Hi, I’m about to jump back into 3d art after a couple year hiatus, and was planning on using 3d studio max and starting to do some freelancing. So I’m free to choose between the two. So I was looking at the Gnomon dvds on their website and noticed that most if not all of the character modeling dvd authors use Maya. Anyone doing high-end modeling want to comment on that? Thanks.
To be honest most of your work now will probably be done between Zbrush and a tool like Xnormal.
Either 3D application can be used it depends which has the tools you are most comfortable with you will find it is just mostly used for refining your low poly mesh, laying out UVs and rigging if you will be doing that. you could also look at something like the XSI mod tool which will offer everything you need and is free
Most DVD author use Maya because its the software with the highest share in the market.
If its just for character modeling, Id recommend modo, it doesn`t have any decent rig system yet, but got nice features for it price.
But if you have the need for animation, a full package is a must.
Maya, 3DsMax, XSI [now OFFICIALLY call Autodesk Softimage] are industry standard. but if Ill have to choose between Maya or 3DsMax, Id goes for 3DsMAx.
Not because I like it, but because I hate Maya though.
And I suggest to move on Softimage. Because I hate May anad Max. I hate Max more than Maya, so if you like piuck up Maya 
I agree with malc2304 that a program like zbrush for characters especially, is what you’d want to be using most. Max or Maya are there basically for finalizing the character for the engine, applying maps (some created in Zbrush), and rigging. Seems like you may be more interested in Max so go with it. I started on Max and can work twice as fast constructing polys than on Maya. But I really like how Maya handles texturing and rendering though. One is better at some things than the other so it depends. Definitely Max I’d say, for its quick work flow.
hahaha - I’m with you on that - Max is the messiest of the lot. Maya’s not too bad, though there is some mess in the UI as well, but that can be adjusted. And unfortunately Maya’s isolate selection tool sucks in comparison to the XSI one. They have added a lot of XSI type modeling tools to the program lately so it went up in my estimation 
but yeah most gaming houses use either Max or Maya. XSI is mostly used in film production [I lucked out and get to use it at work every day hehe]
I agree.
Coming from cinema 4d i found maya better than max even though its still
a very intricating ui.
Max with all his modifiers makes no sense to me.
I just want to move polys after selecting them i dont want to add
some edit poly modifier first!
Makes no sense to me.
Maya in combination with Nex moddeling tools is quite nice.
@Intervain: Did they get you a xsi license because you prefered it or are all ppl at ubi (if youre still there) working with it?
The new version of Max has Polyboost integrated and offers the same poly editing and selection tool set as Modo or XSI. It also has a cleaner interface than previous versions.
NEX for Maya is great (one of my favorite purchases), but does not offer as much as the new Max Polyboost (or Graphite) tools in its current version.
Max 2010 also has a Shift Tool which works the same as Zbrushs Move brush (its like soft selection on crack). You can also convert curves into poly cylinders (seriously handy).
Download both trials and see which one you like best.
Good luck,
MC
I’m at Ubi’s film studio [Ubisoft Digital Arts] and we’re all using XSI here. The ingame guys use Max
Clappy71 - that’s interesting about those Max changes.
What’s the best way to extract normal maps for a next gen character ?
Zmapper ? XnNormal ? Xsi, Max or Maya ?
Does a nomal map used in Unreal engine for example render best when generated with one of these app ?
I find Xnormal to be the easiest personally as you can take your highres in without having to load it into a viewport also if you split your lowres you can just do it in smaller parts to avoid problems with the projection. Plus it can do AO as well as other stuff and has its own model viewer. Oh and lets not forget it is free. My second choice would be Ultimapper in XSI
personally I’m using XNormal as well. XSI’s Ultimapper does a good job but it’s rather slow in comparison IMO, especially if you want a big map. I love XNormal mainly because of the AO - it’s fantastic for texturing.
Does Xnormal generate maps with smoothed Uvs ?
I think it does.
I bet the programmer bites himself quite often for not charging money for it^^ everyone seems to use it.
If you like poly modelling then Max has best tools at the moment with Graphite. Agree with the xnormal comments - thats all you need really.
Konami, Capcom, Square-Enix, Sega, Level-5, Bandai-Namco, etc use XSI.
It`s widely use in game over here.
fair point, haven’t thought of those companies and didn’t know that Capcom was using XSI … good for them 
XSI and MAYA are what I would choose for next gen game development, come to think of it I would have MAX on hand too. So basically all of Autodesks technologies.
How about cinema 4d ^^ Does the same thing exept for having
a very stupid normal map baking technique.
I dont know much about Cinema4D, but Ive heard that it`s widely use by motion graphic and broadcast people,
how true is this?