Best 3d app?

placeboplacebo
Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Hello, I'm looking to buy a new 3d application (preferably a more professional one) and I was wondering whether you guys have any preferences. I'm looking preferably for something that is available through www.creationengine.com or www.academicsuperstore.com, so I can not break the bank way too much. (Maya, naturally, is out of the question unless anyone knows of a discount on Maya) I've been looking at Maxon Cinema 4D R8 with the XL bundle, but Lightwave might be good enough.



Opinions, anyone?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    grad studentgrad student Posts: 184member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    Hello, I'm looking to buy a new 3d application (preferably a more professional one) and I was wondering whether you guys have any preferences. I'm looking preferably for something that is available through www.creationengine.com or www.academicsuperstore.com, so I can not break the bank way too much. (Maya, naturally, is out of the question unless anyone knows of a discount on Maya) I've been looking at Maxon Cinema 4D R8 with the XL bundle, but Lightwave might be good enough.



    Opinions, anyone?



    check out journeyed.com for academic software...



    I would give a BIG recommendation to Newtek's Lightwave 7.5. It is decently priced, has a great modeler, great renderer, available on mac & PC (in the same box none-the-less), and is my personal favorite. Some people swear on maya - rightfully so, but I found its interface sluggish at times, and although very powerful - I just wasn't feeling it. I do like the way everything is integrated into one app in Maya, and modeling/rendering/animation is all in the same viewport... but personal preference, expierience, features, and learning curve will have to factor into your decision. Lightwave has a funky UI, but its fast, and great for what I use it for.



    -g.s.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    There's no "best" 3D app out there, they all make their trade-offs. I love SketchUp from @Last software, but it isn't nearly as advanced as Maya (which Complete sells for $1999, no?) or others. FormZ is also a fav of mine though it certainly is wonky in its own cute and perplexing ways. Cinema 4D and Lightwave are popular favorites too. Really, you have to narrow your choices based on the write-ups and then take the one left for a test drive.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Lightwave was looking good- only I want an App with integrated model/animate/render functions, not like Universe 5 when you have 3 seperate apps.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by grad student

    check out journeyed.com for academic software...



    w00t! they have Maya 5.0 for $600! Thanks a lot, grad!
  • Reply 5 of 14
    cyko95cyko95 Posts: 391member
    Personally I would recommend Lightwave. You only use two apps (Lightwave for Animation and Rendering, and Modeler for Modeling). But as stated before it's all about your personal preference and what you want to accomplish. My company almost exclusively uses Lightwave. But if you get that, seriously take the Sasquatch and G2 plugins into consideration. You can find these at http://www.worley.com. We couldn't live without them.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    On the mac, I'm a fan of LightWave 3D. it had a rocky start when ported around version 5.x, but 7.5 is a pleasure to use. There is a .rib exporter for it as well, which is cool considering that Renderman apparently runs on OS X now, even though nobody is officially saying it does.



    Maya is a pleasure to use in IRIX, but go figure. I just happen rather to like the LightWave interface personally. I find it irritating to have a separate app for modeling and animating at times, but it has its benefits as well.



    I recommend LightWave
  • Reply 7 of 14
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    I haven't yet decided, but Maya is looking good...
  • Reply 8 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Just remember: The tools do not make the artist.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Yes, but I want my tools to be as close to an "extension of my mind" as possible...
  • Reply 10 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Cinema 4D is pretty good. It has a very low learning curve (in my opinion) and a VERY customizable interface by drag-and-drop. I use it and our dear "Leonis" uses it for his 3d comic, Sanmothy.



    Speaking of which, I expect he'll be dropping in on this thread any time now...
  • Reply 11 of 14
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    Yes, but I want my tools to be as close to an "extension of my mind" as possible...



    Bah, if your mind is as complicated and difficult as these apps, see a shrink. If you want an extension of your mind, use SketchUp. If you want the most bang bar none, use something else.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    foadfoad Posts: 717member
    This question comes up a lot and here is the deal. Demo them all.



    See what suits your taste. No one person here will know better than you what works for you. I use Maya and Lightwave at work day in and day out and I have quibles about both.



    There are demos of Maya and Lightwave. I am not sure if Cinema 4D does but I would suspect it does. Try them out. See what floats your boat. Mayas renderer is better now, and both Lightwave and C4D have solid renderers. The fact is that all of them are used in a professional enviroment, and all have delivered great and crappy work. In the end you make the work look good or bad, so pick what suits your mental workflow more intuitively. What is one mans intuitive is anothers clunky.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Is Mental Ray the default now?
  • Reply 14 of 14
    foadfoad Posts: 717member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    Is Mental Ray the default now?



    It is not the default yet because there are things that MR can't render yet. There are less things it can't render but there are still there. The rendering pipeline has been dramatically streamlined. All the global settings for rendering with any of the 4 renderers are in the one tab, while "renderer specific" setttings are in the next tab. All are in the render globals panel.



    As time goes on, MR will be able to render more and more aspects of Maya, just like this version can render a whole lot more than the standalone version that was used with 4.5.



    One side note...you can change what you want your default renderer to be.
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