Vectorworks - Vray

[ZFact]

Is it possible to model in vectorworks then

use vray to render or is vray a plugin for

max or viz... ?

[IC]

At the moment it is just a plug in.

There is talk of it becoming standalone but talk is all so far.

[ZFact]

What is available? and what ya'll think is the best overall

standalone renderer?

[4DM]

Vectorworks has it's own rendering module (Renderworks) but I use Cinema 4D (which also has an exchange export module allowing updating of the C4D scene from VW, without having to re-assign materials.)

 

C4D also has it's own GI module (Advanced Render) or you can buy the FinalRender third-party renderer which is apparently even better (?) - I think available for PC only for now, with an OSX version due soon.

 

Of course C4D is far more than just a renderer, and is an excellent 3D app in it's own right, but the CAD features and .dwg import in VW make it a better solution for architectural modelling for now, IMO.

 

You can download a demo of C4D from Maxon's website - not sure if it allows you to import a model but if so, export as .dxf from VW and try it out for yourself.

 

Cheers.

 

D.

[exception]

There's many renderers, much software and everyone has their own opinion and preconception.

 

Here are the reasonable options, I would suggest you take a look at each, download the demo, evaluate the price and bang for the buck, and so on yourself. You're not going to get a straight answer out of anyone...

 

here's your options (if I miss an important one, guys, let me know):

 

Maya

Lightwave

3ds Viz

3ds Max

Cinema 4D

Softimage XSI

Rhinoceros

 

Now, if you want my personal opinion, which is nothing but that, and you should try to evaluate each yourself it's as follows:

 

Softimage is not so well suited for architecture, and its expensive if you take into account you having to buy a decent renderer in addition to the program.

Maya has a good renderer but is too expensive ($2000), and it's better suited for animation than for architecture modeling, if that's something you're going to be doing as well.

The 3D Studio range I feel has a horrible interface, is slow, buggy and congested. It is also expensive (viz = $1,995.00, max = $3,495.00

) and the max 8 native renderer is not so good, you'll need to buy something like Vray, Brazil or Final Render to do good stuff (the viz one is decent). Autodesk, who makes 3d Studio is a terrible company that buys and kills off competitors (like Lightscape, which was so exactly what you are looking for right now, it hurts, but they killed it off some years ago). I wouldn't want to give a company like that money even for ethical reasons.

Cinema4D is a very good package for its price, and it even outperforms some of its more expensive neighbors. However in several areas it is less good, its render engine is not the best, but it's decent, and in order to get the 'advanced render' module (which you will want for radiosity) you will have to pay a lot extra (total $1995).

Rhinocers used to be cheap but is no more (whith flamingo 1,595.00). For decent rendering you need flamingo, which is slow, basic and not so brilliant. I'm no fan.

That leaves Lightwave, which our office runs on, so obviously we're biassed. However it is very affordable ( $795.00), has one of the best looking renderers out there, perhaps not the fastest, and gives you arguably the best polygon modeler to boot, in addition to pretty much everything else the others ask a lot more money for, and more. Its interface takes some figuring out, but once you 'get it' it is wonderfully logical and very very fast. Lw [9] offer some very nice new features too (configurable lenses, nodal shading system, etc). There are also very advanced renderers on the market for Lightwave, in case you want to speed up rendering (quality is good enough in Lw itself), like fprime which is semi-real time (awesome!), Kray, and Maxwell (slow as thick pudding).