3D Modelers and File Formats?

TDaxGav asks: "I am in the process of setting up an animation shop, but I'm stuck as to what format should be used for 3D formats (as well as others, but that is a different story), with all the software out there such as 3D studio, Povray, Maya? What would be the best format to use these days for models?" Considering that the iRender project is to be collaborative, it might be good if the formats were cross-platform. It seems to me, though, that this is the wrong question to be asking. The working creed of the iRender project is "if the tools [work], then use it", so rather than asking "which format" maybe the question here should be "which tool"? So which 3D modelers out there would be decent for a project like this?

Comments

lightwave & maya reduced pricing...

[Miska]

sorry if offering further choices is cause for confusion but, both lightwave and maya have had their price reduced recently

Lightwave costs $1595 (and $900 for a competitive upgrade)
(http://www.newtek.com/buynow/swproducts .html)

Maya has 2 different prices
$2000 for maya complete
$7000 for maya unlimited
(http://www.aliaswavefront.com/en/news/ maya/mayafo r1999.shtml)

... and softimage costs aroun $1500 as well these days
(http://www.softimage.com/corporate/press/pr essrel eases/020606_3D_Legend.htm)

and I believe cinema4dXL is somewhere between $1500-$1000,
but I can't find their URL at the moment.

Good luck choosing!

.3DS and .DXF

[ktakki]

It may be my bias as a long-time 3DStudio user (dating back to R2 for DOS), but my opinion is that the .3DS file format (not.MAX) seems to be widely supported (e.g., Lightwave, Rhino, Multigen Creator, Sense8 WCT, ElectricImage, etc.) as an import/export option.

DXF is supported by more packages, but isn't as feature-rich (no textures, hierarchies, smoothing groups).

k.