I finally got my boxed version of C5. I haven't had a chance to really get into it yet, but have found some pros and cons already. The good stuff: 1. Being able to pan and zoom using mouse & keyboard - couldn't do that in C4. 2. The new displacement shader. 3. Ambient occlusion. Also I noticed that the lighting seems to be calculated and rendered faster than in C4. 4. Lots of new landscapes in the scene wizard. The not-so-good stuff: 1. The new interface - the overall look of it is kind of cheap-looking. I liked C4's interface better. Also I don't like how the different windows can't be undocked. 2. The vertex modeller - I had high hopes for this one, but Carrara's vertex modeller is as infuriating as ever. Silo and Blender are easier for me. 3. The new shader tree is a little bit confusing, but I'll figure it out eventually. I wish I had been able to download the C5 demo and play around with it, but I can't download large items due to a very slow dial-up connection. If I had, I probably wouldn't have upgraded to C5.

Rotate the object is slower than rotate the camera or scene.

Hi fuzzoom -

Sorry to hear your mixed reactions. Not wanting to mindlessly cheerlead for the new version, but hopefully the interface stuff will grow on you - anything like that is a matter of personal preference, but the majority of people seem to think it now looks more like a professional app...

One important point (main reason I'm posting a reply) is that the windows can be undocked - Ctrl-leftclick and drag from inside the window frame - there's a thread on this a couple down from yours, and I just discovered it myself (I swear the browser tray was locked in the beta, and I whinged about it then...).

OTOH, I know what you mean about the new shader tree - everyone else seems wild about it, but I find it tricksy compared to the old version - guess you and I are in a minority here.

As for the modeller, I can't really comment, as I'm a Hexagon convert and am unlikely to go back to the Carrara Vertex room unless they integrated all the Hex functionality, which is pretty unlikely now...

Oh, and Gweb, I can understand that the slowdown when rotating objects is annoying, but it seems to make perfect sense to me - when you move the camera all the other co-ordinates in the scene stay the same, and so the program just has to work out how the scene looks from your new point of view. But when you rotate an object, the program has to transform all of that object's vertex points as well as working out how your view of it has changed...

Message edited on: 01/11/2006 02:50

I have found moving things is slower, also. May want to try tweaking your interactive render settings some higher opengl stuff can really slow things down. I have also been getting memory allocation errors. Need to look into that, could have more ram.Got a gig.A tree seems to do this.I am wondering about the parametric mapping. If I restart all is fine. Makes me wonder about leaks. I confess I like the new shader tree much better. Fits better on screen w/ long textures.I like vertex room much more, but I use hex, however if I go in there it is much easier.The interface isn't that much different just cleaner and more consistent. Try changing the colors to your prefs you might find it more comfortable.It can often take an adjustment period when your accustom to certain things.

I'm getting a lot of memory allocation errors and that's frustrating. Can't speak to the other stuff too much since I ran the C4 demo then the C5 demo, and used C3 for only a few weeks (if that) before getting C5

Yeah Shader is awesome. Cant wait for new update to fix moving objects bug.

Has everyone on this thread that is using C5 downloaded the free update (5.0.2) from our website? It was posted last week. http://www.eovia.com/resources/download_update_car.asp Bob

I did.... re the update

I'm quite happy with C5Pro, but I've been getting memory allocation errors lately when rendering scenes with volumetric clouds (haven't used many). I watch Windows Task Manager to see if memory requirements are the problem, but this is not the case.

The problem seems to be occuring when also using surface distribution with imported objects.

This is occuring on my 3.6 GHz Dell 370 workstation with 4 GByte of RAM, and an NVIDIA 6800 card with 256 MByte of VRAM. This box is very stable, and I can run up to ~1.85 GByte during a render before the system becomes unstable.

I have the 5.0.2 patch.

This is being reported.

Yeah, I'm patched.Wanted to take a further look before reporting.The scene I have had this happen with has a particle emitter and a tree w/ a fountain etc.., but really not complex. So I found it a bit odd.

Some likes the old C4 UI better???? May I ask why? The new UI is more professional looking and it gives you more workspace that the previous version. Windows and tool bars can be undock. You can even place the tool bar icons on top of the working window with no problems. Customed keyboard shortcuts. Use wheelmouse to zoom in and out. Please try it out and very soon you will not want to go back to the C4 UI. I sure wouldn't want to go back to the old MetaCreations style of UI that just waist space. Question did you get C5 or C5Pro...C5Pro has more advance modeling tools takin from Hexagon. Spend a little bit more time on it. Try the new particle system. Later Ringo

C5Pro still did not take symmetery from Hexagon so why should you claim that it took stuff from Hexagon!! I am still annoyed to model a object in the VM room with shift key!! I had to press shift key everytime I select a polygon and everything is symmetery!! It is not worth to model anything in Carrara and not even worth to spend little time on it. Sad but its the truth. Eovia knew about symmetery that it is essential for modeling but they won't implement it for Carrara, I considered it rude.

