To you experienced users of 3d, if you had a choice between learning on a fully packed but used Maya 3 or the downloadable try-out of Maya 6, on which would you rather learn ? Is there much difference between the Maya versions' animation modules that would really screw someone if they learned on the older and got a job animating on the newer?
About Hash Animation Master. I see great things done in this package. It's cheaper. Is it easier to learn?
If by experienced you mean "have had experience with" and aren't excluding non-vets, I would say two things. Personally, it would annoy the sh-- out of me having to deal with the lack of saving and the watermarks. Also, if someone can be straight traditional and get a job doing 3D successfully on the latest software, how difficult would a transition be when you not only have 2D experience, but -some- 3D that even is the same brand of product? Almost a head start.
I do think the 'organic web' menus are a recent addition so that might get some getting used to, interface-wise. But like I said before, I'll take that hit rather than the convenience hit of using the crippled PLE. I'm going to try myself to save for the newer one for the sake of the least transitions possible by going for academic pricing on the less fancy ones. I'm going to worry about animating well in 3D before I care about fluid dynamics or realistic hair plug-ins :)
Unless they've changed things dramatically in PLE 6, there is a save feature. The issue, as I've experienced it, is that the PLE files are not usable in Maya proper. If you do a great model, for example, you can't get it into the full version due to format incompatibilities. Same with animation.
That said, I'd be inclined to go with the PLE version of 6. If you'd said "full version of 5", I'd go the other way, but V3 is too long ago in ANY software, not just Maya.
Animation Master is just as easy, or hard, to learn as any 3D package. Their advantage is price (obviously) and the huuuuuuge user community. Many people who use Maya professionally sit down with a copy of A:M when working on a personal project.
I don't use A:M anymore, but I have in the past and found it to be very capable. It's not widely used in the industry though, so bear that in mind.
If that's the case, would upgrading from PLE to a full package provide a conversion utility (or even just an import feature) to turn the LE format into commercial Maya files? It sounds silly but I'd like to retain the original work; I would not want to lose it simply because it was done during my time with the learning edition.
Again, things may have changed with the release of PLE 6, but I don't think there's a conversion utility. Someone out there may have written a plug-in or MEL script that does it, but I don't think there's an "official" converter.
It makes sense, in a way. It's not a big leap to imagine a company running lots of seats of PLE in a production pipeline, purchasing only a few full versions of Maya for final rendering and such after file conversion. Such a scenario would not be good for Alias' bottom line.
Personally, I think it's pretty cool that Alias provides a fully-featured version of their software for free. It gives cash-strapped neophytes a chance to learn (not to mention tying them in as future customers).
As far as I know there is no converter between PLE and the full version of maya at all. They do this because they don't want people simply hacking said converter and getting the full benefits of maya without paying for it. (Or course its so bloody easy to find a hacked copy of any of these programs I don't know what there stressing over, NOT that I condone that sort of practice). That being said, Maya 3 was a *mess* and I would go with the PLE for the time being. Practice makes...better, and any new version of a model you made in PLE will probably have even more polish to it when you get access to a full version.
I'd go with PLE.
Thanks, gang. very helpful.
Yup, Scattered, I have some experience a few years ago but was sidetracked by life.
If I attempt again I will try to go straight as possible into animating.
Well I wasn't thinking of anything devious. I just meant if I downloaded this new PLE and did a tutorial, and all of the sudden took it someplace so new and grand, that I spent 8 extra hours on it...and had that hooked me, and I bought the program, perhaps for some additional feature to which my great idea was conducive....would I be able to port PLE format files into the more official Maya to continue my progess...or hell, even for the purposes of nostalgia...
I agree with the coolness of a huge tryout like that. As far as I can tell the only 'demo' available for Animation Master is a giant streaming video. No fun because it's not me tinkering and breaking things. A video is like a glorified feature list. Incidentally though, fully-featured would include every function at normal working capacity. Last time I tried PLE (and it was a while ago) it was save-blocked and watermarked - even in the viewports, just like the Digicel demo. I don't think they should make everything work for free, they deserve time and money on their great program, but that kinda thing is over the top for me. I'd much rather have a crippled demo than have everything at my disposal, except the ability to see or watch what in blazes I'm doing. I'm very visually sensitive and big logo letters 4 and 5 times on a screen is a bit silly. I'll check out the new one tonight. Thanks again DSB...