Modelling in Max vs AutoCAD

[biglolly]

Someone said earlier that if they were good in CAD they'd be able to round off corners and such easily as they go along. You're probably right.

I'm not that fast in CAD so I can only compare to max. What I love about max is being able to use things like the sweep modifier along a spline to do kerbing - and just do a small fillet on the edges. Fillet too much? Bring it back a bit until you're happy. Change it at any point. I found in autocad that once you'd performed an action it was final. There's no going back unless you do 50 undos!

Also, and this is maybe a bit silly (no definitely), if you say you use autocad people automatically assume you're an architect or some kind of 2D layout type person who hasn't a notion about 3d graphics. It doesn't scream 3d artist. If you were to describe an application as cool, autocad would not be it. Max however, is cool I think. Being able to blow things up virtually is definitely nice!

Maybe I'm being harsh on old autocad...

[Clifton Santiago]

@pailhead: Oh, I see what you're saying. Yes, for a specific task like that CAD is probably faster if you're still good at CAD. I made the switch 10 years ago, and my CAD skills are so atrophied that I can even do linework faster in MAX.

In fact, in an office of 300 architects, I don't think anyone could draft faster in CAD (they use Microstation), than I could in MAX. Of course that's not saying much because architects over here are often barely computer literate...

[dlparisi]

In fact, in an office of 300 architects, I don't think anyone could draft faster in CAD (they use Microstation), than I could in MAX.

Maybe I'm missing something, other than grid snapping, how can you draw a line in Max that's an exact distance?

P.S. This entire thread should have been O.T., not Vray: General.

[Codi]

Here is a script that lets you input lines like Autocad:

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/polyspline

[Clifton Santiago]

Maybe I'm missing something, other than grid snapping, how can you draw a line in Max that's an exact distance?

I'm not saying MAX can do everything CAD can do with 2d splines. I'm just saying I'm faster at doing linework in MAX than I am in CAD. And also, I don't know anyone in our office who is faster at CAD than I am at MAX.

[dlparisi]

Codi: Thanks for the link, looks interesting but it's not working for me. I get this in my maxscript window:

 
Happy New 2008 Year !!!
From this moment you can't use PolySpline v2.1
Visit www.scriptattack.com for the additional information.

I'm on Max 9 64 bit so maybe that's it? Nothing on script attack implies that it won't work, or gives additional information for that matter.

Clif: So then what kind of line work do you do? Drawing lines of a certain distance is pretty essential to doing linework. IMO, drafting anything in MAX is utterly impossible unless you're tracing something or just trying to get close to the exact shape (Codi's link looks promising though).

[Clifton Santiago]

I do precise drawings all the time. My general modeling process involves tracing over imported CAD drawings, but there are plenty of times when I need to draw lines of a specific length without a reference. I just use snaps, grids, rectangles, etc. to get to the correct dimension. The workflow is of course more convoluted than with CAD, but its not necessarily slower if you are skilled in MAX spline modeling.

[dlparisi]

...if you are skilled in MAX spline modeling.

I think this is my problem .

[Codi]

Codi: Thanks for the link, looks interesting but it's not working for me. I get this in my maxscript window:

 
Happy New 2008 Year !!!
From this moment you can't use PolySpline v2.1
Visit www.scriptattack.com for the additional information.

I'm on Max 9 64 bit so maybe that's it? Nothing on script attack implies that it won't work, or gives additional information for that matter.

Which version are you using? After posting I checked the script and got the same happy 2008 message. Downloaded version 2.1.6 and now works fine, I'm on Max 9 64bit too.

[dlparisi]

Downloaded version 2.1.6 and now works fine, I'm on Max 9 64bit too.

Up and running. Thanks.

[pailhead]

Rectangle is the most important drawing tool in max

I never got around to use manual grids, which can probably be pretty useful. I'm just too lazy.



Also, when i import stuff from cad, i rarely import the whole drawing, i usually trace the things that i need with poly lines. These would usually be plan outlines, and most of the elevations.

[tricky]

Well, we're still using Autocad to do most of our architectural modelling and using file linking between cad and max. We find this works really well for us as we have the accuracy of cad solid modelling and snapping but the speed of max's sweep modifiers for curbs and things like that. Furniture models and things like that are then 'placed' in max. We find this is a very powerful pipeline for the kind of architectural modelling/rendering that we do.

[dlparisi]

Well, we're still using Autocad to do most of our architectural modelling and using file linking between cad and max. We find this works really well for us as we have the accuracy of cad solid modelling and snapping but the speed of max's sweep modifiers for curbs and things like that. Furniture models and things like that are then 'placed' in max. We find this is a very powerful pipeline for the kind of architectural modelling/rendering that we do.

You described my workflow almost exactly (building, curbs, furniture, etc)! It may not be the best way, but I do think it's pretty efficient and gets jobs done very quickly. Other than the occasional problem with 3d displacement, all of the geometry from CAD comes in very nicely to MAX.

[tricky]

Not really played too much with displacement, though I do recall on small tests in the past that it caused problems with file linked autocad geometry. Something about diagonals causing shading issues.

[rayo-v]

I'm too a AutoCAD link to Max fan. I love to update models in AutoCAD as the 2D xrefs of the design project teams change. in a few seconds I refresh the link and I get to keep all my mats, modifiers, etc while the 3D objects change. Good for Arch firm design process regular updates. refresh/render...refresh/render...