Same old song Gweb under a different tune. Pascal Doux Lead Eng. of Hexagon re-did the entire VM engine. Didn't have time to impliment everything in this version of the VM but given the fact that now the VM has a new modeling engine things will be much easier to add in the next release. You may consider it rude BUT you don't know how long it takes to re do an modeler. I think your comments are rude. Ringo

Symmeterical is not difficult to make. Why did they spend time iimplementing symmetery in Hexagon for 1.2 release? They sough to spend some time for Carrara5. Rude may be filthy virus

GWeb. EVERY post I see from you has complained about this. You have commented that "Eovia knew about symmetery that it is essential for modeling but they won't implement it for Carrara, I considered it rude." Do you think that Eovia makes all their complex programming decisions based on the 'squeaky wheel' of one person? There are MANY discussions I have read, here and elsewhere, regarding the LACK of symetry ADDS to the beauty of things. Makes them more interesting. There have been studies at major universities around the world that show that when the human form is lacking in 'perfect symetry' it is perceived as being MORE beautiful. In a different thread here, it was pointed out to you that you could use the Project Gemini plugin to acheive your symetry easier. You admitted in that thread that you haven't upgraded from ver 3 yet. How can you make an assesment of a product that you don't have?! PLEASE.... stop wasting everyones bandwidth on this obsesion you have with symetry. Please?

God maybe modeling is not your expertise.

Your saying God's modeling isn't professional? ;)

I said god as expression/slang Please allow me rephase, maybe modeling is not your expertise because you seem that you knew nothing about symmeterical how important tool it is for modeling.

You like Hexagon? And it's symmetrical modeling? Great. :D Then say that. PLEASE stop hammering on Carrara for a feature that isn't there when it might be soon. That's all I'm asking.

Ignore GWeb. He has no art gallery anyway.

Hex suk big time. Many of us want everything in an application as a complete. Eovia said they put Hex technology in Carrara Vertex room but they did not include symmetery!! I dont wanna do export/import thingy for every model. It is easy to manage if evertyhing can be done in an application. Average time for import or export process on a model is 15 sec to 15 minutes depending on number of polygons. Who wanna do this fun port thingy? Now, do ya agree?

Art gallery? Thats what you expect that every member post their artwork? (scoffs)

No. I don't agree. PLEASE stop hammering on this issue! If you don't like the software, go elsewhere. I think this forum is for people to share ideas of how to use Carrara, WIPs of projects, and to ask each other for help with problems. Not to 'scoff' at other people and to try to highjack threads with meaningless gibberish. Kix? PLEASE end this!

GWeb's hatred has made him gone mad. I have both Hexagon and Carrara open on my machine. I export from Hexagon (in OBJ) and import with Carrara. If I need to change the model, I delete the object in Carrara and re-import the updated model from Hexagon. Takes 10 seconds at the most. I rarely have to re-import an object, unless I'm experimenting with a new way of modeling.

I am already gone mad long time ago when I had to use shift key!!! Because I had hard time to hit it!! My side hair is gone.

Attached Link: http://www.plugsnpixels.com

http://www.plugsnpixels.com/carrara.html

I have some experience with other terrain generating apps (Mojoworld, Vue, Terragen, Bryce), but not 3D modeling. But based on my initial experience with the new Carrara, I would pursue learning any proper 3D with it and not any other.

PS: Ringo and Mark, hope you don't mind having your work promoted there! I can hyperlink your credits if you provide a URL.

"In defense of Carrara" You cranked me up!! Are u gonna defend President Bush or Saddam Hussein next? I'm outta here.

please everyone, ignore Gweb, the more you respond the more they will... on and on... Gweb has a point that life would be easier with the ablity to have symmetery in the modeler... but it's not there in this version, maybe next... who knows? get Gemini.. i did.. (though having trouble mastering it) My answer... no Carrara isn't perfect... but damn close and for the price? you wont beat it!! If you want everything, go pay for it and get Maya or one of those multi thousand dollar app's.

I can hear Kixum marching toward this thread, ready to shut it down like a firm parent. So in the interest of fanning the flames, I will also say how disappointed I am that C5 doesn't do symmetrical modeling. We've got Gordon surfaces (uh, thanks!) and an undockable properties panel (OK, then), but not this seemingly simple feature. - Joe