Greetings! I am looking for an affordable way to get a good 3D package that will be a good partner to ZBrush. These are the ones I have been looking at: -Carrara Studio 3 -Strata 3D Pro -Cinema 4D CE 6 -Amorphium 3 *How does Carrara comapare to these? *Why is Carrara better or worst than these? (As a partner to ZBrush and as a stand alone 3D package) Thanks amigos! -Bill p.s. "I am on a Mac - OSX"

Carrara does very well in comparison to all of these. -Strata 3D Pro First up it is easier to use then Strata as it imports more file formats, the key one being the obj file format which I think may be crucial in working with zBrush. Strata does not import this and has to use the vrml format to preserve uvs on import. Carrara has native support for a lot of things that Strata does not like HDRI, Sud division surfaces and also features an SDk so that technical users can add features to the program if they want to. See www.digitalcarversguild.com for more. However Strata is a very capable program with some really amazing users like Chris Tyler http://www.stratacafe.com/profiles/profile_detail.asp?profileID=1249 and others. It also has a very nice user community. Both Carrara and Strata have modelling tools that I think are a bit odd to use and often users suppliment these with an external modeller such as the free excellent Wings program or Amapi. Strata has native support for hair, displacement mapping and fresnel shading, but this can be obtained in Carrara by buying the Power Pack module (has many other features included) which in combination with Carrara is still about 200 dollars less than Strata. I think the Caustics in Strata look better though. For another hundred you can get a Flash expot module (Strata come with one). Radiosity in Carrara is VERY fast and is easier to work with as there are less parameters to mess around with. I am using an Athlon 850 and am very happy to leave radiosty on during test renders as often they take only a few minutes. Recently the Strata render engine has been optimised too and you can get good times out of it when you understand the parameters from what I hear. Features wise and value for money Carrara is the winner as it has more and costs less. However you must decide which program 'feels right'. I could not get on with the Strata interface because it just did not suit me. -Cinema 4DCE I did give this a breif go but I again did not feel very comfortable with the interface. The professional applications just feel to clunky to me. Carrara supports radiosity and Cinema 4DCE does not. For me the only reason I would learn CE is so that I could move on up to the newer version at some point but if this is not the case I think Carrara is a better option as a rendering solution. I am not sure about the modelling tools in CE, I think they might be really good. They definantly are in the later verions. -Amorphium I have not used it much and when I did I did not like it. It is very unconvetional but the unique tool set may prove useful depending on what you are doing. As far as it does not support Radiostiy. I think zBrush will overlap a lot of its features. -Carrara (my views) A program that is really maturing quickly. Version 3 made me a convert. I dont usually spend much time with demos but after 20 mins with the Carrara 3 demo I was convinced it was what I had been searching for. The interface is a bit "pretty" which will turn some off but this is forgivable as it is very well though out (most of it ;) ) and is one of those programs that when coming from another program is very easy to pick up and learn. However it does have a lot of depth while still being 'friendly' which is crucial for me. A few things irritate and there are a few bugs but none that are significant enough to make it unpleasnt to use. I think the best thing is to try the demos and see for yourself. I mention radiosty as a key feature beacuse it is an important feature to me but you may not want it. Which program you use is really dependant on what you want to do and your preferences in interface style. Good luck choosing

Thanks for your comments Ayodeji. They are very helpful! What do you think of Carrara 3 in comparison to the free Wings3D and Blender? If I use Wings3D or Blender, would I still need Carrara? Regards, Bill

Ive been in the fortunate position (spent and lost a dam fortune, oh why do I have principles) to use quite a few apps including Cinema 4d, Lightwave, Truespace etc. FWIW for bang per buck Carrara 3 is amazing, itll never get itself out from under the 'Entry Level or HOBBIEST' banner but who cares when its this good, Ive learnt wether you spend 2000 or 200 on a piece of software people will still want more features, for the price carrara has some stunning one, it quite stable (not one crash in 3 months), stunning render engine, great interface etc. Blender (tech heads) Strata (old interface) Cinema (if version 8.5 highend app, v6 nope) Amorphium (not in the same league) Truespace 6.6 (I still use this as a companion app, great) Wings 3d (fast and free modeler ideal as a complement to Carrara) Lastly if you buy Carrara 3 get 'The Carrara Studio Handbook' by Mike De Le Flor its a very good complement to the C3 manual. Cheers Pete(uk)

