Software Dependancy and the Industry
polycounter lvl 7
So I'm going for my first interview in the industry soon. What really worries my is the software requirements of working for a studio. I'm used to modelling with modo but I have a basic working knowledge of 3DS Max. The thing I hate most about workin in max is UVW unwrapping.
There are a bunch of plugins for 3DS Max like (TexTools, free, great, buggy) and Polyboost (commercial, potentially awesome, havent used yet) which can help make things easier but I'm so hesitant to actually take advantage of those because I don't know what my protential employers attitude will be to having to provide me with software, especially commercial software, so that I can do work.
Are they just going to laugh at me and say GTFO if I say "But I can't really unwrap without TexTools?" or if I say "My modelling package of choice is one that you don't have and I'm not nearly as proficient with other software?"
There are a bunch of plugins for 3DS Max like (TexTools, free, great, buggy) and Polyboost (commercial, potentially awesome, havent used yet) which can help make things easier but I'm so hesitant to actually take advantage of those because I don't know what my protential employers attitude will be to having to provide me with software, especially commercial software, so that I can do work.
Are they just going to laugh at me and say GTFO if I say "But I can't really unwrap without TexTools?" or if I say "My modelling package of choice is one that you don't have and I'm not nearly as proficient with other software?"
Replies
TexTools isn't buggy per say, it simply limited to the calls in Max. For example, if you want to create splits based upon smoothing groups for your UV's, you'll need to set your grouping smooth, make sure you don't have any sub objects selected before applying the UV modifier, because as soon as you use Textools split, it will need to select the smoothing groups via the Poly Modifier inorder to assess which ones to split.
It's more on 'how things are done in Max and thus needs to be worked around as such' as opposed to it being buggy.
If you want another UV tool to help, may I suggest XRay-Unwrap?
You can test out the trial here: http://www.raylightgames.com/xrayunwrap/trial.html
my 1st job was maya and I went in with the only experience with it being opening maya up and making a box, hating the interface and then closing it. within a couple weeks on the job I was using it as fluidly as max. people like to make a big deal about switching software but its not that big a deal, once you are familiar with how to make awesome art, the program shouldnt matter. I have gone back and forth between maya and max, I'm back to using maya again after being back to max for a couple years after my 1st gig.
@Ace-Angel: I didn't know that! That'll hopefully help cut out a lot of the issues I've been having with TexTools! I'll have a look at X-Ray as well!
Edit:
@Pixelmasher: Ahhh, I'll remember that. I DO have decent knowlege of how things should be done, I'm just not able to get there quickly with every software package out there. That's something else that will be helpful in the interview.
After working here for a few months now, I love Maya. All software packages are fundamentally the same, so transitioning from one to another isn't that difficult. It's just figuring out where the buttons are again.
This.
Just be honest, and have confidence that you can do whatever they need you to. (related to your "position" that is)
-m
Normally I've found that people from another app if they're genuinely open to learning new software, can really help improve tools and techniques.
However if all they do is bitch and complain and the frustration they express underscores their ignorance of the program they are trying to learn its very unproductive.
New guy: "XXX app is sooOOoo much better!!! This! THIS piece of crap doesn't even have a perspective mode! I laugh at it! HA!"
Lead: "Dude... press P"
New Guy: "Oh..." "I umm, still don't like it! HA!" /cape twirl
Yea those guys need to dial it down a notch and ask for help in a reasonable way. Not only is it hard to interrupt a bitcher when they get going but its awkward and confrontational when you inform them the app does do what they want, just differently. But if they say "hey in XXX I use this thing that does this stuff, do you know where I could find it?" Then they start to blend in.
TLDR, don't be a judgmental prick.
All of those plugins are definitely handy and most places (if not all) will allow you to use them, so long as they're "free" or don't cause any conflicts with their setups. Which I'm guessing would be rare.
Worst case scenario is you can't use them and you're stuck with default settings, or whatever they have in place. Which honestly isn't that bad, you'll just spend more time unwrapping or whatever.
Don't worry about it.
-m
@glottis8: Thanks for the tips! I guess if I don't have access to the plugins then no one else will and I can probably just go around finding out how they do it, since they probably aren't slogging along like i would be (initially).
IMO its a little silly to force everyone to use exactly the same workflow, as long as everyone's final assets end up in a common format so anyone can make changes if need be. If you hire a Modo guy, it might take him a year or two to be really as fast as he was in Modo, in max. I don't personally see that as something that is productive.
Unlike Autodesk Max or Maya you can install Modo on as many machines as you want. Work PC, home PC, laptop, whatever, as long as only one copy is in use by it's owner at any given time then everything is fine.
The only thing to be careful of is leaving your assets saved as a common file format that anyone can open and edit.