How fast can you learn a new software package?
So like the title says, how fast can you learn a new software package? When are you somewhat comfortable with the program where you actually feel comfortable making stuff ? When are you actually proficient in the program, where you can make something without little to no help? When are you good enough with the program, where it becomes faster than your previous workflow or when you can make something faster than 2 shakes of a lambs tail? I know you never fully learn the program to it's full potential, but you guys get what I mean.
The two reasons I ask is because, for one I'm trying to learn both MODO and Zbrush at the same time and want to see the general length it takes to learn these programs. And two, the psychology behind this kind of stuff has always interested me. It's interesting (sometimes depressing) to see what took someone a week or two to learn, could have taken someone else a year to learn the exact same thing.
The two reasons I ask is because, for one I'm trying to learn both MODO and Zbrush at the same time and want to see the general length it takes to learn these programs. And two, the psychology behind this kind of stuff has always interested me. It's interesting (sometimes depressing) to see what took someone a week or two to learn, could have taken someone else a year to learn the exact same thing.
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All you have to do is make sure that you have a good library of information to refer to (Example: Blender Wiki) and someone good on hand to point out differences where stuff seems counter-intuitive.
I picked Max up in a day, but I had a good understanding of Maya. If I didn't have the Maya knowledge it would take a long time as you'd have to learn all of the tools and such.
The only thing, for me, it's to find the similar tools.
It was really fast to learn blender (one week i think).
Motionbuilder take me one week too to the basic, and more time to control sp
That's just to be competent assuming you are already really good at using another 3d program. Now if you're learning ZBrush? I dunno it could be a while. 10,000 hours it takes to typically master something (you could argue against that, but whatever).
I've been using Maya for 12 years. I just learned something new last week. I've been using other 3d programs for 8 years and still figuring stuff out in Max and Zbrush. To me it's kinda cool when someone shows me a way to speed up or do something I was unaware of.
and if you have to use the new tool 8h a day...
three days to get something done...
three weeks to get up to speed...
That's a hard goal. Doable of course, but hard.
I started using Modo 302 and it took me months of casual learning with the aid of Dan Ablan's book and dvd plus some Luxology (at the time) training videos. It's only when I got a long term work contract where I forced myself to use Modo 401 did I "get it".
Zbrush took me longer to learn too....especially when I started with version 2.5. If you know what that version looks like, zbrush r4.6 is a piece of cake.
My advice is to keep using both on a regular basis til the interface and modes of working aren't alien to you anymore.
I've been self-teaching with Blender too. I'm okay with the interface now but what's hard is coming from sweet ass modeler Modo to Blender has been pretty difficult to adjust to. I really just want to be competent using Blender's animation tools.
I usually use free trials to try and learn new software, but they usually expire before i can really get into them (or just as I'm getting into them)
I've had Zbrush for about 14 months now, and still trying to get into it (it was a bit of a jump coming from max, with only little prior expereince in Mudbox)
I've tried blender....but i just can't get into it, I find it far easier and faster to work in Max, but i might have to start relearning maya soon, or Modo, as i'll need to switch software if i want to go freelance, my current version of Max is an educational version of Max 8, both obsolete and not for commercial use, and there's no way in hell i'm paying for the full version.
this more or less tends to ring true I would say.