CompuServe Thread

#What's the difference?

2 messages in this thread
#102010From: James FranssenMay 16, 1994 11:27 AM
I am curious to know what the main difference in quality (an un-biased repy please <g>) is between 3D Studio and a higher-end, more expensive software like SoftImage, or Wavefront. I have used both professionally, so I do recognize the visual quality difference, but usually the client is blind to the quality difference between 3-D Studio and Wavefront. Is it mostly the time difference in rendering? Because if that is so, it seems one could just add more PC's to a network for less the cost of an SGI Crimson. I am in the market for purchasing a high-end SGI setup, but I do not wish to waste my money if it is not necessary. By the way, if I did decide to go the route of SGI, I would still use 3D Studio for less intensive projects, especially since the support here is so fine, plus 3D Studio offers more flexibility than either SoftImage or Wavefront. Good job guys. James Franssen
#102033From: M. G. BATCHELORMay 16, 1994 12:51 PM
James, I believe you have already answered a lot of your own questions. The high-end stuff basically offers perhaps more functionality in modeling and animation plus ray tracing and scripting language. I've always felt that the main advantage of SGI applications was in their utilization of the interactive hardware. You could indeed (apples to apples) render frames more expeditiously with a number of Pentiums. I like most of the SGI software a lot, but it is true (fortunately / unfortunately ?) that your *_average_* client won't know the difference looking at a rendered animation. BILL