walkthrough software ?

[mike_sul]

i am trying to compare several softwares, in an effort to get good quality architecture walkthroughs done, at the lowest investment in software.

 

that is, which software can give me a good arch walkthrough at the lowest possible cost ?

[thinice]

The cost of the software pale into comparison when you add in all the hours that you will put in.

 

I say get the one that is most efficient to get the result you want. Only you know what kind of result will be acceptable.

 

My quick and dirty list of from fast/basic to complex/high quality starting from the quickest.

 

1. Sketch up

2. Lightwave

3. Softimage with built-in mental ray renderer

4. 3DS Max + AutoCad + Vray

5. 3DS Max/ Maya with RenderMan.

 

If you want something really cheap, Blender is free but I wouldn't recommend it.

[mbr]

Not sure about that list, but I don't know if you were listing based mostly on price?

 

 

My list based on flexibility, viewing others work, reading opinions, reviews, how many users contribute online (Softimage may be cheap for the basic version, but you don't see any activity for arch viz, making it hard to imagine using - same could be said for Maya):

 

1. Cinema 4D (modular purchasing, people seem to like it a lot, more options coming for plugin renderers)

2. Viz (never used it, I am on Max, but it seems to have everything Max does for a lot less)

 

 

These are cheaper and superb. FMZ's animation isn't great, but it works for basic things and should be getting better. Does Sketchup even have animation capabilities?

 

FormZ (the best arch modeler I've used, although Sketchup is supposed to be superb, too; more plugin support coming, superb forum, modular purchasing)

Sketchup

[mbr]

Oh, I should also mention licensing. Forget Softimage, Max, or Maya with Mental Ray - the licenses just make it ridiculously expensive. Same goes for Renderman.

The cheaper, faster way is with plugins (Final Render, Vray, Brazil....maybe someday Maxwell, but not for a long time).

 

Look closely at how they charge for network rendering.

[Tim Saunders]

depends on what you want it to produce. sketch-up is awsome for stuff like that if you don't want photoreal. a couple of the guys at my firm use it for stuff like that. it's easy to learn, it's cheap, and fast to "render" your presentation. trade-off, it looks like a sketch. like i said not photoreal, but real powerful in selling an initial design of a project.

[Christopher Nichols]

5. 3DS Max/ Maya with RenderMan.

 

That is REALLY funny. I would love to see ONE archviz anim done with Renderman. BTW, how do you propose to use 3dsMAX with Renderman? I think Maxman is obsolete these days.

[thinice]

That is REALLY funny. I would love to see ONE archviz anim done with Renderman. BTW, how do you propose to use 3dsMAX with Renderman? I think Maxman is obsolete these days.

 

Well, just thinking off my head. I suppose you are right about that 3dsMax/ Renderman. Not that I ever use Renderman myself.

 

I suppose no 5 is just academic.

 

I myself use Lightwave, which I consider rather quick and dirty (But hey, it pay the bills). Of course, you can do real good job with it, given talent and time. Just that I feel that if my average budget is significantly higher, I would go for a 3DsMax/Vray plus tons of plug-ins setup.

 

As far as Viz goes, there has been a bit of confusion how Autodesk wants to position it. I think it is best to go directly to Max. It is much better supported and that is the main reason to go the Autodesk route in the first place.