Should i be getting Maya or 3Ds for special/visual effects in film? Looking around the forum i have been picking up that i should get Maya. But reading articles and interviews big company's are using both.
Big companies use everything: Maya, Max, Lightwave, Houdini, Softimage, and a bunch of proprietary stuff too.
Getting a 3D package under your belt makes it easier to learn other 3D packages once you know the concepts and techniques, as it becomes a matter of finding "where the buttons are" in the new app.
Maya is the industry leader right now, with 3DS close behind. But since Autodesk owns both, I'm guessing that they're going to morph into one application at some point down the line. There have already been a few moves in that direction with the latest release.
Regardless of which app you learn, you'll end up wanting to apply somewhere that uses something other than the package you know. Welcome to the animation business! :D
thank you , very good advice.
so your saying i should get the cheapest one and know it well. So when it comes to using another prog it will just come to finding "where the buttons are"
I would add that different apps are better at different things. Maya is a good pipeline product and is very extensible but has the god-awfullest renderer.
I don't use 3D Max, but we are starting to integrate Cinema 4D. It has a really good renderer and other features, but isn't so great in a pipeline (it lacks a file reference feature for one thing).
But ultimately, any package comes down to the talent and skills of the user - which is what will ultimately land you the job.
so what do you reccomend for the long run, learning a really good pipeline prog. (i have know idea what that means pipeline), or learn with a program that has really good rendering (know i dea what that means either):o
thank you , very good advice.
so your saying i should get the cheapest one and know it well.
No, I'm not saying that at all! :eek: If that were the case, you'd be buying Animation:Master right now, and I don't know of any production shops that use it. Doesn't mean none do, but it means most don't.
What I'm saying is, the important thing is to know 3D concepts and techniques, and worry less about what is the "hot" application to know. Right now, the app used most often in the industry is Maya. That doesn't mean others don't get used a lot, and it doesn't mean that Maya will continue to be the "go to" app. Ten years ago, Max was the market leader and Maya didn't yet exist except as it's component parts from two different companies, Alias and Wavefront. Today, the most "popular" app is Blender, based on downloads of the program. But it's open source software, therefore free, and downloads don't mean that someone is actually using it. See how complex it can get? ;)
If you want to learn a 3D app and price is a consideration, then download Maya's Personal Learning Edition. It's free and fully-featured, meaning all of the features work. However, be warned; the files you create in the PLE won't open in a licensed version of Maya, and any renders you do will have a watermark over them. But if you can live with those restrictions, the PLE is a great way to learn the current industry-leading app.
I use Animation:Master. And you can certainly do professional work with it!!! It is the best option for an independent animator or small studio. http://www.hash.com
If you don't know what a renderer is then you are really a beginner. What do you want to do? Visual effects? Like what? Dust and smoke and fire? Character animation? Compositing? What is your goal? That would really help steer you in one direction or the other.
Do some research on what each program requires and then check your hardware. You'll need a lot of RAM and a graphics card. Your computer may dictate what software to get. I'd recommend Maya. Here's the link to Maya PLE
If you're going to buy anything and you're a student, be sure to go to one of the educational sales sites like Studica or JourneyEd.
that is exactly what i want i am trying to get too and try to know, help would be very appreciated
That is something you have to figure out for yourself. Do you want to do effects work, smoke, dust, water, explosions?
Or do you want to do character animation work, people, animals and the like?
These are two different jobs, and it's rare that one person does both. Maybe in smaller studios, but most sizable studios, effects and character animation are two seperate departments.
Aloha,
the Ape
—
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
I like Maya but I love XSI. The user interface is less icon-based with buttons clearly labelled. I particularly like the modelling tools, animation tools (especially the shape manager) and the lighting tools. XSI is used in professional productions and XSI Foundation is reasonably cheap. Check out the showreel on my website to what I have done with using it.
Cobster, one of my favorite things about Lightwave is that buttons are labeled, not adorned with some nebulous icon that may not make sense even after you know what it means.
One of my favorite things to do is watch my students interact with the Maya interface. I learn a lot about what button does what, since I'm a keyboard shortcut/menu kinda guy...
that is exactly what i want i am trying to get too and try to know, help would be very appreciated
I'm going to recommend visual effects, but that really is something you should find out for yourself and what you're really into. I say VFX because in the balance between aesthetics and technical, VFX is more technical. For character animation, I'd recommend more of a foundation in traditional animation and the arts, which, if you had, you'd probably lean that way already.
