#Lightwave vs. 3DS
14 messages in this thread
If you use both, then you should be satisfied of both.
I have seen a lot of people on forums discussing on software that they just
know by what the other say. If you want to compare two programs, then you
should try them both before any comparison. For my part part I don't know
lightwave… so …
All,
I just had a very interesting experince recently. We had a series of advance
"roll-out" seminars for AniStud in DC. A customer who I had discussed 3DS with
some time ago came. They were "dyed in the wool" Lightwave folks. They
wouldn't even give me an opportunity to show them 3DS in anticipation of
Lightwave for PC. During the seminar, they saw the 3DS interface .. they were
very impressed. The next day, she called me and asked if she could spend the
afternoon playing with the product, I said sure. Afterwards, she asked if she
could take home over the weekend and again I agreed. That Monday, she put in
an order.
Now she is "furious" at Newtek for "lying" and "misleading" her (he words). In
her opinion, Lightwave isn't even in the same ball park. If you want to "get
her going" just ask .. "so… what do you think about Lightwave vs. 3DS?".
Like I said, very intersting experience.
Ang, President Dynamic Technologies, Inc. An Autodesk Systems Center for
Multimedia in MD
Hold on there, why did Lightwave recive the highest rating in DV magazine?
Jose, if you read the DV magazine review carefully, you'll see a paragraph at
the beginning that explains that each of the platforms reviewed (PC, Mac,
Amiga) were reviewed by separate reviewers, and their ratings were to be
interpreted WITHIN EACH INDIVIDUAL PLATFORM, and not across platforms. So,
there's no correlation between the Electric Image, 3DS and Lightwave numbers.
I thought it was pretty misrepresentative of them to structure the review this
way, btw.
– G
Yes it did. Lightwave scored a 9.3 while 3DS scored a 7.9. It should also be
noted that the version of LightWave they reviewed was 3.5 (NewTek has a much
improved pre-release version of 4.0 shipping as we speak) and they reviewed
release 4.0 of 3DS. If you don't believe me read it yourself. It's in the
Februrary 1995 issue of DV (Digital Video) magazine. The 3DS review is on page
38 and the LW review is on page 56.
Brian Schmitt
>> . . . photographers . . . . painters. . . . . Their discussions are more
about the content of the work. <Ed>
Thank you Ed!
Brian,
If you want to debate something, let's talk about good animation technique,
or lighting, or modelling techniques. I've seen bad animations come out of
every package, including 3DS and LightWave, and I've seen great animation come
from professional as well as "cheap" software. It's the USER that makes the
shot or the image. Show me an animation if you want to try to impress me, don't
babble on for days about what you like to make it in.
– Ron
>> If you want to debate something, let's talk about good animation technique,
or lighting, or modelling techniques. I've seen bad animations come out of
every package, >>including 3DS and LightWave, and I've seen great animation
come from professional as well as "cheap" software. It's the USER that makes
the shot or the image. Show >>me an animation if you want to try to impress me,
don't babble on for days about what you like to make it in.
>>- Ron
You are simply re-iterating what I just said. I couldn't agree with you more.
Give me your address and I'll send you my demo tape when it is finished around
the end of April.
Brian Schmitt
Brian,
>> unprofessional and un-informed opinions
I'm very sorry that you feel that options that are opposite to your agenda must
be either unprofessional and un-informed …. for certianly, any opinion which
differs from your OF COURSE and BY DEFINITION must be. Personal attacts in a
discussion such as this are not called for and are certainly not appreciated by
nyself or the majority of the members on the forum. If you really _NEED_ to
attack me, do it on e-mail.
Grow-up
Ang, President Dynamic Technologies, Inc. An Autodesk Systems Center for
Multimedia in MD
Hey Ron,
What's happening, dude? Glad to see you here.
FWIW, I left Sega about 6 weeks ago and am now 3D effects director at Acclaim's
new Coin-Op division down in Mountain View. (Sega's Multimedia Department is in
the process of self-destructing at the moment.)
Hope you're doing okay; drop me a line.
