Which is better?

[Voo_Doo]

Hey everyone. I'm fairly new to 3D modeling and I have so far been working with the Maya 7 PLE and a little bit of the real Maya 7 but that was just in a class I took. I was introduced in about May but didn't really start modeling or learning until the summer. Now, I'm only 13, in my opinion I'm starting pretty early. The only reason I started using Maya was because during a break at school I saw one of my teachers reading a book called "Maya 5." So I asked about it and he showed me some of the pictures in the book and I was, you could say, intriuged. So he advised me to download the PLE so I did. Then during the summer I've been watching lots of the free videos they provide on Digital tutors and might buy a kit, but anyway... Even though I've been using Maya, I don't know what the other types of 3D modeling and animation programs are good for. Like XSI, or... well I'm not exactly sure what other programs there are so I'm asking if someone could tell me the pros and cons of the 3D Modeling and Animation Programs, ones that are simialar to Maya. So it would be much appreciated if I could be pointed in the right direction. I just want to start in the right place (though I think I'm doing pretty good in Maya esspecially thanks to Digital Tutors ^_^).

[danlefeb]

This topic has been discussed before, so feel free to search the forums for topics regarding this.

The software is just a tool. The artist behind the software is what makes it good (or great). So for some people, Maya is the tool of choice because they can come up with stuff in there that's much better than they can in XSI. For others, XSI is the tool of choice. For yet another crowd, they'll mix both and use different features in each one to their advantage.

Because projects range so different, and because there are many, many different ways to do each project in any 3D app - its impossible to say which one is better. Its all in the artist. So then how do you decide which one you like best and can do the best work in? Download the demos and start playing around with 'em -- thats the best way. Once again, this has been talked about before so if you search you may come up with a few others, but here's a short list of 3D apps off the top of my head that you can do a search for on the web to download a demo or something...

Maya
XSI
3D Studio Max
Houdini
Cinema 4D
Lightwave
ZBrush

Of course, the list could go on forever, but those are probably the main players. Good luck!

[supertavo]

maya is the best choice for me but the really important isn´t the software.
you can do the same thing with maya or XSI or 3dsmax but i think the most important thing is that you feel good with te way of working and you practise a lot and be creative.

nice to meet you and i hope it could be usefull

sorry for my english

[Voo_Doo]

Okay, once I get my own laptop I'll see if I can get an XSI demo and try it out a little bit. I've heard a lot about 3DSMax as well so I'll try that too. But I'll most likely stick with Maya because my school has the not-PLE on some of its computers, I don't think they has XSI or any of the others.

[Jak_Carver]

This depends on who you ask. If you ask me for example, I will fill your head with incredible tales of how XSI beats Maya any day of the week, and yes I do use thme both heavily as well as Max. Max is good too, but it boils down to you. If you have no skills or talent, then it doesnt make a difference what ap you use does it? But if your good with Maya, you can pick up XSI easily and continue doing awesome work with it, same story goes with Max. Just be the best you can possibly be and then some, and you should be fine no matter what app you use. However, if your looking for a job, they will want to tell you what to use, so if you use Maya all your life and never expand your skil set, the day you can only find one job at a studio and they require Max, guess what-your in trouble. Use as many apps as you can, thats what I do; hasnt failed me yet.

[Voo_Doo]

heheh, thanks, but I don't think I'll be getting those kinds of jobs until after I graduate from college. But I will work on learning some XSI once I get my laptop.