Use of non-autodesk software?

[Eric Reed]

In past years, we have been allowed to use non-Autodesk software to create the animations as long as SOME part of the project was done using Autodesk programs. Rereading the manual, it looks like ONLY autodesk products are allowed this year. Of course the point is moot by now, but is this true?

Eric.

[Lev]

Originally Posted by Eric Reed

In past years, we have been allowed to use non-Autodesk software to create the animations as long as SOME part of the project was done using Autodesk programs. Rereading the manual, it looks like ONLY autodesk products are allowed this year. Of course the point is moot by now, but is this true?

Eric.

The wording of rules regarding use of software had stayed pretty much same for last 3 years, and there have always been debates on what exactly is allowed. The rules seem to explicitly say that it should be an animation made with 3d studio max (and other Autodesk software), but this is very ambiguous - it is (almost) impossible to do a high quality animation using just 3d studio. You have to have separate image editing software, sound editing software, video editing, etc. Yes - technically its possible to do it ALL in 3ds - even the sound, but its impractical, and you'll never get good quality.

I guess each has its own interpretation, but it seems to be the common agreement that 3ds should be the main modeling/animation/rendering tool - and image editing and post production can be done with other software, but i dont remember ever seeing an official ruling on this. So, yeah - if you want a precise answer you should really be emailing autodesk and not asking for opinions here.

[JabzX]

I thought we were able to use other software, cuz we did-

If not- woops

[Matt Hallock]

It's possible to make a very good animation in 3DS MAX, but it's impossible to create your own diffuse maps in the program (I'm talking unique textures, not just bump maps or masks) It's expected you use other programs for sound editing, compiling things together and such. 3DS MAX is a bit rigid in the departments outside of just the base animation. With video post you can add multiple camera sections, sound, etc., but it is still much easier to do it in other programs with roughly the same outcome.

Some people have chosen to use different rendering methods this year, and even different programs. I know a couple of teams or atleast one who used Vray, Brazil, Mental Ray (although now integrated), some teams decided to use Maya, Lightwave, and Blender for modeling.

[Ericente]

The rules did seem to mean that only autodesk software should be used, but they never actually said that no other software may be used. I played it safe and took them to mean that only autodesk software should be used for the modeling and animation.

Having never used 3DStudio MAX before, I spent the first four weeks (after the kickoff) teaching myself to use MAX. Then I started trying to working on the actual animation. My attempts failed miserably. By the weekend before the deadline, I had a character, an environment, and most of the objects in the environment all modeled, mostly lighted, and mostly textured. I then gave up because I couldn't finish touching up the environment, fully animate, and render the whole animation in one weekend, being basically the sole animator for my team. Oh well... At least I learned MAX, and since I now do, next year I will make an animation for my team.

[riley_ag]

Whatever you use, just make sure to list that you only used Autodesk or Discreet products. I made the mistake last year of saying we used photoshop for textures and solidworks for some our models, and they disqualified our animation. That'll teach you to be honest. I was soo pissed, the wording was so vague! Anyway, thats my suggestion... dont tell the whole truth

[Lev]

Originally Posted by riley_ag

Whatever you use, just make sure to list that you only used Autodesk or Discreet products. I made the mistake last year of saying we used photoshop for textures and solidworks for some our models, and they disqualified our animation. That'll teach you to be honest. I was soo pissed, the wording was so vague! Anyway, thats my suggestion... dont tell the whole truth

I think you were mostly DQed for solidworks. We did list Photoshop, VirtualDub, and Acid last year - and got through just fine. What makes Solidworks different from all of these is that it is a modeling tool - you could have done it in 3ds or in Inventor, and modeling, animation, and rendering seems to be restricted to autodesk products. In no case would I advise anyone to lie about their software use - thats just plain unfair. If you are unsure about a piece of software - email autodesk for clarification.

[Matt Hallock]

Yeah, I was about to say if you modeled it in something else and you say so, that's where you'll get the boot methinks.