All in all I'd call Carrara the best value I know of in one-stop, do-all application in the low to mid price range. It is almost the ONLY contender on the Mac/OS-X platform. Very little can beat it for rendering (you pretty much need to go up to Max or Maya or something there. Firefly doesn't even come close), and the modelling tools are pretty robust (and very easy to use). It really depends on what you are doing with it. Animation, particularly character rigging, is easier in AM. As strong (and fast!) as the Carrara render engine is, Bryce and Vue-like environmental effects are not a current strength; if you mean to do mostly soft-focus scenes of sunrise through clouds on distant mountains go for Vue instead. And on the modelling front, Carrara doesn't offer the bag of tools some do. Cinema4D is much more LW like in the kind of interface and the tool set. Even more so, Carrara's tools are just slightly odd enough (and the perception of Carrara in the market is also that of a "beginner" ap), that you aren't going to get a job at Pixar with a portfolio full of Carrara models. That said, Carrara is leaping ahead. It was a decent little ap back in the CS1 days (well, it was pretty much Ray Dream with a Kai interface!) Then radiosity and sub-division surfaces came along, plus bones, then the tree generator, then add the functionality of Anything Grows and Anything Grooves -- and we've hardly scratched the surface of third-party plug-ins. And even more bang for the buck; last I heard you got Amapi 5.1 in the package, with it's odd interface but potent modelling tools. Easy to learn, comfortable to use, runs fine on older machines even. Plays well with other applications, importing most formats and exporting good useable files (unlike some I could mention!)

Oh, yeah. Wings is a fine little modeller and if you are sticking to Sub-D's can probably knock Carrara's feet out from under it (if only because Wings is free). But it is nice to be able to render what you model, and Wings is not the place for that. Amorphium is cute but it is truly sui generis. It resembles nothing else out there and I am impressed no end by the people who actually have the patience to build models in it. They probably play "Moonlight Sonata" with their nose, too. I classify Amorphium as a helper ap...but it would be a lot more helpful if it learned to play well with others.

Wings 3D is only a modeller and works well with Carrara. Its rendering features are really basic although it does support exteral render engines to a limited extent (yafray and pov-ray) but the support does seem a bit basic. I personally love Wings3D as a modeller. After understanding it, it is like modelling with clay because you have so much control over your mesh. and selecting things then manipulating is so easy. Browse the wings forum gallery to see what is there http://pub161.ezboard.com/fnendowingsmiraifrm17 but do remember that these images were not rendered in wings. It beats the sds modeller in Carrara hands down because it is so easy to pan round,select edit things,move things in odd directions,assign uv's and more. Blender is will at some point integrate the Yafray renderer into it which will give it some really nice rendering capabilities. At the moment there is a way of exporting to Yafray but I dont know much about it. There is some nice work out of Blender but not much (as far as I have seen). I did consider it at a point but I found it just to odd and different to what I was used to. Opening a file had me stumped! From what I hear it takes a while to get the good stuff out of blender cause it is hard to learn. I suggest trying both, wings wont make sense for a while cause it is a new way of working but I guess you will have to judge both of them by the results you see and how you feel about them.. In theory Wings+Blender+Yafray could replace Carrara but I think it would be a bit difficult to work with cause that is often the nature of free software but I could be wrong. I heard that some people really like it. For me I really like Carrara. Although the uv mapper does suck! you will probably end up buying another one but these are quite cheap. Hey Pixelmouse can you tell me about Ts6? I was considering getting it before I got Carrara. What is the interface like when you get used to it and what is the verdict in general. The modelling tools look good.

Hi, ayodejiosokoya Going slightly of topic I think Truespace (6.6) is a fantastic app with a very cool interface probably one of the best out there apart from a slight overkill in the icon area, loads of plgins either free or very cheep, some feature like interactive fillets and champfers that even some of the big apps dont have. The current only downside is the rather old and creaking Lightworks renderengine, this is why I bought Carrara 3, I model for the time being in TS render in Carrara, I was lucky to get C3 Cheep of e-bay (boxed, original) and plan to see what V7 of TS brings to decide which horse to back long term. If you can get a good deal on ts 6 Id go for it. Cheers Pete FWIW there is some great art here at the TS gallery and if you can check out this months 3d World (UK) http://www.3dworldmag.com/ there is a great TS tutorial by Andy Kay. Cheers Pete

im using carrara 3 and amapi 7 together with zbrush,works good for me.

