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3 Dimensional Chat / Blender or 3ds Max

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 00:53
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my friend is asking me to help pick which of the 2 3d modelers to use to learn to make 3d content. He cant decide between blender3d and 3ds max.

Anyone here who used any of these 2 can you share your opinions tell of the advantages and disadvantages of each? We already know blenders interface sucks but blender can run on any unix or windows system so thats 1 plus and 1 minus.

please share your thoughts

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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MrValentine
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 02:25
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BLENDER = Technically Free...

3DSMAX = £$€[INSERT CURRENCY HERE] 9,999,999,999,999.99.......[You get the point by now]...

BLENDER = Could say it is still new to the industry, obviously a big hit with indie studios...

3DSMAX = A grounded Industry Standard...

BLENDER = No costs involved as far as I am presently aware to distribute anything you create from day ONE...

3DSMAX = You cannot distribute unless you have a paid licence...

You weigh up the points

That's my few cents/pennies/shillings/rupees...

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Schuhart
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 02:35
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thx for your few kopeyki

This friend - iam. And yes, iam oftenly use FreeBSD.

Los Los Los
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mastercheif 193
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 07:07
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The new blender interface is miles better than what it use to be, I have been using it on and off for about 6 years now.

They both have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Blender is free and can produce very professional looking work if you know how to work with it. The downside is that it has a pretty steep learning curve, but it is very rewarding once you figure it out.

3DS max on the other hand is an industry standard for most video game development, just recently started learning it for my animation certificate. It is pretty pricey but you can get a student version for free so you can test it out to see how you like it.

They are both very good. I have them both installed and I am learning those two along with Maya. I suggest have him download Blender and 3DS Max student edition and see which one he likes.

There is my 2 cents. Hope it helps out a little bit.

"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me" -Batman Begins
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Quik
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 15:29
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But 3ds max is free as long as youre a student.

but no, you cannot distribute the content in any commercial manner.

I would say - try both.



Whose eyes are those eyes?
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rolfy
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Posted: 25th Dec 2012 23:06 Edited at: 25th Dec 2012 23:16
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If you only intend to make 3d content then 3dsMax is NOT the one to learn with.

The models you create in Blender or Milkshape are exactly the same models you would create in the 3,675 dollar software, Max has that price tag for a reason and its not because it makes shinier boxes.
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BlackFox
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Posted: 26th Dec 2012 03:12 Edited at: 26th Dec 2012 03:13
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Quote: "The models you create in Blender or Milkshape are exactly the same models you would create in the 3,675 dollar software, Max has that price tag for a reason and its not because it makes shinier boxes. "


Exactly Of course we never had the option to "register as a student" back when we bought our licenses.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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rolfy
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Posted: 26th Dec 2012 04:13 Edited at: 26th Dec 2012 04:18
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Its when you see folks pay that sort of money for a license to make models only you come to understand they don't know what Max is actually for.
Before Maya it was the industry standard for CGI and only gained its reputation as standard for games because its where the pro modelers came from back in the day. Anyone who believes its industry standard for games is wasting time and money buying it for this purpose alone, particularly the hobbyist or even indie developer who just wouldn't have the time or know how to use it properly.

More expensive does not equate to easier or better.
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BlackFox
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Posted: 26th Dec 2012 04:52 Edited at: 26th Dec 2012 04:55
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Quote: "Its when you see folks pay that sort of money for a license to make models only you come to understand they don't know what Max is actually for.
Before Maya it was the industry standard for CGI and only gained its reputation as standard for games because its where the pro modelers came from back in the day. Anyone who believes its industry standard for games is wasting time and money buying it for this purpose alone, particularly the hobbyist or even indie developer who just wouldn't have the time or know how to use it properly."


We use our Max in conjunction with our AutoCAD/AutoMap software. Although Cathy knows the software well and uses it quite a bit, I still prefer Milkshape for models in software like FPSC or other game engines. She uses Max for almost anything/everything, including scene renders for other project developments and converting my work into the required format for other engines.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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greenlig
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Posted: 30th Dec 2012 16:31
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Blender - free, commercially viable, and a complete package. You won't have any problems with it, and it is industry standard.

Greenlig

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rolfy
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Posted: 30th Dec 2012 21:25
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Actually Greenlig is absolutely correct, Blender will be found in the credits for many of the top movies and games. Its definitely the industry standard if considered this way, more so than 3dsMax.
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MrValentine
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Posted: 30th Dec 2012 21:43
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I agree, Blender was even mentioned in a movie I saw recently in the end credits... think it was Expendables? not sure...

But it is rooting itself in the industry quite well... I suspect this to increase as they develop their interface further

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BlackFox
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Posted: 30th Dec 2012 21:51
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Quote: "Its definitely the industry standard if considered this way, more so than 3dsMax. "


Yes, my blender has its uses. Specifically my beverages of choice.

Ford, Chev. Apples, oranges. Regardless of what is what, it is personal preference, need, and affordability that ends up making the decision.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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greenlig
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Posted: 31st Dec 2012 13:30
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Very true BlackFox, it comes down to personal preference and cost. If you are learning 3D modelling, however, there is no point whatsoever in starting with Max. All the skills are transferable, and Blender wont cost a cent. Perfect for starting. If the time comes when you need Max, then it can be purchased. I can't see what you'd need it for that can't be achieved in Blender just as easily, however.

