Personal preference for rendering engines

[Gare]

I started with Raydream as my first 3D program, and upgraded it along with it's buyout by different companies. I did eventually get Cararra, but didn't like it, so didn't use it much at all. I got Poser by then. I got the student license to Cinema 4D, and while very poserful, it was cumbersome to use. Then I kind of stopped using 3D for a while, then recently got back into it. I'm a professional freelance cartgraphic illustrator, so I spend most of my time making maps - using Xara and other software. Now I'm a small publisher supporting the tabletop roleplaying game industry. Though I started by making map products, I've recently been releasing adventure material and works by other authors, which is forcing me to buy or create my own art for those projecdts. So I got back into 3D with Wings 3D and Vue. Though I want to start dabbling with Blender 2.8, since it seems a lot more user friendly than it's previous iterations.

I used to be an author. Now I'm retired. :)

With the exception of some FX for very small clients, my interest in digital animation began in about 1972 when PBS ran some edu-tainment on the state of the art computer animation, feature what was Rhythm & Hues, Pacific Data, and a nascent Pixar.

I was using CorelDRAW and Photoshop in 1992, and I said "I GOTTA have some of that!", having been very new to computer graphics and a lifetime of physical illustration. MacroModel was my first program, and not being able to afford the price, I was the Editor of a user group monthly, called them and successfully bartered a full-page ad for a Windows copy.

I love reading about the circuitous route 3D people have taken to get "here".

My Best,

Gary