Opinions on the Cintiq for game art. Also any alternatives?

BARDLER

I got to do some zbrushing on a Cintiq recently and absolutely fucking loved it lol. I could work much faster, much more deliberate, and it was easier to make more complex strokes. I am honestly considering spending the money on one but I wanted to get some feedback from other people who do game art as well.

I am wondering if anybody has any experience with the previous generation 21ux model, and/or the new 22hd model that could offer any feedback. I was doing some research between the two models and it seams the big difference is color accuracy, screen resolution, contrast ratio, brightness, and lighter/thinner unit. I am not a big fan of buying computer stuff used, so I am a little hesitant of buying a 21ux even though you can find them for $1000-$1200 used.

I tried doing research on some alternatives to the Cintiqs, but I couldn't find anything that was game art related. I want to make sure any alternative options can work without any issues in Maya, Photshop, Zbrush, ect before considering buying one. Any advice or recommendations about some Cintiq alternatives would be great as well.

Thanks!

EmAr

Never had the chance to work with one but I heard the old Cintiq's would make your hands sweat after a certain period of time due to heat.

Also, an alternative if you are into building stuff:

http://tabletmod.com/

Twoflower

I tried a cintiq briefly at my internship at Arrowhead and really liked it, so i went ahead and bought a cintiq 22hd. I have had it for about 2 months now and i love it. i don't know about the differnces between then 21ux and 22hd as i have never used a 21ux before but if you have any specifik questions reagarding the 22hd just ask away^^

So far i have don't have any complaints about color accuracy, contrast ratio or brightness. My 2 biggest complaints is that screen is reflectiv which can be kinda annoying when its bright in my room and the second complaint is that sometimes the wacom drivers just randomly stop working, which forces me to restart my computer. This only happens like 1-2 times a week so it no biggie really.

If you want an alternative to the cintiq you could check out the Yiynova MSP19U: http://www.noahbradley.com/blog/2013/review-of-the-yiynova-msp19u-tablet-monitor/

Dataday

I currently own an older 20wsx (intuos 3 digitizer) and the new 13hd. I cant imagine not using one anymore, even for 3d modeling.

I can tell you this, get it!!! Its worth it, and I do not recommend the alternatives such as Yiynova. It is an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Getting an older model (21ux, 20wsx) is fine, though they generally can get kind of hot. They also can get scratched up easily since some models seem to have different surface materials on the glass itself. You also have to consider the possibility of a bulb going out since they dont use LED lighting. These also consume more electricity if I am not mistaken.

Thus if you are willing to make the dive and get one, the wise choice would be to go for a newer model such as the 22hd. If anything happens to it, you can also count on the support and parts to get it fixed. With my 20wsx, if anything happens to it im tough out of luck since neither the panels are made anymore and I dont think wacom even has the type of bulbs used to replace back lights.

WarrenM

Lurve working on Cintiqs. I have a 24HD at work and at home and they are AWESOME for sculpting and drawing.

almighty_gir

i've got a 22HD, and i love it. i can't imagine not using one anymore... i don't have any issues with screen temperature or anything.

personally, i see it as an investment. it's something that will pay for itself, and more over time. and it's sturdy as fuck lol... i've taken it into/out of london in a suitcase haha.

low odor

I picked up a Yiynova MSP19U a few months ago had zero problems with it..Works great with all those programs..sped up my Topogun workflow considerably..zero lag...

I would see if you could find one to demo..Some people have said they notice a difference..I've used both, but it has been a couple years since I used a cintiq

http://blog.drawn.ca/post/38741581411/the-yiynova-msp19u-cintiq-alternative-swings-for-the

Fuse

It's an expensive investment.

I use a 21UX at the office. I switched to a 22HD for a few months while my 21UX was sent in for a repair and wasn't really impressed. I don't like the "sparkly" effect on the 22HD glass. I don't like the widescreen landscape format and the resolution isn't actually better but rather formatted differently. I also didn't like the fat bezel.

In the end, I gave the 22HD to my lead and got my 21UX back.

To be honest, I can just as easily switch back to a tablet. The novelty of a cintiq wears out pretty quick.

If you HAVE to have a cintiq for character work, I'd take a cheaper 21UX. It's a much more cost effective solution.

Moosebish

I'm with Fuse.

I used one for a long time at my old job and it was really cool at first. I'm honestly not a huge fan of having my arm in that position while I work for long periods of time.

Now I just use a tablet at work and its just as good as the cintiq ever was.

Another thing to take note of, is that the cintiq's screen is pretty terrible for playing games on. So if your computer at home doubles as your gaming rig, keep that in mind.

Dataday

Well the general rule of thumb is that you would have a dual screen setup. You shouldnt buy a cintiq to play games on, that would make absolutely no sense. It's an art tool. I also dont understand how anyone cannot like a widescreen version of the cintiq...but thats just me. The 20wsx I use is one of wacoms earlier wide screen models. I much prefer this to the square variations which actually left me we with a more cramped interface when using 3d and 2d applications.

MagicSugar

Fuse wrote: »

To be honest, I can just as easily switch back to a tablet. The novelty of a cintiq wears out pretty quick.

Word.

I own a working 21ux but I currently still use my trusty mid-size Intous 3 more. I like the specs of the newer Cintiqs but knowing personally that there won't be a jump in either my production or artistic level if I upgrade, even if I have the funds I'd use it for a new beast computer instead. But that's just me. I like portable SurfacePro too for 2D work...maybe someday.