VFX is an exciting field. While there are still fundamentals you have to learn beyond a 3D package, I'd recommend you start with Maya, and then move on to packages like Houdini, Real Flow, and other similar packages used most commonly for VFX work.
Btw, I'd highly recommend conceiving and executing some sort of shots or short film featuring heavy doses of character animation or VFX or both. I find I learn faster and work better when there is a problem to be solved rather than sitting down and going through a book step-by-step.
Visual effects is the way i want to go(smoke, dust, water, explosions). So i should pick up Maya and:
conceiving and executing some sort of shots or short film featuring heavy doses of character animation or VFX or both.
- btw, that was the way i was going to do it
- also, i know this is very ametuer, but can someone explain rendering, i have heard this a lot and what i have picked up is it basicaly means: how long it some took to make the object
Cobster, one of my favorite things about Lightwave is that buttons are labeled, not adorned with some nebulous icon that may not make sense even after you know what it means.
Yeah that's what I prefer too and that was my point about XSI. Maya and Max are too icon-centric in comparision. I've never used Lightwave before but hear good things about it.
Hey, a beginner, man i was exactly like you last time... hen i came in, i also wanted to make a movie n all tht...I was suprised nobody recomended for him to read books, thts wut u guys told me last time... and it HELPED... I now have the book 'Learning Maya 7' or was it ' Begginers Guide to Maya 7', forgot which...Had it since October last year (my B-day) but i didn even finish the first Chapter 1 !!!! I borrowed it to a fren.. Is it still up to date, like is it still Maya 7 now? Oh yea, rendering is when you make sumthin in the animation program, n if you want to see it, juz render n it'll show it... Yupp, thts all i got... Its hard explainin... Maybe the pros here can give you a better input...
I was juz surfing round the internet, then i found the animation program called Softimage 3D, It looks really cool, Does anyone who knows bout it cuz i really wana know more... The most interesting thing (for me) is The Facial Creator... How is it compared to Maya...
Actually come to think of it... Lets say i have the money to purchase an animation program... which would be best... Not too much, say bout a few hundreds... Which would be the best powerful programs avalaible... For either/both, 2D and 3D...
Imagination is much more important then knowledge...
Big companies use everything: Maya, Max, Lightwave, Houdini, Softimage, and a bunch of proprietary stuff too.
Getting a 3D package under your belt makes it easier to learn other 3D packages once you know the concepts and techniques, as it becomes a matter of finding "where the buttons are" in the new app.
Maya is the industry leader right now, with 3DS close behind. But since Autodesk owns both, I'm guessing that they're going to morph into one application at some point down the line. There have already been a few moves in that direction with the latest release.
Regardless of which app you learn, you'll end up wanting to apply somewhere that uses something other than the package you know. Welcome to the animation business! :D
thank you , very good advice.
so your saying i should get the cheapest one and know it well. So when it comes to using another prog it will just come to finding "where the buttons are"
I would add that different apps are better at different things. Maya is a good pipeline product and is very extensible but has the god-awfullest renderer.
I don't use 3D Max, but we are starting to integrate Cinema 4D. It has a really good renderer and other features, but isn't so great in a pipeline (it lacks a file reference feature for one thing).
But ultimately, any package comes down to the talent and skills of the user - which is what will ultimately land you the job.
Company website
My Animation Blogspot Site
so what do you reccomend for the long run, learning a really good pipeline prog. (i have know idea what that means pipeline), or learn with a program that has really good rendering (know i dea what that means either):o
No, I'm not saying that at all! :eek: If that were the case, you'd be buying Animation:Master right now, and I don't know of any production shops that use it. Doesn't mean none do, but it means most don't.
What I'm saying is, the important thing is to know 3D concepts and techniques, and worry less about what is the "hot" application to know. Right now, the app used most often in the industry is Maya. That doesn't mean others don't get used a lot, and it doesn't mean that Maya will continue to be the "go to" app. Ten years ago, Max was the market leader and Maya didn't yet exist except as it's component parts from two different companies, Alias and Wavefront. Today, the most "popular" app is Blender, based on downloads of the program. But it's open source software, therefore free, and downloads don't mean that someone is actually using it. See how complex it can get? ;)
If you want to learn a 3D app and price is a consideration, then download Maya's Personal Learning Edition. It's free and fully-featured, meaning all of the features work. However, be warned; the files you create in the PLE won't open in a licensed version of Maya, and any renders you do will have a watermark over them. But if you can live with those restrictions, the PLE is a great way to learn the current industry-leading app.
