Dear All
I would like some guidance if possible in selecting the right 3d programs to buy.I am currently using student versions autodesk inventor and 3DS max to produce training simulations for aircraft systems Both these programs are very expensive and I have been asked by a future employer to look for cheaper alternatives .My budget is around 2000 dollars .I use inventor because of its advanced parametric modeling features ,enabling me to produce quite intricate models quickly, however the animation in inventor I find is cumbersome ,whereas I can do almost anything in 3ds max ,also the texture and lighting is far superior.
I have had a look at various programs such as modo ,lightwave,swift 3d ,laibre design and cinema 4d, I cannot seem to find a program that can give me the best of both worlds.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thank you all for your time
Best Regards Peter

I wanna learn more about graphic animation. could you give me some tips?.....

I wanna learn more about graphic animation. could you give me some tips?..... Very Happy

Have you tried Rhino? It costs about $995.00

Rhinoceros 3D is sort of an hybrid CAD and 3D modeling software and I heard that it has very powerful NURBS features. I don't know if it's CAD features are good enough for you though but you could check the demo out.

Also Rhinos can do keyframe based animation with the Bongo package ($495)

In the rendering department it has Flamingo ($495) which is a pretty capable photo-realistic rendering system but there is also the option of using Brazil for Rhinos which is a highly regarded renderer ($895)

Rhinos, Bongo and Flamingo = $1985
Rhinos, Bongo and Brazil =$2395