3DStudio Max help

[FX-Overclocking]

Do any of you use 3DSM? I dabbled in it a while ago but never got very skilled and now I need to know it again. Could you please point me out towards a good resource for LEARNING it again. Maybe something with online video tutorials?


Thanks!Q

[TheOwly1]

I would advise you to avoid 3DSM and go for a meatyer package such as Maya or XSI. Maya training is alot easyer to get hold of and Its pretty much the CG industry standard.

But if you wish to persue 3DSM for another reason such as to make game models or take advantage of its easy to use effects and poly modeling I would give www.highend3d.com a try. They have tutorials for pretty much all the 3D packages.

If maya tempts you, follow the exelent Digital Tutors training videos (Avalable both by mail and on the "high seas"). They really helped me with my 3D computer animation course.

[FX-Overclocking]

I've never used Maya but have of course heard of it.

Do you know if it is as robust in light modeling and in skinning?

[TheOwly1]

Not sure as ive only ever used it to create charicters I later rendered within maya. Maya has alot of custimisation when it comes to lighting options within the main methods of lighting (Depthmap, Raytrace, FinalGather are the most used methods) and can get very complex.

As for skinning... that isnt really my forte' but I'll tell you what i know: maya contains a "material" system where you can build textures from nodes to create procedral textures or apply shading styles. It has a pretty decent UV mapping tool as well although this is quite difficult to use if you arnt used to that kind of thing. I usualy fall back on Zbrush to help if I need to do any texturing outside of anything procedral.

I dont know if Maya is overall better and it does depend alot on what you want to do with it. I still advise you towards maya if you wish to go into the industry or need help learning. Maya seems alot better documented and tutorials for nearly everything are plentiful. I too had alot of trouble finding information for max although admitedly it was a good few years ago now I last looked.

The learning edition should give you something to play with to see if you like it and is avalable straight from the maya website.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7639525

[t0adp1p3]

Max has mental ray 3.5/final gather as does maya. Both max and maya are now owned by autodesk. Maya has a better workflow and it has the awesome paint effects, and it's newest version even takes some stuff from max. I would say learn which package the people you work for or plan to work for use. Personally I'd say XSI has the best rigging, skinning, and animation setup of any program and it's face robot is mind blowing.... it also has mental ray and it's own 2d paint and compositing, overall I'd say XSI is the best of the bunch, but none are shabby.

[chew]

Awesome thread, thanks for all the info

REP FOR ALL, WHOOOOOOOO!

[FX-Overclocking]

Hey, have any of you ever heard of a program called MODO?

http://www.luxology.com/whatismodo/

It is a good bit cheaper than 3DSM or Maya and has been getting awesome reviews. And since all I really need to do is model and skin simple 3d interfaces I thought that I might be able to get away with an $800 tool rather than a $3000 (3DSM) or a $2000 (Maya) one.

Any thoughts?

[t0adp1p3]

Don't know much about modo, i do know it has no animation capabilities. The reviews say it is a capable program, but it has a fairly steep learning curve. I'd suggest you try the 30 day demo and see if you like it.

[FX-Overclocking]

The nice thing about it is that it has a "3DSM" mode where it emulates the 3DSM's GUI somewhat. And as far as learning curve goes, I don't imagine it could be any harder than Maya or 3DSM could it? Aren't all 3D programs fairly steep?

[chew]

After using 3dsm for years, I personally like it's GUI better than the others. I believe it's more user friendly in that applying textures, rendering, and creating primitives is easier for the beginner. Now, if there are any good tutorials for beginners, i'd love to get into maya or xsi.

[t0adp1p3]

The nice thing about it is that it has a "3DSM" mode where it emulates the 3DSM's GUI somewhat. And as far as learning curve goes, I don't imagine it could be any harder than Maya or 3DSM could it? Aren't all 3D programs fairly steep?

Well, the reviewer said he has been using 3d modeling software for over 20 yrs, and was often completely lost in modo. As in it is not very intuitive.

[FX-Overclocking]

Thats not good...

How is Maya's interface? Is Maya easier than 3DSM??? I know it is cheaper, which is good, but is the program capable as 3DSM?

[t0adp1p3]

Maya workflow is way better than max. As far as features, it's just as good if not better than max. Some people like max some like maya some like xsi, all those programs are great and in the hands of an artist can do anything.

[FX-Overclocking]

So why does autodesk still sell both if they both do the same stuff and Maya is better?

Maya IS better right?

[red_person]

I've been hearing that in the future, autodesk will merge 3ds max and maya.



I've never used maya but so far for the 5 months I have used max, it has been mindblowing.

[KingRoLo]

You can achieve anything you want in either package, its how comfortable you are with the interface and workflow which you and only you have to decide, in which case give both of them a 2 week trial period and see how you get on.

[TheOwly1]

Yep the others polished off my ramblings nicely.

If you want to go in at a basic level and toy about you could always take a look at Blender. Its free and quite versitile (although probably not as much as one of the big packages).


For just making poligonal objects I was once in love with Wings 3D (also free). Its VERY easy to make something good looking within wings and teaches you alot about how things work in the 3D world and how usefull extrusion can be! If you want to render what you make off you would want to do so in something else though, wing's rendering capabilitys were pretty basic last i looked.

[JonZ]

Do any of you use 3DSM? I dabbled in it a while ago but never got very skilled and now I need to know it again. Could you please point me out towards a good resource for LEARNING it again. Maybe something with online video tutorials?


Thanks!Q

You can go check your help menu and start checking tutorial, tons of valuable stuffs there. Or you can check out www.renderosity.com or www.tutorialoutpost.com, tons of tutorials here.

I go occasionnaly in cgsociety.org for hardcore stuffs and people in the 3DSM are generaly nice, but it a professional site so be careful before asking nub questions.

[chew]

What difference would a C2Duo make over my p4 2.8ghz machine with rendering a scene with lets say, GI and a couple lights?

Trying to justify the purchase of a new pc since I mostly do webdesign/graphic work but I wouldn't mind having the power incase I want to create some nice architecture, etc...

[red_person]

What difference would a C2Duo make over my p4 2.8ghz machine with rendering a scene with lets say, GI and a couple lights?

Trying to justify the purchase of a new pc since I mostly do webdesign/graphic work but I wouldn't mind having the power incase I want to create some nice architecture, etc...

It should make a real difference switching from the p4 to core 2 duo.