What soft to use for Interor Design 3D renderings on MAC?

[nusha]

Hi all
I've been using 3ds Max Design for interior design rendering and like it even though I'm an "advanced beginner". I also really like working on MAC and planning on switching to it completely. Unfortunatelythere isn't native 3ds Max for MAC.

As far as I understand Cinema 4D is more for animation and characters and objects creation other than interiors (I've never tried it, I wanna hear what people have to say before converting to it).

My quetion is: if you have an option of Cinema 4D on OSX or 3Ds Max Design on Windows on MAC (Bootcamp) - what would you choose?

Thank you all and please don't make it into a battle of this vs that in general. I really need to figure out pros and cons for INTERIOR DESIGN.

 

[YESimBLUNTED]

I would not use C4D for interior design. It is great for broadcast design and flying logo animations, but I wouldn't use it for what you do.

If I was you I would stick with 3DS (not Design) or Maya (which is what I use) for going further in your interior design work. I have never used 3DS Design so I don't know its limitations.

I am sure there are other programs out there for that kind of thing if you don't want to jump into a full 3D program, although I am not much help for that. Try a google search...

Good luck!

 

[chrono1081]

Hi all
I've been using 3ds Max Design for interior design rendering and like it even though I'm an "advanced beginner". I also really like working on MAC and planning on switching to it completely. Unfortunatelythere isn't native 3ds Max for MAC.

As far as I understand Cinema 4D is more for animation and characters and objects creation other than interiors (I've never tried it, I wanna hear what people have to say before converting to it).

My quetion is: if you have an option of Cinema 4D on OSX or 3Ds Max Design on Windows on MAC (Bootcamp) - what would you choose?

Thank you all and please don't make it into a battle of this vs that in general. I really need to figure out pros and cons for INTERIOR DESIGN.

I've seen a lot of really nice interiors rendered with Cinema4D. I make game graphics so I can't comment on full blown interiors but if someone doesn't come along and answer you can download a demo of Cinema 4D from Maxxon's website.

Also Mac and MAC are two totally different things What you are talking about is a Mac. A MAC is a media access controller.

 

[nusha]

Also Mac and MAC are two totally different things What you are talking about is a Mac. A MAC is a media access controller.

Ok, my bad, got carried away a little But you understood what I meant, right?

Thank you for your advice. I'm watching Cinema 4 Lynda's videos now trying to figure out if it's right for me.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Personally I'd go with Cinema4d, I trained on 3DSMAX but it really seems to be loosing marketshare.

I'd go with a PC for 3d it seems to be far more developed and hardware wise you'd be able to get a far better graphics card, I'm currently using a FirePro V8800 on Windows7.

 

[nusha]

Personally I'd go with Cinema4d, I trained on 3DSMAX but it really seems to be loosing marketshare.

I'd go with a PC for 3d it seems to be far more developed and hardware wise you'd be able to get a far better graphics card, I'm currently using a FirePro V8800 on Windows7.

Well, I'm not so concerned about video cards, I'm not gonna do lots of animations if any (and if any - really basic ones). I'm just so tired of PC and so ready to switch to Mac that I"m looking for a way out. I never tried running Windows on a Macand have no idea how it's gonna run but to spend over 3000 on iMac and then realize I'm still better off with soft for PC cause they just don't run right on a Mac would be a really expensive experiment, that's why I'm asking around.
If anybody could tell me that Revit and 3ds Max on Mac under windows is gonna be the same or more pleasant experoence then on a PC I'll do it. If there is a soft out there that is the same or better - I"ll learn it, no big deal...

 

[chrono1081]

Ok, my bad, got carried away a little But you understood what I meant, right?

Thank you for your advice. I'm watching Cinema 4 Lynda's videos now trying to figure out if it's right for me.

Sure did! For your post it was easy to tell the difference but if you came here with a networking question it may have been confusing

Also if Lynda.com doesn't give you enough information take a look at Digital Tutors. I could be wrong but I believe there is a training series specifically for rendering interiors in Cinema4D.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Well, I'm not so concerned about video cards, I'm not gonna do lots of animations if any (and if any - really basic ones). I'm just so tired of PC and so ready to switch to Mac that I"m looking for a way out. I never tried running Windows on a Macand have no idea how it's gonna run but to spend over 3000 on iMac and then realize I'm still better off with soft for PC cause they just don't run right on a Mac would be a really expensive experiment, that's why I'm asking around.
If anybody could tell me that Revit and 3ds Max on Mac under windows is gonna be the same or more pleasant experoence then on a PC I'll do it. If there is a soft out there that is the same or better - I"ll learn it, no big deal...

