D, exporting it as a .3ds file and importing that into Max works pretty well. You could also give Polytrans a whirl. I would maybe model in Max and than go to XSI. Doing your animation, texturing, lighting and rendering in Max is kinda backwards if you ask me....especially on the "animation" end. So the best answer is......just stick with XSI :D

[frumpy_bunyin]

You'll be hard pushed to get accurate animation from one to the other, or at least of a form that will deform objects the same, or preserve heirachy, rotation order, world corodinate etc. I've had to do this and it's not fun.

Transfering models (geometry) is no fuss, but once you have a rig and are animating you're life will be easier to stay with the package you are in.

If you want to get models from on to the other once they are animated I'd sugest using geometry exported for every frame that an object is animated. And then using shape animation to get them to move in the renderer of choice.

Since your animation guy is max, that may be easier, though animation and set up in xsi will probaly be easier for someone who knows that. Get a new friend was a good sugestion, or school him in xsi. - Is your knowledge of xsi going to better his set-up and animation know how in max?

Have fun.

FB

[shocky]

I'll be doing the modelling in XSI, but I can't texture in XSI since the animation will be done in Max, which means I'll have to texture in Max. My partner will be doing all the animating, and a little bit of modelling. Rendering can be either in Max or XSI, but from the above replies it appears that it'll be better for the rendering to be done in Max.

If having the entire thing done with two seperate programs (XSI: model, Max: texture, animate & render) may have some complications, looks like it'll be easier if I model in Max too. But i keep hitting xcv for transformation and appear quite lost in Max after I started with XSI.

Advise. Should I:
1. Continue with XSI/MAX
2. Go back to MAX
3. Get that guy(who has alot of animations done in Max) pickup XSI just for the animating?

Our renders must be ready by end of December.

[shocky]

Oh, and not given the time constrain, which way will be better?

[StefanA]

"which way would be better"... well, if your animation guy could learn XSI that would be really good. If he can't I would suggest you do everything in MAX (modeling you can still do in XSI).

After this project you should really look into if your animator could learn XSI. Going back and fourth between programs have never been a good idea.

best regards

.stefan andersson

[feefunk]

my humble opinion is to think about which is the focal point of your piece, and then go with the software you master before venturing into swapping models, textures and animation between packages. The time you spend banging your head against the monitor when things don't transfer correctly should be instead used to perfect your work, not fight between applications...


That's if you're doing this by yourself and your friend only... if you have a TD working for you then that's another story. ;)


best of luck and let us know which way you decide to go!

[peanut]

interesting, im a old Max user and just started out in XSI ...

its hard to learn some of their render passes ... but XSI Rocks !!!

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