Topic awaiting preservation: New to 3-D renderind (Page 1 of 1)

OK I have seen some of the capabilities of 3D rendering and I think it is so magnificent. I was wonderign what are the best programs and how I could get started in it.



Sorry for the typo in the title. I' in a little hurry

[This message has been edited by Skatefx (edited 10-23-2001).]

http://www.ozoneasylum.com/Forum11/HTML/000251.html
http://www.ozoneasylum.com/Forum11/HTML/000242.html
http://www.ozoneasylum.com/Forum11/HTML/000166.html

read Das' posts in these threads

Thanks, that helps alot!

This should be archived if it isnt already tho i'm not the one who originally wrote it..

Pro packages

3D Studio Max -
Modeller - top notch. It uses a 'modifier stack'. At any point in the modelling process, you can go back to an earlier point and modify things. For example, you could create a sphere, join it to another object, reshape it, etc, then go back and change the radius of the sphere.
Renderer - very good. Hybrid scanline/raytrace (that means it uses a fast, high quality scanline renderer when it can, and the slower raytracer only where needed). Radiosity and Caustics can only be achieved with other programs (you can use LightScape for Radiosity, or Mental Ray as a complete, motion picture quality renderer).
Animation - top notch. Full trackview that lets you adjust animation keys. You can control things with scripts. You can link animation parameters to other parameters with expressions.

LightWave -
Modeller - very good. Lots of features and modelling tools, but you can't go back in a models history and make changes.
Renderer - top notch. Hybrid scanline/raytrace, with Radiosity and Caustics included.
Animation - very good. I hear 6.5 may bring it up to Max and Maya in features, which would make it top notch.

Maya -
Modeller - top notch. Lets you make changes at any point in a model's history, like Max. Stronger in NURBS and weaker in polygon modelling than Max.
Renderer - very good. Hybrid scanline/raytrace. Note that professionals normally use RenderMan as a plug in renderer to Maya (RenderMan sells for US$5000). RenderMan is the best renderer available.
Animation - top notch. Full trackview, expressions, etc. Similar to Max.

Softimage -
Modeller - top notch. Lets you make changes at any point in a model's history, like Max and Maya.
Renderer - very good or top notch, depending on the package. The higher priced version includes Mental Ray, which is second only to RenderMan. The cheaper version uses a hybrid scanline/raytrace renderer that is comparable to Max and Maya.
Animation - top notch. Full trackview, expressions, etc.

Rhino -
Modeller - excellent. Not so great at polygon modelling, but absolutely top notch at NURBS modelling.
Renderer - virtually nonexistant. This package was designed to make models for import into other packages.
Animation - nonexistant. Again, you're supposed to model in Rhino, and export to other packages.

Nonprofessional packages

Bryce -
Modeller - poor. Primitives only, no history. You pretty much have to build everything out of spheres, cubes, etc.
Renderer - very good. Pure raytracer (high quality but slooooow).
Animation - adequate. Keyframes only. Difficult to edit keys.

POV-Ray -
Modeller - nonexistant. You have to make your models with scripts. Kind of a fun way to learn 3D, though.
Renderer - very good. Pure raytracer (high quality but slooooow).
Animation - poor. You have to manually script keyframes, which makes it very difficult to do complex moves smoothly.

If price is no object, I'd recommend Maya with RenderMan. You're looking at US$10000 or more, but you get the same setup that motion picture special effects houses prefer. SoftImage with Mental Ray comes close both in price and quality. Lots of movies have used this combo (including Godzilla, which had a lousy plot but nice effects).

If you don't want to spend quite as much, go with Max if you're more interested in a strong modeller, or Lightwave if image quality is your paramount concern. Both are very good and very popular. I have Max and am planning to buy Lighwave in a few months. Max runs about US$3500, and Lightwave will set you back about US$2500.

If you're going for cheap, Rhino as a modeller and Bryce as a renderer is a popular solution.

POV-Ray is free


» THOAN.net (..soon to come..I hope)

Considering that GRUMBLE already linked to that post, I don't really think you needed to copy and paste it in. And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't take my name off of it when you copy it.

You wrote that? ohhh... I'll have to put your name back on the lil' text file with it all copied at home. Good stuff good stuff DAS.. Sorry 'bout the confusion


» THOAN.net (..soon to come..I hope)

No harm done.

Whddaya call your new sig Bmud...the impossible housing project? Looks kinda like the one I was doing.