3D Modeling What is it and what to use for it?

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3ds Max is also available as a part of Autodesk's Media & Entertainment Collection

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3ds Max® 3D modeling and rendering software helps you create massive worlds in games, stunning scenes for design visualization, and engaging virtual reality experiences.

 

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade or two, you might not have heard of the blooming world of 3D modeling. Even in scientific terms, we have only started to scratch the surface in the development of this wondrous technology. On the other hand, we can really be proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

3D modeling isn’t only meant for entertainment purposes. Even though most people can relate to the fascinating level of video game development, right now, 3D modeling is about so much more than that.

What is 3D Modeling?

Technically speaking, 3D modeling is a process which makes it possible to represent mathematically any object or surface in three dimensions by utilizing special software. The resulting 3D model can be living or inanimate.

A collection of points in 3D space can be interconnected by different geometric entities, such as lines, polygons, curved lines, and all other sorts of surfaces.

Modern software makes it possible to create 3D models by hand, or you can scan an existing object. There is also the possibility of procedural modeling, which is based on algorithms.

All the surfaces in a 3D model can be further defined by a process called texture mapping. This is especially important if you aspire to become a video game designer. 

3D models are also the most important part of 3D printing, as the machines work by tracing what they “read” from a 3D model.

All 3D models can be divided into two main categories:

• Solid 3D Models

 

If you take a rock for example, it’s an object defined by its volume and it’s solid. These types of models are usually simpler than their shell counterparts and they are mostly used for various medical and engineering simulations.

• Shell/Boundary 3D Models

 

These are usually much more complex than solid 3D models, and they are defined by surfaces, rather than volumes. Think of an extremely thin eggshell and you’ll get the idea. These are the ones you commonly see in video games and the latest special effects-packed movies.

Where to Start?

Maybe you are an aspiring architect or 3D graphic designer with lots of talent, but you’re not quite sure where to start when tools of the trade are concerned.

There are various different software packages to choose from, but 3ds Max and Maya always seem to stand shoulders above the rest. Both of these renowned products come from the same company. Autodesk did a good job with both of them, but obviously you’re wondering which one will suit your needs better.

They both excel at modeling, rendering, and animation, so let’s help you decide which one works better for you by covering how they perform in all successive designing processes.

3D Modeling

Each 3D design starts off by laying down the concept. This means you need to decide whether you want to design a new shopping mall or you’re looking to conquer the gaming world with the most menacing of fantasy world characters.

Once you’ve got that down, you’re off to 3D modeling. Both Maya and 3ds Max offer an enormous number of features and options.

3ds Max is usually the preferred tool of architects, as its approach to modeling is very visual. You can create the most amazing geometric shapes by utilizing a large palette of spline tools. Each shape can have six different materials and textures applied to it.

Maya on the other hand offers you the sculpting toolset which can make freestyle shapes as well as geometric ones. Some users say that Maya is a bit easier to use, and it also tends to inspire the more artistic side of your 3D modeling.

3D Rendering

The next step in the magical process of 3D design is, of course, 3D rendering. This usually means optimizing and fine-tuning your 3D model so that it aligns with your original vision as much as possible.

When you compare the 3D rendering abilities and features of 3ds Max and Maya, there really isn’t much difference.

You can use the built-in Arnold ray tracing renderer in both software packages, which is a rather nice touch.

In case you’re not familiar with it, this is a tool which comes in very handy in the creation of complex visual effects and animated features. It is highly praised by some of the leading animation studios in the world.

In both Maya and 3ds Max you can give your 3D model a very realistic appearance by using the physical camera simulation feature.

There is no need for saving and syncing your products, as it’s an automated process which takes place in Autodesk’s A360 cloud workspace.

When you draw the line, they’re both equally good in terms of 3D rendering.

3D Animation

Depending on which type of 3D modeling you’re working on, you might be interested in 3D animation as well. This is where all your models go into motion.

This is also where you’ll find the most differences between Maya and 3DS Max. Before we take a closer look, let’s first say that designers who deal with animation work usually go to Maya first, as it’s much easier to master.

• 3ds Max

 

Don’t let the previous sentence scare you off – 3ds Max is still a very powerful tool for 3D animation. It does have a fully functional rigging tool, but its main downside is the fact that you can only work on one character rig at a time.

If your animation calls for realistic fluid effects, you can fiddle with that using the amazing Fluids tool. Also, if particle filters are your thing, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what the latest edition of 3ds Max has to offer. Creating fire, snow, or water out of nothing has never been easier.

There are also three different formats of simulation data you can import, and these include Open VBD, CFD, and CSV.

All in all, 3ds Max is well-rounded when it comes to 3D animation, and it comes with a comprehensive palette of useful tools.

• Maya

 

On the other hand, Maya’s main advantage over 3DS Max is that comes with a new evaluation manager so you can work on two different character rigs at the same time. Another sweet feature is the Geodesic Voxel binding which makes it possible to connect multiple meshes and treat them as one singular piece.

The time editing tool makes it easy to edit, clip and, save the changes in your design, so you don’t have to start from the top each time you want to edit something.

Aside from this, Maya comes jam-packed with a wide array of tools and features.

In practice, all of this means that if you use Maya, you can do the same work as in 3DS max, but much, much faster. If you only care about quality of animation, both software packages are good. But if time is an important factor, you should definitely opt for Maya.

All Autodesk collections feature 3DS Max, while Maya can be purchased only in the one meant for entertainment and media professionals. This probably tells a bit more about its exclusivity. When we say professionals, we also mean MEL script and ASCII text experts.

Technical Aspect

Even though they both serve a similar purpose, neither Maya nor 3ds Max is easy to use out of the box. It will take some time to get a hold of them.

They both feature an intuitive interface, although Maya may come off as a bit more complex to inexperienced users.

Both products need a computer equipped with a 64-bit processor, and it’s important to know that 3ds Max only works on Windows-based machines. Maya supports Mac OS X, Windows, and even Linux.

 

The Final Verdict

If you’re a Mac user, you only have one option. All things considered, 3ds Max is an excellent software package for 3D modeling, but Maya is a much more complex and professional product that’s compatible with different platforms.

If you’re planning on a serious career in 3D modeling, then Maya surely is the way to go.

 

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