Hi,

Hopefully I can get your help determining… between 3D Max and Maya, which one will be better for my needs (and, if possible, why).  Hopefully this is a question that can be answered and won’t start any user wars LOL.  Hopefully the industry has reached a point where what I need is actually available (last time I looked, in the mid 90s, I would have been laughed out the door).

I will be making short (1-3 minutes) ultra-realistic 3D animation with realistic human characters, realistic sets and special effects (fire, smoke, water, etc.).  I’ll need SSS, AO and radiosity.  I’d like cloth simulation good enough for clothes (if not complete outfits then a shirt or dress) and hair that works well enough for long flowing hair-dos now and then.  I’ll need network rendering (my current render farm uses 8 high end PCs).  Finally, LOL, I’d like to avoid spending more money right away on 3rd party SW or plug-ins to accomplish these needs.

I’d really appreciate any help I can get on this!

Cheers,
Rusty

Either package will do want you want, but the “ultra-realistic” is going to be up to you. Do you have any training on either of these programs?

Kevnich00,

Thanks for replying! 

kevnich00 28 January 2009 09:29 PM

Either package will do want you want, but the “ultra-realistic” is going to be up to you. Do you have any training on either of these programs?

Of course… and no.  My background is in XSI, trueSpace and AM.  I’ve fiddled with 3D since 1992 and got serious in 2001.  I studied at the Academy for Digital Animation and I’ve been exploring ‘realism’ since 2001.  BTW, I have classes lined up for 3D Max (or Maya if it comes to that).  I’ll tell you, even after all my years of work I don’t think I could do ultra-realism that would stand up for more then a half dozen seconds (depending on what it is).  But that’s all I need.  If you want to see what I’m trying to do go to my site at http://www.virtualmediastudios.com.

Now, how long have you been involved with 3ds and/or Maya and what would you say the differences are (in a sentence)?  And, are you sure one would give no advantage over the other.  All through the 90s I dreamed of owning max.  Friends in animation school now are telling me max is only used for games and Maya is where its at for what I want to do.  And I simply don’t know.

Thanks!
Rusty

Well, if you’ve been doing 3D work that long, I’m surprised that you can’t figure this out on your own.

And what is “ultra realistic animation” anyway? If you’re referring to muscle fiber level animation, under the skin type of thing, you can do that with Maya muscle and a decent renderer, or you can use Max with some plug-ins.

In the end, you need a firm understanding of human anatomy to produce realistic humans, so in the time you use to decide what application to use, study anatomy.
No application will ever have a button called “make realistic flex of these deltoids, and then render it out as a perfect animation”.

Don’t forget:
The time is Now!