Maya Personal Learning Edition 5 Available

[MacRumors]

Alias has released (http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services/maya/maya_ple/index.shtml) Maya Personal Learning Edition 5 for free download.

Version 5 of the Maya PLE was announced in July 2003. The free version of the 3d software provides a fully functional version of Maya Complete for non-commercial use. The software was initially available only as part of the Learning Maya Beginner's Guide for $19.99, but is now available at no charge from the Alias site.

[macMaestro]

SWEET! :p

[TheFish]

ive always wanted some kind of 3d program that was free to fool around with

[nanosound]

Anyone else going crazy with those annoying watermarks?

[marco114]

I think it is very useful, however, that you can't import the free version files into the commercial version is really stupid. So people would have to rebuild the entire project if they elected to upgrade. Lame. Otherwise, a fairly solid free app.

[Oats]

Originally posted by nanosound
Anyone else going crazy with those annoying watermarks?

Is this true? Including watermarks is hardly a free version, more like a demo version.

[SeaFox]

Originally posted by Oats
Is this true? Including watermarks is hardly a free version, more like a demo version.


What did you think they were going to do? Release a fully functional program for free with no checking into whether you're a student and NOT add anything to the files so you could tell it was ed-version created file?

I bet they don't keep this up for two weeks.

[nanosound]

I'd rather pay a few bucks and get something like the dvGarage 3D Toolkit or Cinema 4D upgrade from the CD with the latest 3D World mag. You're much better off that way.

[wchamlet]

This isn't a free version of Maya. It's a Personal Learning Edition. It's been available since 3.5, and I've been enjoying the program ever since. I actually bought 4.5 about a year ago. Sweet program.

Anyway, Alias will transfer your learning edition files to the real program for a fee. It's not something they advertise, because get this, Maya PLE is not limited in any way except the file format it saves in and the watermarks. So in other words, if they allowed people to work in PLE, and import into Maya Complete or Unlimited, they'd essentially be shooting themselves in the foot. How many studios would just download the PLE, and use that to do their work, then render on the few "Legit" licenses on their renderfarm. Alias is not stupid.

Anyway, on a side note, check out some of my work using Maya. I'm still learning the software, so don't expect any ILM quality work yet. heh

http://homepage.mac.com/chadtheartist/Concept/Bolrog.gif

Background and some lighting done in Maya. Characters done in Photoshop.

And a elf-like character I've been working on.

http://homepage.mac.com/chadtheartist/3DGallery.htm

[evolu]

i don't really know the program, but i'm impressed wchamlet!

[Dahl]

Originally posted by nanosound
I'd rather pay a few bucks and get something like the dvGarage 3D Toolkit or Cinema 4D upgrade from the CD with the latest 3D World mag. You're much better off that way.
I wouldn't.
If you would like a job using a 3D program, it's probably best to use the strong package from the beginning.
Just the fact that Maya can be used for free now is very cool. I think the "free version" is aimed at animators starting out, people who will get a real version at a later time.
If you just want a free 3D program, there are many out there as you said. But the studios only use a handfull of major 3D programs.

I'll download Maya 5 when I get my G5. :)

[mustang_dvs]

Downloading Maya PLE via a full T1, at a whopping 8KB/sec. (131mb)

Ugh.

[pepeleuepe]

Originally posted by mustang_dvs
Downloading Maya PLE via a full T1, at a whopping 8KB/sec. (131mb)

Ugh.

I'm getting almost 40k/s through Cable. Looking forward to venturing into some animation. Who knows when I'll have time though.

[acj]

Originally posted by marco114
I think it is very useful, however, that you can't import the free version files into the commercial version is really stupid. So people would have to rebuild the entire project if they elected to upgrade. Lame. Otherwise, a fairly solid free app.

If the file format was the same, then you could run a whole studio with 100 workstations and only buy the program for the final output render on one machine. I think it's better than a limited version.

[wdlove]

That is great news, look forward to downloading the new version. I imagine it will be awesome with Panther.

[wchamlet]

I dunno. Maya is a fickle software when it comes to OS X updates. The debacle between 10.2 and 10.2.6 left many Maya users upset by OS updates that made Maya unstable. So if I were you, I'd check out Alias's qualified hardware section before purchasing anything. They usually list the hardware, OS, Graphics card and they tell you known issues with all the different configurations.

