3ds max alternatives?

[Mazin]

Does anybody use any alternatives to 3ds max? As much as I enjoy the professional graphics programs everybody loves, they don't work on Linux and I don't like switching to Windows whenever I want to use it.

I've started using the GIMP and blender, both very capable programs, but it's totally different interfaces. Blender has some fancy features that even max doesn't have, like fluid simulations (takes forever) and a built-in game engine.

[abroerman]

I tried blender once, never did really get into it. It didn't really make sense for me to switch over just for a few features I'd never use (fluid simulation being a fine example). From what I've seen, if you get good at it, blender can be a wonderful tool. Still, I can't see a free project ever outdistancing a commercial product of max's scale. Results are important, but so is ease of use... blender doesn't seem to provide that.

All that being said, I wouldn't be anywhere right now without anim8or.
It's evolved greatly ever since I used it last (there are finally shadows ) but it was invaluable in building up my skills before I even knew what FIRST or 3ds max was. Hardly a max alternative though

[Morgan Gillespie]

I tried Blender when I heard about it on TechTv (long time ago) and didn't like it, it just didn't have the simplicity of power that 3dsm has. One that I had long before 3dsm was MilkShape, I used to to make Halo mods a long time ago, and that was one of the chain of events that made me want to be an animator.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Mazin

Does anybody use any alternatives to 3ds max? As much as I enjoy the professional graphics programs everybody loves, they don't work on Linux and I don't like switching to Windows whenever I want to use it.

I've started using the GIMP and blender, both very capable programs, but it's totally different interfaces. Blender has some fancy features that even max doesn't have, like fluid simulations (takes forever) and a built-in game engine.

well never tryed either of those but i have Maya, 3ds max, softimage xsi and lightwave.... i like 3ds max the other programs always seem too foreign it is to complicated they are like powerful tools but seem cheesy.... idk dont stray to far from home...

[lemoneasy]

I used to play with Cinema 4D Release 9 studio alot, when I got 3ds max, I thought the layout was so much harder on max. I really like Cinema 4D, it had everything you could want, but max is just an industry standard, so I forced myself to move over to it instead.

[Mazin]

It'd be interesting to see the results of the Orange Project once it's available. Perhaps not Pixar quality, but I'm betting it's close.

Originally Posted by lemoneasy

I used to play with Cinema 4D Release 9 studio alot, when I got 3ds max, I thought the layout was so much harder on max. I really like Cinema 4D, it had everything you could want, but max is just an industry standard, so I forced myself to move over to it instead.

I was under the impression that Maya was the industry standard.

Originally Posted by abroerman

Results are important, but so is ease of use... blender doesn't seem to provide that.

Result-wise, blender-produced works can be indistinguishable from any other product. Interface-wise, blender is slightly strange, but I've found that after learning it (which any 3d package has its quirks), workflow is comparable.

Originally Posted by lemoneasy

when I got 3ds max, I thought the layout was so much harder on max

Case in point

Originally Posted by Mercury Rising

it just didn't have the simplicity of power that 3dsm has

I don't understand, would you care to elaborate?

[abroerman]

Interface-wise, blender is slightly strange, but I've found that after learning it (which any 3d package has its quirks), workflow is comparable.

Exactly... I don't have the time to devote to learning the new interface. If the results are comparable, I have no reason to switch

[Mazin]

BTW, has anybody here actually bought a real commercial license of max, instead of using bootleg copies or the school's educational licenses? Last time I checked, 3ds max 8 was $3.5K. For $3.5K, I would be willing to learn a new interface.

[abroerman]

Originally Posted by Mazin

BTW, has anybody here actually bought a real commercial license of max, instead of using bootleg copies or the school's educational licenses? Last time I checked, 3ds max 8 was $3.5K. For $3.5K, I would be willing to learn a new interface.

That's a good point. Fortunately Autodesk was kind enough to donate copies of any one autodesk product to teams that had won an animation award at nationals. The three or so guys we had written down as animation team mentors all chose 3ds max. That of course helped us out a lot this year.

[addictedMax]

Originally Posted by abroerman

That's a good point. Fortunately Autodesk was kind enough to donate copies of any one autodesk product to teams that had won an animation award at nationals. The three or so guys we had written down as animation team mentors all chose 3ds max. That of course helped us out a lot this year.

you get 5 licenses for the teams that want to do an animation

[netman85am204]

try wings3d its pretty good

i'll update when i find a link
-matt

[rappo]

Bryce is great for landscapes, but can be used for everything.

