Maya 4.5

KILLER.BEE

hi all wow its been a long time ago when i was last here

so i put it to ya many users of maya about ,,

OSiriS

I downloaded the PLE and fired it up. Then after picking myself up off the floor from the tears of laughter when I knocked it out of wireframe I uninstalled it and went back to houdini.

musashidan

If you've ever watched any 3D movies -i.e.(Monsters Inc. Ants ,
A Bugs Life)you'll notice that PIXAR, a company that create some of the best 3D modelling,animation etc.. coincidentally happen to use MAYA- not a coincidence in fact, as it just happens to be in the top 3 CG apps on the planet(i personally use 3ds MAX5)

OSiriS

As high end 3d apps go max isnt great. It is good to learn on etc but its limitations are vast. Maya and Houdini are far and away the best comercially available packages. I'll probably get around to playing with maya, but the more I use houdini the more I love it.

And If you want to compare the application of these packages ... alot of the VFX in LOTR, Spiderman etc were done in Houdini.

musashidan

Without a doubt HOUDINI is a powerhouse app.However MAYA,
MAX and XSi are undeniably the most widely used software in the 3D industry.As for MAX being "good for learning" you've obviously
never had any experience with it.From it's original release as 3d
studio it has always been in the top three.Coupled with the fact that it now comes with Havoc Reactor (i also have Character
Studio 3.2 installed) there's no denying its excellence.

OSiriS

heh I started on max, and have been using it since 2.5. I still use it more than any other app, and am well capable of understanding its limitations. Yes it is a great app, but has trouble staying in the same league as the other 3.

As for the comment of laughing at maya? No, if you dont know what I am talking about download the PLE and turn off wireframe. You can barely see the viewport with the watermark. And renders are the same. I much prefer the discreet watermark used in houdini apprentice, but I guess Alias|Wavefront are more paranoids than SideFX about ppl screengrabbing images.

musashidan

I did in fact have MAYA PLE(from a magazine coverdisk)and your right it is ropey compared with the pro version.But,that's why there's a several thousand pound difference in your ability to accuire the software.Sorry if i sounded a bit defensive but you know how it is with your favourite app.I used to have an Atari ST
and i always got thick when my AMIGA buddies gathered!
Your obviously quite experienced in CG.Are you from Dublin?

Oeneus

You'll be surprised at this but South Park is actually animated with Maya! Yeah I know, it's funny.

KILLER.BEE

Spiderman etc were done in Houdini.

and MAYA was used as well on spiderman

wiensta

true, maya was used in loads of films, but almost never for its rendering capabilities, which are rubbish.

musashidan

That's why PIXAR developed Renderman

OSiriS

Indeed. Most maya users use mental ray, especially since they get the beta free! bastards:) Max users tend to go for Brazil it seems, and there is also Renderman. I've been hearing alot of good things about Houdinis Mantra renderer lately though ... I'm wondering if theres finally a highend app with a decent packaged rendering engine=]