Just curious as to whether anybody knows of a decent 3D modelling tool for Mac. Yesterday, I used a friends PC running Sketchup Pro 5. Am I right in thinking Google have now bought the licensing to this tool and it is now freeware?
I've heard people mention Rhino, but know so little at this stage of 3D modelling packages I'd be glad of any information you kind folk might like to submit.
I know a firm that drafts in ArchiCad and models in Cinema4D, and their stuff looks quite decent, and it seems that the transitions are easy. Maybe I'm gonna get slammed for saying this, but I'm not really convinced that super fancy intense glossily perfect 3d models necessarily are worth the effort in many architecture firms. I believe it really depends on what you do and who your clients are. They make for great graphics for magazine submittals, of course, and for winning competitions, but...
I've found Form Z, Maya, and Sketch up work well on the mac. Maya is the best, Form Z is really good solid based modeler and daylighting, and sketch up google is free. (Both Maya & Sketchup are surface based modelers
Had Sketchup on the go tonight and enjoyed a brief play with it. I love its 'sketchy' 3d nature. Just like sketching a building but in 3d and maniputable.
learn maya, it's worth it. and i.e. via *.obj export it integrates with rhino, so you can derive raw drawings from your model and not just use it as a visualization tool.
I suggest Maya (native Mac). In answer to the question about firms and Sketchup, Goody-Clancy is the only major outfit I know of that has it integrated into their design-development process.
Just one last quick question sorry. I don't think I can run Bootcamp on an ibook g4 with non-intel processor. Are there any other options for windows emulation, bearing in mind I have 256mb ram if you're considering any 'high-end' 3d modelling software in your suggestion. Would Maya or Rhino stand no chance on such a setup?
The only version of Maya that is supposedly designed to run on intel-macs is 8.5 (just realeased unfortunately it's only 32-bit)--the earlier versions were still set up for the power pc processors, so they should run fine. I don't think windows emulation was that great in the pre-intel days so you'd be better off not trying to run Rhino--go for Modo (runs natively in OSX).
Modo is actually quite a nice program, though it's not a "double-precision" modeller like Rhino, but if you're not going for super-accurate models it won't matter.
Any archicad users ever use Artlantis? Its a pretty nice renderer, especially for how easy it is to use. It's not necesarily archicad specific so it should work for most other programs.
What does Cinema 4D do differently? I have heard a little about it. Can you manipulate the model in it or is it just a straight renderer?
norris - there is a plugin for archicad and vectorworks called MaxonForm that turns c4d into an extension of archicad and vectorworks. it lets you take your models between archicad/vectorworks and cinema 4d to do nurbs modeling and to use its render engine. the plugin also allows you to transfer textures between the programs. and if you make a change in the c4d model it's updated in archicad/vw model & documentation.
maxon (the c4d makers) are currently working on tools to make the program more useful for engineers (esp. making the cad model to c4d exchange really smooth). i am betting they will soon develop tools to make measuring in c4d in architect's units easier, and also a way to precisely unwrap UV maps to create diagrams that machines can cut out and people can assemble (similar to rhino).
maxon is owned by nemetsheck, which owns both vectorworks and more recently archicad. they are backed by apple as the choice programs for architects on macs, so i hope that will push them to develop more architecture-specific tools. they have the base and framework, it just needs some fleshing out.
i'm rooting for my mac, so i hope this is how it turns out.
Apr 5, 07 2:00 pm ·
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3D Modelling a la Macintosh
Just curious as to whether anybody knows of a decent 3D modelling tool for Mac. Yesterday, I used a friends PC running Sketchup Pro 5. Am I right in thinking Google have now bought the licensing to this tool and it is now freeware?
I've heard people mention Rhino, but know so little at this stage of 3D modelling packages I'd be glad of any information you kind folk might like to submit.
Cheers.
Maya
I'm currently running an ibook g4 on OSX 10.3.9 so am a bit limited perhaps in the software I can use?
Any thoughts bearing this in mind as to which would be the better option of the two?
maya
Here's a complete list of 3D Mac programs i've found useful.
http://www.pure-mac.com/3d.html
maya maya maya
hmmm... maya on a g4 ibook....
probably better to stick with sketchup
maya is best nowadays.
I know a firm that drafts in ArchiCad and models in Cinema4D, and their stuff looks quite decent, and it seems that the transitions are easy. Maybe I'm gonna get slammed for saying this, but I'm not really convinced that super fancy intense glossily perfect 3d models necessarily are worth the effort in many architecture firms. I believe it really depends on what you do and who your clients are. They make for great graphics for magazine submittals, of course, and for winning competitions, but...
I've found Form Z, Maya, and Sketch up work well on the mac. Maya is the best, Form Z is really good solid based modeler and daylighting, and sketch up google is free. (Both Maya & Sketchup are surface based modelers
Had Sketchup on the go tonight and enjoyed a brief play with it. I love its 'sketchy' 3d nature. Just like sketching a building but in 3d and maniputable.
Is it often used within professional practices?
Just bought 3Dnerds.COM off Ebay how cool is that?
sorry off topic Maya for Mac Take it from a 3DNerd
learn maya, it's worth it. and i.e. via *.obj export it integrates with rhino, so you can derive raw drawings from your model and not just use it as a visualization tool.
I suggest Maya (native Mac). In answer to the question about firms and Sketchup, Goody-Clancy is the only major outfit I know of that has it integrated into their design-development process.
FormZ
you could always go the bootcamp route and use Rhino, or Maya, or 3DSMax, or XSI or…
Take a look at Modo from luxology.
Just one last quick question sorry. I don't think I can run Bootcamp on an ibook g4 with non-intel processor. Are there any other options for windows emulation, bearing in mind I have 256mb ram if you're considering any 'high-end' 3d modelling software in your suggestion. Would Maya or Rhino stand no chance on such a setup?
The only version of Maya that is supposedly designed to run on intel-macs is 8.5 (just realeased unfortunately it's only 32-bit)--the earlier versions were still set up for the power pc processors, so they should run fine. I don't think windows emulation was that great in the pre-intel days so you'd be better off not trying to run Rhino--go for Modo (runs natively in OSX).
Modo is actually quite a nice program, though it's not a "double-precision" modeller like Rhino, but if you're not going for super-accurate models it won't matter.
does 3dsmax really run that well on macs?
I was going to pipe in for sketchup/cinema 4d but that blender looks pretty sweet . . . looks alot like cinema4d.
Any archicad users ever use Artlantis? Its a pretty nice renderer, especially for how easy it is to use. It's not necesarily archicad specific so it should work for most other programs.
What does Cinema 4D do differently? I have heard a little about it. Can you manipulate the model in it or is it just a straight renderer?
norris - there is a plugin for archicad and vectorworks called MaxonForm that turns c4d into an extension of archicad and vectorworks. it lets you take your models between archicad/vectorworks and cinema 4d to do nurbs modeling and to use its render engine. the plugin also allows you to transfer textures between the programs. and if you make a change in the c4d model it's updated in archicad/vw model & documentation.
maxon (the c4d makers) are currently working on tools to make the program more useful for engineers (esp. making the cad model to c4d exchange really smooth). i am betting they will soon develop tools to make measuring in c4d in architect's units easier, and also a way to precisely unwrap UV maps to create diagrams that machines can cut out and people can assemble (similar to rhino).
maxon is owned by nemetsheck, which owns both vectorworks and more recently archicad. they are backed by apple as the choice programs for architects on macs, so i hope that will push them to develop more architecture-specific tools. they have the base and framework, it just needs some fleshing out.
i'm rooting for my mac, so i hope this is how it turns out.
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