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Whats most commenly used and why (maya vs 3ds max)

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EvanTideswell polycounter lvl 3
Hi everyone,

now this is not a question of "which is better maya or max?"
what i am asking is which software is used the most in the industry and why is that?

i see alot of "3d artists" portfolios, alot of images on CGHUB and images used in magazines such as 3DWorld all the artists use 3ds Max, now my question is why? why do so many artists use 3ds max over maya? is it coz it can do something that maya cant, or because its just an older program and alot more people are using it coz its hat they know and dont want to change to maya? can maya do exactly the same as 3ds max?

im mainly looking to get into the gaming industry as a character artist and environment designer so thats the reason im asking, so that i dont start learning the wrong software.


thanks
:)

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  • ZacD
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    ZacD ngon master
    3ds Max is the most commonly used 3d application in the game industry, Maya is fairly common as well. The main reason it's used more is because it already has a large presence in the industry, the status quo wont change unless there is a reason to change. Maya and 3ds max are pretty equal in terms of power and tools, so there is no reason to switch. Guerrilla Games and Naughty Dog mostly use Maya, Kojima mostly uses Softimage XSI, it really doesn't matter what software you use.

    If you want to use the most common application in the industry, 3ds Max is your answer, but in the end you'll learn how to use dozens of pieces of software, and it's not going to matter much which one you start out on. A studio isn't really going to care if you know Maya or Max.
  • gsokol
    Some places us Max some Use Maya...im sure there are various reasons...just whatever works for the studio. We use Max where I'm at..but my old job...and some other places I've interviewed at use Maya.

    Don't worry about learning the "wrong" software...its just a tool...use one of them, and learn how to make awesome art. You can always learn new software.....and studios know that too.
  • passerby
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    passerby polycounter lvl 12
    the 3d package is just a tool if you know how to model you can adapt to any of them.

    max and Maya are just different, can't really label one as better they just take different approaches.
  • WarrenM
  • Ark
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    Ark polycounter lvl 11
    I always thought Milkshape3D was industry standard. :P
  • 54Strat
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    54Strat polycounter lvl 5
    I think one of the main reasons why a DCC is chosen over another is how well the software sits within the dev pipeline and how sophisticated the integration of a tool chain needs to be.

    Legacy is probably the next reason, no one wants to bear the cost to re-write pipelines and retrain the team, and if it ain't broke....

    User preference probably comes next.

    So as a general rule of thumb in Game Dev, Max seems to be heading for the smaller scale studios and Maya for the larger ones.
  • WarrenM
    So as a general rule of thumb in Game Dev, Max seems to be heading for the smaller scale studios and Maya for the larger ones.
    Where are you getting that impression from? I've seen a lot of the opposite. Environment artists tend to hate Maya...
  • Ark
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    Ark polycounter lvl 11
    Well Max is a more contained package than Maya and tends to suit smaller studios better. Most features in Max seem to work better out the box.

    Maya a lot more clunky imo and needs MEL knowledge to make the best of the package.
    I'm not saying go can't use Maya on a small team, as I know there are small teams out there using it.

    I think the bigger studios tend to prefer Maya is that it seems a lot more open than Max with Mel and Python, then you've got the ties to the movie industry which is nearly all Maya.
  • 54Strat
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    54Strat polycounter lvl 5
    You can even work it out by comparing the product splash pages on AD's site. You need to look at the big picture and not just the end user's preference.
    WarrenM wrote: »
    Environment artists tend to hate Maya...

    Won't feed.
  • Ark
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    Ark polycounter lvl 11
    The thing with Autodesk now is that they wan't everyone on Maya, that's were their focus lies now.
  • WarrenM
    Won't feed.
    Please feed. I'm not trolling, I'm asking a question. My experience is that most environment guys prefer working in Max. Have you not seen that?
  • 54Strat
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    54Strat polycounter lvl 5
    WarrenM wrote: »
    My experience is that most environment guys prefer working in Max.

    is not the same as
    WarrenM wrote: »
    Environment artists tend to hate Maya...

    but it is better put.

    The original post is asking for what is most popular in studios and not what is most preferable amongst users, that's a debate that's been done to death here and elsewhere.

    Larger studios have different requirements than smaller studios (don't equate larger as being better than smaller) so the deciding factor is mainly one of scope, pipelines and tool chains and Maya is better suited.

    As Ark also commented, I'm not saying here that large studios can't use Max effectively, but Maya is easier to integrate and therefore cheaper in this respect.

