the interface lacks what works so well for Sketchup. Navigating in sketchup is very intuitive, Studio is not at all. Of course once you been working with it for a while its easy enough but for a first time user things don't look logical.
I also feel that there is little done to make esoteric settings invisible for first time users, I used to work with Strata 3D when it was called Statavision and I could make a rendering within a few minutes when first opened the program. In Studio I need the manual close to me even for very basic functionality like saving files, and setting up a scene or how to import geometry. Even to select geometry i need the manual and to alter textures to my liking is actually impossible without the manual. many actually even with the manual don't manage to get basic results as they can with much less quality from other renderapps.
I think the concept on how to use transparity settings and how to make a normal spotlight is out of reach for people who are mainly in design and need a direct and easy to understand workflow. Of course especially designers are interested in Maxwell since it really is a very good renderengine.
I also feel that the handling of objects in Studio is not good, you should be able to use components that are aliases of the original, you should be able to select a group of triangles and then make a new group ( i can't do that or know how to). Look at how Sketchup handles texture mapping by visually moving them around with the cursor.
There is so much that could be done to make the UI more direct and under control of the cursor. I like to shape things instead of typing numbers.
The UI of maxwell also needs to be changed into a more atractive looking interface that also takes hiarchy of functions into account. All buttons and texts are on the same level, the renderbutton is a small as the selection buttons, for firsttime users there is no guide at all in this to seperate the important controls and tools from the lesser used ones.
I have now made myself accustomed with the Maxwell userinterface so for me it could stay the same but for new clients of Next Limit the current interface is a barier that need not be there. There is no digital camera maker that would like their cameras hard to use. Why loose clients on such an issue. I am sure Sketchup became such a big succes is that the interface has an almost childlike simplisity while the package itself is an intelligent combination of really intuitive tools. All I do in rendering is assign materials, set the lighting and navigate as a photographer around the geometry.
- By jurX
- By Jochen Haug