Advice on 3D Software Purchase for use with AE

#1

I have been working for a while now on convincing my employer that added a 3D application to our list of offerings is worthwhile. For the most part I have been steering these conversations towards Cinema 4D because of cost and ease of use with After Effects. Recently they have been asking more questions about Maya.

Is anyone using Maya with AE? How is the integration?

Is anyone using C4D with AE? How is the integration?

I will be primarily be using it in conjunction with After Effects to enhance Motion Graphics, but eventually we would like to begin creating full 3D works, including MOAs and Medical Simulations.

Is Maya worth the money? Or will C4D be able to handle everything that I could throw at it?

Thanks,
Mike

#2

Most likely not. If we’re talking medical and stuff, this means hair/ fur, at times intense particle simulations for fluids of any kinds, other dynamics simulations, wobbling tissues and rendering with translucency and subsurface scattering, all of which are less than satisfactory in C4D. The modules required for that are pretty old and haven’t been updated notably, and while it’s certainly possible to resolve some of the issues, it all becomes a question of whether it is worth spending time on workarounds, when you can have it all in Maya. Even Maya Complete already offers much more features in some of those areas. In addition, going C4D will require spending a lot of extra money on plug-ins, most importantly a decent renderer, as their own so-called Advanced Render is anything else but advanced… Still, don’t see this as an endorsement of Maya. It has its quirks and now after ten years also suffers under its age in some areas. If i had the money, I’d buy XSI Advanced these days. Ever since they added ICE, it became so much more attractive for many tasks…

Mylenium

#3

Cinema4D has great integration with ae.

as mylenium says, for really high end work (i think the upper limit for TP is like 50,000, dynamics are crap) C4D probably won’t cut it, but don’t take my word for it… just ask Imashination on the C4D section - he’s recently been working on a massive panoramic project for a series of theatres.

For motion graphics, I don’t think you can beat Cinema4D. The mograph module is simply fantastic.

#4

I bring in stills to AE which were created from Maya. Simply put, I have never run into any problems. AE is my compositor of choice. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if the same could be said for CD4.

I think your question boils down to what 3D program you feel most comfortable with. Both have trials so have at them.

#5

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