3DS Max updates (when no longer on maintenance) - should I pay $1300 just for a couple more updates ?

[flino2004]

in 3 years you have time to have a plan B and I would look for options because AD can change plans anytime as we know

[JezUK]

Plan B is already in place - I’m learning Blender

[Morne]

Plan B is already in place - I’m learning Blender

How is that going? Are you at self mutilating stage yet, or is 2.8 a huge improvement over previous iterations?

[JezUK]

Being so used to whole version numbers from the likes of Mozilla and Autodesk, where whole number jumps occur yet nothing much seems to have changed, I was expecting Blender 2.79b -> 2.80 to be 'nothing'.....

I was entirely wrong - it's a massive set of changes.

2.80 is so much more easier to pick up now thanks to a MUCH better UI (for me coming from 3DS Max) - I spent one Sunday dedicated just to learning Blender and in that one day I'm now very comfortable with it, finding my way around and working out how to do the things I most often do in my workflow.

Sure, it's a different mindset of how to do things, but for someone who is a bit 'stuck' in 3DS Max mode way (it's all I really know 3d software wise), it's actually a really enjoyable experience now. Before, with 2.79b I found it very frustrating and just couldn't take to it.

I'm also thinking to just stick with the native renderers in there - or, dare I say it on here, choose something other than VRay. For now though, no plans to do anything in that regard. I'm going to try and make little to no purchases.

Though having said that, I have bought a Max2Blender script to convert models to Blender (ie convert the materials from VRay to Blender ones) - works pretty well

Whatever AD does or doesn't do, learning Blender is my insurance and gives me flexibility and choice.

PS - the main thing I'm picking up with Blender - is SPEED...... using it on a current project and it is blazingly fast for what I need (Product renders). Workflow wise it feels about 20 times faster.

(sorry, can't contain my excitement !).

[Vizioen]

I tried it too, but couldn't for the life of me model something like I'm used to in 3dsmax. The lack of ForestPack or Railclone also hasn't convinced me to make a switch (yet?). I also rely heavily on scripts and plugins in 3DsMax (probably because natively it sucks ***) and I couldn't find valid replacements (also yet?).

Admittedly I need some more time with it though

[JezUK]

I tried it too, but couldn't for the life of me model something like I'm used to in 3dsmax. The lack of ForestPack or Railclone also hasn't convinced me to make a switch (yet?). I also rely heavily on scripts and plugins in 3DsMax (probably because natively it sucks ***) and I couldn't find valid replacements (also yet?).

Admittedly I need some more time with it though

I do agree, the lack of FPP and RC is the big one, but I'm looking long term, if I start learning now, it gets the wheels in motion such that further down the line there may well be solutions for which I'll be experienced and ready enough by then. If I keep putting off learning other software, AD will continue to have me by the jaffas.

I spent my Sunday going through the 2.80 videos, they're short and sweet - here's the link for the playlist;

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ksYnB0qL9yWDO6

[Vizioen]

I do agree, the lack of FPP and RC is the big one, but I'm looking long term, if I start learning now, it gets the wheels in motion such that further down the line there may well be solutions for which I'll be experienced and ready enough by then. If I keep putting off learning other software, AD will continue to have me by the jaffas.

I spent my Sunday going through the 2.80 videos, they're short and sweet - here's the link for the playlist;

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ksYnB0qL9yWDO6

Most of the time I learn by trial and error but here it seems I might have to look at some tutorials to understand the basic concepts. Thanks I'll try and find some spare time

[bardo]

It's real that something like ForestPro (and RailClone) is missing at the moment in Blender.
The real hope for this kind of procedural modelling (or better "populating") is the development of the "everything nodes" project. It should transform Blender in something near Houdini (if I've understood right). Until this it will become real, the other solution is this addon https://blenderartists.org/t/sorcar-...or/1156769/255

I've never tried it yet, but it seems interesting.

[Morne]

..........I have bought a Max2Blender script to convert models to Blender (ie convert the materials from VRay to Blender ones) - works pretty well....

Sounds cool, mind posting a link to the site where I can buy that from?

[JezUK]

Sounds cool, mind posting a link to the site where I can buy that from?

https://www.3dtoall.com/products/maxtoblender/

[Morne]

Thanks Jez

[hoppergrass]

I am also just starting to re-try blender. It is definitely one of those packages that you cant just jump in and be up and running straight away. It seems every time I tried that I would break it in seconds . After watching a few beginner tuts and now starting on some intermediate ones from BlenderGuru I am starting the understand its logic or sometime lack of. Interestingly I am seeing a lot of similarity to Lightwave and Modo workflows and tools.