Need info on Cinema 4D R8.

[ghopper]

Cinema 4D Review (http://www.insidecg.com/feature.php?id=121)

Quickstart (http://www.maxoncomputer.com/tutorial_browse.asp?category=R8)

Tutorial List 1 (http://www.maxoncomputer.com/resources_browse.asp?catID=11)

Other Links (http://www.maxoncomputer.com/tutorial_main.asp)

Other than that use google, look in the resources & tutorials section in this forum or wait for some more replies.

I'm not a C4D user though. I had Cinema4D 6 switched to Lightwave, because at that time there weren't a lot of learning resources for C4D and I just didn't have the time to find out all the tricks for C4D.

I wouldn't say LW is better than C4D or vice versa. Both are very capable applications.

[Per-Anders]

1) Yes the base app is still a very powerful app. You can check out what each module contains and see what you're missing bynot getting them on maxons website.

2) Lighitng in cinema is unbelievably easy. The OGL feedback gives you a very very good quality representation of what the rendered lighting will look like (virtually identical). And it's all very fast. Animation depends on what you mean, character animation tools in the base app aren't too strong, but general animation is very easy and powerful (you can animate pretty much any parameter of anything in the app).

3) There are lots of tutes on maxons website, and you can download the manuals too. But if you have any specific questions then feel free to ask, i'm sure someone will give you an answer pretty swiftly here.

[Boone]

Thanks guys for replying! I feel a little more confident about the package now.

Re: Mdme_Sadie.

Yeah, I really need a fairly good animation system. For my next project, I need to animate a robot( think of the evil robot from robocop 2!), a basic space-ship, and a CG double of myself...

Is C4D up to the job?

Once again, cheers.:beer:

[Per-Anders]

the robot and the spaceship are no problem. the cgdouble will require some work. i'm going to be releasing a constraint tag plugin for cinema sometime soon that will help with rigid ik (which is in the base app) some. it's complete, but i'm just taking my time over writing the manuals. this will help give a lot of control and fix missing features with rigid ik in cinema (although it's not specifically aimed at ca work). morphing is inbuilt though you will need to master "time" tracks to control the blend ammounts of the morphs unless you have mocca which gives you superior morphing (however it should be noted that it's possible with xpresso to create morphs, srek had some examples on his site, and these oculd be controlled perfectly normally without time tracks), and xpresso of course enables you to produce complex expressions very easily with nodes.

i would say that for the price of teh base app... well... you're not going to get much better, and hopefully it wont be too long before maxon release fbx support (it'll be free) so if you got your free copy of motionbuilder from digit, or form their website then this will help you no end.

i also have a few tutorials on my website for cinema, mostly xpresso, but check them out in the tips section of renderzone.

[flingster]

don't forget...advanced render is a module...and this gives you caustics and radiosity..afaik.

that said...doesn't sound like youre gonna need them.
the robot...you might be able to pull of will ohm_mechanics...but essentially if its a walker/talker type robot then mocca is a cool module for that....then if you want particle trails for the shapeship and comets etc etc then thinking particles would be nice....but not necessary as you get v 7 particles anyway....

dunno all sounds ok to me....just be clear about what parts you get and what you don't get.

if you can stretch it XL package is sweet....but i understand the wallet might not be so flexible.

oooh and don't worry about invading the forum...thats the point isn't it....C4D....so hopefully when you get C4D and you must cos it kicks ass...we will see you back on here again..
:thumbsup:

[flingster]

somewhere on the maxon site is the documentation in PDF format...so this will help worth a full read through very comprehensive and excellent stuff...some of the best manuals i've seen in THE software industry..

[Per-Anders]

the basic particles in the core app will be enough for most needs. you can get the free TDEM for extra particle control over these. mocca module is a great help with CA, but you can live without it and do CA. The robot wouldn't need SIK, xpresso would make it easy to rig with the normal IK controls that come with teh base app. If you can stretch to the XL package then yes it is worth it for the extra you get. but if not don't worry too much, it's still very capable of doing what you want in the base app.

[flingster]

mdme_sadie: i guess he/she has no excuse now then....as you rightly point out on all counts.

come on boone....you know its worth it...what do ya say then?
:shrug:

[cookepuss]

I think that ThirdEye_01 posted a link to the manuals here....

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=48474

[JIII]

Yeah the double of yourself might be hard to pull off.

but also remember I think you still may be able to get motion builder for the 100 bucks. With the impending realease of FBX support, this may be a solution. And I think motion builder is certainly capable of handling charactor animation.


However if that deal for 100 is off you may have some trouble.

But it all sounds good.

[JIII]

Ohh yeah I forgot to add. Its great to see you here boone.

Hope you do choose C4D over MAYA dude. You would be a great addition to the C4D community.


That said both apps are good and maya is a good app so choose whats best for you.

just try and seperate fact from hype.

[dfaris]

Hello,

I just bought a new machine P4 3ghz, 1gig of ram, 20 inch flat screen, geforce 5900, 800mhz front side bus and I want to
get a new 3d app.

I'm looking to buy C4D also and would like to know if I should get the XL bundle or just the basic app. I plan on using Messiah to
do my animations so I dont think I would need the MOCC. but is the other add ons worth the price?

Thanks Dave

[Boone]

Re: All you guys!

Looking at the fantastic support here, I've decided to do this...

