Google SketchUp vs. 3dsMax

remus

You tried 2.5 chris? the ui is exquisite...

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What I strongly believe that Max is for modelmakers ...Google SketchUp is for architects

With all due respect, "strongly believing" in purpose of this or that piece of software isn´t actually doing much good. SU may be designed primarily for architects, but it has already extended far beyond that area, not to mention numerous "non-architects" - including me - and hobbyst modelers worldwide who were enabled to explore the 3D world, and to visualize and share their ideas with this very intuitive, yet powerful tool.
Personally, I have discovered SU after suffering a minor breakdown trying to learn Blender ( but I am feeling masochistic enough to give it another try )

@thomthom said:

Find and use the correct tool for the correct job. There is no universal solution.

I couldn´t agree more.

thomthom

@remus said:

You tried 2.5 chris? the ui is exquisite...

Ditto that - I could finally model something!

tridem

@unknownuser said:

Seems Blender can make the same than Max even more for 0 $
Blender is the SU of Max
In five years I bet that more people use Blender than Max!

I don't know Max at all, but generally speaking Blender follows with a bit delay the other commercial products without adding real innovations, even Blender's people say that it can't be compared to the 'bigs' , eg zbrush for the sculpting, nevertheless Blender offers a very wide suite of tools (modeling, rendering, animation, compositing...) to get professional results for 0$ as you say that i Believe has no equals in the CG world.
I'm trying to learn it for a couple of months but I have to say it's really really harder than sketchup, especially having a CAD mind-set like mine

arjunmax09

@unknownuser said:

Seems Blender can make the same than Max even more for 0 $
Blender is the SU of Max
In five years I bet that more people use Blender than Max!

what about sketchup dude?? are more people using sketchup than blender...?? i had a CGarchitect 2006 survey pdf file.. don't remember where it is.. the ratings were as follows..

max
AutoCad 3d ['cause people make 3d on autocad then import it into max] that's what our virtual architecture sir told us....
Sketchup 25% votes [that's all i remember]

but still I'm obsessed about sketchup it's really sexier than max...!!

arjunmax09

@tomot said:

Its obvious they have never used SU.

yahooo!!!1 that's the thingyyy man!!!! tottttallllly agree with you tomot

tomot

@arjunmax09 said:

max

AutoCad 3d ['cause people make 3d on autocad then import it into max] that's what our virtual architecture sir told us....

Sketchup 25% votes [that's all i remember]

Whats often overlooked is that AutoDesk spends a lot of money, training and getting Higher Institutions to use its products. This creates a revenue stream for them from the next generation of users. It works! trust me.

pyroluna

hi Arjun I'm a student of architecture at TU Delft and the same discussion is going on here. Although here it's Maya instead of Max. Same thing.
Now for the answer to your question:

There is no right answer!

Some will prefer one, some the other. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of the expensive packages is that they have all the advanced stuff already built-in, so they can do more. This is however also their main disadvantage, for it creates a steeper learning curve.

As for architecture @ TU Delft... we're still getting lessons in maya and autocad, but when it comes down to it - everyone uses sketchup. Even (some of) the teachers are saying "well, ok the curriculum says you ought to make a maya model, but if you hand in a SU model, it's fine with us!"

Personally, I like Maya a lot and I use it whenever I'm doing animation... but then, you were looking specifically for Stills. So, use SU! And tell your classmate to go and animate things if he likes Max so much

Cyberdactyl

@solo said:

Where SU wins is in ease of use, price and speed.

Bingo

linea

This is an age old argument, I had it with a new colleague the other day. It is futile really. Just accept the difference of opinion and let your modelling speak for itself.

dylan

@linea said:

This is an age old argument, I had it with a new colleague the other day. It is futile really. Just accept the difference of opinion and let your modelling speak for itself.

Totally agree Jon.

arjunmax09

@tomot said:

Whats often overlooked is that AutoDesk spends a lot of money, training and getting Higher Institutions to use its products. This creates a revenue stream for them from the next generation of users. It works! trust me.

oh i see!!!....Now that's some insider information from a cool buddy!!! Yo man they are filthy rich...filthy rich people spend a lot on business strategies....the thing is they've bought 3dsmax from discreet and revit from some masachussets company...i don't know

arjunmax09

@unknownuser said:

... we're still getting lessons in maya and autocad, but when it comes down to it - everyone uses sketchup. Even (some of) the teachers are saying "well, ok the curriculum says you ought to make a maya model, but if you hand in a SU model, it's fine with us!"

. but then, you were looking specifically for Stills. So, use SU! And tell your classmate to go and animate things if he likes Max so much

ditto for mee pyro!!! but our teachers aren't so lenient but heck ...they don't know sketchup.... i gave some of my max rendering virtual architecture submissions in sketchup only..shhhhhh!!!

Alex Jenyon

I work in a large VFX studio. I've got unlimited access to Maya/Renderman, Houdini, Massive - you name it, it's all there!

They also, on my request, own a copy of SketchUp.

Sometimes, SU it all you need. And if it's all you need, it's probably the fastest solution too.

You don't need a ferrari to round up sheep - you need a sheepdog.

AJ

(And just to be really pedantic, 3ds Max wasn't used on Avatar, maya was, but I realise that's sort of beside the point for this argument)

pilou

@unknownuser said:

Sometimes, SU it all you need. And if it's all you need, it's probably the fastest solution too.

Su is like this !

fakircho

I think that Sketchup is a design tool before its a modeler. Max is a modeler and not a design tool.
I don't use Sketchup because its the best modeler, but because it is a best design tool.
I am speaking as an architect.