THE SOFTWARES I USE FOR POLYGONAL MODELING
Maya has been introduced in 1998 by Alias|Wavefront as a dedicated tool for Computer Graphics.
It was swiftly used by Automotive Design Studios for renderings and animations, instead of AliasAutoStudio.
In 2000, at Renault Technocenter, I was already trying Maya. And I was immediatly seduced by its great potential.
So it's no surprise if Maya is now used for digital modeling.
But...many years passed since these heroic times. Alias|Wavefront has been acquired by Autodesk, editor of
3DSMAX, Maya's historic rival. Currently, Maya is still maintained, new versions are issued every year with
some few new features. However, in my opinion, it has lost its edge for polygonal modeling and is no longer
my prefered choice. I've been an unconditional Maya's enthusiast, but I've found a better tool for modeling.
Coming from UNIX world, Blender is an open-source 3D software. First issued in 1995
it's currently a true professional CG suite.
It's my prefered choice for polygonal modeling. With accurate graphics, efficient ergonomy and advanced features,
Blender ensures easier and faster work.
Compared to Blender, the only remaining Maya's advantages are the native support of .wire and .iges file formats and a limited ability to convert polygons to NURBS. But regarding the modeling process, Maya's workflow is less efficient. The last improvements and new features are mainly targeted to retopology work, which is clearly at the opposite side of concept modeling.