I use Animation:Master. And you can certainly do professional work with it!!! It is the best option for an independent animator or small studio.
http://www.hash.com
William Sutton
Zandoria Studios
http://zandoria.wordpress.com
If you don't know what a renderer is then you are really a beginner. What do you want to do? Visual effects? Like what? Dust and smoke and fire? Character animation? Compositing? What is your goal? That would really help steer you in one direction or the other.
Company website
My Animation Blogspot Site
Do some research on what each program requires and then check your hardware. You'll need a lot of RAM and a graphics card. Your computer may dictate what software to get. I'd recommend Maya. Here's the link to Maya PLE
If you're going to buy anything and you're a student, be sure to go to one of the educational sales sites like Studica or JourneyEd.
Oy...
I didn't say you couldn't do professional work with it; I said I don't know of any production shops that use it. I also said it doesn't mean none do.
Sheesh.
I've used A:M in the past, and it is a very nice package. Is that better? ;)
So what i have picked up, i should download PLE, know it very well, then buy maya when i am ready.
that is exactly what i want i am trying to get too and try to know, help would be very appreciated
That is something you have to figure out for yourself. Do you want to do effects work, smoke, dust, water, explosions?
Or do you want to do character animation work, people, animals and the like?
These are two different jobs, and it's rare that one person does both. Maybe in smaller studios, but most sizable studios, effects and character animation are two seperate departments.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
I like Maya but I love XSI. The user interface is less icon-based with buttons clearly labelled. I particularly like the modelling tools, animation tools (especially the shape manager) and the lighting tools. XSI is used in professional productions and XSI Foundation is reasonably cheap. Check out the showreel on my website to what I have done with using it.
Visit my website:
Claire O'Brien.com
Cobster, one of my favorite things about Lightwave is that buttons are labeled, not adorned with some nebulous icon that may not make sense even after you know what it means.
One of my favorite things to do is watch my students interact with the Maya interface. I learn a lot about what button does what, since I'm a keyboard shortcut/menu kinda guy...
I'm going to recommend visual effects, but that really is something you should find out for yourself and what you're really into. I say VFX because in the balance between aesthetics and technical, VFX is more technical. For character animation, I'd recommend more of a foundation in traditional animation and the arts, which, if you had, you'd probably lean that way already.
VFX is an exciting field. While there are still fundamentals you have to learn beyond a 3D package, I'd recommend you start with Maya, and then move on to packages like Houdini, Real Flow, and other similar packages used most commonly for VFX work.
Btw, I'd highly recommend conceiving and executing some sort of shots or short film featuring heavy doses of character animation or VFX or both. I find I learn faster and work better when there is a problem to be solved rather than sitting down and going through a book step-by-step.
Company website
My Animation Blogspot Site
Visual effects is the way i want to go(smoke, dust, water, explosions). So i should pick up Maya and:
- btw, that was the way i was going to do it
- also, i know this is very ametuer, but can someone explain rendering, i have heard this a lot and what i have picked up is it basicaly means: how long it some took to make the object
Yeah that's what I prefer too and that was my point about XSI. Maya and Max are too icon-centric in comparision. I've never used Lightwave before but hear good things about it.
Visit my website:
Claire O'Brien.com
Hey, a beginner, man i was exactly like you last time... hen i came in, i also wanted to make a movie n all tht...I was suprised nobody recomended for him to read books, thts wut u guys told me last time... and it HELPED... I now have the book 'Learning Maya 7' or was it ' Begginers Guide to Maya 7', forgot which...Had it since October last year (my B-day) but i didn even finish the first Chapter 1 !!!! I borrowed it to a fren.. Is it still up to date, like is it still Maya 7 now? Oh yea, rendering is when you make sumthin in the animation program, n if you want to see it, juz render n it'll show it... Yupp, thts all i got... Its hard explainin... Maybe the pros here can give you a better input...
I was juz surfing round the internet, then i found the animation program called Softimage 3D, It looks really cool, Does anyone who knows bout it cuz i really wana know more... The most interesting thing (for me) is The Facial Creator... How is it compared to Maya...
Actually come to think of it... Lets say i have the money to purchase an animation program... which would be best... Not too much, say bout a few hundreds... Which would be the best powerful programs avalaible... For either/both, 2D and 3D...
Imagination is much more important then knowledge...
I looked into XSI and it sems good, but then again i dont know much about maya.
Animation:Master is $299. It might be a good option--especially just starting out
William Sutton
Zandoria Studios
http://zandoria.wordpress.com
Would this be good for me - Maya Package