    It nearly always comes down to cost.
  • EvanTideswell
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    EvanTideswell polycounter lvl 3
    ok thanks guys for all your comments, iv seem alot of both sides where companies like using max or maya yet almost all studios stat "3ds max or equivalent" or "maya or equivalent" now im guessing that the final conclusion is that it comes down to personal preference and what your overall needs are. still dont know what to start with (i know its better to learn both).

    but just to get a general answer Maya - used mainly in the film industry and 3Ds Max - used mainly in the gaming industry? correct me if i am wrong
  • Jason Young
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    Jason Young polycounter lvl 14
    They're both widely used to the point where I'd say try both of them and go with whichever one seems to fit you better. Once you've gotten proficient in one, it shouldn't take you more than a day or two to pick up the other because they're quite similar overall.
  • EvanTideswell
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    EvanTideswell polycounter lvl 3
    ok cool thanks :):)
  • Bellsey
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    Bellsey polycounter lvl 8
    They're both widely used to the point where I'd say try both of them and go with whichever one seems to fit you better. Once you've gotten proficient in one, it shouldn't take you more than a day or two to pick up the other because they're quite similar overall.

    This is the best kind of advice and the one I use to most when talking to people. I've always been a believer of understanding and learning some of the artistic foundation skills, together with a 3D software, as (imo) the software will only be as good as the person operating it.

    One of the main things to remember is that you should always be open and willing to learn new things, and software. Many can get religious over 3D software and develop chips on their shoulders about changing. I always use the analogy that we trained chimps to go into space, so learning a new 3D software shouldn't be that hard, should it. :)

    Unfortunately, I can't really directly answer your question about which, between Max and Maya, gets used the most in games. I'm not allowed to actually reveal numbers etc. But I wouldn't get too hung up on this type of thing and also what many will say on forums like these. Although many will state one software is more used than the other, for all kinds of reasons and based on their own knowledge and exposure, this shouldn't always be taken as gospel and hard fact.

    Perception is often that Maya isn't used that much in game (and never has been), but that isn't true. I started in games in '96 and all I used was Maya (PowerAnimator before that) and Softimage, and I knew just as many Maya studios, as Max ones.
    There are many factors to take into consideration as to why studios use one over the other - history, legacy, tools, country, local community, culture, talent pool, etc.

    As for Autodesk itself, again I can't talk about future direction etc, but there is some information out there, such as this for example: http://www.3dworldmag.com/2011/03/04/autodesks-marc-petit-talks-to-3d-world/
  • Zocky
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    Zocky greentooth
    WarrenM wrote: »
    Environment artists tend to hate Maya...

    Well, i certainly hate maya at times, and i gotta admit i as looking at Modo lately but...i started with 3ds and switched to maya , and don't think i will ever (though you never really know how things can turn out) go back to 3ds max. To me, they are both really great apps, it's just that i find maya's interface and how it does things better then how 3ds max does. It's very subjective thing though.

    Oh yeah, and i'm environment artist (or trying to be anyway :P). So Maya is still my #1 choice, and i know quite few people who have similar opinion.

    But i do also know many who prefer 3ds max...

    Anyhow, i'm not sure about others, but i dunno, i don't know that envo artists would be particularly picky about maya...we sure like to complain a lot, since maya can be quite annoying, but it's still #1 choice for quite a lot of envo artist....

    And atleast here in this area, studios have been using maya for as long as i can remember....not that there are bazilions of studios here.:P
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    I learned on Maya and have worked at Max studios ever since, that's just how the universe works, it's out to get you! On the bright side, once you know one package it's pretty easy to switch over, it took me a few nights with some 3DBuzz tutorials.
  • EvanTideswell
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    EvanTideswell polycounter lvl 3
    thanks guys for all the comments you have helped :)
  • Brygelsmack
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    Brygelsmack polycounter lvl 11
    My impression is that Maya is on the rise. It's very widely used in both educational institutions and in the gaming industry, at least here in Sweden. And it's pretty much standard in the film industry from what I've gathered after talking to a guy at Fox in LA. I can't talk for every studio of course, but whenever I see a making of or behind the scenes, and you get a glimpse of their apps, it's been mostly Maya. But that might just be a coincidence. Both are very capable tools, personally I just like Maya's UI and workflow better. It's all personal preference in the end.
  • jStins
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    jStins interpolator
    ok thanks guys for all your comments, iv seem alot of both sides where companies like using max or maya yet almost all studios stat "3ds max or equivalent" or "maya or equivalent" now im guessing that the final conclusion is that it comes down to personal preference and what your overall needs are. still dont know what to start with (i know its better to learn both).

    but just to get a general answer Maya - used mainly in the film industry and 3Ds Max - used mainly in the gaming industry? correct me if i am wrong

    Don't worry about learning both packages when you are first developing skills as a 3D artist, this will just slow you down. Transitioning from one software to another will be much easier once you understand the fundamental principles of working in 3D.

    I'd download trial versions of both, try a couple tutorials, then stick with whichever you like best.
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