rhino - to use or not to use

[paper_dude]

I have been using sketchup for a short while. It's very easy to get into, which is why I've stuck with it. I've gotten pretty good at using it to make some fairly complex models.

It's easy to apply textures to models in sketchup as well, and it exports to a variety of formats.

Now I realise that I want develop my 3d skills more. I would like to make card models more efficiently, as well as make sweet 3d artwork.

I've read on this forum many times that Rhino is the 3d package of choice for card modelling. What I want to know is, why is it better than Maya for card modelling?

Is it the (unroll/flatten) feature I've read about previously? If that's the case, couldn't Pepakura be used to perform that action?

Why is Rhino better than Maya? (if that is the case) I have seen many, many tutorials/videos for learning Maya, as well as Maya appearing to be a popular choice for many 3d artists.

Is there a particular technology feature/tool in one or the other that users desire? I'm just trying to understand why Maya seems to have more support in it's user base, and whether Maya is a better (overall) 3d package than Rhino is.

I know this is a long post, but I'm about to make a significant investment of time in learning Rhino or Maya, and I'd like to make a good choice.

Thanks!

[yaniv]

i dont know about what u ask
but i can tell u from my oun experians
i tray to use rhino a year ago
and i found this program realy friendly and simpel to use
with some help from some friend in this forum i divelop my oun c47(not finsh yet

btw as i tray the rhino not tack mach power from the PC and the MEMORY like maya


and i sure that u already check kooklit sub
also dont forget MASTER NOBI

here u can found some pic and progres about our works
and fix me if i am wrong my friend we all lurn how to use it alon (with some help)

MY C47
http://forum.zealot.com/t146945/

KOOKLIK SUB
http://forum.zealot.com/t146581/

NOBI ME109
http://forum.zealot.com/t151034/

[paper_dude]

I'm super-impressed with many of the models on this site - esp the U-Boat. How some of you can model the smallest details is amazing.

After looking at the Rhino screenies, it looks a little like a cross between Corel draw and Sketchup - maybe a good thing!

[yaniv]

my tip
if u know how to model a full paper model using coral drow or ather profesinal softwer u not need the rhino

but
if u need to lurn all the stuff about modeling a 2d model to 3d paper model
i think this place u can found rhino mach faster

she friendly use
not hard to run it on simpel home computer
the reasolt is like the coral drow even mach buther on the paper design

u can got all my big good word on this prodact

:)
and also u can got me smol help to use it

[Lex]

Just to post my word -- I think it'll be quite a change to move from Sketchup's polygon modelling to Rhino's curve modelling (I found it a completely different concept). But if you really managed to get into Rhino, it's probably the best for designing curved models. For artworks, I have to say that even with Flamingo, Rhino can't do so good a job on texturing (basically because it's designed for hyper-precision CAD and not artistic CG) so those jobs are better done with 3DMax/Blender/Maya etc

[swiftsword]

IMHO, you want Rhino, nothing else.

Cheers,


Oliver

[paper_dude]

Perhaps I will keep my 3d relationship with Sketchup - for simple models, and explore rhino for curved surfaces. Doing curves or spheres in sketchup is a real pain, and I purposely alter the shape of a model to avoid having to do so.

Texturing in sketchup is very easy (as long as one of the four corners of the rectanglular image lines up wuth one of the corners on a models face). I do like that feature of it.