3 replies to this topic

[Digitalidad]

Hi, graphics lovers. This is a 2 part question:

If you had to choose between 3D Studio Max 9 or Carrara 6 to render your 3D designs which would you chose and why?

As of today my experience is that 3DSM has a more difficult interface for creating good materials and I think it includes hardly any presets, and Carrara is all the opposite, but remember I have little experience with these programs, so I hear you.


And the second part: do you know where can you get free materials (or shaders) for the program you chose?

Thanks in advance!

[onscreen]

I would go for 3D Studio Max. Not saying Carrara is out of my options but the choices on renderers is alot for 3D Studio Max. You can be flexible with it since 3D Studio Max have a solid good user base.

Firstly, lets take the material manager of 3d studio max in comparison with Photoshop empty canvas. To the photoshop newbie, they find it difficult to produce something with good results as they are confuse on which filter to be used and when to apply layer blending mode to produce colorful lighting finishing to the work. Such analogy applies to 3D Max users too. Understanding the material terms makes you understand how you want the material to be.

For instance, when you want to create a subsurface scattering (SSS) material for human skin, you have to understand how light penetrates through the material and what base material to be used for such non refractive surface and so on.

Not to mention, it does apply to Carrara too despite it have loads of presets to play with. Still, you can go beyond whats given in the preset if you understand all the terms.


Regarding on where to get free materials and shaders, all i can know off if www.highend3d.com . It used to be a very good source site before but after it made a return 2 years ago, it seems to be low in resource. Alternatively, you can scout www.cgsociety.org forums for some free shaders. Try hunting the 3D Max specific application forum, it have some good resource that provided by users for users.

[Digitalidad]

Wow! Thank you. That's a really helpful opinion. You seem to be really good at graphics. Where can I see your work? I'd love to see what you can do with all that graphic knowledge.

All the best!

[onscreen]

Digitalidad, on Feb 22 2009, 07:58 AM, said:

Wow! Thank you. That's a really helpful opinion. You seem to be really good at graphics. Where can I see your work? I'd love to see what you can do with all that graphic knowledge.

All the best!

hehe, i cant promise you anything as with my recent job transition, i have just started to have sometime in my hands to work on personal projects. So most likely once i got my site working as intended, it will follow up by my work updates in it.