Maya And 3dMax

I am currently trying to learn Maya. A year ago, I tried learning Lightwave but had to give up because the software stopped responding on my system. I have never used 3D Studio Max.

Maya appears easier than Lightwave, though some claim that Lightwave has a better rendering machine.

What are you learning a 3D software for? Creating digital pictures, animation? Just asking.

Basically I use maya because of its graphical interface, I find it more user friendly than 3d max but basically i think they are both the same. You can achieve the same goal with either software. As for details I know maya is awsome for modelling and animating but not too good in rendering while I've read that 3d max is good for animating.   

i dunno bout those , but i use Animation shop to make my animations.

I would also love to learn 3D studio max for rendering after drafting in autocad.the best place for me to learn is in school, especially if i have my PC,which is on the way.

Learning to use a 3-D software (or any other software) has more to do with getting a good book and hours of practice. One's creativity also counts. When I first got Lightwave, I tried learning it using the Lightwave manual. Unfortunately, this was nothing but crap, filled with so much technical information.

Having read up to page 300, I couldn't model a single object. I then had to get a book by a guy called Timothy Albee (Essential Lightwave 7.5). It helped a lot. Eventually, I gave up on Lightwave because it stopped responding on my machine. However, Lightwave is such a great software that renders so well, that one cannot but help fall in love with it.

I started learning Maya with the Maya tutorial manual. The first instructions here teach one how to model. In other words, unlike the Lightwave manual, one gets to learn Maya by tying out how to model things. I happen to think that this is the best way of learning to use a 3-D software. Maya also renders well and if you are able to lay your hands on Maya Unlimited, you will have access to Maya Cloth and Maya Fur (imagine creating your own five minutes Shrek or Monsters, Inc!)

Some folks end up settling for 3D Studio Max, others go for Maya and still others, Lightwave. It’s just like the diversity you find in the operating systems people choose to use – Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Maya and Lightwave are great (I’ve never used Max). I have a preference for Maya simply because it works well on my machine. Furthermore, I enjoy its tutorials much better than those of Lightwave. There may be great Lightwave books out there, which I never saw.

I have read that movie studios use both Maya and Lightwave. Some probably use Max as well. I hope Nollywood would come of age in the next few years, when there will hopefully be professional 3-D animators in Nigeria, so that we can begin to have special effects in our movies.

Can you advice him on which is applicable for Modelling, Animation, and Texturing?

Bro!

The Blunt truth is that these Programs are Extremely powerfull softwares, i used to tell my students/people that , "if you know your programs really well and your programs knows you welll, your possiblities are unlimited!

Max or Maya,  let me inspire you a little,

Maya! is a very powerfull programe and has great, terrific and incredible modeling tools, animations tools and powerful rendering systems with high detailed texturing and shading networks, (this might be more technical for some biginners, but) thats give the extreme photorealistic models/design/animation or image, with your eyes open you can't just believe what you could do in a sniffy,

Max !(Whao!) also provides powerful modelling, animation, texturing and rendering tools with great convinent, touch and play tools, 3D Max is easy to learn that is why is being adopted by beginners, but dont be susprise you find it in any 20th Century studio in the world.

what am i saying, know your software and let your software know you! see the image below and inspire yourself,  who said you wont do more  these, ?

the living room and the building were done in Max and render with Vray rendering , while the second two where done in Maya rendered with stand alone Mental Ray Renderer,   note that these are not picture taken from the internet, if like me to make one i will, i beat my chest for that

the questions are ,  how were these design built, can i used my (Max or Maya) to do something like these, if Yes! you are the winner, if No! then which can be used that will achieve it,  , i dont know what your focus is but which ever from any of the following

 3D Animation, Visual Effect, Product Designing, T.V Commercial, Motion Graphics, Visual Effect Composite, Architecturing Designing, 3D Visual Effect Intergration, Digital Matte Visual Effect Animation or Film and Video Production, understand that any of these Programs will help you RULE YOUR WORLD, rem know your software and let your software know you!

I took my time to write these to inspire upcoming nigerians out there, indeed we are talented and skillfull, we need to go the right way, who said or doubt that the following films can be done in nigeria AND BY U , spiderman, Xmen, the day after tomorrow, i mean, go and watch the MATRIX and see yourself what Maya and other internal programs did, can't you do that, YES U CAN, the question is HOW! and we will tell you how.

I woudn't want to exhust the whole post, but am always happy to tell people in these areas or going to these areas that they have found their salvation,

Max or Maya?? the answer is Maya and Max seek and you shall find, knock and you are welcome, then ASK you shall be given, 

But! remember, they both have strenght and weekness, Max (more strengths and weekness) Maya (many more strengths and little weekness) so you see and could understand yourself    dont mind me OOO ,

Try and start with any, i promise you wont regret INVESTING YOUR TIME, MONEY and all that, need any help, seek the professional or ME , we will help you. the only way you can grow is to be the client and the professional, task your self as your learn along any step on these programs, you shall surely find a way,

  my students prefer the orientation class better than the practical class, why because they said i blow their minds and give them NEW WORLD TO RULE,  that's truth, with these skills the impossiblilty will become possible,  Nobody never taught about the ZION in the film Matrix, could exist, but with Maya and others, its definately exists.

like my talk and want to do the do like the attached designs, tunslike@yahoo.com is my email,  you are welcome to RULE YOUR WORLD !

all has been said

I think both are very powerful tools and you can choose either of them. It is very easy to export and import between both. They both have their individual strengths. For instance you might do the basic modelling and animation in 3dsmax then move to Maya to do hair, fur and cloth simulation, etc. Several studios do this abroad. Some people prefer the particle systems of Maya to 3ds max, that is why they prefer to use Maya for visual effects. Some people prefer the dynamics (reactor) in Max and so on. It really depends on you and your team. The most important thing is to fully understand the 3D to a level (intermediate-advanced).
Another difference between the 2 is the workflow. 3dsmax is kind of linear ie you need to apply modifiers in a linear manner, while Maya is modular. I think Maya also has a nodal workflow (kind of like Shake). So you see, it depends on what you want to do and how comfortable you are.
The same thing applies to After effects vs Combustion. Both apps can give you very similar results in very different ways. I prefer the timeline-based After effects, maybe because I started my career as an editor.
So you see, try the 2 out, play with the interface and stick to the one that makes you feel at home.

@Tunslike
im a sucker for 3d graphics but its frustrating when i check the internet for detailed tutorials but cant come up with any.
i presently have maya and am looking to get lightwave and from what i have read so far i would like to learn how to use maya and 3d max.its hard those shots up were made from scratch, maybe its just me being a noob.it really is frustrating though. i badly want to learn this and a bunch of other things.any links to tutorials or you could make your and post them and we would gladly appreciate.