Are the more expensive 3d apps really more powerful than C ? I love Carrara amd every time I try out another app its way more complicated. so should I just stick woth Carrara or battle it out learning one of the others ? What other app would you recomend to complement Carrara in order to have a pro level studio

There's not a correct answer to your question, it all depends on the "Studio" that you aspire to and the type of work you want to do. For me (in printing/advertising shop) its: Illustrator, Photoshop, QuarkExpress, Painter, Streamline, Carrara, Bryce, CorelDraw (what can I say, some clients just won't cooperate). Illustrator & Streamline are great for prep work in conjunction with C and painter/PSD are essential for postwork & prepress prep work. I never have any need for animated, web or game stuff so have no practicle info on that aspect of Carrara. So far C is pretty much all I need for the ocassional 3D project that needs to be done.

First of all let me way that willf has hit the nail on the head. Like so many other software experiences I've had, usually the more powerful the software package, the more complicated the interface. It's kind of a rule that can't be broken for lots of real reasons. As an example, there are about seven gazillion shadow options in lightwave. It will cast a shadow but not for this light setup and it won't catch a shadow from any other objects except for these special ones in combination with that special light and on and on and on and on. In the end you can do a lot more specific things and get a graphic product that can be very well defined for its application. Some packages are haus enough to make heavy hitting movies with (maya/lightwave as an example). Some packages are good modelers and not good renderers, etc. So, Yes, several of the more expensive apps are more powerful than C but in my personal opinion, I don't know that they're worth the pain and dough to get many of the minuscule atomic level details. For final products that are 2d, C is getting to be on par with a lot of the heavier hitting packages but there are definite things that are missing before it gets there. As an animation package (especially when organics are involved), there's significant room left to go. C is missing several things which are becoming sort of standard and sort of required if it's going to stay competitive like bones or radiosity. Lots of cheap/shareware/freeware codes do these two things (blender as an example), but the interface for these codes can be aggravating and cumbersome and limited. Cheaper codes have their own uses just like C has its own uses and they should be used for what they do best. In the end, I think C is just about the best darned overall package that's available for the $. It's reasonably rounded out and the interface doesn't have a steep learning curve. If any of the noise we are hearing out of Eovia is true, it's only going to get better. In the end, go look in the galleries to see if it can really do what you want it to do. That's the real test of a package. -Kix

Deadboy, I think you have it backwards. A pro level studio is determined by the quality of work it produces, not the software it uses. If Carrara does everything you require what is the point in using something else? I wouldn't worry about changing until your needs change.

I agree with everyone else above, in that you should use what you enjoy the most...but (there is always a but ;) ), there is a situation where you may have to consider a high end package. If you intend to get a job within the industry, then it would be wise to think about the more expensive apps like Max, Lightwave, Maya etc. If you are more interested in just the modelling aspect then I would say yes, get something like Max. If you feel that your strength is your more artistic creative side, then let your artwork/animations do the talking and don't let it bother you what package you use :) Cheers

theres sometimes another way out. wanna learn lightwave but dont got the bucks. the guys at LW figured this too so they came up with INSPIRE. its the same interface as LW and they claim can be upgrade to full LW. i think its around $300-$400. and yes its as complicated as heck. i use some of its features to make models and such but fall back to my raydream 5.5 for the render dgaff