An advanced product developed by Autodesk Media & Entertainment, 3ds Max continues the legacy that started with 3D Studio. Renowned for generating 3D animations, models, games and images, it’s the tool of choice for an array of videographers, game developers, and architectural firms.
3ds Max Top Features
MAXScript: Powerful built-in scripting language.
Scene Explorer: Offers a hierarchical view of scene data.
Flexibility: Supports import and linking of .dwg files, keyframing in two modes, and creative texture and planar mapping.
Sophisticated Animation Tools: Including expressions, scripts, list controllers, and wiring.
Cloth Simulations: Integrated cloth solver for realistic simulations.
Asset Management: Integrated with Autodesk Vault, streamlining asset management.
Modeling:
Utilizes robust polygon modeling and Non-Uniform Rational Based-Splines (NURBS) for smooth sphere creation.
Plugins:
Offers specialized plugins for enhanced functionalities.
Constant Updates:
Stays agile with regular updates improving features and functionality.
3ds Max Disadvantages
System Compatibility: Operates exclusively on Windows platform, limiting user diversity.
Pricing: Requires token utilisation for certain features on a pay-as-you-go basis that could increase overall cost.
3ds Max Use Cases
Game Development Studios
3ds Max’s flexible plugin architecture and robust modeling capabilities make it a prime choice for creating stunning game visuals.
Film and Animation Industry
With comprehensive animation tools, cloth simulations, and realistic special effects, 3ds Max is integral to many high-profile movies’ production.
Architectural Firms
3ds Max’s capacity for creating detailed architectural presentations with realistic textures and mapping renders it ideal for architects and design firms.
Blender
Blender is a robust, free, and open-source 3D computer graphics software toolset. Engineered by Dutch animation studio NeoGeo, its core development was helmed by Ton Roosendaal, and it’s supported on various platforms including Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD, and Haiku.
Blender Top Features
3D modelling: highly precise modeling capabilities.
UV mapping and texturing: to create realistic 3D models.
Rigging and skinning: for creating lifelike movements.
Particle simulation: to mimic real-life scenarios.
Video editing and compositing: for cohesive final outputs.
Feature
Description
Digital Drawing
Allows creation of 2D graphics.
Fluid and smoke simulation
Enables practical, real-world visual effects.
Eevee renderer
Used for realistic graphical rendering, replacing the Blender Internal.
Blender Limitations
Complex User Interface: New users may find the software’s interface complicated and hard to navigate.
Blender Game Engine: Depreciated feature since 2.8 release.
Blender Pricing
Blender remains completely free and open-source, making it an accessible tool for everyone!
Blender Use Cases
Use case 1
Blender provides excellent services for animated films creation with its advanced animation and rendering features.
Use case 2
The toolset is beneficial for motion graphics artists, with its immense customization possibilities and fluid simulation.
Use case 3
Blender enables virtual reality developers to achieve realistic simulations and immersive environments.
Fusion 360
A product of Autodesk, Fusion 360 comes to us as an integrated, cloud-based platform for design, engineering, electronics, and manufacturing. Released in September 2013, it proves its versatility with compatibility across Windows, macOS, web browsers, Android, and iOS. It’s not only a multilingual tool but also an amalgamation of CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB design capabilities.
Fusion 360 Top Features
Advanced 2D & 3D designing: Fusion 360 boasts robust design capabilities that cater to both 2D and 3D models.
PCB layouts: Offers users the ability to design and visualize PCB layouts effectively.
Simulation Capabilities: Delve into what-if scenarios with seamless simulation abilities.
Realistic Rendering: Take your designs to the next level with lifelike rendering.
User-friendly Interface: Engineered to facilitate easy navigation and efficient workflows.
Additional Features
Benefits
Cloud Integration
Streamlined workflow, facilitating seamless collaboration wherever you are.
Free Limited Version
Convenient for home use without added cost.
Enhanced Learning Resources and Support
Extensive online tutorials and a large community for round-the-clock assistance.
