Vamp
02-02-2004, 11:13 PM
As you know I'm a low-budget film-maker, and will eventually have use CGI in my movies... I can get either software, no problem.
I've MAX 4 and have read the entire introductory tutorial, thing is, that tutorial just scratched the surface and I only really learnt the basics of it, but I am familiar with the way Max works, I have The 3D Studio Max Bible and I'm thinking that if I read that and use the lessons etc, I'll become very profecient in Max.
But, I've heard that Lightwave 7 is much easier to use than Max and is very powerful, I know it's powerful because there is a list of films that it's been used in such as DareDevil etc. I think it's very encouraging to know that you'll be using a program that is used in mainstream films (are there any films that use Max)
I don't know whether I should carry on using Max using the 3DSMAX Bible or get Lightwave and get a book called Inside Lightwave for around $24 on special, (although the book doesn't seem as user friendly as the Bible for Max and expects you to know the basics already)
There are some things that the bible might make clearer than the tutorial such as mapping etc. Are Max and LW equal in terms of power or does Lightwave have alot of advantages over Max and is recommeneded for a just-over-beginner in moddeling or should I just learn how to use Max inside out? Will I be able to create very realistic CGI with max, like I said before, I know it;s possible to make these high-quality CGs in LW because so many films use LW.
What should I do?
Is Lightwave meant solely for movies? I need to learn the program that will give the best results for film CGI...
I also guess the main question is, Is Lightwave more POWERFUL than Max? By the looks of it, it is, seeing as it's been used on almost every blockbuster for the last 10 years. MY friend was an absolute pro in max and he upgraded to LW and says it's much easier. But now that I've started learning MAx I don't know if it's worth my while to just go an learn a whole new program.
5 things that will convince me to use LW
1. It's easy to just jump into and have lots of primitives to start with.
2. Has a nice, friendly interface.
3. Is meant to be used to create stunning CGIs for film
4. Has a very good and easy to use material editor. and is good and easy at animation, lights and cameras
5. IT'S EASIER TO USE THAN MAX!
why would one company choose to use one program over another? Eg, Lightwave over 3D S Max...
I have a photo editing program called Photobrush which I guess is supposed to be like Photoshop, but you can tell that it lacks many of the features that Photoshop lacks. There must be some things that Lightwave has that 3D S Max doesn't that would make people want to use it over 3D S.
Like I said before, on a scale of 1/10 my familiarty with MAX is around 3... I know my way around, I can do some animation and some video post effects, I can modify objects and make some particle effects but this is just from playing around. It would obviously be easier to just pick up a book like the 3Ds max bible and read from that because I have a little experience. Lightwave doesn't make any sense to me, niether does the manual, they've written it for people who aren't absolute beginners and they don't realize that. I seem to enjoy Maxs workflow and interface more, but the thing is I don't want to learn a program that, in the end, Is not going to be able to help me.
Lightwave has all these features like SkyTracer, Hypervoxels, Sasquatch hair and fur creation, Caustics, radiosity etc... These all look like things that would make great additions to films and I'd like to know if Max can do similar things, or I can get plugins that do. Take a look at the Lightwave brochure on www.newtek.com (http://www.newtek.com) and compare that to MAX and it just seems that lightwave is more powerful.
In other words, which modeler/animator will create seamless looking CGI in a low-budget movie?
Phew!
I've MAX 4 and have read the entire introductory tutorial, thing is, that tutorial just scratched the surface and I only really learnt the basics of it, but I am familiar with the way Max works, I have The 3D Studio Max Bible and I'm thinking that if I read that and use the lessons etc, I'll become very profecient in Max.
But, I've heard that Lightwave 7 is much easier to use than Max and is very powerful, I know it's powerful because there is a list of films that it's been used in such as DareDevil etc. I think it's very encouraging to know that you'll be using a program that is used in mainstream films (are there any films that use Max)
I don't know whether I should carry on using Max using the 3DSMAX Bible or get Lightwave and get a book called Inside Lightwave for around $24 on special, (although the book doesn't seem as user friendly as the Bible for Max and expects you to know the basics already)
There are some things that the bible might make clearer than the tutorial such as mapping etc. Are Max and LW equal in terms of power or does Lightwave have alot of advantages over Max and is recommeneded for a just-over-beginner in moddeling or should I just learn how to use Max inside out? Will I be able to create very realistic CGI with max, like I said before, I know it;s possible to make these high-quality CGs in LW because so many films use LW.
What should I do?
Is Lightwave meant solely for movies? I need to learn the program that will give the best results for film CGI...
I also guess the main question is, Is Lightwave more POWERFUL than Max? By the looks of it, it is, seeing as it's been used on almost every blockbuster for the last 10 years. MY friend was an absolute pro in max and he upgraded to LW and says it's much easier. But now that I've started learning MAx I don't know if it's worth my while to just go an learn a whole new program.
5 things that will convince me to use LW
1. It's easy to just jump into and have lots of primitives to start with.
2. Has a nice, friendly interface.
3. Is meant to be used to create stunning CGIs for film
4. Has a very good and easy to use material editor. and is good and easy at animation, lights and cameras
5. IT'S EASIER TO USE THAN MAX!
why would one company choose to use one program over another? Eg, Lightwave over 3D S Max...
I have a photo editing program called Photobrush which I guess is supposed to be like Photoshop, but you can tell that it lacks many of the features that Photoshop lacks. There must be some things that Lightwave has that 3D S Max doesn't that would make people want to use it over 3D S.
Like I said before, on a scale of 1/10 my familiarty with MAX is around 3... I know my way around, I can do some animation and some video post effects, I can modify objects and make some particle effects but this is just from playing around. It would obviously be easier to just pick up a book like the 3Ds max bible and read from that because I have a little experience. Lightwave doesn't make any sense to me, niether does the manual, they've written it for people who aren't absolute beginners and they don't realize that. I seem to enjoy Maxs workflow and interface more, but the thing is I don't want to learn a program that, in the end, Is not going to be able to help me.
Lightwave has all these features like SkyTracer, Hypervoxels, Sasquatch hair and fur creation, Caustics, radiosity etc... These all look like things that would make great additions to films and I'd like to know if Max can do similar things, or I can get plugins that do. Take a look at the Lightwave brochure on www.newtek.com (http://www.newtek.com) and compare that to MAX and it just seems that lightwave is more powerful.
In other words, which modeler/animator will create seamless looking CGI in a low-budget movie?
Phew!