Max is super common in the industry, so there is definitely use in knowing the ins and outs of the software if you want to work professionally. It's always helpful to be across as much as you can. I still know how to do enough with it to teach people that I work with good polyflow, unwrapping, etc, and that is super duper useful.

In the end, it's about learning the techniques and skills necessary to do 3D modelling. Either package will facilitate that, but if you want my opinion, use Blender!

ZacDuff.com
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BlackFox
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Posted: 31st Dec 2012 17:32
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I agree, Greenlig. I am not saying Blender is not the way to go. The cost comparison should alone help make the decision. After all, not everyone has $3500+ to spend on software unless you are a company entity and you need it for the work you do, which is why we purchased it with our AutoCAD. When we got into working with game engines, Cathy knew Max enough to stay with it and I went to Milkshape. I will have to try Blender though after visiting the site and reading up on it. Besides, it is good to learn a variety of programs- it may come in handy somewhere.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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Disturbing 13
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Posted: 1st Jan 2013 21:36
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This is the opinion of The West wood Collage Video game Art and Design program not mine, but what they told me was to choose early on if I wanted to be a character designer or an environment artist. This would determine what modeling program I would purchase for class. Surprisingly, 3DSMax (though it is quite capable of character modeling) is used in the industry more for environment and level design. Maya was suggested for character design. With that said, I use Milkshape 3d for both but consider Blender a far more superior modeler closer to Maya but still quite capable of environment models. The sad sad fact (that noone likes to talk about) is 3dsmax is so popular among hobbyist because it is one of the most pirated pieces of software out there, when there are better alternatives for extremely cheap such as (Milkshape3d or Fragmotion) or free even such as Blender.

Model pack 66-99 high quality items...cheap!!
"Who loves ya baby!"
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BlackFox
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Posted: 1st Jan 2013 22:42
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Quote: "The sad sad fact (that noone likes to talk about) is 3dsmax is so popular among hobbyist because it is one of the most pirated pieces of software out there, when there are better alternatives for extremely cheap such as (Milkshape3d or Fragmotion) or free even such as Blender."


You are so right. We've always had a chuckle when we see questions on how to get their model from Max into FPSC as an example. If they actually bought it, they would have the answer in their booklet or tutorial cd which explains how to export your project into different formats.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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Quik
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Posted: 1st Jan 2013 22:53
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Quote: ""The sad sad fact (that noone likes to talk about) is 3dsmax is so popular among hobbyist because it is one of the most pirated pieces of software out there, when there are better alternatives for extremely cheap such as (Milkshape3d or Fragmotion) or free even such as Blender.""


why would you need to pirate it when it's free for hobbyists...



Whose eyes are those eyes?
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The Zoq2
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Posted: 2nd Jan 2013 01:02
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3ds isn't free for hobbyists?
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Quik
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Posted: 2nd Jan 2013 01:44
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it is free for educational purposes, since hobbyists generarily doesnt make money off of it, i see no problem in that regard



Whose eyes are those eyes?
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BlackFox
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Posted: 2nd Jan 2013 01:54
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The EULA for Max is clear in the usage, and there is no gray area (which includes guesses, assumptions, or what people perceive as right or wrong) for what you can do when you claim it under "educational" usage.


There's no problem that can't be solved without applying a little scripting.
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GregA
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Posted: 12th Jan 2013 17:51
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The biggest differences between the two as modeling packages is...

Both packages have an extreme learning curve...

The Boolean operator. I have found no circumstances in which the various options to merge models and keep them manifold fails in 3ds. Blenders Boolean operators fail to keep the models manifold when you get more sophisticated. This matters a lot when moving back and forth between Blender model and sculpt modes vs the 3DS package and Mudbox. This doesn't matter as much for game development, however in my work with 3d printing, all models need to be manifold.

Baking down... The process of baking down high detail models in 3DS is much more intuitive and predictable in 3DS than it is Blender.

Assigning materials and textures. The process is drag and drop in 3DS, and 3DS has a large library of built in textures and materials. Blender you are starting from nil.

UVW unwrapping. This is my experience... But once you get into 10's of thousands of polys in Blender, the UI for UVW unwrapping simply breaks down. While UVW unwrapping will always be complex and time consuming at least it is possible with the 3DS selection Tools.

Animation... At the low end Blender is easier for animation. However once the animations get more complex and involved, Max has the advantage here as well, with a much more intuitive interface for working with animation sets. 3DS can send its files directly to other Autodesk products for character animation, as well as the ability to assign controls to various animation functions.

General all around stability. If you click on the X Blender will quit without offering to save your file. Blender has a lot of issues (IMHO) with regards to losing my textures, and texture assignment operations.

3ds has object painting, which allows me to paint out an environment rather quickly. So I can, for example, make a wall segment, and just start paining with it.

3ds has a much better primitive object selection. As a gamer, this means stairs, door and windows.

Blender has a game prototyping facility. I love it, I use it all the time. Ive made games as complex as buggy pinball machines with it.

After years of working with Blender, the switch to 3ds was brutally hard at times. I had to fight a lot of muscle memory.

Both are fine tools. On average Blender has more headaches than 3ds. Some things work better in Blender. If you were looking at the applications for career development, I would say you need to know both... Yes, it will take years for you to become an expert.
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