Modo or Maya?

#1

I know Modo is limited to animation but which modeler is better? Thanks

#2

Hi there,

If you are thinking as a modeler mind set, then neither Modo or Maya is a good starting point. Although there are many ways of modeling, all the 3D app, they do the basic task which is modeling. Now, hereā€™s the thing, the reason why I said that above, is because there are 3D apps way much easier to use for modeling purpose than Modo and Maya.
The best example is SILO 1.4 (V.2 is coming out soon, check their official website for more details).

Now, why would you like simply to learn modeling? Why not adding some details with textures or some painting. Now, MODO and MAYA, they both are great programs, with obvious difference between both apps. Maya is Industry standard, Modo is still in his very early stages. But letā€™s not forget that Maya went through several years and versions, trials and errors to be where it is now. Modo however, although young, it does amazing renderings. Check out luxology.com website and look at the gallery.

If you want to start right away, then I will suggest you to use Modo as it is growing fast and the version 301 is coming out pretty soon, around August I believe.
As for Mayaā€¦ well, it really depends how serious you are. Honestely it not only takes huges investment with time and money to learn GOOD this app, but it also, do you really want to go that far??? Iā€™m not saying or advising you by all means not to go with Maya, of course, if you want, go for it. If one has to learn, why not learn with the Master? (Maya)

Download the demos and have a go. Try both of them and see what you think? Think about usability and how fast they serve your purpose. Are you a hobbyist? Professional?

I am a Modo and Silo user. I mainly play around with Modo (v.301 will include animation), but work with Silo to do all my modelings. Did some with Modo, but IMO (In My Opinion), nothing beats Silo in terms of workflow, speed and friendly interface.

Have you tried XSI ?

#3

IMO, both have a very similiar workflow when it comes to working.
I find modo is a lot less daunting for a beginner. Maya is like a giant in that regard and youā€™ll probably get scared off.

If you want to mainly just do still frames and just model, modo is a better option defifnitely, but if your serious, maya will pay off more and has a lot more you can do.

#4

As a Modeler Maya is about as bad as they come, no really! :slight_smile:

Wings3D, Silo2, Modo, LW, XSI are all better at modeling than Maya is, Maya does lots of good things, Modelling is not one themā€¦

#5

depends on how you like to model. IMO, maya deffinitely has better nurbs support than the god-aweful support in 3ds max. And polys are decent. Its not the best, but I like poly-modelling in maya over poly-modelling in max.

#6

Unless you count nurbs Maya has a very limited modeling toolset. You will find yourself thinking a bit harder about accomplishing certain modeling tasks compared to Modo. Modo has a much vaster collection of tools. In the end any model can be accomplished in either but you may find yourself getting extra modeling plugins for Maya to be able to get work done more quickly, especially more demanding work.

#7

true that.
But i donā€™t really find any missing tools. Maybe thats because I mostly model by just extruding edges in maya. The main tool I miss though is the Sub-div preview like in modo, but I found a mel script that works similiarly so Iā€™m content.

But Iā€™m deffinitely not saying Maya is a better modelor than Modo. I am however saying that the maya modelling experience(especially as of 8.5) is not really bad. I guess its just personal preference though.

#8

Modo 301 will have sculpting, Maya 2008(lol at that name) wonā€™t.

So Modo FTW ;D

#9

This is easy. Neitherā€¦

If you are going to do any modeling you should learn to draw and draw well. CGtalk is loaded with tons of people who canā€™t draw and end up trying to model. What do you want to be? If you just want to regurgitate someone elses design in 3d spaceo, have at it. If you want to be a good artist learn to draw. It will transfer over and improve your ability to model. Huge majority of modelers canā€™t make a vehicle or character design that is worth a damn. You can always tell the difference between a modeler who is classicaly trained and a modeler who is flying by the seat of their software. Do yourself a favor and donā€™t fall in with the majority of people who canā€™t draw. I know it is very tempting to just jump into the software but you will be better off if you actually know how to draw. I know I am imediatelly assuming you canā€™t draw but that is only because 90% of the cgtalk community is artistically incompetent.

#10

Just to add though, great drawing doesnā€™t mean being able to draw amazingly. As long as you have the basics down (action lines, basic muscle deffinition, proportions, perspective, mood and basic shading) you can create great works in 3d.
Also it pays not to draw amazingly as the drawing is only necessary to setup a rough idea. What works in a drawing and what works in 3d are very different.

In fact, even watching old episodes of Art Attack should teach you enough to carry through in 3d.

