Are Max/Viz skills almost necessary?

[RyanSpaulding]

The reason I ask is lately, I've been wondering where arch viz is going and what ever happens if I lose my job. I use MicroStation to model and Vue 5 Infinite to render, yet see almost every job advertised as Max/AutoCAD.

 

Am I going to NEED to learn these apps to stay employable?

[bully712]

Most places use Max/Viz/Autocad. When I was searching for a job years ago, that's all I saw. I think it's still the same today. I think having knowledge of Max/Autocad, would be benificial.

[Brian Cassil]

The thing people will look at most is your portfolio. In other words the quality of your work, not what programs you know. If you can do nice work in microstation/vue, but are looking to get hired somewhere that uses max, they will most likely understand that you shouldn't have any trouble learning max, and afford you the time to do so.

[Sawyer]

they will most likely understand that you shouldn't have any trouble learning max, and afford you the time to do so.

Really? This has not been my experiance. I have been to a few larger offices that talk about a training program but for the most part what I have seen is that if you know the software you are considered. If you don't you go to the bottom of the stack. Doesn't mean you are out but the interviews I had (this was about 4-5 years ago and only as a cad drafter not using 3d) they needed someone 2 weeks ago and waiting to train was not a consideration. It really wasn't. Now I have been on the other end and interviewed people and I can say that there are way too few qualified applicants. Every firm I go to I get asked if I know drafters who are good.

[Brian Cassil]

only as a cad drafter not using 3d

 

I am speaking about 3D vizualization of course, and the key ingredient, the trump card, the ace in the hole, whatever you want to call, it is your portfolio has to be good. If it's good enough, people will want to hire you no matter what software you know. In fact 7-8 years ago most animation studios were willing to hire people who had NO CG experience, but who had great traditional art portfolios. I don't think that's quite true anymore but you get the point.

[bully712]

your portfolio has to be good. If it's good enough, people will want to hire you no matter what software you know.

 

So what good is it for the Employer that is interviewing, to hire an employee that doesn't know the companys software? I think Architectural firms are different than Animation Studios, that Arch firms don't have the time to train them. They want them to perform as soon as they're hired. It's a lot easier to hire someone that knows the software than to train someone. imo

[vertexART]

It's a lot easier to hire someone that knows the software than to train someone. imo

 

Yes, but what if he/she produces lower quality work in Max than someone in MS,for example? U'd have to find a compromise, surely.

I'd go along with Brian's view on the topic, and I think U can't get unemployed just because U don't know Viz or Max.

just my 2 cents.

[bully712]

What I'm saying is that knowing the software that the industry primarily uses is a plus. I guess it all depend on where you apply. Most places list requirements. Example: Must be proficient/ fluent in such and such. I guess people can look at it differently.

[thinice]

I think the arguments are moot.

 

If you think the skills help you, why don't you spend some time learning it. You don't have to master it, just get a basic understanding and knowing where the main buttons are.

 

Show your portfolio in Microstation. If they ask you if you know Viz, then you can say yes and it won't be a negative for you.

 

Once you get the job, then you can spend more time to master that particular software. If you are proficient enough with any software, I don't think it will take too long before you can transfer those skills to another softwere. It is just matter of remembering which button to click.

[RyanSpaulding]

It's more I dont want to learn AutoCAD. 3DS ok...I had some schooling in it...but I love MicroStation for modeling. It seriously is second to none.

[mbr]

yeah, just learn a little. Download the demo of Max and plan on spending a weekend going through the tutorials. You should be fine by then.

 

THe only hesitation I see (but I've never used Vue, so I don't know for sure) is that what you know is far different than Max/Acad. Max and Maya and some of the others have so many similar parts that an artist can jump and pick things up, whereas FormZ (the most common modeler I know of in arch studios) users jumping to Max is a whole different ball game.

 

 

My advice: Do the weekend thing, learn a little, modeling and simple animation (just camera stuff), and add as you can. Don't worry about rendering, as many places will be using a different plugin.

[ShaunDon]

You've gotta get over the mental block of not wanting to leave the comfort of the software you've got. I'm speaking from experience. I started modeling as a 12-year-old kid in AutoCAD when my Dad brought home R12. I picked up max a couple years later but all through high school I continued to CAD model and only learn max's materials and rendering side.

 

When I went to work at the first company I did visualization for at 19 while on break from college, I knew they did all their modeling in max. I said that wouldn't be a problem, put my head down and learned it. As part of a larger viz team, I started out modeling millwork and doing model revisions. I learned the ropes and by the time summer was over I was modeling buildings two or three times faster than it took me in CAD.

 

I dilluted myself into believing CAD was the best thing ever without trying anything else. Mostly because I was intimidated by the years it took me to get as good as I was and not wanting to start over. But you're never starting from scratch. The more software you learn, the faster you'll pick things up.

 

Shaun

[RyanSpaulding]

So now I need 3DS tuts. Are the smoke3d ones on this site (from max 6 I believe) still pretty relevent?