Dollar for dollar Carrara offers excellent bang for the buck! Simply EXCELLENT. Maybe the best in the 3D world dollar for dollar. Of course there are very expensive 3D apps out there. It is surprising how well Carrara even compares to some of these.

Carrara is also very (ultra) easy. It offers you many ways to get started. You do not need to start from scratch with Carrara Studio 3. It has some awesome presets that can be easily edited and using your own 3d stuff too.

To me the only different thing about Carrara are its modeling tools. Even they are pretty darn good though. Just unique. Which is good. I am always impressed a what people create with Carrara.

Carrara 3 is a very special 3d application. I own it even though I am into other 3d applications also. It is that good and that unique dollar for dollar. It will pay for itself.

yep,steama is absolutely right.:)

I'm still going for Carrara having the easiest learning curve...and something about it is very comfortable to me. Maybe it's that I've been a Mac person for years, so the Windows GUI always looks like the cartoon version; fatter lines, clumbsier shading, tacky colors. Working with Wings makes me think I'm back at the LHS playing Trek on the line printers. Working with Carrara makes me think of handmade paper and sumi-e brushes. Which probably says some very negative things about my priorities! Something about that wireframe box makes it really easy for me to navigate and manipulate, though. I had a little trouble figuring out the shader tree and there's still some problems in the cross-section numbering and access in the spline modeller, (and the metaball modelling window downright stinks), but these are basically windows I can be very comfortable in and can concentrate on modelling. That said...is worth noting that Cinema4D 6XL is on a special offer for $99 right now. Much steeper learning curve but oh, the modelling options! I'm looking at making THAT the companion to my Carrara (if I can ever figure it out).

Just want to take a moment and thank everyone for all the useful comments! THANKS!!! Carrara 3 is starting to look pretty good! nomuse, just curious, where can you buy "Cinema4D 6XL" for $99 ? Regards, billhdz

Oops....it's CE, but CE+ as opposed to the CE that is on magazine covers, and Maxon claims it is identical to XL6 (but then why isn't it CALLED XL6? Could Maxon maybe make up their minds instead of spawning version numbers all over the place?) Anyhow... http://www.maxonshop.com/cgi-bin/us/gp?pg=products/cinema4d.ce I've been messing with the magazine-cover version and there are some things I like about the workflow (such as, all modelling operations can be performed in the main window). Maxon uses a system by which an object with some editable properties is a child of an object with other editable properties, and I find that potentially powerful but difficult to adjust to. In Carrara an object has editable properties, including extras (plug-ins) which can be added to it, and that is more intuitive to me. I definately like the modelling tools, too, but I'm afraid that many would go unused because I either didn't remember they were there (like the ever-multiplying PhotoShop filters) or had to waste so much brain-power figuring out how the thing would save me time that I could have finished doing it the long way already. But then, I'm still using Carrara's Dynamic Extrusion tool muchly because I can't be bothered to struggle with cleaning up splines.

Cinema4d CE is the same as Cinema 4dXL, only with render size limitations, no SLA (Smells Like Almonds - a set of pre-made textures and shaders), and of course no manuals. CE+ is the same as XL - sans manuals. I have Cinema 4d XL 6, and for many things, I find Cinema easier to use than Carrara. I really like the way modifiers are handled, because I can go back to the first object I created in a complex model, and modify it. If you are looking for an inexpensive, very powerful 3D app, the "free" cover version Cinema 4d CE is a deal you can't go wrong with.

Now for Carrara 3. I have recently made a comittment to put more energy into learning and using Carrara. Carrara 3 is an outstanding value, and the render engine is awsome for such a reasonably priced piece of software. When the Poser plugin comes out, I will be able to do almost all of my non-landscape 3D work in Carrara.

When Eovia released C3, making the decision between upgrading to C3 or Cinema 4dXL 8x was simple. The upgrade for Cinema would be $800.00, I got the C3 upgrade for about $130.00. With C3 I got a tree maker and caustics, both of these would have cost extra with Cinema (xfrog and advanced render plugin/module), and put the cost well over $1,000.00. Unless you have a business that depends on specific funtionality, or tools, found in Cinema, 3DS Max, Lightwave, etc., C3 is really hard to beat.

