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C4D Editor Vs. Octane Material Editor
Posted: 09 May 2018 05:58 PM   [ Ignore ]  
Total Posts:  46
Joined  2018-02-05

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone is having a great day. I am new to Cinema 4D and can respect its broad and extensive value offering. Due to the size of the program, however, I have not gotten around to learning Cinema’s Material Editor. The question that came to mind is should a newbie like me learn C4D’s native material editor or go straight to Octane and focus on that?

I am working to achieve a solid foundation of Cinema 4D as a whole. All comments are most welcome.

Cheers everyone,

Faunt

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Posted: 09 May 2018 06:18 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi Faunt,

I’m not an Octane user, based on using only non compatible graphic cards. That is all I can share about Octane.

The variety of 3rd party renderer is certainly growing at the moment.
However, the question can’t really be answered without mentioning if you work alone or if you setting always the available hardware options, perhaps you like to freelance around the world or, or, or.

I can’t even think of a general answer other than: learn both.… learn more, if you think you need more than what is available natively. The latest discussion among hard core users went as follow: a huge portion loves the native options, based on the more organic feel (i.e., artifacts) and some even based on the need to fix and finish in post. The CPU based renderer seems not to be the “everyone loves it”,  but many do so with all their heart. It is just mixed at the moment. In other words, there is no “one size fits all” answer. It feels more like a very personal choice. To not have control about the different options, already installed, feels weird to me, but yes, it might be a time thing.

In your case, perhaps a studio send you a file and it is all native C4D. How do you feel about that? Not knowing what goes on in the scene?

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

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Posted: 09 May 2018 06:27 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
Total Posts:  46
Joined  2018-02-05

Hi Dr. Sassi!

Thanks so much for the reply! Boy, thats a good answer!

To be honest, I had the intention of learning the material editor all along, but thought I’d ask the question anyway to see what kinds of interesting answers come to the surface that I didn’t think of. Your point, for instance, that I may inherit a C4D file where the scene is calibrated in the material editor is something that for some strange reason, I did not consider. Its an awefully good point and that is all I needed to hear.

Speaking of Material Editors and Dr. Sassi, I was literally watching your video:

Chapter 18, Material, 1806_0700, Material Editor

I was intending to go through all the videos in the series. Do you have any other recommendations videowise for a good place for a beginner like me gain a conceptual understanding of the material editor and how it works?

Thanks as always for your wisdom.

Faunt

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Posted: 09 May 2018 06:42 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Hi Faunt,

The series with the “Chapter” in the name, were done way back in time, where the printed manuals (at least in Germany) had Chapters. My plan was to go through all parts, then to build up more advanced videos by referencing to the single topic video clips, while keeping the advanced versions short. The only culprit was, that even after over thousand clips I wasn’t even one time through. Then the interface changes, the tool changes, etc. Since then I hope my English has improved as well…

Anyway, the Material system has changed especially in the Reflection part, but some people who predominately work just with camera projection might not care, and some are even on older releases. Like usual, dive into a large network and be surprised what material you get. I think you know that only too well.

My tip, the channels in the Material are the shopping list, where ever you are, analysis the real object, what quality would go into each channel. This helps to gain a knowledge, which is relatively independent from the material editor, or even the nodal based options from 3rd party apps. I say that, as things have always changed, and the less your knowledge about materials got stuck with the “interface”, the more flexible you are.

What I got from you so far, I had expected more a question from the Substance options for your work. Google “the-pbr-guide-vol-1” for example. WHich is equally interesting.

I will have a look if there is a series that would fit more to your target, but what I got so far over the last two deacdes about this, it moves away from 2D and painting, to more photo-collages and 3D.

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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Posted: 09 May 2018 06:58 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
Total Posts:  46
Joined  2018-02-05

Thank you Dr. Sassi! Very helpful feedback here.

Cheers,

Faunt

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Posted: 09 May 2018 09:48 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
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You’re very welcome, Faunt. Thanks as well for the nice feedback.

I have found always that learning 3D, the art of creating really from scratch, (Render a fresh new scene to proof my point wink ) makes me look differently to the world around me.

One can only simulate what is known to him or her.

ENJOY

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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