Google SketchUp vs. 3dsMax
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Hi everyone!!!
Recently I got in an argument with one of my classmates regarding which is better in still architectural rendering and modelling.. Google SketchUp and 3dsmax..I strongly support SketchUp for pure architectural needs...here are some excerpts of that argument...
My statement..
SketchUp is faster.. the rendering is a lot more easy than max, max is hell lot of technical, has big learning curve, high on system resources, occupies more hard disk spaceHis statement
3dsmax
Provides Best rendering in the world. You can create organic shapes in max. You have no idea about the power of maxMy argument
A movie like Avatar and games like Need for Spped can be made in max. But we are going to become architects and really don't need to get into all that things..You can create any organic shape you can think of in SketchUp provided you have all the necessary plugins.His argument
Now Arjun, not everyone would be having plugins....My argument
Advanced users keep all kinda stuff...What's your opinion guys??? I know this is kinda stupid thing to ask on a sketchucation forum and everyone is going to support SketchUp but still couldn't stop myself from typing all this.!!!
But just wanna show him all your commments...!!! 
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Sketchup buckles under the load of a normal poly model, Max does not.
Max can do UV mapping, SU cannot.There are many things that Max can do which SU cannot, frankly Max is by far the better tool for a comprehensize solution IMO.
Where SU wins is in ease of use, price and speed.
edit* Max toolbars stay where you leave them.
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Max can do proper animation - SU can not. (No the various mix of plugins are no good solution compared to what other packages have.)
@arjunmax09 said:
His statement
3dsmax
Provides Best rendering in the world. You can create organic shapes in max. You have no idea about the power of maxRendering in Max is done by render plugins - there's a good array of render engines for SU. Some are the same you get on Max.
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@arjunmax09 said:
My argument
A movie like Avatar and games like Need for Spped can be made in max. But we are going to become architects and really don't need to get into all that things..You can create any organic shape you can think of in SketchUp provided you have all the necessary plugins.Exactly - it all depends on the usage. A generic discussion isn't doing much good. Find and use the correct tool for the correct job. There is no universal solution.
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@solo said:
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Max toolbars stay where you leave them.
absolutely this is a good reason to buy a 3ds license.seriously, if you're going to be a professionist you must also consider what others (clients and mates) use, eg here in Italy I see most of architects use 3ds although they don't always need it, I also see many bad works done with 3ds and think: I can make much better with sketchup... but if I were an architect maybe I'd use it because of the interexchange of projects
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Nevertheless:
I still have hope, in my lifetime, that SU will become part of that larger easy to use architectural package. That total package has NOT been achieved yet in Software. The thing standing in the way on the SU side, as I perceive it, there is too little knowledge by those in charge now, to carry forward that vision. But as some have suggested it may NOT be their vision, and that would be a ultimate shame.In the mean time there are a HELL_OF_A_LOT_OF_BUGS to be fixed first, aren't they
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Perhaps it's better to look at it this way....
Who would win in a fight....Max or SU?
Okay, that's a no brainer as pound for pound Max just packs WAAAAAY more muscle than SU. In terms of operations, Max pushes through really complex operations without even stalling, while SU will hang for 5 minutes to do a routine intersect. If calculating geometry manipulation and polygons where like a huge amount of snow that needed plowed through, Max has a plow strapped to that Bigfoot that Solo rendered and SU...well, it's plow is on the front of one of those Mini cars that Mike Lucey loves so much.
I say we go another route instead.....
Who would win in a fight.....Max community or SU community?
vs. But honestly, I don't think it's a good argument to say a program is not as good because it's harder to learn. Usually harder to learn means more to offer.
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@unknownuser said:
You have no idea about the power of max
wheeze groan...Wheeze groan
come to the Darkside...
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@tomot said:
that SU will become part of that larger easy to use architectural package. That total package has NOT been achieved yet in Software. The thing standing in the way on the SU side, as I perceive it, there is too little knowledge by those in charge now, to carry forward that vision. In the mean time there are a HELL_OF_A_LOT_OF_BUGS to be fixed first, aren't they
?This argument deals specifically with architecture and architectural visualization.We architects don't have to create an Avatar movie neither a game like NEED FOR SPEED. Yeah tomot there are a lot of bugs. But I disagree that SketchUp will become a part of that larger easy to use architectural package. SketchUp has already done that. I mean look at 1001bit tools. Man!! They are supercool .. Really BIM sorta thing. A better advantage of sketchup over 3ds max is that it's fast and easy to use. My creative thinking is hampered in AutoCAd 2d and max. We've been taught max here in my college of architecture and students were like..."Max sucks". My classmates literally dozed of in max class!!!
Including me.I dozed off while attending the lecture on the front seat The teacher said" Arjun ...go wash your face!!!" The class is taken on projectors with lights off and if the lecture is really boring..one can really sleep if he's a backbencher..!!! The teacher is really good and helpful but we guys are not ready for all the super advanced and technical things in max...... No one among my colleagues is going to use it in future projects during this degree...even not in their final year... It's way too technical for an architecture student. I mean there are a jungle and forests of commands in it. 
There are a lot of commands in it which architects are not going to use. Take for example the modifiers list...Sometimes it gets really irritating to find yours. From an architecture student point of view I think that Max is an overkill. And I'm specifically talking about still architectural visualization here my friends. Even if it's walkthrough and a really nice one then the render time in max is a down side. I mean if we quickly want to show a client his building we can do a walkthrough in sketchup in a flash!! 
What I strongly believe that Max is for modelmakers ...Google SketchUp is for architects and there is a possibility of UV mapping in sketchup someone has already made a plugin that's still here on SCF ..UV toys I think.
.I remember that thing but haven't downloaded it yet. An architect has to design a building. SketchUp has that free flowing and free thinking kinda look that max doesn't have. I mean it has the best orbiting among all the 3d softwares in the world that i've used or know about. Really one feels like he's walking around in his building and changing it. The feeling of passion comes in SketchUp which all other 3d software lack. -
@arjunmax09 said:
And I'm specifically talking about still architectural visualization
I hear what you are saying! But there is more to Architecture than just visualization. There are many here that would like to see SU fullfill the Working Drawing side, aswell. That discussion has been going on since the demise of the Original SU forum. We already have a good Layout product. I think its time to develop a working drawing product. Such as easy to use, 2d components that can be overlayed in sections to describe construction detail, a schedule system, a robust notation system, a revision system, etc. etc.
I agree with you Max is painful in most if not all Architectural modeling aspects. Just have a look at anyone trying to install windows or doors in an a MAX wall, or try to draw a crown molding around the perimeter of a room. There are lots of U tube videos of poor souls demonstrating how utterly wonderful MAX is. Its obvious they have never used SU. -
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!
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I don't know Frenchy. Blnder still has the hands down worst UI I have ever encountered (well, maybe a tie with ESRI's ArcGIS
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You tried 2.5 chris? the ui is exquisite...
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@arjunmax09 said:
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.
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@remus said:
You tried 2.5 chris? the ui is exquisite...
Ditto that - I could finally model something!
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@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 -
@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...!! -
@tomot said:
Its obvious they have never used SU.
yahooo!!!1
that's the thingyyy man!!!! tottttallllly agree with you 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.
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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
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