Of course, if you want to learn 3D to get a job at a production company, then C3 is not the software to focus on. But if you want to learn the concepts behind 3D, make truely stunning images, and be able to eat out once in a while, then you just can't beat C3. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, that determines the final outcome. The same is true with software. The cost of the software is not nearly as important as the skill and determination of the user.

If C3 fits within your budget, you really can't go wrong with it. If not, then Cinema 4D CE (or CE+) would be a good choice. It's always worthwhile to check out software on ebay, althought you do need to be careful, always ask the seller if the software comes with a full, legal, upgradeable license. Carrara Studio 1 (in the box) has been going for around $29.00 (or free on magazines from the UK), you could purchase an older version and upgrade, which can save you a lot (I have purchased a lot of software off of ebay, only had a couple of problems, and saved a lot).

Good Luck!

Hello DustRider, Thanks for the info. If you were to choose between C3 $399 or Cinema4d CE (Cinema 4dXL) for the sale price of $99: 1. Which one is a more COMPLETE 3D PACKAGE? 2. Which one is the best value for the money? 3. Which one RENDERS better? Thanks again, billhdz

Someone mentioned a better app for modeling than Carrara 3. I'd go with Amapi Designer 7 for modeling, and Carrara 3 for rendering/animating.

I agree with the others, Carrara 3 is a great app, especially for someone like me who does not get much time to use it. Since it is easier to use then many other apps, I can use it casually and still get good results. Plus when I am ready to do more serious 3d work, C3 has so many features that I have not even touched, so I always have something new to try. I think the render engine in Carrara 3 is brilliant. Some people, that have used more traditional 3D modeling apps prefer a more robust set of tools then C3 offers, (I don't see why as I have seen awesome things modeled in Carrara) With that in mind there are several FREE versions of software available now, that compliment Carrara. Here is what I have seen and or have that were free: Amorphium 1.0 (Free on 3D World #16)(Mac/PC) Amapi 5.15 (Included in C3 Studio, and was available on Mag CD)(Mac/PC) TrueSpace3 (Free on 3D World #33)(PC Only) Cinema 4D CE (Same Features as XL6)(Free on 3DWorld #44) IntelliCad 2000 (Free on 3D World #26)(PC Only) Pixels 3D 3.7 (Free on 3D World #23)(Mac Only) WorldBuilder 2.3 (Free on 3D World #44) (PC Only) Vue d'Esprit 2 (Free on Computer Arts #55) (PC Only) These are just a few of the FREE Pro apps that I have seen and some make a great compliment to the Powerful C3 Render Engines. Hope it helps, Paull

billhdz,

Excellent questions, made me think a little more.
Hmmm, which one is more complete, that's a tough one. In many ways, the modeler, and the work flow in Cinema 4dXL 6 is more robust than Carrara, and obviously aimed at the high end commercial market (sweat house?). I think it was designed for people like me who really don't know where they are going until they get there. Cinema has a lot of flexibility, in that many of the modifiers are "non destructive" and can be changed or removed at any time. Cinema 4D has a very good set of snapping tools also.

If you look at some of the reviews on 4D XL 6/7 you'll see a lot on how good the render engine is. Which it is quite nice, but out of the box, C3 beats it hands down! C3 also has a very powerfull and flexible spline modeler. C3 has a very nice smoothing option when importing models, it's a big plus if you have to import some low polygon count models. Of course C3 has the tree modeler, which I think could be used to create just about any "woody" plant. The trees aren't as good as Xfrog or Onyx without tweaking, but what a great bonus to have it available.

Shaders and texturing are about the same in the two, which again shows Carrara's value for the money. Carrara has a UV mapper which has received mixed reviews, but it's there if you need it. There are a lot of free plugins for Cinema 6, and some commercial. There aren't as many free plugins for Carrara, but to be honest, many of the free plugins for Cinema were developed to improve the workflow and speed in preforming repetative or complex tasks. There are several very good commercial plugins available for C3, including one that can make hair (or fields of flowers, or "anything that grows"). Like Carrara, the plugins for it won't break the bank either.

The user interface is completely cutomizable in Cinema 4D, which some people really like. Carrara kinda takes over your desk top, which some people really dislike. To me, it is a little annoying when I want to switch apps, but nothing I can't live with. I do like the implementation of the "sliding trays" in Carrara, and the reduction of the control icon sizes in C3 is a big plus over the earlier versions.

