Wings VS Mirai VS Maya VS Lightwave

[stunndman]

download it and compare it for yourself

if it does what you are looking for then stick with it

yeah, i admit, i don't like this over generalized versus threads

having used maya a lot, lightwave a little, i definitely prefer wings3d over both of them - but that depends on the specific modeling task at hand

[somlor]

For me Wings3D blows away the toolsets in all of the commercial packages I've tried. The only weaknesses are that it slows down when working on extremely large models. Also, if you prefer the "patch" method of modeling, you don't have that option in Wings, but I personally don't miss it.

Sean

[SheepFactory]

It all comes down to personal preference. I am very comportable with wings and model in it much faster than any other package.

Since i can export my model seamlessly to maya , Wings blends seamlessly to my workflow.

So think of wings not as a replacement for those softwares you mentioned but as a complimentary package.

[Tuqui-tuqui]

Hey there!!!

These threads tend to be a little sensitive... Leigh talked about them in the General Discussions Forum, and she also gave this link. You definitely have to check it out, but like it's already been said, all Softwares give free downloadable versions of themselves.

Good luck finding one that's right for you...

http://www.zaon.org/showthread.php?threadid=299

[negative9]

That is a great debate (http://www.zaon.org/showthread.php?threadid=299 ), but along the road I think it lost focus what the point of the post was - "Choosing the Right 3d Application..."

And maybe there is no "RIGHT" answer.

NOTE: I'm a novice by any difinition of the word!

What I'd like to see is a break-down of "Workflow" for doing the same thing in different 3d programs -- with all respect to Low-poly/Ploygon editing (to start with).

Something simple, Say a "Computer Moniter" from a picture, that everybody uses to recreate the monitor (including the stand).

Like this one: http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/samsung955df

Everybody would use A Video Screen-Capture program like CAMSTUDIO (http://www.rendersoftware.com/products/camstudio/index.htm ), to record thier "WORKFLOW" - preferably with narration as to what hot-keys they use, what the icons they click-on are, and right-click menus are they use. The first time they do anything (from as simple as moving around in the view) they explain how it works (like when you first use an acronym you do the 3D Studio Max (3ds))

Also, all programs would have to be at default settings, for all fairness among the programs...but if you wanted to set shortcuts ect..., then just set it up at the begining to show what sombody would have to do to get the results you did.

I think this would help termendously, for people like me that are fighting with a dozen different programs (choices) trying to figure out how to get X result in Y program.

So, I CHALLENGE YOU (Those that know how) to do this, and put this Debate to rest - let people see and hear with their own eyes and ears what it takes, and let them decide whether or not it flows with the way their brain thinks.

So, Let the games begin...Wings3D, Maya, Lightwave, 3DS, SoftImage XSI, ect...!

P.S. I'll help with the videos, hosting the videos, ect...

//negative9//

[tmt]

My personal opinion is that each task requires its best application. For example, if you want to create a highly precise mechanical object, eg. a "perfect" car, you have to use Rhino or some surface/mass modelling tool. If you want to create a character model, or some organic form, wings3d is one of the best choice (the thing that it's free, makes it more valuable :D). When it comes to animation, maya, lightwave - messiah, xsi or something like these doing the best job. For rendering a lot of cg-ers using renderman, mental ray, brazil or final render. And finally, not the tool, the artist is doing the job, so creativity is the most important. Not just the tool. (It's like a lot of people simply can't understand the lightwave interface, lots of others are can't live without that :D)

r3sp3kt!

[negative9]

Originally posted by tmt
(It's like a lot of people simply can't understand the lightwave interface, lots of others are can't live without that :D)

r3sp3kt!

That seems to be how it is with all programs. People get use to an interface - and deny change. Wings3d seems to be "nicer" in that regard compared to most (my example is off it's camera movement options, where if your use to Maya movement you can continue to use that method), as far as everthing else...it's a new breed, but I don't see other programs offering that.

Me I'm new at everything, so it makes no difference. Defaults work for the time being (though I wish middle mouse button both started and stopped rotation - just the way my brain works. Like if...end if or Middle-Mouse-button-rotate...end-middle-mouse-button-rotate.

On camera movements, Lightwave does the... one mouse button for each axis rotation thing right? If i'm thinking of the right program that was nice. Maya's camera movements remind me of Morta Kombat ctrl+shift+leftmouse+drag+(pick direction)...i'm not trying to kick the grids ass - only see the left side of my model!

[tmt]

maya's camera movement may be disturbing at first, but it's pretty logical. Say, ALT is the 'camera' key, and you can do everything with 2 mouse buttons. (Remember, in photoshop SPACE is for panning and +CTRL or +ALT is for zooming - plus left mouse). So, in maya there is an additional mouse button to do other tasks.

Back to the topic, wings3d + maya + mental ray is my choice for now, but I like lightwave and renderman also very much.

:bounce:

[negative9]

Thinking of ALT as the camera key seems to be key to Maya movements, but like everything else after playing with something long enough it all becomes second nature.

I just love when a program operates the way I think, Maya's not there, and neither is Wings3d, but Wings3D is closer!

//negative9//

[S3D]

Beyond understanding just how to create what you are thinking of, just auto like, as in you understand how to manipulate those poly's, well... beyond this it is all about workflow... plain and simple... how many moves to do what, and how far do I have to move to do so...

Take a cube and start with the most basic modifications of said cube... how many moves?

do you have to select a selection arrow first ( haha, that one always kills me : ), or how easy and accurate is it to define area selections, can you be using both hands in unison through even these simple tasks... ? these are the real basic numbers which to me count...

and it is frustrating when you know that the breakoff points are staggered enough between apps to make no plain winners... hahaha, what a show... any can claim any... but just sit down and spend a day or two popping a cube on screen and counting the moves it takes to do any thing with all the apps you have to try... once you have experienced that alone you will be all that much more wiser as to just which app has what when it come to tools, and... workflow...

Widgits or no widgits, Wings rocks in the most areas re box modeling, though though it lacks in quite a few real obvious areas for what ever reasons only known to Bjorn, it would seem that it more than makes up for these things over all, through it's ease of use and dedicated tools to the tasks required to box most anything out... but alas, beyond those few areas which need improving, like hot keys for move>normal etc, beyond these thing it really needs the tool I was suggesting to bring in more circular possibilities faster... cyas :)

As for C4D... needs the Dolly/rotate in 3D, to get rid of some of the redundant moves like select selection arrow... like just chuck that thing, as well implement smart selection as called "smarthighlighting" in Wings, and redo those loop tools... they are no where near as easy to use, or is it accurate as those found in Wings... great options no doubt, somehow even with more options they are not as intuitive as those found in Wings...

Also in C4D I would like to see move>normal put as a ring around the center "free" selector, so one could simply grab the ring and move>normal... also, I like the way wings handles extrude vs extrude>region... other than this, much the same fair as is found in Wings and a whole lot more... but unless that dooly is in place it all defeats the purpose in those basic numbers alone... though extruding is nice in C4D in that you do not have to keep on going to the menus for the next segment really plays in C4D's favour... back and forth like a ping pong ball eh...

either way, they both have many of the same required tools for box modeling, each with different approaches, both capable of generating any result within the artist... so just grab one and check it out.... it's fun

It's dolly vs widgits for me... and both have and don't have what I wan't.... whaaaaaa :D :D bummer dude :D

[S3D]

yup, real bummer :D

however, who knows what the next year will bring... :D

[stunndman]

beyond those few areas which need improving, like hot keys for move>normal etc,

what are you referring to ?

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