Customer Reviews

Eovia Carrara 3D Basics for Mac and Windows

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This program is a superior value for the money. The output is well above its ancestor (Raydream Studio 5.5). The interface is very simple (even easier than Poser).

It has two drawbacks. First, the manual is in PDF format on disk (this always sucks). Second, there is a limit on image size (think about using it for web page graphics, only).

The Eovia website does NOT do this program true justice. However, they hide the fact that it will only make web graphics. feh. BUY IT ANYWAYS. When I think of those sad dorks using POVray, my heart swells with pity ... I can do in ten minutes what used to take hours of blood, sweat and tweaking.

It takes some brains to make 3D graphics, so don't get too discouraged. Once you get past the learning curve, though, oh man ... it's a sweet, sweet little package for creating 3D graphics and even animations.

Even though I have 10 years experience in programming and a grappics background, I found this program extremely hard to use. It was easier to learn how to speak Drench than it was to use this sadist piece of software.

The misleading features list on the back of the box makes everything sound to easy to create, but I found it near impossible to do anything constructive with this program without seeminly spending hours upon hours to try and figure out how to use it.

If you can make the program do what is says on the back of the box, then you're probably also able to put together a car transmission blindfolded too.

Can you read minds? There is no printed manual included, only a cheesy in-program manual that is of no help and doesn't explain the various features or how to use them. Unless you wrote the program or have a mathematics degree, you probably do NOT want to buy this program.

Worse, I could not return it, because software is generally not returnable once you open it.

Oh well, now I have a ... coaster for my desk! And a renewed desire to check out software reviews BEFORE I plunk down my hard-earned cash on a piece of poorly designed software.

I purchased Carrara 3D Basics for a Middle School class in Advanced Technology where 3D Animations will be one of 18 modules the students can choose from. I needed something that would let them quickly see the end product but have enough depth to let them explore as much as their time and talent allows. It fits this requirement perfectly. Students can follow the Quick Tour and build a working 3D animation within the three week time frame of a module. Advanced students can go on to specialize and it has the depth and complexity to let them explore and learn for several weeks. The 3dXtract ezine and forum is a highly valuable resource and I am deeply indebted to them for their tutorials.

Add's textures and models helps u get started
there is also two more add on's for carrara not posted here
on amazon so u might want to visit Eovia's home page.