— Jon
>>>Yes it did. Lightwave scored a 9.3 while 3DS scored a 7.9. It should also be
noted that the version of LightWave they reviewed was 3.5 (NewTek has a much
improved pre-release version of 4.0 shipping as we speak) and they reviewed
release 4.0 of 3DS. If you don't believe me read it yourself. It's in the
Februrary 1995 issue of DV (Digital Video) magazine. The 3DS review is on page
38 and the LW review is on page 56.<<<
I think product vs. product "discussions" are seldom helpful. I have used
Lightwave since version 0.9 in 1990 and 3DS since R3. I like both programs and
I am pretty fond of the whole Lightwave/Amiga market, but I mainly use 3DS for
several reasons. The main reason is access to fast machines, a P90 is faster
than any Amiga, but with Alpha NT versions of both products becoming available
the hardware will be identical.
Another great 3DS feature is Video Post, while the Amiga benefits from AREXX
allowing programs to work together, the ability to do just about anything image
wise or anything else in Video Post is much better than any program or group of
programs I have seen PC, Amiga, or Mac.
The number of IPAS/Plugins for 3DS makes it a much better choice for adding
features not in the core program. Lightwave 4.0 now has that feature, but 3DS
has a couple of years head start.
When Yost Group says 3DS is designed for a production environment, where things
need to be done yesterday, they aren't kidding. Tried, true, and proven – 3DS
gets it done.
This is my only comment on the Lighwave vs. 3DS issue, it is already a waste of
time.
Jose,
I've even done product evaluations for Mag's in the past .. and let me tell you
… its not the completely best or most reliable source of info. But even if
we accept that information that we want to accept .. then here we go.
For 3D Studio in 1994 alone:
Editors Choice Award-Best Modeling/Animation Sftwr – Computer Graphics World
Golden Globe Award for Favorite 3D Modeling Tool – Morphs Outpost
Platinum Award for Animation Software – AV Video Mag
MVP Finalist Award – PC Computing (I agree .. who cares)
As a matter of fact, I'm at NAB right now and I got a chance to play with
Lightwave for Windows. My client was right … its not even in the same league
as 3DS. Hands down 3DS's interface (with all of its faults .. and there are
many) blows Lightwave away. Even under windows .. it is still a very clunky
interface (really not much different than it was under Amiga). From what I saw,
the product is somewhere between 3DS r2 and r3 in interface, tools and
capabilities. Newtek is in such a panic about getting the product out even
close to their date, they are going to start shipping "pre-released" versions
with incomplete doc's and incomplete stability (from what I saw on the floor
… buttons on the interface are disappearing from the interface and crashes).
"They hope" to get the complete doc's out and a final version "real soon".
R-R-R-ight.
Ang, President Dynamic Technologies, Inc. An Autodesk Systems Center for
Multimedia in MD
I have had several requests to refrain from continuing the LightWave/3DS
debate, however I cannot comply with this if 3DS users (yes, I am one of you)
continue to
give uninformed opinions about LightWave. You saw a few minutes of LightWave
being demo'ed and came to the conclusion based on what you saw (it would be
more accurate to say what you didn't see) that it isn't in the same league as
3DS. Do yourself a favor and learn more about the program before you lambast it
and make yourself look like the unprofessional you apparently are. I think the
word "pre-release" might clue someone of any modicum of intellegence that the
program is not finished yet, therefore obviously has bugs and missing features.
Interface design is subject to a particular users taste and some people like
LW's interface better than 3DS's and vice-versa. In any case I have seen some
incredible stuff done on both LW and 3DS and that is the important thing…what
a given user can do with the software, not a feature list or what somebody who
doesn't even use the program thinks of the interface. Regards.
Brian Schmitt
My $0.02 on "the thread that wouldnt die"
The thing that amazes me about these religous wars ( LW vs 3ds is nothing
compared to Mac vs PC ) is that they dont seem to happen in related fields. For
example, I dont think photographers go on about how their camera is better than
yours and I know painters dont argue about Grumbacher vs Winsor Newton brushes.
Their discussions are more about the content of the work.
Ed
Brian:
/_______________________From your message________________________\\
I have had several requests to refrain from continuing the LightWave/3DS
debate, __________________________________________________________________
Time to honor those requests. You've gone too far.
Bob