Fusion 360 Disadvantages
Potential malware risks: Internet-based tools can sometimes fall prey to cyber threats.
Lack of personal keyboard controls: Fusion 360 does not facilitate customized keyboard controls.
No web-based standalone version: Could be a limitation for those preferring online, platform-independent solutions.
Fusion 360 Pricing
With an annual subscription costing $545/year and a monthly option at $70/month, Fusion 360 is seen as an affordable choice, particularly among SMEs. A free limited version is also available for home use.
Fusion 360 Use Cases
Use case 1: Electronics
Fusion 360 shows its true prowess in electronics with integrated electronics for MCAD and ECAD co-designing. It’s optimal for computing design trajectories, analyzing component movements, and the simultaneous editing of multiple components.
Use case 2: Aesthetic Design
From high-quality realistic rendering to detailed 2D & 3D designs, Fusion 360 provides all the tools needed for aesthetic design.
Use case 3: Architecture
Through its advanced design mechanisms and simulation capabilities, Fusion 360 is perfectly adapted for the architecture industry, facilitating the creation of sophisticated building designs.
Lumion
The renaissance of CAD designs truly happens when they are transformed into remarkable renders, and Lumion happens to be the art maestro in this terrain. A preferred buddy of architects and designers at large, Lumion fine-tunes your models into vibrant videos, lifelike images, and sweeping 360° panoramas. All this under a sleek interface that might make your CAD software blush.
Lumion Top Features
Effortless Integration: Plays well with others like AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD, and SketchUp.
Real-time Rendering: Feel like a time-bender; see changes appear live and instant!
Ensemble of Content: Want lights? Roads? Buildings? Got ’em all along with rugs to roads – Lumion’s got a library more eclectic than your city’s public library.
Raindrops to Ray-Tracing: Weather conditions, atmospheric effects, to real-time ray-tracing – Lumion lets you tailor your model’s ambiance to the last pixel.
And a Sweet Something: Lumion 2023 seems to be baking a brand new rendering standard – keep your eyes peeled for more delicious updates!
Added Advantage
Description
Material & Model Variation
Run wild with Lumion’s vast array of variations to material and models. Transforms CAD design into immersive visualizations with ease.
Quicker Rendering
Turns around projects faster than any delivery app could reach you with a pizza!
Interactivity
Your clients can now walk through the render, interact with the design, and basically become a virtual part of your work – Talk about breaking the fourth wall!
Lumion Limitations
Bulky Software: Needs a robust computer, almost Hulk-like, for best performance.
Pricey Affair: Could be a bit heavy on the pocket for startups. Maybe keep a piggy bank at work?
Lumion Pricing
Lumion opts for transparency over lighter wallet phobia with their one-time payment offer; pricing starts at $1,850.00. Reasonably affordable for a software that can turn a blueprint into an immersive walk-through.
Lumion Use Cases
Use case 1: Architecture and Design
Lumion offers real-time rendering, a Godsent for those client meetings when they ask, “But how will it look at sunset?” Presto! Watch their delight as you tweak settings on the go.
Use case 2: Urban planning & design
Isn’t a city’s skyline better visualized than described? Thanks to Lumion’s large object library and flexible renderings, it feels like you’ve just time-lapsed the state’s urban development.
Use case 3: Visualizing complex designs
From a towering skyscraper to a space-station, if you conceive it, Lumion can visualize it. Allows engineers and designers to witness their creation come to life in the most visually appealing way possible.
Substance Painter
Prepare to experience the vibrant universe of 3D digital painting. Substance Painter by Allegorithmic is the masterstroke in the wide canvas of 3D modeling, often hailed as the Adobe Photoshop for the third dimension of art.
Substance Painter Top Features
Powerful Texturing: Provides advanced procedural texturing tools, with upto 8k texture baking, elevating your art to unprecedented realism.
Real-Time PBR Workflows: Leveraging real-time PBR material workflows, it ensures an efficient, seamless painting experience.
Polygonal UV Unwrapping: Substance Painter requires a polygonal model properly UV unwrapped for painting – a prerequisite that delivers perfect textures.
