rhino vs 3ds max for architectural modeling..?

[shayanf]

Hey guys....Im new here :oan ..! Im an architecture student and i want to start learning 3d modeling / rendering seriously ..! so far I've learned autocad , photo shop and sketch up and I'm a beginner in Rhino. now my question is witch software should i choose if i want to turn architectural 3d modeling / rendering into a career for myself...? these are the 2 ways I've come up with based on my goggling..

1) start learning 3ds max and make my models in it and then render them with V-ray.

2) use Rhino as modeler and then export my model into Cinema 4d (with Rhino io plugin )and render it there with V-ray for cinema 4d.

i also need to learn archicad or revit...so if i go with option 1 i will pick revit and if i go with 2 ill pick archicad (because of easier exporting in cinema 4d..)

so guys pls help me choose ... what are the advantages and disadvantages of each..???

and BTW money is not an issue because i get student discount ...

 

thank U so much for your time

[Scott Schroeder]

There really is no right or wrong path you can take. It really depends on where you want to work. If you want to work in house with an architect, then knowing Revit and/or Rhino will help you quite a bit. If you want to work in a viz studio, then your Max skills need to be at the top of the list.

 

The downfall with wanting to learn a bunch of programs in school is that you don't really get to know them fully. When I'm hiring recent grads, I see it all of the time. You know the bare bones general ins and outs of a program, but you really don't know it fully. It is sort of the jack of all trades, master of none peril that can come along with this. I'd like to see more schools teach one program really well.

 

My personal opinion is that it is easier to stay in one package and do everything in there. When you are working on a project and changes are happening 10 times a day, it is far easier to just stay in Max rather than have to deal with re-exports or re-links from the other program you are working in.

[shayanf]

thank u so much for your reply. yes i decided to go with max for now and maybe learn revit later on...

[heni30]

The downfall with wanting to learn a bunch of programs in school is that you don't really get to know them fully. When I'm hiring recent grads, I see it all of the time. You know the bare bones general ins and outs of a program, but you really don't know it fully. It is sort of the jack of all trades, master of none peril that can come along with this. I'd like to see more schools teach one program really well.

 

The business of architecture school is to teach architecture not full expertise in a 3d program. If someone definitely wants to go the 3d Viz route they can can go to a 2 yr associate degree college and learn it full time. Or if they show promise an architectural firm will let them learn on the job, especially in the low pay internship phase.

[junglee]

Hey guys....Im new here :oan ..! Im an architecture student and i want to start learning 3d modeling / rendering seriously ..! so far I've learned autocad , photo shop and sketch up and I'm a beginner in Rhino. now my question is witch software should i choose if i want to turn architectural 3d modeling / rendering into a career for myself...? these are the 2 ways I've come up with based on my goggling..

1) start learning 3ds max and make my models in it and then render them with V-ray.

2) use Rhino as modeler and then export my model into Cinema 4d (with Rhino io plugin )and render it there with V-ray for cinema 4d.

i also need to learn archicad or revit...so if i go with option 1 i will pick revit and if i go with 2 ill pick archicad (because of easier exporting in cinema 4d..)

so guys pls help me choose ... what are the advantages and disadvantages of each..???

and BTW money is not an issue because i get student discount ...

 

thank U so much for your time

 

Universal program in working environment is AutoCAD/Revit/3dMax/Rhino currently and it is always a good idea to polish your skill around these as an archiecture student. Your team members wouldn't be too happy if you start to ask that you are better working in Maya/Cinema 4d, especially in big firms such as SOM/Gensler because of sharing issue.

 

When I interview the new entry staff, I'm totally in favor of the person with exceptional 3dmax skill with Vray.

Their portfolios usually show what they've normally used so it is important for you to use the confident program for your studio work unless you want to redo the work after you graduate.

 

I recommened you master 3d max with vray.

CAD and Revit is not something you can pick and choose to learn, they are the basic programs you need to know how to use if you want a job as an architect. However, you don't have to master the Revit as it isn't universally used yet. It all depends on where you want to go, if you want to pursue your career in big name arch firms, Revit would be essential as that is the only program that they use for every day work.

CAD is genenrally used in boutique interior oriented firms as they don't need heavy coordination with engineers. But then you need to know the CAD to just get through the architecture school.

[TomD_Arch]

I tend to agree with the AutoCAD/Revit/ as primary goals. Don't mistake learning Revit for being proficient in a 3d modelling program. You should also be careful and not make the mistake I did which was to model in Rhino, because it was easier at the time then 3ds Max, and then import to 3ds Max and render. The geometry created in Rhino is different and will exponentially increase your render time. Also keep in mind not everyone is going to expect you to be kingpin in all those programs. Spend time really being honest with yourself and deciding what makes you happy and you find you have a knack for. If it's architecture =>AutoCAD/Revit, if it's design/pretty pictures/visualization=>3ds Max with mental ray/V-ray. I am on the fence about Rhino as an architecture design tool right now. It seems to me the most valuable aspect is Grasshopper. My 2 cents!

[Karl Larsen]

Sage advice.

 

...it is easier to stay in one package and do everything in there. When you are working on a project and changes are happening 10 times a day, it is far easier to just stay in Max rather than have to deal with re-exports or re-links from the other program you are working in.

[kevinolsen]

I am on the fence about Rhino as an architecture design tool right now. It seems to me the most valuable aspect is Grasshopper. My 2 cents!

 

Good point and I agree, but I'm becoming a fan of Para3D for 3DSMax, making Rhino less useful. The new release of Para3D is super slick and easier to pickup than grasshopper IMHO, has a long way to go overall, but it is moving along.

 

Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2

[TomD_Arch]

Good point and I agree, but I'm becoming a fan of Para3D for 3DSMax, making Rhino less useful. The new release of Para3D is super slick and easier to pickup than grasshopper IMHO, has a long way to go overall, but it is moving along.

