Different 3D software- pros and cons

[kirill18]

I hope that people will contribute to this thread on things such as why they chose a certain program over another and various reasons why they didnt choose other programs. Maybe if this thread progresses we could get a mod to sticky it.

[shikav4]

Well i started with max. Later i tried many others but max was too easy and i really got used to it. And it has got everything i need so i'm still stuck with it.

According to me the greatest and the best feature of max is its interface and that is wat keeps me from switching to other programs.

[kirill18]

Originally Posted by shikav4

Well i started with max. Later i tried many others but max was too easy and i really got used to it. And it has got everything i need so i'm still stuck with it.

According to me the greatest and the best feature of max is its interface and that is wat keeps me from switching to other programs.

may i ask what version your running and why.

[shikav4]

I was intoduced to max by my uncle. i used max 4 in the beginnning and upgraded with each new version. Now i'm using max 9.

And as i said its easy to use and its interface is very user friendly. And besides that it has all the features that i need to do my work. So i'm using max..............

[Mr. Bluesummers-3DT]

Quick Reply
I'm a Max fan too, but I started with Bryce4 once upon a time.

I liked Bryce because it was absurdly easy to use. The interface was intuitive from a novice' perspective and it let me put together simple or complex scenes within a relatively limited environment. I switched to 3dsMax because it's an industry mainstay and has a very robust toolset. At the same time, though, it has its limitations, and it would be silly of me to say I wouldn't use anything else. 'Cuz I do.

I currently use 3dsMax8 for most of my work. It's a fantastic centerpiece in my pipeline, though I could see myself using XSI if the industry's weather changes over the next few years. I also use ZBrush2 for high def modeling work and Vue5Infinite for atmospheres and plants.

Hope that gives you some ideas!

[noyb]

I was just playing around in the editor, hope the text looks correct on other computers than my own...

Rather than focus on one type of 3d software, I'll try and introduce some other options that might be of interest. Don't take anything as factual, it is likely to be opinionated and is based on my experiences only.
I decided to include three types of software different from typical 3d animation software mainly because they may be more suited for some people in certain situations.

Cad modelling software
I started with autocad and still use it for some architectural stuff.
It has excellent layer management and combines well with 3ds max. It uses primarily a boolean approach to modelling, so it is very good for mechanical things. Its 2d ability is superior to most other applications - if that applies to you.
However, it is not made for free form modelling, organic shapes are very difficult. It also does not have that good of a renderer or animation ability built in.
This is best used for anything 2d, as well as 3d that is mechanical in nature - excellent for architecture.

MCad/parametric modelling software
As an industrial/mechanical modeller, I use mostly Autodesk Inventor.
It is a parametric modeller which gives you the ability to go back and change things fairly easily. It has a very mathematical approach to modelling, but not quite as much as autocad. It also has a lot of power for engineers, such as tolerance analysis/gdt embedded with the 3d model/stress analysis (in pro version). The newer version also has a stripped down version of VIZ which includes mentalRay and added animation abilities.
Although the surface tools keep improving, it is still not made for free-form surfaces or organic shapes.
SolidWorks does basically the same thing.
These types of software are very good for mechanical and industrial design in 3d.

Nurbs modelling software
I am just starting to learn these, so I may be a bit off here. These tools are typically used to create accurate surfaces using curves. They have a lot of modelling power and can create any model that the two above software types can. They can also create surfaces that are not easily attainable with the software above.
Although this is more free-form than cad software, it is still not built well for organic modelling (though you could if you wanted) - also, good nurbs software usually doesn't have the animation or rendering power as typical general use 3d applications.
The two big ones out there are Alias Studio and Rhino. I prefer Rhino because I find the interface is much better, though Alias Studio seems to have more power (and is more expensive). One interesting thing about these is that they both have free unlimited use learning editions.
Great for ID work. Often used for complex surface models in real world situations.

All purpose 3d/animation software
I use 3ds max; I've tried maya/cinema 4d/others, but I started with 3ds max and stayed with it because I like the interface (for the most part).
These types of software can create virtually anything with a talented enough artist. All come with very powerful modelling/animating/rendering ability. 3ds max seems to be the most used for visualization, while maya is the most used for animation (could be wrong). XSI/lightwave/etc are used quite often as well.
Modelling in these applications are typically mesh/poly based, giving a high degree of flexibility. Nurbs modelling is also included, but they don't have near the amount of power as the software mentioned above.
I find that the rendering power that 3ds max has tends to be slightly better, but only because of the third party renderers available for it. However, I think this will all equal out since many of these third party renderers are becoming available for other platforms. Texturing in 3ds max may not be as good as other software - not that it has any less power, it is just that the texturing interface seems to have fallen behind that of others.
Great for almost anything that most viewing this would use. Falls a bit short in the precision aspect required by engineers and (some) designers - which is why I included the software above.

That was probably just a bunch of useless information hope it wasn't too bad.

[Descon]

I started in Rhinoceros and have since been metteling in everything. Mainly I use SketchUp for modelling, and Kerkythea for rendering. I'm looking to break into 3ds max and viz (I do architectural models) but training is difficult to find in Alberta for these programs.