Best program for architectural modelling

[Waha]

.obj is a good format as most programs support it (at least the programs I use which are maya and rhino)

for exterior, it is a personal choice and workflow, but generally MAX has a couple of good architecture modeling programs, I cannot remember the names but there is one that uses blueprints to create 3d images and another that comes with all the built in objects (mostly for interior though)

[battlesmith809]

hi gordons, i do architectural rendering too...and my main tools are max7 + vray + photoshop...and i think it's the only way to go when it's about architectural stuff...i've tried maya and xsi, but they just don't give me the feeling of working with "BIG STUFF" like skyscrapers...

and vray (a max rendering system plugin) gives you fast realistic renders...and you can learn this one overnight, unlike mental ray...

[sconlogue]

I agree with battle. Max is where it is at. Max 9 with mentalray 3.5 get's nice results for exterior arch rendering. I often work from DWG (Autocad) ref files so the DWG intergration in Max is a nice feature to consider. There are built in utilities for Stairs, windows, doors, walls. These help depending on the type of model. I find Poly modeling the most effective for get large structures done quick. The improvements to the edge tool set help big time. Go Max!

p.s. word to the wise. I would avoid Sketch-up. It's simple and fast but if you need to export this in multiple formats Sketch-up falls on it's face. I have received one nasty model after the other from Sketch-up folk looking for Photo-Real renders, that don't happen.

[ddustin]

We prefer to purchase our models as Max.

obj, 3ds or OK, but max is the format that we look for when buying.


Any examples you can show us?

thanks,
David Dustin

[MrTwister]

I use ArhiCad and AutoCad.

[MrTwister]

I use AutoCad and Archicad.

[phix95]

hi gordons, i do architectural rendering too...and my main tools are max7 + vray + photoshop...and i think it's the only way to go when it's about architectural stuff...i've tried maya and xsi, but they just don't give me the feeling of working with "BIG STUFF" like skyscrapers...

and vray (a max rendering system plugin) gives you fast realistic renders...and you can learn this one overnight, unlike mental ray...

Wow, gotta disagree here. Vray is very hard to learn to get the best results, unless you know tricks. All the physics and bouncing and all that crap makes my head spin.

[iilNIRVANAlii]

I'm now Trying Architectural Designs in Rhinoceros , It's Great and I Luv it ...
Generally Rhino is a Luvly Program and you would be pro in it very fast just in 3 weeks if u work hard ...

But it's only Nurbs ;)

[Lordstormdragon]

...that it depends on what you're needing the rendering for. If you're looking for working drawings, obviously programs like VRay won't help much, and modeling in polys is vast overkill. I've been using Chief Architect, which I find to be the most annoying, obnoxious program of all the "Click and Build" programs, but also it has export functions which prove invaluable when you're importing into a rendering pipeline. But going from Chief to Rhino (Chief only exports .dxf) and then exporting from Rhino to Maya (.obj) is obnoxious, and leaves you with an almost untexturable mesh. It will work for basic, non-UV type texturing, but good luck trying to repair a Chief model in Rhino or Maya...

mental ray's contour shaders make for wonderful working drawings, as well, in either Max or Maya.

I find Rhino's NURBS modeling power to be vastly superior to Maya's, Max's or any other program out there including AutoCAD. But converting to polys to export is a pain in the ass, and again, you're left with only basic texturing options. It's hard enough trying to UV-map a low-poly character, but with high-poly solid (non-deforming) meshes it's pretty much impossible.

But from a working perspective, the combination of Rhino to Maya to mental ray is devastating. You don't have to mess around with annoying poly mechanics, and Rhino by far has the best NURBS tools on the market. The other benefit is that you can really, REALLY get down and dirty and make anyting you want very quickly with Rhino. Admittingly I'm only a so-so poly modeler, and can't finish a character to save my life, but I could model an entire house in Rhino, including electrical, plumbing, and framing, in just a couple of hours.

The Click-and-Build programs do this even faster, but with most you won't have the option to export to a true photorealistic rendered (VRay or mental ray), and they all have serious flaws in them. Try making a roof in Chief : it's absurdly impossible, coming from a program so expensive and "top of the food chain" in it's attitude. Softplan is even worse.


But I think what's rough for me is going backwards. Rhino and Maya offer a great deal of freedom and power. The Clickers offer neither. So it's frustrating to use a poorly-written, understudied application once you're used to "the Big Dogs".

So for Arch/Viz, I think .obj, .3ds, and .lwo's should be all you would need. If conversions are an issue, PolyTrans can handle all that with ease and efficiency.

But if you're looking to actually get a job done, and need working drawings of framing and such, you're gonna have to eat your own face and use another program such as Chief or Softplan. Gah, those programs are garbage, almost as bad as Sketch-up. Perhaps ArchiCAD is a better program, I'll have to go look into that one!

Also, on a side-note to Nirvana, Rhino 4 has a full set of poly tools as well. But you'll still end up having issues in Maya or Max with Rhino's poly conversion...

[vekien]

I use Photoshop and Cinema 4D 10.5 with Architecture Edition:
(http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/editions/architecture/architecture_e.html)

Pretty good and very user friendly for beginners. Good for like CG and artwork or to learn, not very good for game development though, I guess. You can export to OBJ and subdivide to tris but a good knowledge of either maya or 3ds max of just making sure things look good and making sure textures map right, but only for games.

[CGTalk Moderation]

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.