1) I'm buying a new PC at the end of this month...

2) I'm going to learn C4D R8 using a demo in the mean time on the PC I currently use...I'm gonna start tonight!

3) When my new PC arrives, I'm gonna use the Maya PLE to brush up on basic Maya skills( here in the UK, Maya and Max are pretty much the only apps used in companys... ).

4) Hopefully, C4D will prove to be a strong app...and then should lead to a purchase.

...thanks for the help guys! :beer:

[JIII]

hmm mash is running a company based in the UK I think music videos or something.

If you get good with C4D you might wanna drop him a line and see whats happening with his little thing.

Good Luck.

JIII

[Boone]

Hmmm...I've got as far as "hyperNURBS" ( dammit! It should rightfully be called "Subdivision modelling"! ).

I seem to be alright except for when I went to click on a face for selection. Not only does it select the face - ahem - "facing me" but it also selects the face(s) on the other side of the model that should be hidden...

Other than that, I'm finding it to be quite a robust package...

BTW, I have another question for you guys. As far as I can tell, C4D is considered one of the top 3D apps( alongside Maya, MAX, Lightwave etc). What big studios use it? Or is it just a "hobby" package?

Re: JIII.

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll keep Mash on record... :cool:

[AdamT]

What big studios use it? Or is it just a "hobby" package?
Not that many big studios use it, but that hardly makes it a hobby package. It's used professionally by a lot of smaller studios and freelance artists. One big studio that does use it is Imaginary Forces (Daredevil, Spiderman). Also, some individuals have and do use it at bigger studios (ILM, Moving Picture Co., etc.). I think Cinema will find its way into more pipelines when (or if) the fbx support arrives.

[Boone]

Re: AdamT.

Well, if they have used it at ILM then its good enough for me. :)

[Per-Anders]

Originally posted by Boone
Hmmm...I've got as far as "hyperNURBS" ( dammit! It should rightfully be called "Subdivision modelling"! ).

I seem to be alright except for when I went to click on a face for selection. Not only does it select the face - ahem - "facing me" but it also selects the face(s) on the other side of the model that should be hidden...

Other than that, I'm finding it to be quite a robust package...

BTW, I have another question for you guys. As far as I can tell, C4D is considered one of the top 3D apps( alongside Maya, MAX, Lightwave etc). What big studios use it? Or is it just a "hobby" package?

Re: JIII.

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll keep Mash on record... :cool:

The selection thing can be set in the active tool manager window, when you have the select tool active just choose "select visible elements". (if you want keys for select tools quickly 8 is lasso select, 9 is live select at any time from any tool without switching).

[Boone]

Re: Mdle_sadie.

Cheers!:beer:

[Byla]

Boone, you say you are gonna brush your Maya skills.

I am a user of both, Maya and Cinema. And, I have to say that learning Maya is a pain in the behind, but learning Cinema is a poem. It is much easier, you dont have to deal with an army of bugs and UI is much much better that Mayas. So, what I mean, just brushing skills in maya will not be enought. Specialy if you are not familiar with some Maya basics. And before you get to know them, you spend like a few months just learning the alphabet.

Cinema is definetly not a hobby package. And it is insulting to say that to any 3d package present avaliable at the market. 3d softwares are extremly complex things and they are capable of creating of pretty much everything you can imagine. Its not the tool, its the artist that makes it useful. And Cinema is a great tool and it is used in a lot of high end productions. And to be honest, the way Maxon cares about users is just one example that makes Cinema so good. I am pretty sure that in the near future, Cinema is defiantly gonna take over Lightwaves market and maybe even Maxes. I am not that sure about taking over XSI and Maya market, because these 2 applications are much different from Cinema, specialy in adjusting to special needs field. And that is extremely important for some high end studios.

If you ask me, go for XL package.

[Boone]

Re: Byla.

Hi there.

First I would like apologise for asking if Cinema 4D was a hobby package. I didn't mean to insult the package by asking this, but I just wanted to know how wide-spread C4D was in the CG industry. I'm currently using TrueSpace but have found that it isn't used in - ahem! - professional studios...well lets just say they didn't use it to create Gollum or the Hulk...so I need a package with more "fire-power"!

As for Maya, I have no option but to learn it. Here in the UK its really the only package that is used by just about every studio...besides, I'm gonna have a good-crack at the PLE!

I've found C4D to be a great rival of RealSoft3D 4.5, which is a very powerful package, and has proved extremely powerful when it comes to rendering...

My budget at the present isn't stagering - I have to buy a new PC as well! So I'll just have to make do with the standard package. I do plan to get "Shave & a haircut" plug-in for C4d...which looks very nice...:applause:

I find the more I practice C4D, the better it gets! So I'm most likely to be snapping up a copy very soon:)

Cheers.

[Byla]

Just one more thing. Probably the most famous UK studio uses Softimage. You should check it out, its a fantastic piece of software. And the free version is much much better than Maya PLE.

[Boone]

Re: Byla.

Will do!:thumbsup:

[ThirdEye]

Originally posted by Byla
Just one more thing. Probably the most famous UK studio uses Softimage. You should check it out, its a fantastic piece of software. And the free version is much much better than Maya PLE.


Too bad the standard version costs 11k :rolleyes: :hmm:

[Boone]

Re: ThirdEye_01.

Oh. I might have to do a bit more over-time at my local supermarket for that...

[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.