XSI harder that Maya?

[ggg]

no

[Wildfire]

I have tried to learn both at the same time, and I've got to say that XSI is much easier once you get started. I got a maya book, and it all seemed really mathamatical, when it came to setting up stuff that you could do in a few clicks with XSI.

Also I reckon that XSI's poly modelling tools are better than mayas. This is in no way a professional view, just as a learner.

The only thing about XSI is that you got to know the hot keys really to use it quickly. When I first started it up, my first impression, (this also applies to SI 3D) was that if you didn't know the hot keys you were pretty much stuck, where as Maya and Max had visual icons for everything. I now know where in XSI there are icon/buttons to click, but they weren't obvious.

The only other problem is finding companies that use XSI compared to Maya and Max. I have recently been turned down for 3 jobs because I do not use Max.

IMO XSI is definitely the way forward, just needs some time.

[orion 77]

well maybe u should learn max wildfire.
i too have been turned down for jobs cos i dont use max (games jobs mostly) so who said it isnt crucial what software you use.

now only discreet dont have a max learning edition, goes to show how bad tjhey are!!!

[Atyss]

Originally posted by the3DBEAST
is XSI harder to learn than maya. maya is coming pretty easy. i have heard that XSI has better modeling tools, and i am wanting to start using it for modeling for now. ..but everyone is saying im crazy b/c XSI is so hard to learn. is this so? THANX!

Now that the demo for XSI 3 is available, you should download it and try it for a couple of weeks. This way you'll have a good idea.


Just my 2 cents
Bernard Lebel

[steverage]

Ive been using XSi for 2 years and am now starting to use Maya
I have to say that XSi was easier to pick up but maya is very clicky which is good cos you dont hav to remeber hotkeys.

I dont like the modelling in Maya or the way u hav to set up skeletons but MEL scripting is powerful so - its really almost half and half!

[Wildfire]

Orion 77.

That's exactly what I am trying to do right now. I'm just finding Max soooo fiddly!! It puts points in the wrong place when you split a poly, inverses normals and does weird Geometry Approx stuff!!

Apparently it's because it deals in tris rather than quads, so I'm told.


I actually find the Hot Keys a lot easier than both Max and Maya's navigation now that I know them

[Mahlon]

Originally posted by Wildfire
Orion 77.

That's exactly what I am trying to do right now. I'm just finding Max soooo fiddly!! It puts points in the wrong place when you split a poly, inverses normals and does weird Geometry Approx stuff!!


Are you using the poly object or edit mesh object in max? Which version?

Mahlon

[Wildfire]

Was using max 5, before I bulit a new system and then had a little accident with formatting the wrong Hard Drive!!!:eek:

But Luckily I used GetDataBack and it all worked out:thumbsup:

I started by getting a poly box and using an edit mesh modifier on it. the used the cut tool to split polys up.

Is this wrong? I was kinda trying to emulate what I was using in XSI

[streamzin]

it is easy to know how to use maya, but its really difficult to grasp it deeply!! you must learn lots of program things which is a pain for artist! XSI is more friendly and directly! less manually control as well! I have been learning maya for 2 years, but I still dare not say I know maya proporly.
:p

[Buhrmi]

I think XSI is easier to learn und to use because of the interactivity and stuff (at least for beginners). I tried now Maya and XSI.

But what I still didn't figured out.... How do Materials work in XSI? What's a Material in XSI? What's an Image in XSI? What's a Shader in XSI? What's a Texture in XSI? What's a Texture-Projection? What's a Texturesupport? Is there any good tutorial covering this? I'm getting lost in weird texturestuff all the time in XSI.

[raffael3d]

the tapes of ed harriss at
http://www.edharriss.com/tape/index.htm
cover that.

[Atyss]

Check out definitions here:
http://www.xsibase.com/cgi-bin/netview/YaBB.cgi?board=render;action=display;num=1045060108

Check out these tutorials about texture projection stuff:
http://www.edharriss.com/tutorials/tutorial_xsi_isner_texturemaping/texture_tutorial.htm
http://www.vertexvandal.com/tutorials/multi-bump/multiobj_bump.htm
http://www.vertexvandal.com/tutorials/multi-bump/multiobj_bump.htm
http://www.finalgathering.com/tut/texture/te.html
http://www.edharriss.com/tutorials/Branch_Tutorial_files/branch_tutorial.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/film/grimoireinterdit/tutorial_cubicMapping/cubicMapping.htm

Don't forget Ed's full listing of Material/Texturing tutorials:
http://www.edharriss.com/tutorials/tutorials_materials_xsi.html

Oh and finally, reading the manual will clear things up a lot.


Hope this helps
Salutations - Cheers
Bernard Lebel

[orion 77]

lol. thats one thing i had trouble when using maya at uni.
its not interactive enough, i used LW and its more intuitive. xsi has a mix of both styles. i just cant see why people use max its so illogical and the interface is bizzare.
with mel and the programming architecture being so good u would believe that game studios would use maya.
one thing i dont like is non descriptive tools in the menu. lathe - revolve.
wheres jitter?
and the sub d conversion. :hmm:

[Wildfire]

I actually came from a Max background into SI3D!! Many that was a culture shock!! But after switching to XSI I haven't really had a problem. I want to try LW at some point, but just haven't had the time or money really.

[qchan]

I came from maya. I loved it for it's superb interface and workflow.
My first contact with xsi was in version 1. O.K. this version was a pure joke, but most of all I hated the interface. I thought I could never accept an application where I cannot pick the handels. But after some time with version 2 and I was fully convinced XSI is the better program for me. The interface is superb and very fast, I love the rock solid poly tools, the fast subDs in version 3, of course all the great animation tools and the best integrated renderer.
On the other hand there are also drawbacks like all the whole simlulatin area, where maya is the leader.

I like XSi more than Maya now. But I know also many people who don't like XSI because of the few discussed negative things.

qchan

P.S: I forgot one very important thing. VBScript or one of the other scrpting languages are more powerfull in XSI than MEL in Maya could ever be!

[Gelfling]

If XSI was at Maya's price point it would be stomping character animation houses everywhere. The ability to add a vert, edge, polygon in a matter of second's (the way XSI handles it) is the closest thing to drawing high end 3d yet. I can not steep enough praise..

Here is a little tip, you can still get a trade in if you bug you're local distributor enough. Of course it may depend on the package you are trading in and who you are dealing with. Milage may vary.

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