Feb 09 2009
Max vs Maya
I know this is old news, but when Autodesk bought Alias I often wondered why. Both companies made incredible 3D programs that are used in movie studios and firms across the globe. Now, I would think that once Company A buys out Company B’s similar product, Company A would either stop selling one of their programs or combine the two programs to create a more efficient program. However, it has been years since Autodesk bought out Alias, and Autodesk still sells both 3D Studio Max and Maya. So, I finally decided to look it up and came across this article.
This article was published by AEC Magazine and written by Chris Hobbs, who has used 3D Studio Max for over 10 years. In this article, Hobbs attempts to answer the same question everyone is asking, “Why has Autodesk acquired Alias?” Hobbs basically explains that Autodesk doesn’t plan on putting the programs on the shelf. Which is understandable. The companies that only use 3D Studio Max would continue using it, and the companies that only use Maya would continue using that. Autodesk does this so that companies that only use one of the programs don’t have to learn a new, very complex software and master it in order to make top-notch movies, commercials, and images.
The article continues to describe the differences between 3D Studio Max and Maya, as well as their strengths and weakness. If you are interested in learning a 3D program and are wondering which program to use, it is dependent on what career field you are interested in pursuing. Maya is used more in the film industry, and half of the gaming and TV/Broadcasting companies use 3D Studio Max while the other half uses Maya. 3D Studio Max is used more for both architectural and visualization industries.
This means I might have to learn both. Joy!