From experience PC (in my case I'm using a Boxxtech 3900) is far better for 3d than a Mac, I am a die hard Mac fan but Windows on a highend box is just far better for 3d and compositing. Graphics wise you should aim for a dedicated desktop series card to really get the most out of it, I'd suggest checking out this IMHO it would be better suited for what you're trying to do, I'd start with the based then drop your own ATi card into it.

If you're going down the iMac route it will suite your needs if you're willing to sacrifice some speed from a mobile class GPU, it will be fast but it wont be desktop class if you can handle that.

There is no native Mac version of 3DSMAX so you'll need to run it under bootcamp, there are issue with some of the drivers I have seen specifically with Autodesk and Mac under bootcamp and still from my understand Autodesk just doesn't support Windows software running with Bootcamp. Frustrating because I'd rather consolidate to one system rather than having a unix ffmpeg machine, mac for general graphics and a high end 3d/motion graphics box.

I've used C4D, 3DSMAX to Maya and would choose a PC over a Mac, sorry to say that Windows has Mac trumped in pro 3d department. Macs are awesome don't get me wrong but what you're after is a professional tool.

 

[chrono1081]

From experience PC (in my case I'm using a Boxxtech 3900) is far better for 3d than a Mac, I am a die hard Mac fan but Windows on a highend box is just far better for 3d and compositing. Graphics wise you should aim for a dedicated desktop series card to really get the most out of it, I'd suggest checking out this IMHO it would be better suited for what you're trying to do, I'd start with the based then drop your own ATi card into it.

If you're going down the iMac route it will suite your needs if you're willing to sacrifice some speed from a mobile class GPU, it will be fast but it wont be desktop class if you can handle that.

There is no native Mac version of 3DSMAX so you'll need to run it under bootcamp, there are issue with some of the drivers I have seen specifically with Autodesk and Mac under bootcamp and still from my understand Autodesk just doesn't support Windows software running with Bootcamp. Frustrating because I'd rather consolidate to one system rather than having a unix ffmpeg machine, mac for general graphics and a high end 3d/motion graphics box.

I've used C4D, 3DSMAX to Maya and would choose a PC over a Mac, sorry to say that Windows has Mac trumped in pro 3d department. Macs are awesome don't get me wrong but what you're after is a professional tool.

I can't totally agree on this. At work at the artists request we replaced all their win machines with linux boxes for high end 3D work and its been an insane improvement. A lot less crashes in programs like Maya, Realflow, Houdini and Mari and much better performance.

We also replaced the video boxes and some 3D boxes with Macs, again it was a great move.

Windows has its merits for some things and the graphics cards are a huge plus, but the OS is weak at dealing with huge amounts of data.

 

[quatermass]

My personal experience: I'm a freelance illustrator and I use a wide variety of 3D packages on Mac, and can't fault the experience. I'm currently learning Cinema 4D R13 and it's quite amazing - it'll handle interior scenes extremely well, especially when combined with the superb V-Ray renderer. http://www.vrayforc4d.net/portal/
It's not cheap, but can quite easily pay for itself over a job or three.

And check out "Light Shadow Space: Architectural Rendering with Cinema 4D" by Horst Sonderman, which goes into exquisite detail.
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Shadow-Space-Architectural-Rendering/dp/3211487611

As for PC - well, I've tried both Maya and 3DSMax on PC, via Bootcamp, and compare to using a Mac, it was just horrible! Personal opinion, of course, but if I want to be productive for more of the time - and I do; I do this for a living - I use a Mac. And I'm a professional.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

I can't totally agree on this. At work at the artists request we replaced all their win machines with linux boxes for high end 3D work and its been an insane improvement. A lot less crashes in programs like Maya, Realflow, Houdini and Mari and much better performance.

We also replaced the video boxes and some 3D boxes with Macs, again it was a great move.

Windows has its merits for some things and the graphics cards are a huge plus, but the OS is weak at dealing with huge amounts of data.

I understand where you're coming from, for Maya and C4D versions for Mac on a Mac I'd agree with you, you'll get a great experience. I should have clarified that running bootcamp on a Mac for Windows version isn't much fun from experience. Either Mac version or not, I'm not Mac bashing here rather pointing out if you're going PC then the preferable choice is a dedicated PC.

3DSMAX on bootcamp I can't see would be a good choice, been there and tried that it's just not a good option specifically once you get the scripting, rendering with specific addons, driver support (for bootcamp) and overall service support. From experience 3DSMAX with bootcamp it just not much fun.

