Which software should i learn???
Hi all,
I am a new member and absolutely love this site as it is so informative and the work out there is unbelievable.
I have decided to take the next year or two off to focus purely on animation.
Can anyone give me suggestions as to which animation software to learn? The people i have been in contact with have all given me differant answers - lightwave, maya, 3D max, C4D etc.
Any feedback would be great, as well as any other information that could be benificial to getting into the industry.
Thanks :)
Dale
Comments
I dont think you will get a clear answer for this question.
In my opinion every user will stand behind the package they are used to, but I will give my 2cents woth in anycase.
I agree with mike_b.
It really depends on what you want to do, I'm a Maya user and it's a good allrounder package. And a lot of studio's uses it.
Blender would be great to get the concepts of 3D down (all packages works on exactly the same concept) , and Blender is free and frequently updated.
If you are looking to get into the visual FX field , I would strongly suggest Houdini (it also has a free apprentice addition). It works a tiny bit differently from the other packages and will probably be slightly more of challenge to get started , but is probably the only proper FX package out there. SideFX software has got numerous tutorials , and videos on their site (From beginner to advanced) and their support structure is great.
If you are looking for the best Technical training out there , goto: www.td-college.com (you will need to know your way around a 3D package before you start)
Also feel free to ask the mentors there for advice, they are all seasoned pro's straight from Hollywood!
Hope this helps a tiny bit.
Hey. If you want to learn 3d animation you will probably want to start with the more versatile 3ds Max. It is more common than Lightwave and has a vast selection of tools for your needs. It comes with Mental Ray Integrated and the latest version gives you a free version of final renderer. But the ultimate draw is Vray. It is with out a doubt the best renderer on the market. The reason for this is it is very easy to learn and can handle any task thrown at it from Photo real Images through to Hyper real. Max has all the tools you need integrated into the package and will give you multiple solutions to animation tasks.
It comes with IK, Spline Ik and Character studio for your character animation needs. It is the most renowned package in the world for game development and broadcast design/ motion graphics.
Although many consider it to be specifically for these tasks it is a underrated power and can outperform any other 3d package on the market when used correctly.
My next choice would be Xsi. It is very powerfull.
I would steer clear of lightwave as it is not used by many companies in South Africa. The other reason for this is that Max, Xsi and Maya are all owned by Autodesk and their support structure is brilliant. Mudbox is also part of the Autodesk family and that is power.
Its a tough question, and depends on your budget and what you actually want to do. "Animation" is actually a pretty broad industry, encompassing visual effects, motion graphics, character animation, etc. There are a lot of routes to choose.
The most commonly used software in the industry is probably Maya, and most animation schools will use this as their training platform. Its pretty expensive, but almost everything you'll need is there. Im not sure about the latest release, but they used to have a personal learning edition available for download for free, which might be a good start.
Lightwave is a good bang for your buck, Ive used it for years, but doesnt have great character animation tools. It does have a really fantastic renderer.
Blender is free! Dont dismiss it, its very powerful, and constantly developed by eager brainboxes all over the world. If you are on a budget, and need to learn the concepts of 3d animation, blender could be a good bet. Once you understand the concepts, its generally easier to transition your understanding to other packages, as and when you can afford them, or get employed, etc.
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Dale,
what do you want to animate? Characters, Shapes, Objects, Particles?
What hardware do you have? top notch or basic?
What is you budjet? $O or unlimited?
What timeframe do you have to learn what you want to learn. There are software that need you to know calculus, trig and vectors to even make a pin spin and others that give you everything and ask you to become the Director. Answer those questions and we will see where we go from here.
I don't own shares in any software company, so don't worry about my objectivity.
Hope it helped