[lukevanoort]

Having never worked with blender I can't offer opinions on it. However, when I was on animation last year we manged to make an animation after squandering half the time, having zero experience, and only one computer, a Dell that didn't even meet the minimum requirements. This year I didn't work on the animation, but the guy who did a lot of it used blender, and since you have to do the final render in 3ds MAX, almost didn't get it in because he hadn't noticed that MAX 8 had some weird installation requirements. The animation had more complexity than last year (we had walking things), but due to the need to switch it into MAX at the last minute and a few other problems, it ended up looking rather weird and nonsensical. So, IMHO, use MAX, because you have to for the competition's final render.

[Cody Carey]

First off, Max is my baby... It's what I learned on and what I'm sticking too, However:

Blender, even though it is quite confusing at first (to a max user) is wonderful for making organics.

Maya7 is a powerful 3d application that has pretty much all the quirks of max, and a few of it's own... overall the only disappointing thing about it is the material aspect, as it is kind of rudimentary.

Lightwave is just as effective as Max in most cases, however if you already know max there is no reason to switch.

Also...

I was under the impression that Maya was the industry standard.

It really depends on which industy
If you are talking about videogames, Max brings home the gold every time, but if you are talking about hollywood, Maya is catching up, although still not the industry standard,
here check this out:

<LI>Here is a small list of some known movies titles that Max was used on:

Thru The Moebius StripEquilibriumThe Mummy ReturnsOctober SkyA Simple Wish UndisputedLewis and ClarkDr. T and the Women ArmageddonCon AirXmen 2The MajesticBattlefield Earth Deep RisingKundunThe CoreJay and Silent Bob Strike BackX-MenI'll Be Home For ChristmasThe CraftPanic RoomAntiTrustSoul KeeperSoldierThe Crow 2: City Of AngelsQuo VadisJeepers CreepersMission Impossible IIMighty Joe YoungCasinoCheck Into DisasterSwordfish For The CauseReturn To Paradise Johnny MnemonicThe ImposterDrivenSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutLost In SpaceVirtuosityMurder By NumbersTomb RaiderThe Green Mile The Truman Show?Kaena The ProphecyCats & DogsInspector GadgetGreat Expectations?Minority ReportDr. DoLittle IIThe InsiderThe Newton Boys?

<LI>Here is a small list of some known games titles that Max was used on:

BarbarianBatman VengeanceBlack & White Pack ExpansionBlood Omen 2Britney's Dance BeatCel DamageCommand & Conquer: RenegadeDark Age of CamelotDiablo IIDungeon SiegeElder Scrolls III: MorrowindEmpire EarthEternal DarknessFlight Simulator 2002Grand Theft Auto IIIHaloHunter: The ReckoningLord of the Rings: Fellowship of the RingMax PayneMetal Gear Solid 2Medal of Honor: FrontlineNever Winter NightsNew LegendsOddworld: Munch's OddyseePac-Man World 2Rayman ArenaRed FactionReturn to Castle WolfensteinSigmaSilent Hill 2Smuggler's RunSoldier of Fortune IISpiderman: The Movie GameStar Wars Galactic BattlegroundsStar Wars StarfighterState of EmergencyTennis Masters SeriesTom Clancy's Splinter CellTony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X and 3World of WarcraftWreckless

I found that somewhere a long time ago, and has been sitting in a text document for about 5 months, glad I have a chance to use it.

[Andrew Blair]

As far as industry standards go, from a teacher of both at a local tech school: it depends on what the employees know.

What he said was that even though you see a "Made in Max" or "Maya", the actual end product was often a fusion of work from both programs, or even others. People in industry are often doing just modeling, or just texturing, and as a result, you can have quite a bit of freedom in choosing your own software to use. I for one think that Maya is far easier to box model in, though I like Max for pretty much everything else. (Granted, I haven't done much in Maya other than modeling and texturing...). I have also heard Max is better for animation. Again, though something is "done in Max", doesn't mean that only Max was used.

(The guy I talked to said Halo was mostly done in Maya, and I've also heard it was mostly done in Max. Doesn't matter really, Autodesk owns 'em both now!)