PBR Compatible: Presence of PBR format compatibility ensures all your textures are ready for the game engine playground.
Brilliant Interface: A user-friendly interface aligns closely with other 3D software packages and Photoshop.
Feature
Utility
Procedural Texturing
Allows generation of detailed surfaces.
PBR Compatibility
Ensures game-engine ready texture outputs.
Polygonal UV Unwrapping
Promises precision during modeling and texturing.
Substance Painter Limitations
While powerful, it commands a learning curve flirted only by the artistically audacious.
It might appear pricey for independent game developers, but holds value for high-quality output.
Substance Painter Pricing
This 3D painting tool renowned in industry circles is priced relatively higher for individual developers, favorably comparable to competitors like Mari, 3D-Coat, and Mudbox. A bundle with Substance Designer may tilt the dynamic at $700, a possible future offering.
Substance Painter Use Cases
Use case 1: Game Development
Renowned gaming titans like Capcom and Activision have employed Substance Painter for high-profile creations like Uncharted 4 and Horizon Zero Dawn, showcasing its robust capabilities.
Use case 2: 3D Art
Fine digital three-dimensional artworks and game art masterpieces are within reach, as Substance Painter can carve variety in textures and models.
Use case 3: Asset Selling
With beta licenses, profiteering opportunities manifest in the form of asset selling on robust marketplaces like the Steam Store.
Maya
Stepping into the spotlight is Maya, a supremely versatile 3D computer graphics application, also known as Autodesk Maya. Pioneered originally by Alias and residing under the Autodesk umbrella today, Maya prides itself on its widespread application across multiple platforms such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Maya Top Features
Maya’s powerful animation capability allows movement, deformations and effects, showcasing its dominance in creating interactive 3D animations and models.
The built-in renderer, mental ray, radiates with advanced features like global illumination and subsurface scattering.
The hallmark, NURBS modeling system, excels in creating complex, detailed shapes, attesting to Maya’s unparalleled sophistication.
Exporting assets to gaming gems, Unreal Engine and Unity, balances functionality and entertainment.
Customizable User Interface
Adopted from a unique Disney request, offering a tailor-made experience.
Advanced Rigging System
Enables enhanced detailing for superior graphics.
Comprehensive Functionality
2D drawing, 3D modeling, data import/export, and more.
Maya Limitations
Maya’s detailed applications may require ample time for beginners to become proficient.
Being a resource-heavy application, high-performance hardware is often required for smoother functionality.
Despite its depth, Maya may not be suitable for simpler tasks or straightforward graphic design, as it is geared towards advanced projects.
Maya Pricing
Maya extends monthly and yearly subscriptions to businesses of various scales, cherishing inclusivity. It also flaunts a free trial and an educational license for aspiring graphic designers, and modest pricing for businesses earning less than $100,000.
Maya Use Cases
Use case 1: Film Industry
Maya’s premium animations and visual effects technology have found a home in movies such as The Lord of the Rings series and Star Wars, hinting at its dominance in the film industry.
Use case 2: Animation Studio
With its open architecture, Maya is a favorite among animation studios due to its adaptability and holistic animation solutions.
Use case 3: Education
Maya’s extensive usage in the industry makes it a beneficial platform for students and educators delving into 3D modeling and animation.
ZBrush
Dominating the world of digital sculpting, ZBrush stands tall as a compelling choice for professionals in gaming, film, and animation industries. It is renowned for its extensive collection of tools and techniques for 3D modeling, texturing, and painting, enabling the creation of lifelike art pieces and characters.
ZBrush Top Features
Sculptris Pro: Brilliantly designed for seamless, organic, and digital sculpting.
DynaMesh: Master tool for robust and real-time mesh generation.
ZRemesher: Provides automated retopology to aid complex designs.
PolyGroupIt: Excellent for efficient and precise grouping of polys.
Gizmo 3D: Offers transformative manipulations for 3D modeling.
PolyPaint: Allows painting directly on a model’s surface without texture map assignment.
