3d artists of Massassi, I have a question for you concerning 3dsmax and lightwave:

Which do you prefer? I have an opportunity to get one or the other, but not both. Normally, i would download the demo of each program and decide from there, but while I have the 3ds max demo, There does not appear to be a lightwave demo in existence. (It's either the full version or nothing)

Deciding factors that will influence my decision:


-minimal learning curve
-ease of use
-powerful features and special effects
-the ability to use models made in wings
-good animation capabilities, preferably with joints (puppet jedi style. )
-supports custom textures + has a large texture library to begin with.

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Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.


[This message has been edited by Pagewizard_YKS (edited May 13, 2004).]

I have no clue how to use lightwave so I can't comment on that. 3dsmax is a decent program and gets the job done so if you already have that, I'd stick with it. However, might I suggest Maya? Maya is my preferred modeling program and is primarly the program I'm using for my job since it is best used with the LithTech Jupiter engine.

BTW... Puppet Jedi is a extremely PRIMATIVE way to do animations so I'm not sure why you want that kind of animation interface.

-- SavageX

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"...and if you don't like that, then you need to be slugged in the face repeatedly, until my hands are soaked in blood. Have a nice day!"
http://www.savagex.net

[This message has been edited by SavageX378 (edited May 13, 2004).]

I've used the maya free learning edition, and I don't like it that much. You can't import models made in other programs (like wings 3d, which is what I do ALL of my modeling with).

I've often wondered why a program can't be both easy to use right away for newbies AND still be powerful enough for pros... You either get easy and limited, or complicated and powerful.

I like puppet jedi because it's so simple and easy to use and you don't need to read a f***ing manual before you know how to use it.

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Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

[This message has been edited by Pagewizard_YKS (edited May 14, 2004).]

Lightwave is intense. I'm 3d PRO, but it had a pretty high learning curve compared to 3DSM. BUT I know if I had spent more time, I would have been using it more than 3DSM.

*Shrug*

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</sarcasm>

3DSM seems to be more of an industry standard than LightWave, but that's just how I view it. If you want to export Wings models, I would suggest crossroads. I would link to it, but I'm too tired now. Just search Crossroads on Google, it'll be the third or fourth one down.

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Our very existence is at stake

Yay! I can finally join the snail-racing crew.

-@%

Go with 3DSM.

There's such a high learning curve because you have to become familiar with spatail concepts as they are technically known. Then you have to know motion also (like forward and inverse kinematics for example).
This is not easy.
Then they asign a button for each making the UI have 100 buttons you don't know what are for.

btw, i bought a book and it helped a lot even though i found that i'm not big into 3d animation

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To artificial life, all reality is virtual.
HTP
babble, babble, b!tch, b!tch, rebel, rebel, party, party.

To me, Lightwave seems really....er...bloated? I am not sure if that the right word the situation, but while i have heard its powerful, I also heard the UI can be alittle hard to move around in.

If you find a couple of tutorials on Max's UI, the learning curve from them is very small.

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Run Away!!

I believe you are looking for Maya.

Or, if you want something free that runs on Windows and Linux, try Blender. I think Maya (the full version) runs on linux as well.

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I check my e-mail.

The regular versions of Maya can import models from Wings - just export in OBJ format. In fact, pretty much any 3d package worth its salt should be able to read models from Wings.

Is there any specific reason why you can choose between only Max or Lightwave? Maya and Softimage are also powerful, and the educational version of Softimage is only $295 (the cheapest of any of them). It also depends on what you're using the program for.. modeling, rigging, animating, rendering, whatever.

Yes, and Maya PLE (Personal Learning Edition) and Blender are FREE.

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I check my e-mail.

And Maya PLE sticks a freaking huge ugly watermark over your renders..

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"It's OK for us to randomly attack people!"
-BV

I HIGHLY suggest you try Lightwave, Blender, MS3D, ETC. If you search for "modeling programs" here, you should get a recent thread by dogsrool about my personal modeling favorites (Free ones). It's all about the editor, and before you decide on anything: Go out and find people that own a program you're considering, and REALLY play with it. It's ALL up to the editor, and not the program. If you're more comfortable with Blender... you'll save a lot of money. And, if you're brain funtions in a lightwave way, and you end up getting 3DSMax and are lacking in any and all ability with 3DSMax, well... you'll never get a feel for good modeling, and we'll never see your excelent models since you never got to get a feel for Lightwave.

JediKirby

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<]-[ellequin> Nothing is quite as satisfying as placing a .177 lead pellet in between the eyes of a cat.
<]-[ellequin> I think I will leave it's corpse there, to warn all the other cats to keep out of my hibiscus patch

Live on, Adam.

It's not what you're looking for, but you should still try POV-Ray. Recommended by four out of five licentious Stanley Kubricks.