According to MacUser UK "Maya 6... Mental Ray is a third-party renderer, which is used in many other high-end 3D systems, including SoftImage XSI and 3D Studio Max".
So the modelers may be different, but there doesn't seem to be any difference between the two products as far as rendering goes.
I remember Peter Eisenman complaining about the problem that was cropping up where people could tell if a rendering was done in a certain package versus another one. It demonstrates a lack of both technical and artistic mastery of the medium. Really, the person behind the app is what should make the difference.
Really, the person behind the app is what should make the difference.
Seconded... You can do great things with either application. Heck, theres some pretty cool stuff thats been made in Lightwave and even Carrera (but not in the game industry that I know of). Obviously there are many advantages to using Maya or 3ds and each has its advantages and disadvantages. But thats a little off the topic.
The truth of the matter is, for quite a while now 3ds has reigned as king of the gaming industry. Maya is a relatively new contender. That doesnt mean Maya is inferior or superior to 3ds, thats just plain history. If you look at the recent big games there is still a leaning towards 3ds, but Maya has certainly encroached on its territory. Final Fantasy X, X2, XI & XII, Unreal Tournament 2003/2004, Grand Turismo, etc. are HUGE games. Obviously, Maya is not insignificant in the gaming industry if these games were made with it. Likewise, Warcraft III, the Jedi Knight Series, etc. are HUGE games, made with 3ds.
You can do great things with either program and each has its strong and weak points. Maya has traditionally been strong in the film industry while 3ds has mainly been used for games. But both have overlapping functionalities. And BOTH are solid programs that have proven their worth over time.
Now as far as 3ds coming to the Mac, I wouldnt hold my breath, though I certainly wouldnt complain. Macs arent so strong in the gaming industry, almost all Mac games are PC ports (yes, yes, I do love Ambrosia). But honestly, I dont see things changing anytime soon. There is a much more limited market for 3D programs on the Mac, and Maya, Lightwave, Carrera are pretty much filling the High, Medium and Low end markets on the Mac right now. There isnt much room for expansion, though, again I wouldnt complain at all. Remeber, people only develop applications for the Mac if they are going to be profitable. Discreet probably feels its not worth their efforts at this time.
Comments
So the modelers may be different, but there doesn't seem to be any difference between the two products as far as rendering goes.
Originally posted by BuonRotto
I thought that Max uses Lightscape for its radioasity anyway, and that Maya has its own radiosity tools?
You have a choice of renderers in Max. One is Mental Ray.
I've seen amazing output from all the major modelling programs. Does seem silly to so savegely blast one of them. They're all extremely capable.
I remember Peter Eisenman complaining about the problem that was cropping up where people could tell if a rendering was done in a certain package versus another one. It demonstrates a lack of both technical and artistic mastery of the medium. Really, the person behind the app is what should make the difference.
Originally posted by BuonRotto
Really, the person behind the app is what should make the difference.
Seconded... You can do great things with either application. Heck, theres some pretty cool stuff thats been made in Lightwave and even Carrera (but not in the game industry that I know of). Obviously there are many advantages to using Maya or 3ds and each has its advantages and disadvantages. But thats a little off the topic.
The truth of the matter is, for quite a while now 3ds has reigned as king of the gaming industry. Maya is a relatively new contender. That doesnt mean Maya is inferior or superior to 3ds, thats just plain history. If you look at the recent big games there is still a leaning towards 3ds, but Maya has certainly encroached on its territory. Final Fantasy X, X2, XI & XII, Unreal Tournament 2003/2004, Grand Turismo, etc. are HUGE games. Obviously, Maya is not insignificant in the gaming industry if these games were made with it. Likewise, Warcraft III, the Jedi Knight Series, etc. are HUGE games, made with 3ds.
You can do great things with either program and each has its strong and weak points. Maya has traditionally been strong in the film industry while 3ds has mainly been used for games. But both have overlapping functionalities. And BOTH are solid programs that have proven their worth over time.
Now as far as 3ds coming to the Mac, I wouldnt hold my breath, though I certainly wouldnt complain. Macs arent so strong in the gaming industry, almost all Mac games are PC ports (yes, yes, I do love Ambrosia). But honestly, I dont see things changing anytime soon. There is a much more limited market for 3D programs on the Mac, and Maya, Lightwave, Carrera are pretty much filling the High, Medium and Low end markets on the Mac right now. There isnt much room for expansion, though, again I wouldnt complain at all. Remeber, people only develop applications for the Mac if they are going to be profitable. Discreet probably feels its not worth their efforts at this time.