Issue:
What are the primary differences between 3ds Max and Maya?
Solution:
3ds Max and Maya have many similarities:
- Both are capable of modeling, animation, rigging, particles, key framing, rendering, materials, lighting, FX, and more.
- Both are extendable and have a healthy community and plug-in ecosystem.
- Both have extensive free and paid learning resources available for artists who want to learn at their own pace.
- Both are used in games, FX, visualization, television/movies, and more.
- Both are used by major visual effects companies such as Industrial Light + Magic (ILM), Weta Digital, Pixar and many more.
- Both offer a fully working 3D toolset with unlimited possibilities.
The main differences between the two software packages are in workflow.
3ds Max
3ds Max is a standard part of all of Autodesk’s industry collections for Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Product Design & Manufacturing; and Media & Entertainment. 3ds Max offers robust interoperability with other Autodesk products. Many users enjoy using 3ds Max for fast modeling (by means of the powerful Modifier Stack) and fast materials editing, due to the ease of setup. Getting the most out of 3ds Max can require some scripting using MAXScript and/or the industry standard Python.
See: Compare releases: 3ds Max versus previous versions
Maya
Maya is offered as part of the Autodesk Media & Entertainment Collection and has more dedicated features for animators, especially character animation. Maya has extensive tools for custom workflows, and keyframes and curves. Maya may require scripting using the Maya Embedded Language (MEL) feature and/or Python.
See: Compare Products: Maya and Maya LT
As of the 2018 releases, both 3ds Max and Maya include the award-winning Arnold render engine, used to create visual effects shots for major motion pictures such as “Gravity,” “The Martian,” “Deadpool 2” and others.
Source: Autodesk