That's very useful - thank you both.

So it sounds like C4D is a more complete package, but also more expensive, harder to learn, and not as user-friendly.

I also won't really be doing character animation - just modelling (first job - space ships).

So it crashes fairly often, hey? Hmmm that's annoying... but then I'm kinda used to that. Sadly, many programs crash these days.

PaQ - are these rending problems a big deal at the moment? Hopefully they'll be fixed soon? maybe they don't happen very often? :)

(I'm hopeful lol)

So, it sounds like for me, as a relatively inexperienced modelling, doing fairly simple models, Modo will be a good choice. Is that right?

And yes, for actual sculpting or adding finer detail, I could just use ZBrush or Mudbox.

And of course I'll also be using MoI :)

BLENDER UNTIL THE REST SORT IT OUT :)

Nice Tiger !
If you dont have that much money you can always consider getting Silo2 pro ..
plus you can look into 3d Coat as a paintsoft and voxels and maybe look into Thea renderer that looks realy cool...

That's a coool render from Blender. I will be looking at blender again after 2.5 is released. I could never get along with the interface before. Blender is alway worth a look.

I have heard that if you start with Blender then it is fine - it is only if u come from another app that you have problems adapting.

NightCabbage - have you considered/looked at Blender?

Like Paq already mentioned, Modo still has some issues. In 302 I used to get blue spots, now i get pink spots in 401. It seems they didn't really fix the bug, they only changed his color! :)

If i were to consider buying an advanced animation package, I would seriously consider Max because I love using Brazil (amazing control of every function, STABLE engine, and proven film quality output). But i have no desire to feed the Autobeast. I wish Splutterfish would make a stand-alone engine with plug to Modo. I would buy it immediately.

@ neo - great looking tiger! change your name to neow :)

How do you guys get "jobs"? I'd like to break into the business. I'm a programmer by day, but I'd like to do some 3D stuff. I just dont have a clue of how to get someone to pay me to do it.

-TS-

>> PaQ - are these rending problems a big deal at the moment? Hopefully they'll be fixed soon? maybe they don't happen very often? :)

(I'm hopeful lol)

It doesn't append that often, but it's tricky to find a workaround, because you often have change your light settings. I allready know few stuff to avoid :

- over boosted environment settings, or using unclamped sky or sun.

I suppose it's also why a demo isn't out yet, they probably want to polish/fix it.


>> So, it sounds like for me, as a relatively inexperienced modelling, doing fairly simple models, Modo will be a good choice. Is that right?

Well it plays very well with MoI, thanks to Michael. The .lwo export is working perfectly, with nice ngones output, object names are translated into layers
and styles into surfaces ... great !

But you really should wait for a demo, because I know modo workflow do not allways pleased everyone. They are some notions you first have to fully understand
like actions centers, the toolpipe mainly for modeling tasks. Modo do not use any construction history, so when you drop a tool, you can't no more edit it.

Hi Neo,

Super cool fur job !!!
Blender is definitivally a great alternative, I will probably have a closer look at it when stuffs like that will be intergrated :

http://sites.google.com/a/ckbrd.de/blender---nurbs/nurbs-redesign

and especially the NURBS with Extraordinary Points: High-degree, Non-uniform, Rational Subdivision Schemes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYWQPnkjqgA

>>>NURBS with Extraordinary Points: High-degree, Non-uniform, Rational Subdivision Schemes

also the implementation openNURBS import/export is very cool for Rhino & MoI users...

3d-coat want also use Nurbs inside voxels ;)
http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3052

First stage - just import 3DM.
Second - manipulating nurbs surfaces in 3D-Coat shell

What about export - I will see how it goes.
Andrew

I think there is a rendering tutorial in here regarding Blender and luxology. From........Brain fart...Cant think.

Hi Burr, I think you're talking about this tutorial for going from MoI to Blender to LuxRender:

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=2652.1

Note that LuxRender and "Luxology" (the company that makes Modo) are actually different things.

- Michael

Wow, great Blender model and render.

Cinema 4D + Vray could be a power combination too. The price is like Rhino+Vray, but VfCinema4D seems to be more matured and Cinema4D is good for animations.

Blender? I hope 2.5 get a new interface. ;)

"PHILBO"!!! Thats it. I should have been able to remember that with so many great posts from him. And yes...I fudged the name. Mind gets weaker as I get older.

also take a look @ the new hard surface tools in ZBrush.... http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

outstanding work from Pixologic team once again :)

Yeah, this looks great. I guess they finally solved the problem of pinched edges when using a normal flattening brush...

What is and when exactly does this pink dots appear in modo, I have been working in modo for quite awhile now and I haven't noticed it?

Ok so I've pretty much decided on Modo. I'm just trying to wait until they release their trial version... (anyone know when they'll do that?)

Main thing I'm after in a modeller is an intuitive interface, and by all counts, Modo has the best.

Cinema 4D is a good package, but as previously mentioned, gets fairly expensive as you add more modules. One thing to think about is whether you're on the American or European side of things. C4D is developed in Germany and Europe is probably its biggest market, consequently pricing tends to the higher because of that. Not only the fact that the Euro is outpacing the Dollar but also the fact that European pricing for most software packages seems much higher than US packages. Also, if you're looking for work there are probably far fewer C4D houses in the US than in Europe. If you're working on your own though that probably doesn't matter that much.

C4d, Modo and Lightwave are all cross platform and well implemented and supported in both Windows and Mac. Maya, I believe is available for both platforms but 3DS Max is not. Max and Maya are getting way out of hand from a pricing and licensing standpoint. Autodesk as owner of most of the big packages is worth thinking about since you may find dealing with a behemoth with near monopolistic pricing power a concern.

Modo is an enthusiastic, inventive company with a great modeling and rendering tools and an excellent community. The amount of video tutorials available from the company (free and paid for) is exceptional. They have excellent, excellent, excellent training materials.

If you're into motion graphics C4D has a killer module called Mograph and a great Hair module as well.

Lightwave is in transition at the moment. It's latest version 9.6 is very stable and an excellent value for the money. The are in the process of developing a new version of Lightwave called HardCore which will probably take a year or so to get up to speed with their current 9.6 version but is a complete overhaul of their core programming base. Probably trying to emulate Modo in some respects. Looks like they are going to a model which will require annual updates similar to Maya and Max but probably not as pricey. Their pricing has been way too low to sustain them in recent years and I can understand the need to raise prices and develop a more predictable, sustainable revenue base.

I'm just a hobbyist so take what I say with a grain of salt. But over the years I have owned each of these programs and currently have Modo, Lightwave and C4D. Any of these are a great addition to MOI.

Good luck.

Thank you Brian - that was a good overview :)