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3DS Max or Max Design make a choice??


Virgil Johnson
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Gosh, wouldn't it be nice to see...

 

"Autodesk backtracks on split of 3ds Max after protests"

 

Absolutely! Although perhaps another option would be for them to extend the free cross-over option out for 3-4 years. Let the programs find their paths, let the users get farther into the switch before you throw down the hammer on the decision process.

 

IMO this would silence everyone's qualms and provide a reasonable solution.

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I received the email requesting that I decide. Since I didn't know the differences I decided to go to CG Architect.

 

Well..... this is just a lot of "interesting information" on these many pages of whatever is it called....! Informative....!!!!!

 

I attended the training classes that Pierre Felix Bretton did for Lightscape more than 13 years ago. Then I went to Green Bay to attend the VIZ classes by Ted Boardman about 12 years ago.

 

About 1.5 years ago I switched from the baby 3D Max to the full grown 3D Max. I got tired of not having enough features. Now I have to go back to the Viz kind of way? I wish they make their mind up....! This is so funny..... I am still using Lightscape when I want an accurate rendering....! I guess I am too old.

 

One thing is clear to me..... I hope someone comes out with a competitive product that is superior.... to MAX. I will change INMEDIATELY..... This year I upgraded to 3dMax 2009, Autocad 2009 MEP and Revit 2009 MEP. Not to mention CS4 Master Premium, Solidworks, Nikon NX2 and many other.... lots of cash to developers not sensitive to my needs. Not to mention that I am planing to build two XEON 5580's required by all these CPU hungry programs in conjunction with the OLD Windows XP and the 3gb memory limitation.

 

These programs do not talk among themselves. Revit 2009 MEP is clumsy. Before the world switches to BIM something has to be fixed.

 

I also use SolidWORKS and compared it to Inventor.... don't get me started.... You should see the clumsy workflow I have to do to bring SW into MAX.

 

I WANT ALL THE TOOLS....... I don't want people that do not even know what I am doing, deciding for an old guy doing mechanical engineering what is better for me. They simply do not know nor they have God Powers. No more differentiations among various platforms.... This is only a way for Autodesk to make more money. If they had us in their mind they would develop a $10,000.00 software that would do everything..... I would buy it..... What I dream that I could drag a Solidwork model to 3D Max to render it under an an accurate light engine.

 

DEVELOPERS please take note..... USERS..... let's stop buying these products for three years.... After all there is not that much improvement on cycles of less than 3 years. You will see how quickly things will make sense to them and how quickly they will understand us. We are not in an adverse mode with them.... It is just that they don't think like us. Other than that, they are good guys that want our money. Money our clients don't want to give to us.... I just find it funny.....!

 

It is just like the cameras.... I have purchased 5 camera bodies from Nikon in the last 4 years. Now they came up with a camera that is $8,000.00. Well.... photographers as well as the forum owners of the photo forums are quietly boycoting the camera and Nikon doesn't know what to do....! Perhaps we should get Autodesk to talk with Nikon and the Vista developers..... I am sure they have tons of good ideas.

 

Have a nice weekend

Elliot

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Joel

 

I purchased all these cameras.... The interesting thing is that the cameras are like VIZ, all the different versions take more or less the same photos. These supposed upgrade is just a marketing plot for us to spend more money.

 

Elliot

Edited by Elliot
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About 1.5 years ago I switched from the baby 3D Max to the full grown 3D Max. I got tired of not having enough features. Now I have to go back to the Viz kind of way? I wish they make their mind up....!

 

This year I upgraded to 3dMax 2009, Autocad 2009 MEP and Revit 2009 MEP. Not to mention CS4 Master Premium, Solidworks, Nikon NX2 and many other.... lots of cash to developers not sensitive to my needs.

 

Re: Cameras. I have a D100, then felt obligated to get a D200. Then the D300 came out... Couldn't justify it. I see the full-page ads for the D3 and a little part of me cries... Damn nice camera and proper CCD.

 

...[many, many more posts along these lines]...
so it seems to me that these companies know EXACTLY what they are doing...

 

i don't understand why you guys complain about the way corps like AD work and then blindly upgrade every year (or LESS!). i don't blame them for acting this way. do you really need every single new feature? do you even need to use AD products? there are so many cheaper alternatives to AD in both 2D and 3D (BIM is a different story BUT there are alternatives). in fact, the vast majority of archvis work (stills) could be achieved with FREE software, and with a bit of extra commitment, so could the animations. if you continue to refuse to look elsewhere, then rest assured you will always be a slave to AD.

 

just my 1/2c

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Well, I did say I did not succumb to the latest versions of cameras.

The D200 is better than the D100. And the D3 is in a league of it's own.

I love Nikon cameras.

 

Cameras are tangible, too. If you buy them, you can touch them, etc.

Software is just 1's and 0's on my hard drive.

 

However I drew the line at the D200, just as I drew the line at AutoCAD 2006.

The newer versions just didn't have enough new stuff to justify the price to me (and I'm not a heavy AutoCAD user).

 

But I get your point.

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Derek

 

I agree with you. I had not upgraded VIZ since 2005..... Yes there is a little bit of difference but not quite enough. Autocad and Revit I had to upgrade because my main client - architect did upgrade. Revit because our main client demanded we do BIM.

 

This is the problem...... I can stand firm..... but Autodesk goes around and tell the clients that BIM and Revit is the way to. They also convince a couple of professors to write books about these and teach courses as well. The new kids coming out of these schools they blindly believe in this stuff and when they get to these design firms they want to use the "latest".

