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Program Choosing


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#1 _*ronson_*

_*ronson_*
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Posted 03 September 2004 - 12:41 PM

Right this is a little off my topic but what the hell is rendering?

Back to the topic, i wanna have a good 3D program but i dont know what to get?

Should i get C4D but what version and whats this XL stuff?

Swift 3D or what?

Can someone point me in the right direction please


Thankyouplease

James

#2 _*MJC_*

_*MJC_*
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Posted 04 September 2004 - 03:28 AM

Well I'm quite new to 3D rendering myself but as nobody's replied yet I'll try. If I get anything wrong I'm sure someone more experienced will correct me - :D

Rendering is the term used in 3D applications for when you finish off your basic wireframe picture with colour, shading, highlights, texture etc. In other words it's when the 3D program draws your picture in all its full detail. When you're working on it beforehand everything will just be wireframes. The more complicated the image the longer the rendering will take (sometimes hours depending on the speed of your computer). So when people talk about '3D renders' they've done they just mean pictures they've done using a 3D application.



Which program? I think 3ds Max and Cinema 4D seem to be two of the favourites. They can both do alot - they're quite serious 3D applications and can do very complicated stuff. I think Swift 3D is a bit more basic and quicker to use so is a good option if you want that. Having said this I've never used any of these cos 3ds max and C4D are too expensive and I haven't tried Swift3D. I use Bryce 5 cos it's cheaper though it's a bit more limited.

Last time I checked both 3ds max and C4D offered free trial downloads on their websites so that would probably be your best idea - try them out.

Hope this helps. :)

ADDED NOTE: Here are links to 3ds max and C4D websites. I checked and both offer free trials.
3ds max - http://www.discreet.com/
Cinema 4D - http://www.maxon.net/index_e.html

#3 _*Raimundo_*

_*Raimundo_*
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Posted 04 September 2004 - 08:06 AM

get swift 3D, ive got it, i found it a little hard at first but it actually is really easy :D

#4 _*Inserted_*

_*Inserted_*
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Posted 04 September 2004 - 06:18 PM

After using 3ds max/softimage XSI/c4d/swift 3d/maya/lightwave 3d and a few other 3d applications the best was maya. But thats my opinion.

Just use all the trials and find the one most suitable for you. Thats what i did.
And i must say C4d and 3d studio max are very over rated, but much easier to learn compared to maya. But like i said, thats my opinion.

#5 _*theguid_*

_*theguid_*
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Posted 09 September 2004 - 11:59 PM

I certainly wouldnt go as far as to say they were 'overrated.' Personally I think a 3d app is only as good as the person using it :) I've used them all before too, but I've seen renders made with C4D and Terragen and Lightwave that look every bit as good as things made with Maya. Yes I will agree maya is the top dog, but it's a whole lot more complex to use and seemed to tax my systems a lot more than any other 3d app. But it you are looking to do lots of animations, I really can't find any program that does it better than Maya. The scene and object control are just incredible in that program, which I guess is why it's used by top cinema companies today.... Anyways, like he said see if you can get ahold of trial versions and find one you like. Or maybe read some tutorials to see which one may be easiest for you to follow. Just dont get discourage easily because when you first start out you're going to run into questions as you go.

As far as versions go, dont be afraid to get a version or so back from the very latest. For one it will save you a lot of money, and two you're not going to be using all the latest added features of a program if you're just starting out. Heck, I've had C4D R8 sitting in my cd case for months now and never been installed. I use XL7 right now and if it weren't for the added hdri support of R8 I'd probably never get around to installing it (and I say that like I'm really planning to dig it out and install it <_<




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