[iamnafets]

Hahaha I'm so glad I didn't submit this year thanks to this thread. This makes me happy. I listed just about every single free program that I used for modeling because I found it simpler than 3ds max being a n00b (well I was honest) all the sound and video editing products, hahaha. Makes me laugh. So next year we (meaning my team, yall did it the right way I assume) completely in 3ds max? Man, I gotta learn modeling in 3ds max. What a turd. I've only learned modeling in like 3 programs now until I eventually got used to Wings 3d. They have to make some sort of exception. It's a free program. It's not even competition. I'm rambling and probably repeating past points. Sorry.

[Lev]

Originally Posted by iamnafets

I've only learned modeling in like 3 programs now until I eventually got used to Wings 3d. They have to make some sort of exception. It's a free program. It's not even competition. I'm rambling and probably repeating past points. Sorry.

I dont know, i find 3ds superior to wings3D in terms of production quality modeling. If you are doing low-poly - sure wings3D is great, but sub-divs and NURBS in max are much more appropriate for high resolution models.

[Eric Reed]

Originally Posted by riley_ag

Whatever you use, just make sure to list that you only used Autodesk or Discreet products. I made the mistake last year of saying we used photoshop for textures and solidworks for some our models, and they disqualified our animation. That'll teach you to be honest. I was soo pissed, the wording was so vague! Anyway, thats my suggestion... dont tell the whole truth

How did you find out you were DQ'd? Did they let you know ahead of time, or did you have to wait until the regional?

Last year we used (and listed) other software. We were not DQ'd. We listed ADOBE premier and Hash Animation Master.

Eric.

[iamnafets]

Originally Posted by Lev

I dont know, i find 3ds superior to wings3D in terms of production quality modeling. If you are doing low-poly - sure wings3D is great, but sub-divs and NURBS in max are much more appropriate for high resolution models.

Oh they probably are for sure. I just didn't have a whole lot of time to learn anything and the 3ds max curve seemed a lot steeper than these smaller, more basic programs. But while I'm on the subject, does anyone know of some good books or something on the subject of modeling in 3ds max? Or maybe some FREE guides on the net?

[Rysith]

Originally Posted by Lev

I think you were mostly DQed for solidworks. We did list Photoshop, VirtualDub, and Acid last year - and got through just fine. What makes Solidworks different from all of these is that it is a modeling tool - you could have done it in 3ds or in Inventor, and modeling, animation, and rendering seems to be restricted to autodesk products. In no case would I advise anyone to lie about their software use - thats just plain unfair. If you are unsure about a piece of software - email autodesk for clarification.

I dunno. Last ear (and in most previous years) we have used Rhino 3d for modeling (because we find it much better than MAX), and last year we even used Maya for a bit of the animation and modeling, and we got through fine...

[Lev]

Originally Posted by Rysith

I dunno. Last ear (and in most previous years) we have used Rhino 3d for modeling (because we find it much better than MAX), and last year we even used Maya for a bit of the animation and modeling, and we got through fine...

You actually listed Rhino and Maya in the used software list and got through? wow.

[Ericente]

Originally Posted by iamnafets

Oh they probably are for sure. I just didn't have a whole lot of time to learn anything and the 3ds max curve seemed a lot steeper than these smaller, more basic programs. But while I'm on the subject, does anyone know of some good books or something on the subject of modeling in 3ds max? Or maybe some FREE guides on the net?

Do the tutorials that come with MAX. They'll teach you most of what you'll need to know.


I like MAX's Subdiv system a lot, and basic polygonal modeling is pretty good too. I don't think I like the NURBS system that much, but I haven't used it much outside of the tutorials. I like NURBS modeling much better in Maya for organic objects, because of the sculpt tool. You can just brush on the model to push or pull vertices, rather thanmoving vertices with the move tool, which is rather annoying. Maya also has a texture painting program built right into the software. You can paint almost any type of map right onto the surface of a model, and it even has pressure sensitivity for my wacom pen/tablet. I can program the pen so that I can do everything in maya with it. In MAX, the navigation UI is setup in a way that I can't use the pen for it.
I wish that MAX wasn't required to be the sole modeling tool, although I do like it for some things(animation, the meshsmooth modifier, and simple polygonal modeling)