 

It is very difficult to say "NO" to the upgrades when their marketing people are going around convincing everybody. This is were they money is going is being spent.

 

The last cameras is a worst problem when considering the bodies. On the lenses it is OK because they will last for ever. At least on the cameras the perceived benefits are more obvious. Hi hi hi

 

I definitely agree with you..... Us the users should go on strike and not upgrade for two or three or even four years..... This will fix them up very quickly. One of my architects..... and old guy is using Autocad 2000. He does the best work that I have seen coming out of a design house. He drives an old Mercedes that has about 400,000 miles and it looks in great shape. This user's strike can also applied to the automobile industry.... Hi hi hi hi

 

We should fix the world...... My wife was here looking at me while I write this email and she thinks this is a good way of thinking....! Just to keep the old things....!!!!! HI hi hi hi They function better.....

 

 

Have a nice weekend

Elliot

Edited by Elliot
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Well, I did say I did not succumb to the latest versions of cameras.

 

sorry, i really wasn't having a go - just that i get really miffed when big corps take advantage. and i think that in the long run, this system (yearly upgrades) breeds mediocrity in software because everything is so rushed.

 

One of my architects..... and old guy is using Autocad 2000

 

i don't even have Autocad - hated it as soon as i saw it and have never looked at it since. despite this, i have few problems getting DWGs into my chosen 3D app.

 

all i am saying is that - IMHO - 3ds Max is just a 'dialect' of 3D. the main 3D apps all speak the same language, only there are 'regional' variations which are quite easy to pick up if you already understand 3D in general and if you have the will to learn.

 

then again, i've never done 3D in a large corporate environment so maybe i'm missing the point.

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So whats everyones choice ? Whos going for 3dsmax and whos for Design ?

I'm thinking design, incase they add more CAD style modeling tools, update windows, doors, etc. I'd be pissed I went with 3dsmax max.

Just trying to think of the things they would add to each one to make them different.

All speculation :)

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Claudio

 

That's sounds like a good trade off...... Spend the money on a trip to the Caribbean... The food there is good..... My wife is encouraging me to go on these trips..... She keeps claiming that I am so blind due to my age, that I will not notice the beach population.... perhaps lucky if I see the water....

 

Regards

Elliot

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I started with Max version 8 and when I took an online class I had to upgrade to 2008 and I couldn't light a scene to save my life! It was just so different.

 

But now that I've been using mrSun and mrSky, I've almost completely forgotten how to light a scene the 'old fashioned way'. hehe

 

Come on, Claudio... Join us.....

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I got my final 'choose or be damned' e-mail just as I was meeting a deadline on Friday evening. As my work splits between TV and arch-viz I guess that puts me firmly in the 1% that can't readily choose between versions, so I'm screwed.

 

I have only used 2009 on one job so far and loaded regular Max rather than Design. Once I had killed off that steering wheel widget thing and unlcuttered the screen it worked just fine. I haven't ever used the SDK, from versions 4 through to 2009 but it never got in the way. All the new bits that got added to Max that I made use of tended to be the stuff that came from the entertainment and games industries (CS, reactor, particles, pp camera mapping). I'm not interested in the AutoCAD or Revit side of things. I can't predict what will happen in the next five years but I have aspirations and ambitions of where I'd like to be so I'm going to stick with Max.

 

Jim

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This is just my thought, not based on solid facts.

 

Its been mentioned that Design has been hugly succsesful, as such enabled further development.

 

I would be very interested to see which version will get more users. (I doubt that the results would ever be published). Based on these results, which will steer the development an in what direction.

 

I am putting my money on Design

 

jhv

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I am putting my money on Design

 

Hmm, I dunno. Without a clear difference between the two in terms of cost, features or identity then I think its a fairly open bet still.

 

What none of us know are what Autodesks plans are, especially now they own Softimage as well. Who knows, maybe the plan is Maya = film and animation, Softimage = games and Max = design...eventually - so you may just be right after all. What I do wish is that they would stop p***ing around with names and brands and feature shaving and get back on with the job of developing useful tools rather than making us feel like we are going to end up isolated down a dead end if we make the wrong choice tomorrow.

 

Maybe, and I know its a crazy idea, maybe Autodesk could combine all of the features of Max and Design in one single package and call it 3DS Max 2010.

 

Jim

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. . . Maybe, and I know its a crazy idea, maybe Autodesk could combine all of the features of Max and Design in one single package and call it 3DS Max 2010.

 

Have you gone mad, man! Don't let them hear you say this! Do you want to end up in the looney bin!? :eek:

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Wow, Just found this post and read it begining to end and I feel like I have been on a long journey :eek:

Glad to see so many others have the same concerns that I do. Just wanted to add my vote to the one version only group incase anyone is counting :)

Also thanks to Ken for taking time to reply, perhaps some concerns will be passed on to the powers that be.

I have now decided on Design 2010 but I am far from happy about having to make the choice. I am a freelancer and although most of my work is design viz based, I can find myself doing pretty much anything from one day to the next which is why max has always been so perfect, I really do not like the way things appear to be heading, there is no way I can afford to pay for two versions or to keep paying cross grade fees for what is effectively the same software. I know it now appears that this is all a markting ploy but if they are both going to be the same apart from very specialist features would it not make more sense to have one version and just have these specialist features as extra downloads or optional installs that bolt on for those who need them, I think there called plugins! They seem to have worked up till now as max is pretty much based on them!!

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