This's maybe little offtopic but I think I can get good opinions here:) So I would like to learn some totally new 3D program but the variety is huge and I don't know which way to go. And I'm not giving up using Bryce so don't consider me as a traitor:)

Maya sounds interesting... Rhino and Cinema 4D too... 

What would you suggest to be the next step, and I don't have any experience in programs like those before. Bryce has been my only love:) If it's possible to compare which is the easiest to use, which is the most potential or popular one... what about importing/exporting with Bryce? 

Thanks for sharing opinions!

Opinion : Maya costs between $2,000 - $7,000. Might want to consider C4D for $900

Well what way do you want to take it. OK first a no brainer Wings 3D say what you will it is an excellent program and there are a number of pics that made it to the front page of CG talk that used it and it is Free.

What platform are you on? I think nowdays ther eactually is more good budget programs on teh mac than the PC. (and I am a PC user) So for mac type of people try Cheetah 3D or Pixels 3D both cost about150$ and have rigging modelign and rendering that are quite good.

If on the PC well XSI is a top performer and less than 500$ has great renderign and animation tools. I found the demo a bit daunting. I personally use PMG messiah easy rigging and rendering. There is no modeler in Messiah. Modelers well rhino might be goot but I think poly sub is the way to go and Silo runs about a bit over 100. (poly modeling you get better control over mesh topology)

Personally I use PMG Messiah and wings. When I get some cash to spend again I do plan on getting Silo.

Blender is a powerful program too and well it is free. Get a nice thick book on  it download the progam and start studying.

Easy use I think Wings is the simplest modeler to learn followed by silo. I feel messiah is  less daunting than Lightwave or XSI. Basically because it is only animation rigging and rendering so there is less tools there to confuse you.

Lightwave full version US$795 or US$495 for a companion upgrade (and photoshop is apparently a companion).

Well what if we forget those prices from this comparison:)

What do you want to do with it? If you just want to make models to render in Bryce then Silo or wings 3D. Do you want to animate and rig characters? Do you want to do architectural scenes. Animation? Since money is no object then get maya complete with T splines and renderman plug ins that will only set you back 20,000 dollars or so.

Are going to pirate the software? Software piracy does not hurt the big expensive packages it hurts the little guys. Why would you pay a few hundred for a lesser program when you can get a pirated copy of whatever ubersoftware for next to nothing. When you get the money you might buy the ubersoftware but the little guys are crushed in the process.

XSI, And Lightwave can do most everything the more expensive packages can do. More actually because they do not need expensive plug ins to get them up to speed for most things. Both are used in major studios. Advantages of each Lightwave has a larger user base and more tutorials etc. XSI has fewer legacy issues.

Thanks Dann... to your questions: No, I'm not going to pirate the software and I definately know what piratism does. It's just that I can find those prices easily myself and was more interesting to hear things I mentioned in my first message. Sure I won't pay $7000 for Maya for myself but for example what if one school I'm right now applying to get in teaches Maya and other one Cinema? And of course I have some money to put to this hobby. Sorry if I wasn't very clear.. Yes I have Wings though haven't used it at all... I think I'm more interested in creating almost the whole scene and not just the modelling part. And I'm a PC- user:)

OK well as far as learning goes go with what will get you more work. Lots of Game guys use Max at work and Lightwave at home.  Wings is a great little modeler that is all it is. But I know a number of Cinema users and Maya users and Max users that use wings for modeling. Making a whole scene is nice but getting the modeling done quick and efficiant is the first step.
  

Messiah fits my workflow because It keeps my modeling seperate from my rendering and animation. I guess from years of modeling in wings and othe rprograms and renderign in Bryce I want to nto have all my modeling tools get in the way of my rendering. Lightwave has seperate windows for modeling and rendering soem think it is great others dislike it.

C4D seems to be lower priced alternative till you find out that animation tools and advanced redering options are in expensive plug ins once you get them all it cost the same as basic maya 2000.

