I find 3D Studio cumbersome for accurate modeling and have not worked with a firm that uses it as their primary modeler. FormZ and Acad are far more common, as far as I know.

imo, it depends on the firms and their type of work. my office does only orthogonal geometries, and so we model everything in cad then file link in 3d studio. but i'm sure other offices use different methods and software.

rhino = accuracy and convenience of autocad + bling value of max

Rhino all the way, easily imports AutoCad files and can be easily exported for rendering in Max, depending on the person rendering and the budget/deadline of the project. It's also dirt cheap compared to paying the going rate for 3DSMax

If you are 3d studio proficient you can model as fast and as accurate as any other cad or 3d programs. As far as firms, it all depends on the modeler self. The firm where I work uses the combination for 3d modeling and applauds the idea that I model directly in 3d Studio Max. Many people learn to model in autocad, but nowadays every starter learns to model directly into a 3d program, like 3d studio Rhino Form Z etc.

Personally, I find it easier to import 2d drawings form autocad to 3d studio max and model from there.

Thanks everyone!

props to tickertocker, im a huge fan of rhino

from what i've found at least here, the firms are too CHEAP to buy any other 3d software and so like most places we have and use autocad. Only 2 people out of 45 in this office know 3d so we are the ones that pound em out in autocad.

THE BIG PROBLEM IS THIS:

When working with teams the DESIGNER who is doing modeling and rendering NEEDS to be able to communicate VIA DRAWINGS with that team. That means that modeling in AutoCad is the best solution, as plans and sections can be xrefed, as well as being generated from the model and wblocked out to 2D files for the rest of the team to use.

IF YOU ARE USING MAX YOU WILL BE JUST "THE RENDERER", since you would have effectively put yourself OUT of the communication loop.

JUST A HINT:

AutoCad can render on its own. The only rendering features it lacks are really ray tracing (I.E. global illumination) and animation.

You can do a lot in cad... but autodesk doesn't really want you to know, because then you wouldn't also need to by MAX/VIZ.

But Rhino...ahhhh... Rhino rocks. Communication is the issue that kills it for large project work.

solidworks anyone?

I agree with Harold once you get good in 3Dmax its easier to import 2d drawings into Max and trace over them.....There are Snap options in max, and once you understand them it can make the modeling process move alot smoother.

Question on Rhino for those that are familar with it. On their webpage, the developers say that Rhino can be successfully run in Virtual PC on a MAC. Is this feasible, or is the app so slow that its not really usuable if I was to run it this way. I have a dual proc. G5, so I'm pretty confident that my system can dish out the power. I've heard a lot about the app and have never used it, and would like to give it a go.

And please, no one tell me to get a PC.