 

I'm going to have to check this out!

[dbaldzhiev]

You should also be careful and not make the mistake I did which was to model in Rhino, because it was easier at the time then 3ds Max, and then import to 3ds Max and render.

 

I really don't want to stray from the topic but I have to ask you to elaborate a bit on that. I'm doing my last year masters's of architecture degree at the moment and to be honest I'm stuck with Rhino+gh for heavyweight modelling (acad and revit are part of my workflow as well). I almost always export my models to max for rendering because I'm not happy with the Vray implementation in Rhino.

Generally, I'm doing simple exteriors with Rhino+vray, complex exteriors with a lot of vegetation with exported rhino model to Max+Vray and interiors with exported rhino models in max. I completely realize that this is quite non-optimal. I'm eager to learn max modelling but after modelling for 5 years with rhino+gh it is hard to see the benefits.

And don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be lazy, part of my current skills is processing, python, rhinoscript, I don't mind looking more closely at max modelling. The thing is that for me, Rhino modelling makes sense and is more logical.

If my rhino models increase render time in max (something that I have not noticed) ,this changes everything.

[TomD_Arch]

I really don't want to stray from the topic but I have to ask you to elaborate a bit on that. I'm doing my last year masters's of architecture degree at the moment and to be honest I'm stuck with Rhino+gh for heavyweight modelling (acad and revit are part of my workflow as well).

 

I guess it depends if you are strictly visualization or are working in an architecture office and sometimes work on visualization assignments, as I do. I used to model in Rhino then bring into 3dmax and my renderings would take forever. The geometry Rhino creates and then 3ds max has to rebuild in its own way was to processor intensive, what might only take 45 minutes if built directly in 3dsmax could take 10+ hours if built in rhino then brought into 3ds max and rendered. This caused me to learn to model in 3ds max. The two programs build geometry differently and as a result it takes a lot of polygons in 3ds max to recreate a rhino model. I thought I was saving time by modeling in rhino, which was an easy transition for me to make because of it's similar key-stroke commands to autocad, but I suffered for during render time. It could also make mapping a nightmare at times.

[Simon Moir]

I work with heavy Rhino models a lot. I've noticed no significant slow down- I guess it depends how you bring it into Max though. After a lot of testing different formats etc, I use a Rhinoscript to export each layer as an obj file (highest geometry settings). I use a Maxscript to batch import all these into Max because I find it works best with "import as single mesh" ticked. Add an Edit Mesh and Auto Edge Visibility everything, add a Map Scaler OSM modifier set to 1m and it's all good to go. There's a couple of extra steps I do, but that's the basics, works great.

[tobiaskuhlmann]

I work with heavy Rhino models a lot. I've noticed no significant slow down- I guess it depends how you bring it into Max though. After a lot of testing different formats etc, I use a Rhinoscript to export each layer as an obj file (highest geometry settings). I use a Maxscript to batch import all these into Max because I find it works best with "import as single mesh" ticked. Add an Edit Mesh and Auto Edge Visibility everything, add a Map Scaler OSM modifier set to 1m and it's all good to go. There's a couple of extra steps I do, but that's the basics, works great.

 

That sounds really interesting. I really enjoy modelling in rhino and render in max. But i find no way to import obj with multiple material assignment. I mean when i have preconfigured materials in max i dont know how to import rhino geometry and assign automatically these materials by certain criteria. I tried to assign materials in rhino and export them with the obj but even if i import objs with same material names max creates seperate standart materials for each imported obj. Does your max/rhino script workflow automatically assign materials? Something like that would be really helpful for me.

[lindsaybutler]

That sounds like an optimal workflow... I work in an arch. office, and we model in rhino, and render with vray for rhino. I have used max in the past, and would like to be able to render in max to take full advantage of vray but have always had trouble with non-autodesk geometry in max. Are those scripts you mentioned available online, or did you write them? I googled a bit but couldn't find anything specific... also curious as we work alot with engineers and fabricators and have to export each layer of a rhino model to stp for translating to solidworks pretty often as well.

[Simon Moir]

Tobias, I don't bother with materials in Rhino. That's what Max is for!

 

RhinoScript:

http://wiki.mcneel.com/developer/scriptsamples/exportlayerobjects

 

If anyone knows how to write RhinoScript I'd love to have to only choose the obj export options once... It appears you can easily alter it to export other file formats which sounds useful for you Lindsay. It doesn't work with sub layers btw.

 

Maxscript:

http://josbalcaen.com/scripts/max/batch-exportimport/

 

I have this installed as a Macro. I should mention that for simple geometry dwg works pretty well, but the architects I work with very rarely do simple... Rhino seems to do the best job when it comes to turning complicated surfaces to polygonal objects. Lastly, sometimes Rhino geometry just seems to crash a lot in Max- If this happens, I export and immediately import as FBX which seems to do the trick.

[lindsaybutler]

Thanks Simon!

[Simon Moir]

I work with heavy Rhino models a lot. I've noticed no significant slow down- I guess it depends how you bring it into Max though. After a lot of testing different formats etc, I use a Rhinoscript to export each layer as an obj file (highest geometry settings). I use a Maxscript to batch import all these into Max because I find it works best with "import as single mesh" ticked. Add an Edit Mesh and Auto Edge Visibility everything, add a Map Scaler OSM modifier set to 1m and it's all good to go. There's a couple of extra steps I do, but that's the basics, works great.

 

Thought I'd update my post here in case anyone is searching Rhino to Max conversion. Recently realised that using the Mesh command (high setting) on everything in Rhino and then exporting that (using SelectionFilter) to DWG works great in most cases and is a lot quicker. The idea is the same- get Rhino to do the conversion process.