That's my point, either go native Mac or native Windows it's just not a smooth experience running a dedicated 3d application with a mobile GPU with bootcamp. I have C4D on my Mac, it's great but a little slow (due to being a laptop and mobile GPU) and I have 3DSMAX on my Boxxtech system (it screams with an i7, 16GBRAM and FirePro card).

 

[chrono1081]

I understand where you're coming from, for Maya and C4D versions for Mac on a Mac I'd agree with you, you'll get a great experience. I should have clarified that running bootcamp on a Mac for Windows version isn't much fun from experience. Either Mac version or not, I'm not Mac bashing here rather pointing out if you're going PC then the preferable choice is a dedicated PC.

3DSMAX on bootcamp I can't see would be a good choice, been there and tried that it's just not a good option specifically once you get the scripting, rendering with specific addons, driver support (for bootcamp) and overall service support. From experience 3DSMAX with bootcamp it just not much fun.

That's my point, either go native Mac or native Windows it's just not a smooth experience running a dedicated 3d application with a mobile GPU with bootcamp. I have C4D on my Mac, it's great but a little slow (due to being a laptop and mobile GPU) and I have 3DSMAX on my Boxxtech system (it screams with an i7, 16GBRAM and FirePro card).

My bad I misunderstood. I was assuming we were talking about running native applications.

I personally use Maya, ZBrush, a little Houdini and sometimes Realflow on the Mac in my sig and it runs awesomely. I don't really have any experience with 3Ds Max so I'm not sure how easy/hard it would be for the OP to switch from it to something that runs native on Mac OS.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

My bad I misunderstood. I was assuming we were talking about running native applications.

I personally use Maya, ZBrush, a little Houdini and sometimes Realflow on the Mac in my sig and it runs awesomely. I don't really have any experience with 3Ds Max so I'm not sure how easy/hard it would be for the OP to switch from it to something that runs native on Mac OS.

I should have been a little more clear, no coffee when I posted

 

[nusha]

I have C4D on my Mac, it's great but a little slow (due to being a laptop and mobile GPU) and I have 3DSMAX on my Boxxtech system (it screams with an i7, 16GBRAM and FirePro card).

Well, when talking about Mac I wasn't considering a laptop, I'm thinking about getting an iMac with i7, 16GB RAM and an AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GDDR5 card. Would that be still slow?

I looked at Boxx. I'm currently in Russia and will be bringing a computer from the States in January. I don't want to carry anything too big so I thought about
HP with this (it's slim and easy to carry and I'll upgrade to 16gb RAM afterwards):
Operating system Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate [64-bit]
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600S quad-core processor with Turbo-boost [up to 3.8GHz, 8MB cache]
Memory 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [2 DIMMs]
Hard drive 2TB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
Office software No additional office software
Security software No additional security software
Graphics card 1GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT520 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter]

I actually looked some more at HP and may be able to do this:

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-990X six-core Extreme Edition [3.46GHz, 1.5MB L2 + 12MB shared L3 cache]
Memory 18GB DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM [6 DIMMs]
Hard drive 2TB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
Secondary Hard Drive 1TB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
Graphics card 1GB DDR5 Radeon HD 6850 [2 DVI, 2 mini-DP, HDMI. VGA adapter]

any comments? Do you think I'll get tremendous improvement with any of my options or it's not really worth it?

Now I have this: (see attachment, sorry not sure how to show a picture here in the post...)

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Looks like a reasonably good spec, with HP like Dell I'd also suggest getting an extend warranty trust me it's the best money spend if you need to use it.

 

[nusha]

Looks like a reasonably good spec, with HP like Dell I'd also suggest getting an extend warranty trust me it's the best money spend if you need to use it.

Thank you, but could you be more specific about what difference I'm gonna get with those several comparing them to what I got now? Maybe I need to leave it as is... Doubt that though

 

[chrono1081]

Looks like a reasonably good spec, with HP like Dell I'd also suggest getting an extend warranty trust me it's the best money spend if you need to use it.

+1 on extended warranties with HP and Dell. They both have the highest repair rates of any systems we have at work. Asus has the lowest.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

I believe it's the HP ZXXX series that do come with SMB/SME agreements, it's a while since I've bought HP but from memory you can additionally pay a little extra with a system to have this level of support.

It's basically like Applecare, and I really do think Apple or not it's more than worth it if you're intending to use a system for non-home usage because SMB/SME support agree will usually have a turnaround of 48 hours.


EDIT: If you're really keen of ditching Windows then going 100% then an iMac with native Modo or C4d is going to be a pretty cost effective way of doing 3d. I just wouldn't recommend iMac + Bootcamp for 3d.

 

[Messy]

I personally use C4D.