#11

Simple answer: modo.

#12

You ask this in the modo forum, you get modo. Ask it in Maya forum, you get Maya.

Therefore, Iā€™ll say XSI. You wonā€™t regret it.

#13

I am a Maya user and I also have XSi . After trying the Modo for 2 weeks , I will honestly say that Modo is the best modeler in the market, period. You should download the free trial and you will see how powerful Modo is :slight_smile:

#14

I beg to differ. While drawing really well is certainly a useful tool, it is NOT vital to be a good modeler. Iā€™m a decent illustrator but not great. I tried, really I did, but after years and years of practice (and college) I have to admit Iā€™ll never be as good at drawing as I want. But, you know what? For some reason, Iā€™m a far better modeler than an illustrator. I model characters in 3D that I could never do in 2D. And the notion that you have to get everything worked out completely in 2D first is also false. If youā€™re comfortable in 3D space, that can be your creative area. Sure, Iā€™ll sketch some rough ideas on paper to get the juices flowing but the majority of my ideas I work out as Iā€™m modeling. And Iā€™m not alone. Iā€™ve heard other people say the same. Some people are just better in the 3D realm than 2D. If someoneā€™s good at both, more power to them.

#15

Iā€™ve used maya on and off since power animator days (remember those?). Mayas approach to modelling is very much based on itā€™s PA history as a nurbs modeller (which it was, and still is, very good at - and i donā€™t mean the code which is obviously utterly different but more the mindset and approach). Iā€™ve never gotten to grips with Sub Ds in maya. I stopped using it a few yeas back, so havenā€™t upgraded ā€“ i donā€™t see very many reasons too.

But iā€™ve regained an interest in this area recently and downloaded Modo and subsequently bought it last week.

I think thereā€™s nothing (iā€™ve used) that betters modo from a modelling perspective. I think modo benefits from the fact that it is fairly new and it was designed ground up for SubD modelling. The renderer is very good too and i look forward to seeing how 301 does with regard to animation.

I still think there are some major things missing from modo (construction history for one) and i personally prefer mayas node based approach to shading but thatā€™s more to do with whatā€™s familiar for me and im sure iā€™ll adjustā€¦

But this is a modo forum, so youā€™re going to get similar replies!

cheers

#16

3d modeling is more about sculpting than drawingā€¦you donā€™t ā€˜drawā€™ in 3d space do you?
drawing is all about light/shadow not volume

back to the point in questionā€¦

try them bothā€¦see which fits your needs better
modo has a free demo version.
maya has the ple edition to learn with.

#17

Simple answer #2

modo.

Not so simple explanationā€¦

Iā€™ve used all the 3d software (xcept silo) and even though XSI was the latest addition to my arsenal and is really turning out to be my favorite overall app in close tie with modo (doing 3d for a living since 1995) I would say easily that modo is the best modeler out there. Even though XSI is even proving to be a great modeling app as well.

Most people learn on one app and have a hard time moving to another app since thier workflow habits have to be altered. In modo it was weird at first and many things I initially disliked I now wish were in other apps.

I also prefer modoā€™s render engine over Lightwave, and Mental ray (XSI, max, Maya) even though it does not have the same effects capabilities yet. Mental ray by far has the most rendering and shader options out of all of the render engines with Vray as a close second (vray limited to 3dmax for now).

I have not used Silo enough to comment on it but modo is hard to beat in the modeling department with XSI a close second and Lightwaveā€™s modeler 3rd. I know many people that use Lightwaveā€™s modeler and then move thier models into Maya for animation/surfacing/rendering.

Maya and Max are not bad for modeling if you get used to them but the workflow is much slower IMO.

#18

Iā€™m a maya/max user thats looking into modo. From what i thought, the hole point in using a program marketed as a ā€œmodelerā€ is to do your models in modo and then export them to something like max or maya for texture rendering and animation. Am i totaly off base?

#19

No not at all ,Ive used XSI,Lightwave ,and Maya ,all in production ,for modeling ,Uving and getting Textures onto your models Modo seems to be the best ,its not just the tools(XSIs Tweak tool is nicer than modos element move tool) but Selecting and workflow ,I model ,UV and Texture in Modo and then take my models into Maya to animate ,via FBX(works very well ,even sets your morfs up as blendshapes )

#20

modo the same as maya did trial and error,
they started creating lighwate, and at some point something happen that they left and started modo.
so basicly modo have lightwave V.6 or 7 before been what is now