Max to Modo is it a good idea?
polycounter lvl 12
I am currently using a student copy of Max for 2 years now and I am starting to consider Modo as an alternative. I would really love to know if it would be wise to move on to modo. From what I have seen the tools seem solid, fast and very capable, so I would love some input from others on this.
Replies
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137936&highlight=modo
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123641&highlight=modo&page=9
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135075&highlight=modo
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133845&highlight=modo
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133460&highlight=modo
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131137&highlight=modo
Anyways, there are some minor things that i need to do in Max or Maya.
EDIT : I mean, everything is a compromise. Using Max is great if you don't want to use MeshFusion, rounded edge shaders that bake into your normal map, or an easily customizable UI that you can tune to your exact workflow. :P
I like how Snefer gets his piping curves off a solid instead of using Modo's simple tubing tool (simple when compared to Max's spline tools).
there's also a seneca script that creates tubing on the path of the selected edges. Alongside beveling and deleting inward polys and making tubes out of remaining corner polys, I saw him using that 'makepipe'(or somthing else) script too.
I can definitely recommend it. Everything feels so stiff and slow when you back to other applications after having been in MODO. We use Max at work here, and I catch myself thinking "I could have done this SO easily in MODO" several times every single day, at different stages of production.
Get demo. Try it.
It's funny, but I personally, rarely used max splines to create tubes. I used it to create... arches! Gothic, Moorish, Moroccan, and other similar, which are not simply half circle.
And that is one thing I find quite difficult to do in modo.
Check for fallofs, you can create many different arc shapes out of a polygon strip by using fallofs and then convert the outer edges to open curve and then use curve extrude to extrude along the curve with a 2d polygonal shape (or use profiles).
Modeling in modo mostly requires a different mindset, better to adapt it's own ways instead of emulating the app you migrated from, it's still possible to use curves effectively even though not that non-destructive as 3dsmax.
When I first started using it, it took me two weeks just to figure out how to get it to properly bake and export maps. The Luxology forums are a wasteland.
With Max/Maya everyone and their mother uses it so documentation and guides are everywhere, and Blender has an absolutely massive and helpful community.
Even decent tutorials for Modo have been relatively hard for me to find outside Digital Tutors (a site which I really don't like).
Other than that, I do really like it. Maybe there's a better community site for Modo than the official forums that I just don't know about.
I wouldn't really consider Facebook a place for constructive discussion. More just news updates.
make sure you install vertex normal kit and other handy script
PS. yeah and dont forget to get some scripts like you would do with max
My main question though, is how well does it deal with bigger pipelines? My hesitance to switch fully to it over learning maya more comprehensively, is that I'll still need something with a fully featured, production-ready rigging and animation tool kit, and something that has solid options for scene and rig referencing, multi-artist collaboration, and general game-engine ready tools.
I talked to a former modo evangelist over the summer and he alluded to it not being up to scratch for some things still (issues with smoothing, etc) and that in terms of feature set maya and max still cater better to production needs.
And on that note, is modo used much in studios outside of just being a modeler that people export out of for another package to rig/animate?
From a brief look at the UI of Modo it seems closer to Blender than Max or Maya does.
How does Modo deal with large scenes? (Let's say 20 million polies and hundreds of objects.)
How quickly are the plugins updated for new releases usually? Including minor ones.
I think plugins are usually updated within a week or so.
I think Autodesk has really shot themselves in the foot with their pricing and lack of development regarding upgrades.
EDIT: Thanks for the feedback Tidal!
Not to derail the topic, im just curious what the big deal is with painter.
I bought it, and I dont get it. What am I missing?
Yeah this would be handy!
After taking it for a short spin, do people not model so much in the "planar" modelling method, where you extrude polygons from edges? I know it's been said to try not to use your "previous methods" and instead do the Modo way, but planar modelling (rather than box) is how I work in Max...
Uhh, you can extrude edges into faces or bridge edges in Modo. Check out the edge tabbed tools. You don't have to necessarily model or even use sub-d.
Two things foremost, if coming from Max, to get used to is "dropping tool" concept in Modo and the fact that there's no modifier stack.
Right.
I just hadn't found "Extend" as I thought "Extrude" would do what I wanted.
the default Extend command in Modo is awful imo. There is Seneca's script which makes it into a proper tool. It's called Bevelittle. Also there's a script which makes it work like Maya - @y_extrude.py.
Google them.
Also, is there a cutting tool in Modo like the one in Maya MTK? 1 tool lets you cut from any component and by middle mouse clicking you can cut loops
And recommendation for must have scripts and plugins are appreciated :]
Thanks a lot, Tidal.
Would you say it has any place in a stylized workflow?
That being said, I usually fall back to Max when its time to bake some input maps.
Baking in Modo always feels like a hack.
They actually have an official video set for those transitioning from Max to Modo.
Its the first set on: http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/modo/learn/
"This tutorial series shows the unique benefits that MODO offers a 3ds Max user. If you're looking to expand your toolset, MODO makes creating digital content easier no matter what package youre currently using. "
If Luxology/Foundry play their cards right, and really reach out while developing with game artist in mind... I wouldnt be surprised if the number of user's skyrocketed. But I agree, it feels like its catching on here on PC.
I think the best approach is to get familiar with the "popular software", know how to use it, but move to Modo knowing full well you can use Max/Maya if the job calls for it, otherwise take Modo with you or push it into as many pipelines as possible.
The only way to make software more popular is to use it and let others see you using it. If its good, the desire for others to use it will spread. Modo is good software.
As for 3ds Max. Tbh I think they eventually plan to migrate users over to Maya and will use any means necessary to make that happen (without stirring the hornets nest if possible). For their long term plans I wouldnt be surprised if they see more profit in maintaining one major software package instead of 2-3.
But I work the same in Photoshop. Once I have piled up several layers, trying to keep things nondestructive actually starts slowing me down and i need to merge/delete some to free myself up again.
I am not saying that it wasn't a useful feature, in some cases it was extremely beneficial. But there were some downsides for me as well