Tool
Description
Sculptris Pro
A tool designed to bring fluidity and intuitiveness to digital sculpting.
ZRemesher
An auto-retopology tool to facilitate smoother transitions in complex designs.
PolyGroupIt
An excellent tool that aids in efficient selection and management of elements.
ZBrush Limitations
Learning curve: ZBrush boasts an array of features that, while advantageous for professionals, may be overwhelming for beginners.
Price: The thoroughness and complexity of the software come at a substantial cost, potentially besetting the budget constraints of independent artists or small studios.
ZBrush Use Cases
ZBrush for Game Development
With its ability to create highly detailed characters and animal figures, ZBrush holds a high stake in game development. Its powerful toolset transforms intricate designs into impressive game assets.
ZBrush for Film and Animation
The software’s advanced sculpting and modeling techniques make it a crucial component for film and animation workflow. In-depth courses and tutorials further equip artists to craft ultra-realistic elements like skin, hair, and clothes.
Digital Artistry with ZBrush
Whether you’re developing high-poly segmented structures, complex shapes, ring designs, or helmet panels, ZBrush caters to an artist’s creativity. Paired with tools like Photoshop, it enhances result quality to create compelling masterpieces.
Sculptris
Sculptris, a pro digital sculpting tool developed by Pixologic, offers a unique approach to sculpting and painting. Aimed towards allowing optimal freedom to artists, its technology caters to primary focus on visual aspects without having to worry about polygon resolution or other technical restraints, driving innovation across various multimedia industries.
Top Features of Sculptris
Dynamic topology: Sculptris lets you alter model topology on the go, helping to maintain brush shape accuracy.
Artistic freedom: It encourages artists to focus on the visual aspects, not being chained by technical constraints such as polygon resolution.
Advanced utilization: Sculptris is compatible with DynaMesh, imported models, scan data, ZSphere adaptive skins, and decimated models.
Unique Tessimation: By integrating tessellation and decimation, Sculptris offers a unique feature known as “Tessimation”.
Feature
Benefits
Real-time decimation application
Optimization of results
Variable topology density
Offering vast levels of detail based on brush size
Automatic triangulation
Managing polygon density during brush strokes
Sculptris Downsides
Limited to ZBrush: Sculptris is a part of ZBrush and cannot be used independently, which may put off some users.
Beginner Friendly: Although this can be seen as a positive, professional artists may find the features somewhat limiting.
Sculptris Usage
Industrial design
Sculptris is highly adaptable in industrial design, as it can modify CAD files and also be used for creating photorealistic illustrations.
Gaming
Its fluid nature makes Sculptris highly effective in creating game assets, enhancing the visual quality of today’s high-definition games.
Animation films and commercials
Sculptris can meticulously model characters, thus bringing lifelike vitality to animation films and commercials.
Unity
Originally launched in 2005, Unity is a robust game development engine, highly regarded for facilitating the creation of intricately designed 3D and 2D games. Unity’s adaptability across different operating systems facilitates a myriad of applications, from Augmented Reality to 3D simulations.
Unity Top Features
Cross-Platform Functionality: Enables launch of games on diverse platforms including Android and iOS.
Tech Suite: Offers a suite of tools, features, and rendering technologies to support game creation.
Asset Store: Offers a rich array of pre-designed textures and features to help design games.
Coding Variety: Provides options to code in BOO script, Javascript, and C#.
Active Developer Community: Facilitates assistance and problem-solving for system improvement.
Feature
Benefit
Evolution of Tech
Continuous development of its approach ensures user-friendly, compatible, and immersive visual experiences.
AR/VR Game Creation
Unity encourages the development of mobile games and AR/VR features for an immersive experience.
Collaborative Community
Developers can share skills and solutions, fostering a stronger game development community.
Unity Downsides
Per-Install Fee: Unity’s pricing structure has been criticized for charging developers every time a game using Unity software is installed.
Unannounced Pricing Changes: Unexpected pricing shifts often lead to financial uncertainty among developers.
