3DS Max or Autocad

Sergio · February 25th, 2003

Hi all!
Few years ago when I started with 3D Visuals of architecture, I did it in 3DS Max exclusively. Just recentley, friend of mine told me that is much quicker modelling in Autocad, and importing as *.3DS file for applaying materials and light in max. So 2 months ago, I started learning Autocad. Now I am busy, with a house in Cad, and I came across some problems whitch I could solve in Max, but was struggling in Cad. For example, in Max you can edit solids, by selecting nodes, and moving them, in max you can easy restrict moving to a single plan, and stuff like that. I am sure most of you are using Cad form modeling and Max or LS for rendering, I would like to know your opinions on this metter, are you restricted in Cad compering to Max, or that is only me? And how much you are quicker modeling in Cad, oppose modelling in Max (if quicker)or this is only metter of some people get used to certein software. I know, bottom line is, all the tools are good, but some are different in certein areas. I would like to see your opinions.

Regards Sergio!

Craig Ramsay · February 25th, 2003

Started out modeling in AutoCAD but Max is so much faster for modeling especially Max 5 with its new poly tools. Stick with Max

STRAT · February 25th, 2003

i wont go into a long massive answer here but just to say you have to know the software.

it's what you feel at ease with and what you're used to.

i use max and acad, but acad is much more accurate and faster for modelling than max is, which is what it was designed for.

max is much better at organically shaped objects than acad, but drastically lack acad's complete accuracy and control.

Christian Miranda · February 25th, 2003

Hi Sergio,

Here go my 3 cents...

Autocad can be incredibly fast for hard-surface modeling such as straight walls, windows, doors, floors and ceilings (the close polylines + extrude + booleans workflow is unbeatable.

3dsmax offers a more humanistic approach to modeling in which you have a higher degree of control over your models, its modifiers can be used on a non-destructive way and there are certain types of objects that you can´t produce using autocad (within an acceptable timeframe) such as natural looking curtains, cushions, sofas, bedspreads and free-form furniture. Also you have to consider that some Max native object types such as Nurbs surfaces and Lofts have implicit UVW coordinates which makes texturing a lot easier.

I think the ideal workflow is cleaning-up drawings and closing polylines in Autocad, extruding, lathing, lofting, etc...in Max and producing all the furniture in Max as well.

Sorry I ended-up writing too much...

I hope it helps some.

Brian Cassil · February 25th, 2003

Brasilieros sao muito inteligente! (Brazilians are very inteligent) because I agree with Christian 100%. Several years ago when I first started working in 3D I was learning the process through autocad and kept thinking to myself that there had to be a better way. Then someone from the gaming industry showed me how they work using 3D studio R4 (not even max yet) and it was exactly what I wanted. I stress the "I" in that phrase because different people are more comfortable with different work flows. I have tried to go back to autocad (and even ADT) several times since then to see if modeling right there would work better for me and I still don't think it does.

Bottom line is I try to use programs strengths and limit thier weaknesses which is pretty much what Christian described.

Sawyer · February 25th, 2003

I am with Strat. I use what I know. But honestly I hate Autocad. :ngeupset: I have been using it daily for so many years now & I think it is a poorly done program. I like max I like the ui and I like the way it thinks. I am better with cad than max so I do use it a lot but I would rather use max. For 3d autocad & max just can't be compaired. The work flow I have developed involves using a footprint (2d) of the bldg plan and a 2d elevation. These are done with cad and modified with cad. I take them and pop them out in max. It works really well for me.

Rick Eloy · February 25th, 2003

Ok, now here goes my 1 cent (I'm out of change, sorry!

)
6 years ago, I started modelling using AutoCAD. Then, a guy who worked with me asked me why I didn't do all that stuff with Max, since I was going to export it, anyway. The problem is that I had never thought about doing so, but when I did I found it tremendously easy! Not to mention the UVW mapping part...
So, today I model ONLY in Max, no more CAD for me. And before that I was a DWG native speaker. I even tried to use ArchiCAD, but it turned out to be even slower, since I had to remodel lots of things that came out wrong and/or double.
I think it's better if you can keep everything in only one software, but that's just my humble opinion.
And Yes, brazilians are so inteligent

...
Brian, do you speak portuguese or it's just your computer? :ebiggrin:
[]
Rick

Kassner · February 25th, 2003

Rick... We are getting old!