I'm actually hoping that Alias compiles their 64 bit version of Maya for the G5, and codes for Altivec. If they did that, man Maya would fly! Pixar didn't seem to have a problem with tweaking Renderman for OS X and the G5, so I don't see why Alias can't either. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

[Dahl]

Great drawings on your site, wchamlet.
:)

[kryten2000]

If your interested in 3d, I sugest looking for 3d world from your
newstand this month,because there giving away a copy of cinema
4d ce, which is a full program,only limit is a max resolution of
600x400.I've used both and I think cinema 4d is a bit more user
friendly.Runs native in os x as well.

[wchamlet]

www.wings3d.com

Wings is probably one of the best free modelers out there for 3D. There's also programs like Zbrush, Animation Master, and Kaydara for OS X too, which I've also tried as well. But I still like Maya better than all of them. However, there is a steep learning curve, and it will take a long, long time to get anything accomplished with the program when you first start. But once you get use to the interface, you will begin to understand how amazing Maya is. Personally, I wish all applications where as intuitive and easy to access features like Maya's hotbox.

But from what I have heard, Cinema4D is pretty good too. They have a new plugin for modeling that seems pretty sweet. Check it out yourself.

http://www.peranders.com/c4d8/ms/

But what this all boils down too is how much you need the software. If you don't need Maya's complexity, and flexibility, just go with something easier to learn. I wouldn't pay for any version of any software as long as there is a learning edition available. Most 3D software companies have one, download it and see if you like it. Then buy the one you want.

[sedarby]

Originally posted by nanosound
Anyone else going crazy with those annoying watermarks?

A while back NewTek provided a similar offer for Lightwave 3D called the Discovery Edition. You get the watermark plus the modeler can only save objects with up to 400 points and you can't save anything in the layout program. Maya's PLE is lightyears ahead of what others have done in this respect but yest the watermark is annoying.

The bright side is that for $1,995 (US) plus shipping you can have a watermark free version of Maya!;)

[Illmatic]

I have a kinda stupid question but hopefully someone here can answer it. I have been using Maya Unlimited on my SGI workstation and using my Mac for all my 2d apps. I am waiting for my new 1.25 PB and bought a copy of Maya Complete for it, without realizing first to see if the Complete version for Mac still had dynamics in it as I know Complete for the PC does not. I would be extremly pissed to find out that my mistake will lead to not having any fur, cloth, or fluid dynamics. If someone uses Complete on the Mac please let me know.

Thanks

[mark_wilkins]

Originally posted by Illmatic
I would be extremly pissed to find out that my mistake will lead to not having any fur, cloth, or fluid dynamics.

Maya Complete for the Mac does not include fur, cloth, or fluid dynamics, just like Maya Complete for the PC.

I do believe that Syflex is available for the Mac though.

-- Mark

[Liquidity X]

I have 5 on 10.3 and there is only a small display bug with the hot box contol. You will see it but tis nothign major at all. and yes syflex isout for mac, but there is maya unlimited for mac is coming soon. I bet we see it with renderman for os x release. But if u hack into the app all th ebuttons are there, and AW personal has even said its in development. And now with Render man and 10.3 and the g5 and wiht wild card video cards coming to the g5 there would be no better time ro releas eunlimited for os x. man i'm tired. gnight.

[Illmatic]

Thank you very much for both your replies and it is a weird honor to have Mark reply to me as I have read and used his book quite extensively. I may be sending you a private message from time to time if it would be alright. I do hope that Unlimited does come out fairly soon though. And if anyone out there has a new PB running Maya let me know how it is. I did splurg and decide for the 2GB RAM just for this program so I hope I can use it on the go now.

Jayare

[Dahl]

Yeah, nice to have you here, mark! :)

I still haven't tried it yet, but I will soon.
I read some of the posts on Alias Mac forum yesterday. It seems there's still a stuggle to decide if Mac is the right choice for Maya for some users.

[wchamlet]

Maya is Maya. Even without features like Fur and Fluids, Maya Complete still rocks. I'm really happy with my purchase of it, although I don't feel a strong need to upgrade from 4.5 to 5 just yet. But things like Paint FX really make Maya stand out amongst other Mac available 3D programs.

And Mark is a great guy. Has anyone seen his Maya tests of the G5. Surprised me to say the least. I didn't expect the G5 to do so well against other PC centric computers. Check it out.

http://sv1.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46651

And Mark's bench tests

http://www.melscripting.com/bench.htm

Actually, another great program is Zbrush. It's got a strange interface, but judging from it's capabilities I think it's a great companion to Maya. Both for texturing and displacements. Technology is cool.

www.zbrush.com

And check this out if you don't believe this program has some power under the hood.

http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=011757

Be sure to check Dave Cardwell's thread too. Sweet.