Diminished Trust: Unannounced changes, including new retroactive fees, have caused mistrust between Unity and its user base.
Unity Pricing
Unity employs a per-install pricing model. A new pricing model will be introduced in 2024. Developers are assured they will not be charged an install fee until their game reaches $200,000 in revenue or surpasses 200,000 installations.
Unity Use Cases
Use Case 1: AR/VR Game Developers
Unity offers advanced features and tools that facilitate the development of augmented reality and virtual reality games, providing immersive visual experiences.
Use Case 2: Mobile Game Developers
Unity’s cross-platform functionality makes it ideal for mobile game developers, ensuring smooth launch on diverse platforms, including Android and iOS.
Use Case 3: Indie Developers
Despite the potential price compromise, Unity still offers a free version that is loaded with significant features which support the creation of sophisticated games for indie developers.
Unreal Engine
Designed by Epic Games, Unreal Engine is a comprehensive 3D graphics engine initially developed for PC gaming. Since its inception in 1998, it supports a wide array of platforms, including mobile, console, and VR. It is known for its versatility and power in a broad spectrum of industries like film and television.
Top Unreal Engine Features
Written in C++, ensuring enhanced performance and speed.
Rich in features from companies integrated into the system, like Quixel.
Promotion of community involvement with a receptive platform for modding, primarily seen in Unreal Engine 3
Introduced Unreal Development Kit (UDK) in 2009, a free version of UE3’s SDK.
Unreal Engine 4
Unreal Engine 5
Introduced July 2004, over 18 months into the engine’s development.
Revealed in May 2020, amplifying the features and graphical prowess of the platform.
First game release: Daylight
Launched in April 2022, it’s the latest edition of Unreal Engine.
Unreal Engine Limitations
5% of revenues over USD 1 million applies for commercial use.
The extensive feature set may be overwhelming for beginners.
Complexity of coding with C++ could act as a barrier for non-programmers.
Unreal Engine Pricing
Generally free, but a royalty model is applicable. Charges 5% of revenues over $1 million for commercial uses. However, games published on the Epic Games Store are immune to this royalty fee.
Unreal Engine Use Cases
Use Case 1: Graphical Enhancement for Games
With its support for a wide range of platforms, Unreal Engine simplifies creation of stunning visual experiences in gaming, be it PC, mobile, console or VR.
Use Case 2: Film and Television
Delivering high-quality visuals and graphics, Unreal Engine aids in realistic scene creation and special effects in the film and television industry.
Use Case 3: App Development
With the recent introduction of UDK for iOS games and applications, Unreal Engine diversifies its use cases beyond gaming, extending to the app development arena.
Substance Designer
Unleash your creative prowess with Adobe Substance 3D Designer, an advanced material-authoring software packed with innovative tools and features.
Substance Designer Top Features
Powerful Spline and Path Tools: Added in version 13.0, manipulate 2D shapes with 25 new nodes for Splines and 10 nodes for Paths.
New Portal Functionality: Enhances the Dot node for efficient node graph organisation.
Substance Engine 9: Introduces support for loops repetition within Substance Function Graphs.
Home Screen: Provides quick access to tutorials and project settings
Language Support: Available in French, Italian, and Portuguese editions.
Compatibility
Integrates easily with Unreal Engine and supports 3rd-party plugins
Application
Create meshes/materials and apply textures/layers/paint with Substance Designer and Painter
Track Record
Used in popular AAA games like Deathloop, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla etc
Substance Designer Limitations
The procedural geometry toolset is discontinued, with model graphs removed entirely.
Although Substance Designer and Painter work best together, they are each designed for specific uses and may require separate purchases.
Minimum system requirements include a 64-bit Processor and OS, 8GB RAM, and specific GPU and Storage capacities.
Substance Designer Pricing
Available for a one-time purchase at $149.99 via Steam, or through a subscription at $19.99/month or $219.88/year via Adobe’s Substance 3D subscriptions. For Linux users, a $1,198.88/year Creative Cloud Plan for Teams is applicable.
