3-D Animation program help!

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:47 am

Hey, i've been looking for 3d animation programs for a bit,

landscaping programs are easy, like Vue 4 etc...

im looking for one that can animate people realistically, and objects too,
(i.e. making a CG bullet w/ a trail for bullet time in movies)

it would need to be able to be composited into dv, or 3D composited into CG landscapes,

suggestions would be great!

-EGGster

ps: i have a mac

U.S.Amateurfilmaker · Post by **U.S.Amateurfilmaker** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:09 am

it would help if you gave us a price range...

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 3:54 am

Looking for price between 500-1000 dollars

ps:

wut IS maya? Ive heard it mentioned alot not only in the forums but on websites and stores everywhere, yet i know nothing about it...

U.S.Amateurfilmaker · Post by **U.S.Amateurfilmaker** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 3:56 am

Maya, just another program like max and lightwave. There is also Cinema 4D, Houdini,and Rhino.

If you're in middle school, high school, or college, check out these sites for some student discounts...

www.studica.com
www.academicsuperstore.com
www.journeyed.com

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 7:23 pm

thanks,

so what does lightwave do exactly?? and 3ds max?

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 8:00 pm

They do exactly what you want, 3d...

bad_karma24 · Post by **bad_karma24** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 8:31 pm

They all do more or less the same thing, but keep in mind they are different programs so you should probably demo them before you decide on one.

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 8:59 pm

Please don't start this again

bad_karma24 · Post by **bad_karma24** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:33 am

Start what again?

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:18 am

Well whenevr someone brings up 3ds max and lightwave a huge arugment almost always starts "Which is better?" Neither is "better!" They are both the same!

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:46 pm

all i know is that maya costs 7000 dollars, so that one is probably better....

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:04 pm

3ds max's interface is supposeably better, you might wanan try www.anim8or.com, its free and very user friendly, another user friendly one is cinemda 3d although that costs money.

theres blender-free but has big leanring curve, after installing it and fooling around i got so mad i through a fork at the wall very hard and the ork actually stuck in whihc is very cool lol.

lightwave's interface aint much better than blender, and 3ds max is supposealby has a ok intferface, youd need i3lade or some other seasoned 3ds max user to describe its interface,

Bottom line, try anim8tor or caligari 3.2 they are both free and very user friendly, once you get seasoned in those give blender a go and perhaps it may turn out blender fits your needs, look at the blender site, some of the results are outstanding. if you wanna spend some green go look at lightwave,3ds max,and cinema 3d(sp?)

bad_karma24 · Post by **bad_karma24** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:13 am

Neither is "better!" They are both the same!

Not really true. Some are stronger in different areas. Plus people adapt to different programs better than they do to others.

insert_coin · Post by **insert_coin** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:43 am

bad karma your only half true... the programs are basically the same you can do whatever one does in another.. what someone will do with volumetrics another will do with metaballs and procedurals its really up to how you learn to do things but seriously ive tried them out there all as good as each other.

however i keep hearing people say they have seen people use max and its renders look really bad where as something lower will look fine... this is mainly because in max or lightwave or maya or houdini or whatever you have to place your own lights your own environment maps etc etc where as all the lower programs do all that for you... i remember years back when i did a nice render in bryce i thaught i was a champ how silly i was but the programs like that are good as a step up to the better tools... if it werent for bryce i wouldnt have developed in 3d like i have now its just weird like that, thats why i dont like people bad mouthing alamdv... alot of people will discover after effects and etc from using that thing so... just stop rating programs people... the only people who start these fights are the people who work for the different 3d companies lol trying to get you to buy their product instead of another because they have some stupid ray trace enhancment or something... just test them all out and use the one you like to use the best because when it comes down to it 3d can be tedious sometimes and if you pick a product that you heard was better but hate the GUI then you wont enjoy your work much

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 6:04 pm

the program is only as good as the artist, and how well the artist understands how the program works!

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:09 pm

i heard that animation was easiest in lightwave...

anyhoo,

is there one with really good partical effects? and what about hair and fur? because i would be using that alot

insert_coin · Post by **insert_coin** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 5:13 pm

all the major progs are good for that stuff its all just plugins

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 5:22 pm

Austin wrote:the program is only as good as the artist, and how well the artist understands how the program works!

Exactly, and if the artisit actually takes the time to read and learns their way through the program slowly , they can get a full understanding and make something great in whatever 3d program they choose..

justsomeguy · Post by **justsomeguy** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:11 pm

all i know is that maya costs 7000 dollars, so that one is probably better

i thoiught it was $1000

If you're in middle school

in middle school with a $500-1000 budget, that would be nivce lol

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 12:13 am

"maya complete" is $1000 but "Maya Unlimited" (which was used primarily to make Final Fantasy the movie) costs $7000

cantoloupe · Post by **cantoloupe** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 12:17 am

I3lade203 wrote:
Austin wrote:the program is only as good as the artist, and how well the artist understands how the program works!
Exactly, and if the artisit actually takes the time to read and learns their way through the program slowly , they can get a full understanding and make something great in whatever 3d program they choose..

yep, when i buy a new program, i read the manual and do everything it says cover to cover, sometimes i find things that i had no idea it could do.

ps:

IS there a program thats better at hair,fur and particles, because Maya Unlimited has a hair and fur engine along with its fluid engine, but its incredibly expensive and it looks harder to use....lightwave looks the easiest to use, and its cheaper (by alot,) but i havent heard anything about hair,fur and particles in that....