When I was a Civil Engineering student I began to learn AutoCAD R10 for DOS about 9 years ago.
About 2 years later, I was teaching AutoCAD for many students and professionals and I trying to model something simple in 3D Studio 4.0 for DOS.
Oh! My God!!! I´m really getting old!!! :ebiggrin:
So... of course! On that time, it was so easy to agree that AutoCAD was faster modelling software compare to 3D Studio.
Nowadays I still using a CAD software (ADT) as Civil Engineer and Architect BUT for modelling an design visualization proposals there is NO DOUBT of 3D Studio MAX's powerful.

Kassner.

Sergio · February 25th, 2003

Thanks to all of you guys for those valuable comment, I am more concern about Max/Cad issue. I also think Max is bit more advanced.
But few things are better, much better in Cad (unless you guys got different approach)that is boolening, in max you have to (whend punching holes in the walls)substruct by selecting the wall, than, click boolen tool, click button "Pick Operand B", than click box whitch is going to be used to make a hole; repeat whole operation for each window opening. In Cad you instantly pick all objects to make holes in the wall at once, so operation is much shorter.
Second thing sometimes, when I punch too many holes in the wall, I loose some faces on the wall, I guess, that must be something wrong with my computer(I think I got a bios problem).
And very big difference is Cad files are much smaller, and computer is struggleing less when you model in Cad. When you importing *.DWG file in Max, that takes for ever.
Any comments?

Regards Sergio!

Craig Ramsay · February 25th, 2003

True Max's booleans are crap

But I invested in power booleans for max which is amazing

You can perform boolean after boolean on the same object and it hardly ever fails. You can also pick more than one object to boolean with at a time, just like autocad.

I used to use autocad for modeling a lot but as I got more confident with max I used cad less and now not at all for modeling

Craig

February 25th, 2003	#1 (permalink)
Sergio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 44 Posts: 129 Name: Srdjan Repensek	Hi all! Few years ago when I started with 3D Visuals of architecture, I did it in 3DS Max exclusively. Just recentley, friend of mine told me that is much quicker modelling in Autocad, and importing as *.3DS file for applaying materials and light in max. So 2 months ago, I started learning Autocad. Now I am busy, with a house in Cad, and I came across some problems whitch I could solve in Max, but was struggling in Cad. For example, in Max you can edit solids, by selecting nodes, and moving them, in max you can easy restrict moving to a single plan, and stuff like that. I am sure most of you are using Cad form modeling and Max or LS for rendering, I would like to know your opinions on this metter, are you restricted in Cad compering to Max, or that is only me? And how much you are quicker modeling in Cad, oppose modelling in Max (if quicker)or this is only metter of some people get used to certein software. I know, bottom line is, all the tools are good, but some are different in certein areas. I would like to see your opinions. Regards Sergio! __________________ We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give!

February 25th, 2003	#2 (permalink)
Craig Ramsay Moderator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Scotland Age: 28 Posts: 739 Name: Craig Ramsay	Started out modeling in AutoCAD but Max is so much faster for modeling especially Max 5 with its new poly tools. Stick with Max __________________ www.shakedigital.com

February 25th, 2003	#3 (permalink)
STRAT Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK. Age: 36 Posts: 6,485 Name: Stephen Leworthy	i wont go into a long massive answer here but just to say you have to know the software. it's what you feel at ease with and what you're used to. i use max and acad, but acad is much more accurate and faster for modelling than max is, which is what it was designed for. max is much better at organically shaped objects than acad, but drastically lack acad's complete accuracy and control. __________________

February 25th, 2003	#5 (permalink)
Brian Cassil Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut. Age: 36 Posts: 2,014 Name: Brian Cassil	Brasilieros sao muito inteligente! (Brazilians are very inteligent) because I agree with Christian 100%. Several years ago when I first started working in 3D I was learning the process through autocad and kept thinking to myself that there had to be a better way. Then someone from the gaming industry showed me how they work using 3D studio R4 (not even max yet) and it was exactly what I wanted. I stress the "I" in that phrase because different people are more comfortable with different work flows. I have tried to go back to autocad (and even ADT) several times since then to see if modeling right there would work better for me and I still don't think it does. Bottom line is I try to use programs strengths and limit thier weaknesses which is pretty much what Christian described. __________________ "writing notes is quieter."

