animating computer

heretoinform

So I am really into animating. I've been using some free online programs lately, and it's crazy fun. Anyway, I recently acquired AutoCad 2008 and AutoDesk 3dsMax (both for free, i know someone :P) and my shitty computer can't even run it. I am serious about animating now, probably as a profession, so I need a computer that can run it. I plan on custom building it.

Other than that, can you guys tell me some the things I would need and where I can get it, like graphics card, RAM, CPU, etc? My price range is about $3,000 or $3,500.

Thanks.

heretoinform

Should I just post this in Help/Advice? I figured this would be your guy's cup of tea, because, you know, its technology.

Mr.Brick

I would suggest checking out some of the solutions that Boxx has. I forgot the web site- but a google search will help you. Take a look at what they got under the hood and try to find or build something similiar. Your video card dosn't need to be mega crazy unless your trying to develop real time graffics. Get something decent, but not out standing. Spend your money on LOTS OF RAM and a REALLY GOOD CPU. Those are the areas that will help you the most.
The CPU will help your rendering times, especially if your using Mental Ray or any other photometric renderer. The RAM will help you dealing with raw .targa sequences for compositing purposes when you go to put all your rendered layers together. Or any other large files really.

Also, in 3DS MAX terms, I highly recomend you get the 4 (or is it 5?) character rigging training DVDS by Paul Neale. He is an outstanding teacher and the DVD's will help you tremendously. They will teach you exactly what employers want in terms of clean models, and most importantly, how to RIG your characters. Your animation can only be as good as the rig you've built and then some.

Tofystedeth

You might also look into Blender(if you haven't already. If so, ignore my whoring). The interface takes some getting used to, but you don't have to know someone for it to be free, it runs on lower speced computers (but the bigger the better obviously) and you can do some really amazing stuff with it. Also a big and active community.

Also the various Blender sites have links to all sorts of great tutorials and books that work well for any application.

halkun

Blender + Game development == Win

Animates well too.

scootch

heretoinform wrote: »

So I am really into animating. I've been using some free online programs lately, and it's crazy fun. Anyway, I recently acquired AutoCad 2008 and AutoDesk 3dsMax (both for free, i know someone :P) and my shitty computer can't even run it. I am serious about animating now, probably as a profession, so I need a computer that can run it. I plan on custom building it.

Other than that, can you guys tell me some the things I would need and where I can get it, like graphics card, RAM, CPU, etc? My price range is about $3,000 or $3,500.

Thanks.

if you're just animating you won't need much of anything. some el cheapo box will do.
now if you want to build huge scenes and detailed models and render complex lighting, you'll want all of that $3000.
there isn't anything specific you need. buy good graphics card, plenty of ram, and a speedy cpu.. same stuff you'll want in a good gaming rig.

and if you're serious about animation. don't bother with autocad. thats an idustrial design software and has nothing to do with cg animation.