Substance Designer Use Cases
AAA Game Developers
Through its top-notch toolset and Unreal Engine compatibility, Substance Designer delivers exciting results for AAA Game Developers.
Indies
The cost-effective pricing models make Substance Designer an attractive choice for independent developers, providing professional-grade features within budget.
Visual Effects Studios
Substance Designer’s advanced material-authoring features facilitate the creation of stunning visual effects, making it a popular pick for VFX studios.
SketchUp
Hailing from the global tech giant, Trimble Inc, SketchUp is a versatile 3D modeling CAD program that comfortably straddles professions as diverse as architecture, interior design, industrial and product design, and even game development.
SketchUp Top Features
Intuitive Interface: Ease of use makes it accessible for novices and professionals alike.
Smart Drawing Tools: Adds precision and efficiency to your designs.
Impressive Rendering Options: Create photorealistic renders with compatibility to V-Ray.
Real-Time Collaboration, Allows for real-time teamwork, enhancing productivity.
3D Warehouse: A storehouse to upload, download, and share 3D models, fostering a sense of global collaboration in the design community.
Extension Support
Supported File Formats
SketchUp Limitations
Extension Support: The free application, SketchUp Free, does not support extensions.
Subscription Model: As of November 4, 2020, the company shifted to a subscription model, which may not be favorable for all users.
SketchUp Pricing
SketchUp offers a free web-based application, SketchUp Free, and three paid subscription plans: SketchUp Shop, SketchUp Pro, and SketchUp Studio – each tailored to provide increased functionality.
SketchUp Use Cases
Use Case 1: Architecture
With its precision, ease of use, and wide file format support, SketchUp is an ideal tool for architecturally focused projects. It presents architects with a range of architectural designs to interior modeling options.
Use Case 2: Game Development
SketchUp, bolstered by its ‘Push/Pull’ technology patent, provides a solid platform for game developers to establish rich and immersive gaming environments.
Use Case 3: Industrial Design
Its comprehensive suite of smart drawing tools and extensive 3D warehouse makes SketchUp a viable choice for industrial designers looking to bring their imaginations to life.
Rhino
Rhino, or Rhinoceros 3D, is an acclaimed 3D modeling software widely utilized in industries such as architecture, engineering, industrial, and graphic design. Hailing from Barcelona-based Robert McNeel & Associates, the software leverages NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational Basis Splines) geometry for precise surface models creation.
Rhino Top Features
Employs NURBS for mathematically precise curves and surfaces.
Integration with design, drafting, CAM, rendering, and illustration programs.
Compatible with multiple file formats via the openNURBS Initiative toolkit.
Robust scripting support with Rhinoscript and Python languages.
Extensible functionality with a broad range of free and commercial plug-ins.
Feature
Benefit
Rhino.Inside.Revit
Bridges Rhino and Grasshopper to Autodesk Revit environment.
SubD Tools
Enables rapid creation of organic shapes.
3D Space Interaction
Model complex & intricate designs quickly & accurately in unconstrained 2D or 3D space.
Rhino Limitations
Not specifically designed for 3D printing, often requiring pre-printing optimization.
A firm understanding of NURBS and mathematical modeling is essential.
Can become complex with heavy plug-in integration.
Rhino Pricing
Rhino offers a variety of pricing options: €995 for a new Windows and Mac license, €595 for an upgrade from the previous version, and substantial discounts for students and teachers.
Rhino Use Cases
Use Case 1: CAD/CAM
The precise mathematical modeling of Rhino makes it a standout tool in the CAD/CAM industry, enabling accurate rapid prototyping and 3D printing.
Use Case 2: Architecture
For architecture firms, Rhino’s ability to handle complex geometries and surfaces efficiently aids in creating intricate designs significantly.
Use Case 3: Product Design
In product design, Rhino’s freedom and precision in modeling, combined with its extensive plug-in library, streamline the design to production process.
Tiffany Brise
Content writer @ Aircada, patiently awaiting a consumer AR headset that doesn’t suck.