The render engine in C3 has caustics, global illumination (GI), indirect lighting (which is GI, but some vendors fake it), volumetrics, and supports HDR lighting for photo-realistic results. Cinema CE doesn't have caustics (in case you couldn't tell, I just love caustic effects), doesn't have HDR support (except with V8), but does have GI.

I could go on, but I'm seeing a real trend here. Bang for the buck, I think that Carrara 3 is really impressive, is more complete than C4D CE, and hands down has a better renderer (oh, C4D does have multipass rendering, and C3 daoesn't). If you can afford C3, then I'd say go for it, right now I don't think there is anything comparable in the same price range (Carrara 2 got 5 out of 5 stars from Digit, and Carrara 3 got 4.5 out of 5, these are really high ratings from Digit - 3DS Max 6 only got 4.5). Cinema 4D CE+ for $99 is a great deal, and a good way to get into 3D, but you may end up spending more to get an app with HDR and caustics. I don't think anyone mentioned this, but you also get dedicated modeling app with Carrara - Amapi 5.1. I haven't really used it, but Amapi users do some really impressive work.

If you can afford it - get Carrara 3, I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed. If your interested in Cinema 4D, get the magazine freebee on the cover of 3D World, Computer Arts, Digit, or "The Complete 3D Collection 2" from 3D World (you can usually get them at Barns and Nobel, sometimes Hastings and CompUSA). You could then learn one of the mid range "pro" apps for modeling, and export your models to Carrara for beautiful renders. But I think you'll find Carrara 3 will do just about anything you could want, except for things like complex control particle emitters streams with multiple particle types all with unigue physics reactor properties (Hmmm ... controlled chaos)- the stuff you pay the big bucks to get the plugin to get the desired effect in the big buck apps (like XSI).

Good Luck! Let us know what you decide.

billhdz,

I forgot to mention Blender, and you had asked about it. I tried it, before NAN "went under", but it just didn't feel right. It has really taken off again since it found a new home, and is very impresive for a free app. My son (who is a true computer geek, not like his dad who just fakes it :-) loves Blender. But it really has an unusual interface/workflow, and doesn't have a real comprehensive set of import/export options, and it has a rudimentary tool set. I think Blender is more of a programers/tweakers app, with a stong emphasis on keyboard shortcuts (you can use the mouse, but just watch someone who knows the keyboard shortcuts, and it'll make your head spin). It would be a great app to help learn 3D at the technical level (what's really going on behind the interface), and the price is right, but if you want to results without "looking under the hood", I'd wouldn't reccomend it.

Greetings! This is a great message thread! Very interesting! One more question for everyone if I may: If you had to do a project (animation or just still 3D), for commercial purposes, would you use Carrara Studio 3? OR Would another 3D program, would be more appropiate? For instance: Cinema4d CE (Cinema 4dXL), etc. (Maya, Lightwave, 3DMax don't count. They are mucho $$$) Thanks again, Bill

Bill,

I've used Carrara and C4D 6XL for commercial porposes, and many people who have posted on this forum use Carrara for commercial purposes. Eovia has made some big improvements in Carrara over the past couple of years, and 3rd party plugin development has also increased. Any of the software mentioned in this thread has probably been used commercially, and they all have their strenghts and weaknesses. That is why very few pro shops (if any) use a single app.

With the recent improvements in C3, and the up-comming Poser plugin, if I had to choose a single multipurose app, keeping in mind that it is comming out of my own pocket, it would be Carrara.

Other apps I own include 3DS MAX 3.1, Rhinocerous 2.0 (which is an excellent CAD type nurbs modeler), C4D, Body Paint, Poser, Virtual Nature Studio (VNS), Amorphium Pro, and the version of Universe that comes with the 3D ToolKit. I consider myself to be a newbee to 3D. I've been doing 3D related work as a second "job" for about 3 years, and continually go through the decision making process you are going through now, as I am on a limited budget. In my opinion Carrara 3 is the price/performance/feature leader. TrueSpace is also worth a look in the affordable 3D market, and C4D CE is an excellent value for a rock solid product (especially the free version). I worked with C4D for over 10 hours once without ever rebooting or shutting down the program, there are not many programs (3d or other) that can do this on a windows machine.

