thinking about leaving lightwave

[mdunakin]

Exactly what are you wanting from anyone here?
Are we supposed to convince to to stay with LW or go to Max or what?
Kinda doesn't make much sense, since you're going to do which ever
suits your needs or feelings towards which ever software, right?

........md

[digefxgrp]

If you're doing architecture, take a look at Form-Z. It's fully loaded for that kind of work.

[Ibanezhead]

Go for it. Max is a great option for modeling...

[Dragon_Lee]

Here's something to think about....

You say MAX is very diffuse in your area...

So why not stick with Lightwave (upgrade to 9?) and keep its "look", ie. the look you personally get from it...

If there are a lot of companies out there seeing basically the same type of graphics output, then it might be a good refresher to see someone doing the same work but still use different engine for it...

Besides, consider if it is really wise to move to MAX after having used LW for so long... would mean learning the app anew, getting frustrated by its weirdness in comparison what you're used to in LW ... and then pumping out the same standard work as your competitors do....

If you really wish to focus more on architecture, go for specific architecture stuff, form-Z, or VIZ (ok thats MAX related, but changing apps means re-learning anyways), and perhaps consider outputting parts of that to LW to render from....

[CAClark]

If you wanna leave lightwave, go. If you don't, stay.

[habañero]

I was gonna say something, but Clark just said it.

[Carlocki]

mdunakin:
it's just to ask to someone else in the world some ideas or point of view
It's what a forum it's usefull for.

digefxgrp:
I remember Greg Lynn experiment with it
But i'm not interested in powerfull modelling tools

Dragon_Lee:
THIS IS A VERY GOOD POINT OF VIEW
use lightwave cause is original
But is hard to collaborate with other studios
I cannot import 3ds files and so on
The sense of newest softwares is also another point I'm going to reach


Cacalrk;habañero :
unusefull thing.

[PaZ]

I have to buy a new 3d software
I'm using with some good results lightwave 7.5
But doing only architecture stuff i'm thinking about using 3dmax
I'm also Italian and in Italy max has the biggest diffusion on market

Hi, i'm an italian architect like you.
I work mainly in Viz and i sue LW; soem of the best Viz studios in Italy uses LW.
There are lot of Max studios here, but very a few work at high standards.
Then consider Fprime - it's unbelievably powerful for Viz, nothing near in Max or other apps.
Now with Kray we have a good GI solver, very near Vray quality.
So it's up to your shades, there's really no "good" or "bad" way.

regards,
Paolo

[Dennik]

Lightwave is a great modeler, and great renderer especially for architectural stuff.
Plus i guess you know it better than max, since you are here, supposingly a LW user.
So i don't see the reason for changing, unless you've worked with MAX and seen a better workflow for architectural stuff in MAX. At the end its just a tool, your preferable tool.
So if you realy like MAX, i say go for it.
But also check the rummors ( i don't know how valid they are) about MAX being discontinued over the next 3-5 years. That might put you into some more thought.

[PaZ]

But also check the rummors ( i don't know how valid they are) about MAX being discontinued over the next 3-5 years. That might put you into some more thought.

It seems ridiculous; it's the best selling 3d app in the world.
Please can you put here a link ?

thanks
Paolo

[uncommongrafx]

As I understand it, 3ds files are proprietary to max; to that end, of course you would need max to work with it.
However, if you learn to communicate to the other studios your need for alternative files, e.g., obj, dfx or other, in order to work your magic. They KNOW you can't open a 3ds file without max such that they may be trying to exclude you in a polite way. Communicating your preferences prior to being sent any file will assist in alleviating the confusions of your recieving the wrong file type.

On the other hand, if you have enough work of this nature, max makes a great lw plugin. ;) As does any other app. No reason to "leave" lw while enhancing your work/skill set.

Lastly, get in touch with these guys, http://www.wtools3d.com/ . They seem to be THE CAD guys on lw and are sharing the tools they've made. If you can do the work you need to in lw and make the profit that goes along with it, any investment you make toward your goal would be valid. Yours is not an either-or question: you don't have to pick one app or another. You have to make the best of your business.

[Brent_3D]

I use both Max and LW together. Just use the free "FBX" plugin from Alias and most of your worries are solved. Check out my "Character Studio to LW" link below to get a basic understanding. Cheers.

[Limbus]

But is hard to collaborate with other studios
I cannot import 3ds files and so on

LW can read .3ds just fine and you can use .obj and .fbx to exchange data with max. What you can not read with LW is the .max fileformat.

Florian

[Chewey]

I'd go with whatever your workflow may dictate. For example if you have clients providing you some type of file to work with (like autocad etc) that loads into Max better/more easily than LWave, surely that feature might make you choose Max over LW.

There's a guy who sometimes posts in this forum named Yag or Yog who seems to have a good handle on the pros and cons of using Max versus LW for Archi-techy work.

Max is quite capable of creating some very nice renders given the many render engine options it affords.

[Ibanezhead]

you don't have to pick one app or another.

This is so true. Often we find ourselves thinking that we have to identify with some app or skill, and that will forever be it. Many in this industry say it is bad to be a jack of all trades, but my view is that CG is your trade and being familiar with different skills and apps within that trade can only help you in the end...

[habañero]

Yeah, it is not the point to be rude. It just was put in a to me strange way, and so I got the impression you just wanted to complain, which aint that uncommon here.

I think the Spinquad thread about LW-cad could interest you, here (http://www.spinquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9085). I think it won't make autocad of LW, but for architecture it should be useful.

If you didn't read about LW9, it is going to mean a lot of big changes, and so if you don't have particular issues with LW 7 I can't imagine what would stop you with LW9.

If you are going to use online render farms, the price is half.

The Maxwell render engine also supports LW, I've seen some really nice arch work with that though I am a little bit sceptic of it.

I mean for the price of afull licence of max you could fetch yourself LW9 and a lot of plugins and renderers, like, all Worley plugins, Maxwell, Kray, LWCad, Evasion plugins and more. And I would think that it will rather get easier than harder to work across the packages.

[RobertoOrtiz]

We get these threads now and then, and to be fair I often wonder

what is the point of them.

Tehy become troll magnets, and serve no purpouse.

My advice, have fun with your new app.

Later,
and if this thread goes south I will close it.

-R

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