But if you're going for a used 21, make sure to test it before committing. No dead pixels, dead zone (happened to me with my original purchase), etc. And find out if there are driver issues if you're on Window 7-8. Best to just get the newer editions if you have the funds.

Justin Meisse

I own a 21ux at home and have a 22hd at work, they both are amazing. The extra width of the 22hd doesn't sound like much on paper but my work area feels less cramped. Eventually I'm going to sell the 21ux and upgrade to a 22hd at home. I also have my work cintiq on an Ergotron LX arm, it took a while of fussing to find an orientation I like but it was worth it in the end (well, work paid for it all so it's really a free cintiq & arm)

It's a big sturdy piece of equipment that will last through plenty of computer builds, mine has been through a lot of moves with nary a ding on it and the only protection it gets is a big piece of cardboard duck taped to the glass. Granted, I do move it in my car with other fragile equipment.

I can texture fine with a regular tablet but can't draw for shit on one, I guess a Intuos4 XL would work but then that's a lot of real-estate taken up on my desk for something that doesn't have a screen in it.

BARDLER

low odor wrote: »

I picked up a Yiynova MSP19U a few months ago had zero problems with it..Works great with all those programs..sped up my Topogun workflow considerably..zero lag...

I would see if you could find one to demo..Some people have said they notice a difference..I've used both, but it has been a couple years since I used a cintiq

http://blog.drawn.ca/post/38741581411/the-yiynova-msp19u-cintiq-alternative-swings-for-the

That is an interesting review. His two main complaints also seem to be fixed with their 22 in IPS panel model. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Yiynova-MVP22U-Monitor-IPS-Windows/dp/B00FJBHFX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381863232&sr=8-1&keywords=MVP22U+ips"]Amazon.com: Yiynova MVP22U(V2) Tablet Monitor, VESA Stand, IPS Panel(Mac & Windows): Computers & Accessories[/ame]
I think that tablet might be a better option to be honest. Although the hotkeys are located on top which could be the dumbest place they could put them.

weee

I'd rather spend $$ on a really decent monitor, a decent sized Wacom tablet and a 6d Art Pen, Cintiq is cool, but doesn't do the price justice.

Steve Schulze

I wouldn't bother with a smaller one. I've had a 12" one for years now and stopped using it for anything besides displaying reference pretty quickly. The screen is just impractically small for doing actual work on.

ikken

weee wrote: »

I'd rather spend $$ on a really decent monitor, a decent sized Wacom tablet and a 6d Art Pen, Cintiq is cool, but doesn't do the price justice.

art pen is garbage tho and I'm not sure if zbrush or any other sculpting programs are using it at all.

(owed one for intuos 3, purchased one for intuos 5, ran into bugs that wacom never cared to fix (last linked issue is evident when using art pen as well)

don't use it anymore at all, despite my main painting program (corel painter) being tailored to work perfectly with rotation.

cintiq is a real time saver, although an expensive one, and it's a decent option color range-wise.

aeonbluestar

I have wanted one for years. Last year I made the decision that I was going to finally get one even if it meant starving myself to do so. I saved up over the last year and just last month I ended up buying the 13HD. It's one of the best investments I've made in my life.

I've been using an Intuos 4 Medium for a few years and had gotten really good with it, so transitioning to the Cintiq 13HD was just awesome, especially considering their working areas are similar in size. It has really sped up my workflow. I'm much more accurate in ZBrush now for sure and texture painting started to feel more like traditional drawing. Obviously it's still digital, but it felt less mechanical.

My verdict is that it was a great investment. The only complaint I had on it was the color and contrast. I have dual monitors and the cintiq is a duplicate of my main monitor, so I end up looking up at my main monitor a lot for judging color and contrast. I would have liked the 22HD but it was way out of my price range. The 13HD really made a huge difference though. It has saved me hours of work over what I could have done with the intuos.

Another important thing it does for me: It forces me to go back to basics. I don't have as much time to do traditional drawing as much as I should and I get lazy about it when I do have free time. But the cintiq often inspires me to just open up a quick PSD and start quick sketching. Like I'd said earlier, texture painting on the cintiq feels more traditional and less mechanical.

snoops3d

I have the yiynova msp19U its great for the price but it does have its set backs.

So the set backs are:
color reproduction is not great especially when dealing with similar hues.
There is slight jitter when drawing very slowly my hand has a bit of natural shake to it so it took me awhile to really notice it, ( this is by no means is a deal breaker). I only notice the jitter in about 5% of what I do. The biggest set back is the TFT display, its like working on an older laptop when you adjust the screen angle away from you, it goes all wonky, you have to look directly at it to see it correctly.

Now for the good: I love it I am no longer dealing with my old intous tablet and am working directly on the screen. The feel of the pen, is way more natural than the cintiq pen to me. the size of it is nice it has a very slim profile compared to the older 21 ux cintiqs.

Yiynova also recently released the mvp22 (v2). It is using an IPS panel whicih is awesome, great viewing angles and color representation and the jitter issue is pretty much resolved (according to frendens review and yiynova techs).

I am planning on upgrading to the mvp22u v2 this week.

If you can afford the MVP22U I would say get that or a really good used older wacom tablet. if money is tight then I high recommend the msp19U (not the MSP19).

I use a wacom cintiq in my day job, so Im very used to using both msp19U and and the cintiq 21, My office bought the 21 ux new just a couple months before the 22 hd models came out, so Im not using a very old version of the 21UX.
I think pretty much any one would be happy with the msp19u over intous or other such tablet.