[Anders Peter Amsnæs]

Hi

I am a FormZ and Maxwell user (on Mac), but I need to do some more advanced animation from time to time – that what Formz offers. This includes...
- effectively animating multiple cars on roads
- animating boats and realistic looking wake
- cloth (curtains in windows etc.)
- plants/trees (swaying in wind)

I don't need to animation characters as it's mainly for architecture presentations.

I have been looking at Cinema4D, Modo and Maya. I like the pricepoint of Modo the most, but what's the best option with the easiest learning curve?

Thanks in advance!

Anders

[will]

Maya is the preferred application for animation.Mainly character but also comes with example scenes of everything you're looking for but its $3200,although you can get a subscription for $180 a month.
3DS Max is also expensive but very capable from simple things to complex animations.
Lightwave and Cinema4D is very capable software and for around $1000 I think.
There are loads of cheaper programs all the way down to freeware types like Blender.
It's like buying a computer.It's all about how much you have to spend and how much time you wish to spend.
The more you spend the faster things get done.The less you spend the more you're going to have to work to make the software peform like you wish.
This is the last year anyone can buy a full license of Maya.After this year you have to subscribe if I understand it right.
I'm sure you can achieve great results with lesser programs but be prepared for steep leaning curves and plenty of problems.

[Half Life]

Alot of what you are looking to do falls under the heading of simulation rather than animation -- so you might want to check out Realflow.

[Anders Peter Amsnæs]

Maya is the preferred application for animation.Mainly character but also comes with example scenes of everything you're looking for but its $3200,although you can get a subscription for $180 a month.
3DS Max is also expensive but very capable from simple things to complex animations.
Lightwave and Cinema4D is very capable software and for around $1000 I think.
There are loads of cheaper programs all the way down to freeware types like Blender.
It's like buying a computer.It's all about how much you have to spend and how much time you wish to spend.
The more you spend the faster things get done.The less you spend the more you're going to have to work to make the software peform like you wish.
This is the last year anyone can buy a full license of Maya.After this year you have to subscribe if I understand it right.
I'm sure you can achieve great results with lesser programs but be prepared for steep leaning curves and plenty of problems.

I was under the impression that both Maya and 3DS is extremely complex - can do a lot, so I was thinking that a slimmer 3D package might be more streamlined towards what I need to do – and thus be easier to learn, but maybe I am wrong.

I think my animation needs are very limited. Making a car drive along a path will mostly be it. It should be capeable enough to do water/sea simulation and make trees sway, but it's not something i will use often.

I will like continue to do my main modelling in FormZ, so this is what's priotized...
1. Easy material setup and a high quality/fast included renderer
2. Easy keyframe animation; making cars move from a to b or along a path (usually seen from a distance, so no wheels turning etc.)
3. Easy setup of some basic convincing calm sea-water

I guess Cinema 4D visualize, Lightwave, Modo and Blender is what's within my budget.

[Anders Peter Amsnæs]

Alot of what you are looking to do falls under the heading of simulation rather than animation -- so you might want to check out Realflow.

Realflow is just for fluids right?

[Half Life]

No, RealFlow can do pretty much all of it -- soft body/hard body and wind too.

[Hillmeister]

A bit hard to learn maybe, but Blender will do just fine in your case I think. Blender can do a lot out-of-the-box, tutorials are available in overload and it's quite well working together with Maxwell and has a pretty good internal renderer (actually 2, Blender Render & Cycles). I have had some years with 3DsMax, but Blender is my weapon of choice these days.

Blender comes with good tools to make animations / presentations from A-Z. So if you are starting from scratch with an animation package Blender is a good one to dive in to.

Good luck.

[Anders Peter Amsnæs]

After playing around with Blender and Cinema 4D today I am leaning towards Cinema 4D. To me at least it seems simpler – or maybe it just assembles what I am used to more.

Since I use Maxwell for rendering I am concidering the not so costly Prime version.

Do you know if this combo will let me create...
- animated oceans
- wind/cloth simulation
- wind/trees simulation

I am not sure what's what in Maxons extensive comparison list.

Thanks
Anders

[seghier]

blender is good and the maxwell plugin available
why you want buy expensive software because you need some features ?
i prefer blender + marvelous designer + speedtree
calculate the cost and choose

[dk2079]

if you are still considering MODO, be aware of their (reoccurring) black friday sales. 40% off

[Anders Peter Amsnæs]

Thank you. I am still leaning towards C4D, but Modo sure looks nice as well!