With Carrara 3 you get so much for the price. For modeling it has a vertex, spline, metaball, and a tree modeler. It doesn't have a nurbs modeler (which C4D isn't a true nurbs modeler either), but you can accomplish just about anything you might ever need to with modelers in C3. As I've said before, the render engine is amazing. C3 is a bargain if you just got it to render in.

I got real bargain on 3DS MAX, but to be perfectly honest, I got it so that I could put it down in my list of tools, and the rare occasion I might need to use it for model conversion or testing. I find MAX to be a bit user abusive, as opposed to user friendly. Rhino was my first 3D modeling software purchase, as I needed to be able to create models for use in Virtual Nature Studio (VNS). But Rhino is strictly a modeler. I got C4D XL6 and Carrara 1 at almost the same time (at prices I couldn't resist on ebay). I used C4D a lot more than Carrara 1, because I needed to use scaled images to trace off of for making models (which Rhino 2 can also do, but the ability to render the finished product in the same app made C4D the modeler of choice). I upgraded to Carrara 2 because in my opinion it had a better render engine than C4D 6 (that caustics thing again), but the need to use reference images for model creation kept me using C4D for modeling. With Carrara 3, I can now trace off of images for model creation, so I plan on doing most of my work with C3 now.

The real difference between Carrara and the high end apps is workflow, 3rd party support (plugins), and scripting/SDK power/flexibility. But for this "extra" offered in the high end apps, there is a big price tag attached, not only in the cost of the software, but also in the cost of training, with a big learning curve. Of course the cost of upgrading to the newest version (including additional $$$ for plugin upgrades) is much greater with the high end apps too.

Buying 3D software is like any other purchase. Let's say you have your own delivery business, and your buying a vehicle for it. If your delivering primarily small packages the vehicle you buy would be much different from one for delivering large quantities of lumber. You could buy a big truck (say a 2 ton with a van box) for your small package delivery service, in case you decide to start hauling large items in the future. But you'll be stuck with the cost of operating the larger vehicle on the off chance you might need it. Or you could by a Pickup or small delivery van, knowing that once in a while you might have to make large deliveries that will require multiple trips. Here you have the most economical vehicle for the bulk of your business, but your profits might suffer if you start making a lot of large deliveries with it. At this point you would have to make the decision to either purchase a bigger vehicle and expand your delivery service, or continue to focus on small package delivery only. In either case, you'll keep the smaller vehicle because it is still the better tool for delivering small packages.

I view C3 as the smaller vehicle. It can do everything I need, but a few things may require a little extra work to make a final product (where maybe C4D, Lightwave, or MAX have the tools or plugins that would make these occasional unique projects a snap). If I run into something that is really difficult in C3, I do have other support apps that may fit the job, which I haven't spent a lot on. If at some point, my needs expand to where Carrara just doesn't match the demand, I will probably invest in the upgrade for C4D 8 (or what ever the current version might be). But for now, I'm using C3 for almost everything except the landscape work I do in VNS, which really can't be done in any other 3D app (including Maya, XSI, etc.).

I hope this helps you make your decision. There is no "one size fits all" 3d software. But IMHO, in the for what it's worth category, C3 really offers a lot for the price.

Thanks again DustRider! The only thing with C3 is that the Amapi 5 that comes with it will not run under MacOSX. I understand that Amapi is a better modeler than C3. Is that correct? I like the interface and menus on TrueSpace a lot, but it's only available for the PC. I have both, but my MAC has all the bells, whistles, and power. G5 dual processor, etc. I also like that fact that TrueSpace has a lipsync option. I like creating fun characters and cartoons. I wish they had a TrueSpace Mac version. By the way, how would you go about doing voice lipsyncs in C3? It must be a lot of work. Is it? Cheers, Bill

