3d visualization

[john doe]

I do not think AutoCAD is essential, of course is essential to have good knowledge and management of a CAD application for AEC, in my case for years that do not use AutoCAD, the program is certainly more commercial but not the best.

I would recommend MicroStation. which to me is the best application. I learned in 98 version and then it was far more advanced than AutoCAD, now both have improved but the difference is not shortened.

Hi m8
thats true, i had try microstation long time ago and i was amazed how that thing work with .tif rasters as background-100 mb .tif in microstation act as 1mb .tif in acad-increnibly fast and smooth...
but there is one problem for old acad users-even one shortcut isnt same ,icons are too different etc...
so i think for new users microstation is good choice but if someone know acad already change to microstation is realy painful

[banonong]

guys, this is my opinion i'd like to share, it depends on where you are and what is required to get a job. i started autocad with ver 2.62, i've tried microstation and it handled 3d better than autocad (model, manipulation, etc) but if it's only between acad and mstation - maybe it depends on where you are, say where i am, how many employers will ask if you know autocad than microstation? mostly will require "with knowledge of autocad". what is your chance of getting hired if you know autocad than microstation. i came across companies which offered me free mstation training for i am a long time autocad user... i asked myself why.
BIM - revit is being used by AEC consultants as well as allied professions for collaboration.
i've used vue (as mentioned in the thread earlier) for animation - screen presentation, it's rendering engine is different and offer better network handling (but less stable than max) to produce animation. But 3Dsmax with vray for me still produces sharper and better still renderings than eon vue.
at the moment i'm told to get a grip on inventor, maybe we will try to move to a different level of parametric modeling and production.
:)

[john doe]

anyone here use 3ds max?

[george85]

Sorry for the late reply.

Instead of 3ds max I am using Rhinoceros.

But I advice you to use the 3ds max, as it is far better than Rhinoceros.
Rhino is very bad when it comes to mesh modeling (for example free forms like human 3d models). Also it can handle a large scale projects and models, while Rhino starts to stuck on a 200,300 MB file. Not to mention all those 3ds max plugins out there.

Try typing the "3ds max tutorials" in google or youtube and you will find tens and tens of them.