February 25th, 2003	#6 (permalink)
Sawyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: CA Age: 34 Posts: 1,563 Name: Sawyer Fischer	I am with Strat. I use what I know. But honestly I hate Autocad. :ngeupset: I have been using it daily for so many years now & I think it is a poorly done program. I like max I like the ui and I like the way it thinks. I am better with cad than max so I do use it a lot but I would rather use max. For 3d autocad & max just can't be compaired. The work flow I have developed involves using a footprint (2d) of the bldg plan and a 2d elevation. These are done with cad and modified with cad. I take them and pop them out in max. It works really well for me. __________________ And you may ask yourself What is that beautiful house?

February 25th, 2003	#4 (permalink)
Christian Miranda Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Belo Horizonte Posts: 94 Name: Christian Miranda	Hi Sergio, Here go my 3 cents... Autocad can be incredibly fast for hard-surface modeling such as straight walls, windows, doors, floors and ceilings (the close polylines + extrude + booleans workflow is unbeatable. 3dsmax offers a more humanistic approach to modeling in which you have a higher degree of control over your models, its modifiers can be used on a non-destructive way and there are certain types of objects that you can´t produce using autocad (within an acceptable timeframe) such as natural looking curtains, cushions, sofas, bedspreads and free-form furniture. Also you have to consider that some Max native object types such as Nurbs surfaces and Lofts have implicit UVW coordinates which makes texturing a lot easier. I think the ideal workflow is cleaning-up drawings and closing polylines in Autocad, extruding, lathing, lofting, etc...in Max and producing all the furniture in Max as well. Sorry I ended-up writing too much... I hope it helps some.

February 25th, 2003	#7 (permalink)
Rick Eloy Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: São Paulo, Brasil Age: 31 Posts: 2,383 Name: Ricardo Eloy	Ok, now here goes my 1 cent (I'm out of change, sorry! ) 6 years ago, I started modelling using AutoCAD. Then, a guy who worked with me asked me why I didn't do all that stuff with Max, since I was going to export it, anyway. The problem is that I had never thought about doing so, but when I did I found it tremendously easy! Not to mention the UVW mapping part... So, today I model ONLY in Max, no more CAD for me. And before that I was a DWG native speaker. I even tried to use ArchiCAD, but it turned out to be even slower, since I had to remodel lots of things that came out wrong and/or double. I think it's better if you can keep everything in only one software, but that's just my humble opinion. And Yes, brazilians are so inteligent ... Brian, do you speak portuguese or it's just your computer? :ebiggrin: [] Rick __________________ Rick Eloy reb digital - Really, I'm doing it for the kids...

February 25th, 2003	#8 (permalink)
Kassner Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brazil Posts: 20 Name: Ricardo Kassner	Rick... We are getting old! When I was a Civil Engineering student I began to learn AutoCAD R10 for DOS about 9 years ago. About 2 years later, I was teaching AutoCAD for many students and professionals and I trying to model something simple in 3D Studio 4.0 for DOS. Oh! My God!!! I´m really getting old!!! :ebiggrin: So... of course! On that time, it was so easy to agree that AutoCAD was faster modelling software compare to 3D Studio. Nowadays I still using a CAD software (ADT) as Civil Engineer and Architect BUT for modelling an design visualization proposals there is NO DOUBT of 3D Studio MAX's powerful. Kassner.

February 25th, 2003	#9 (permalink)
Sergio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 44 Posts: 129 Name: Srdjan Repensek	Thanks to all of you guys for those valuable comment, I am more concern about Max/Cad issue. I also think Max is bit more advanced. But few things are better, much better in Cad (unless you guys got different approach)that is boolening, in max you have to (whend punching holes in the walls)substruct by selecting the wall, than, click boolen tool, click button "Pick Operand B", than click box whitch is going to be used to make a hole; repeat whole operation for each window opening. In Cad you instantly pick all objects to make holes in the wall at once, so operation is much shorter. Second thing sometimes, when I punch too many holes in the wall, I loose some faces on the wall, I guess, that must be something wrong with my computer(I think I got a bios problem). And very big difference is Cad files are much smaller, and computer is struggleing less when you model in Cad. When you importing *.DWG file in Max, that takes for ever. Any comments? Regards Sergio! __________________ We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give!

February 25th, 2003	#10 (permalink)
Craig Ramsay Moderator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Scotland Age: 28 Posts: 739 Name: Craig Ramsay	True Max's booleans are crap But I invested in power booleans for max which is amazing You can perform boolean after boolean on the same object and it hardly ever fails. You can also pick more than one object to boolean with at a time, just like autocad. I used to use autocad for modeling a lot but as I got more confident with max I used cad less and now not at all for modeling Craig __________________ www.shakedigital.com

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