Is animation important do you want to do character stuff? If it is then Messiah might be your best bet if not maybe look into Mondo has a great rederer and one of the best modelers on the market but lacks animation and rigging tools. Messiah has great rigging and animation and rendering tools but lacks modeling so you will have to pick up silo or wings. Lightwave and XSI are good all arounders. Blender is a great option too. I know a number of max users that got tired of paying the cost of having max and went with blender and no regrets.

Interface is another thing too. Some I find daunting or frustrating others love them. Ex Hexagon sits on my hardrive unused Wings gets opened every day.

Quote - Opinion : Maya costs between $2,000 - $7,000. Might want to consider C4D for $900

Or Carrara for $250-$550  and with similar interface to Bryce and Poser

AS: I DEMAND THAT YOU LOCK THIS THREAD. IT IS HERESY OF THE WORST KIND.

You're all on my list!

Don't use Vue!!  (no reason, just don't. ;-)

Attached Link: Modo

There seems to be lots of negative postings in the Vue forum and in e-on's own forum. Lots of ppl seem to be annoyed with some sort of copyright content protection.

Anyway, would this interest in heresy ;-) be for career or for hobby?  That would help list some possible programs.

I kept looking at Cinema 4D myself, but...since DAZ had that sale some time ago, I had picked up Carrara 5 and Hexagon, and that will definitely satisfy my learning curve for now!

I don't know about a lot of the others but C4D is quite friendly to get going in. I greatly enjoy my tinkerings in it.

You can buy either modular or packages. I run modular myself with the R10 core (Includes BodyPaint now),  the Advanced Render (now includes Pyrocluster) and Hair modules. I am not into animation myself or I would have taken one of the package bundles. As a competative advantage, VRAY for C4D is in serious development by some respectible people. 

From a very unscientific observation point of view, C4D seems to have a lot of professional use in product visualization, archi-viz and motion graphics fields. (based on a who's who look at the C4D forum at CGTalk)

Don't forget to at least check out 3dsmax at autodesk. It is a very powerful app that can do a lot of different types of 3D work.
It is expensive but comes stock with a lot of tools that are additional expense for many other mid or top end apps.
It is widely known as a very good modeller and has many modifiers (undoable for many layers). No app can twist a poly quite like Max.
Ships w. MentalRay renderer, Vue file renderer, and a default scanline renderer.
Might have more plug-ins available than any other application.
Has a relatively steep learning curve; but I like the interface a lot. The learning curve is steep because there are so many things it can do. For instance, it comes with 6 or 7 types of shaders: Phong, Blinn, Oren-Nayer-Blinn, Anisotropic, Strauss, Translucent, Metal. (and others available as free or cheap plug-ins) Each of those has MANY parameters that can be tweeked. Takes a while to learn what all those parameters do, and that is just shaders.

EDIT - Sorry Bryster, had to throw this post in there.

I've got 3dsmax and I most certainly agree with dvlenk6. Learning curve is there, which is why i never bothered with it after messing with it for a bit. Anyway, Bryce was more fun.

If you plan on sticking with Bryce, I would have to back Dann-o up and say give Wings 3D a go. It is easy to learn and importing your models into Bryce could not be easier. And at the price point of $0.00 there ain't a lot to complain about. I use it all the time.

My other app is 3DS MAX. More power than you can poke a stick at. In some ways it models like Wings, with all major tools under the right mouse button. If you plan on getting serious about 3D it would be the one I would recommend.

Have to go. Some one at the door.

Hello Bryster. Take a walk with you? Sure. Whats with the throw pillows and the head rest protector?

Wings3D looked like fun. The mouse direction to rotate/pan the work grid was similar to Solidworks, just opposite directions, though. The program didn't behave well with my laptop's graphics card and so I only used it once to test it. Didn't close cleanly. Affected the GUI of other programs. Had to reboot. :-(   And I loathe rebooting.

I started with AutoCAD when it was version 3. Got into Bryce, then tried out 3DSmax because I saw a lot of nice books at the school's bookstore about it. Very impressive stuff. When I messed with it 3D art for me was a hobby, not a career (still is) and so I wondered what 3D program to get involved with. Moved on to SolidWorks because I figured if I'm going to spend time to learn something complex, let it be something I could use to get a job with.

This is why I asked earlier if the choice to learn another program was career related or just to extend a hobby.