Which is Better; Maya or Max?
Kung Fu Panda
By TJ Warren
Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max are two of the most common 3D Animation programs in use today. Often we hear the question, “Which program is better?” The answer is mostly a matter of preference. Both programs sell for roughly the same price ($3,500) and 30 day trials can be found on Autodesk’s website. With regards to capability, both products are very similar as well. However, both programs do approach the same task differently.
Historically 3ds Max has been used more heavily in the architecture and video game industries. Maya, by contrast, has been used heavily in the movie industry. These trends are changing however, towards an environment where both programs are used in the same industries on a more equal level. Many developers say that Maya, while being harder to learn, is a bit more capable. Furthermore, proponents of Maya feel that the shadowing tool Mental Ray is more robust in the Maya program. Many schools, such as the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) in Columbus build Maya into their curriculum. They find it to be more robust because of its ability to create entire movies.
On the other hand, many users of 3ds Max feel it is superior in rendering still images. This quality contributes to its high rate of use in the architecture field. Nevertheless, choosing which program is better is really a matter of personal preference. Both programs can read files from the other so if you are in the market for a high end 3D animation program, there is no reason (other than hard drive space constraints) not to get a free trial of both and see what you personally prefer. (Find links to both free trials at the bottom of this page.)
A short list of movies and video games created using both of these Autodesk products includes:Star Wars Episode 3, Far Cry 2, Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda, Resistance 2, Transformers, and Star Trek. Interestingly, several large animation firms including Pixar and Blue Sky have turned to their own proprietary 3D software.