Bill, I should have asked if you were on a Mac or PC ... Opps! That narrows down the field a bit. I think your right that Amapi doesn't run on a Mac (awesome machine you have there). TrueSpace has a very unique interface, inviting, and doesn't have that sterile technical look. It has decent animation tools, and the facial animator which is a big plus for charater animation. I'd recommend getting something to run on your Mac. You'll love the dual processors when your rendering (with a multi threaded app)! A good machine makes a big difference. Does C4D CE run on OSX? I haven't paid attention to it since I'm a PC user. Lipsync in Carrara - that could be difficult. I use Mimic and Poser to lipsync. With Poser4 Propak, I can host my poser animations in 3D MAX if I need to use an external app for rendering. Mimic can export BHV motion files, but I don't think C3 supports BHV. I hope that the upcomming C3 plugin for Poser will support full animations - which will give me lipsync (in a round about way) in Carrara. Right now, the best way to lipsync in C3 would probably be to create morph targets for the major lips movements, and manually apply them. OUCH! Sounds painfull, and like a lot of work. Animation Master ($299 www.hash.com) runs on OSX and it may be an option if you are really interested in character animation and creation, but it doesn't play well with others (I don't believe there are any options for exporting the animations to other 3d apps). Poser 5 ($199 www.curiouslabs.com) is available for OSX, which in combination with either Mimic (www.daz3d.com) or TextPuppet can be user to easily create animations (I'm not sure if there are Mac versions for these). Actually anything that can create a BHV file can be used for animation in Poser or AM. The modeling capabilities of Poser are ... well .... VERY limited, so it is strictly a figure animation/posing app. AM has good modeling tools for organic forms, but is definitely lacking in other areas. Unfortunately, character animation is still a niche market, with few affordable options. Poser and Animation Master are the only easily affordable options (DAZ Studio, under development, might add one more option in the near future, and Greenbriar Studios has already annouced a DAZ Studio plugin for Carrara that will be available when DAZ Studio becomes available to the general public - it's currently in Alpha testing). In the "high end" apps, the character annimation tools are much better, but typically at a additional Premium price (and a big learning curve). For general purpose 3D and character animation, an affordable solution may be C3, Poser5, and the the C3/Poser plugin (which is supposed to be out at the end of Q1 this year), which would give you a lot of flexiblility. The bone tools in C3 are adequate, not as sophisticated as Character Studio (3DS MAX) or Mocca (C4D 8), but I have played with them, and you can get good results if your persistant(there just aren't a lot of good tutorials, so it's a lot of trial and error). Vue d'Esprit, Mover4(5), and Poser is another combination that would work, but you would need to have another app for modeling, since Vue is not a modeler. I hope I didn't add to the 3D confusion with all the options above. If you want to do some character animation, but really want to focus on general 3D, then Carrara is still a very good choice. You will learn a lot more about the nuts and bolts of charater animation with Carrara than with Poser or AM. If your focus is really on character animation, then AM might be a good choice (I haven't used it, but it seems to be a very good stand alone character animation app), or the combination of C3 and Poser 5 with the yet to be seen Carrara to Poser plugin, or C3 and DAZ Studio with the Greenbriar Studios plugin. Of course the last two options are dependent on software that hasn't been relased yet. A work around for getting Poser animations into C3 would be to export each frame of your animation from Poser to .obj format, then import each individual .obj file into C3, and animate the visiblilty of each model with key frames. Addmittedly a brute force approach, but it would work, as this is how it used to be done with C4D 6 (and may be the easiest way to lipsync until the poser transporter is available).

Bill,

Another option came to mind when I pressed to botton to post the message above. You could use either Poser or AM and render the animation to a video file. Then use a plane object to play the animation on in a C3 animation. If memory serves correctly, there is an example (and tutorial) of this technique on Eovias web site. It would be a very simple way to get lipsynced characters into C3

Good Luck!

Amapi 7 is available for Mac.

Thanks DustRider! Lots of good information. By the way, POSER 5 is the only software that I have on the PC. I just got it not so long ago, so I am still learning it. The only thing with Animation Master is that it's all spline based. Lots of work to create characters. At least for me it is. But It's a very cool, affordable, and powerful package and it is available for the Mac. Maybe I should wait until that Carrara to Poser plugin to be available to see what it will offer, before buying C3. I'll look into that POSER video render into C3 example on the Eovias website and see how it works. Many thanks for you time!!! -Bill

If you're on a Mac, you can also have a look at Pixels:3D, a Mac OS X only app. Same price range as Carrara, but different direction: Pixels has less bells and whistles, but is more flexible. Everything is scriptable, it has a RenderMan compliant rendering with micropolygon displacement and NURBS modeling. Compared to Carrara, it doesn't have caustics or the NPR styles. I can't compare things like the bone system because I only have the very dated Carrara 1.1. But they have a demo version, so you can see for yourself if you like it or not.

Thanks stewer! I'll check it out!

And let me just throw in that I think you should definitely try to get a copy of a magazine that had C4D CE on its cover. Also, it can never hurt to have Blender on your hard drive, especially at the price of $0 :D