Introduction and a few questions before I buy

[whirlwind123]

Hey all. I am very interested in getting a '3D mouse' from 3D Connexion and have been for a while. I have tried to do some research before posting this.

I professional 3D artist (and also a student).

The main programs I use use are:

3DS Max
Maya
Zbrush
Modo

I am aware of this situation with modo. Are you guys making any grounds with Zbrush?

Is everything dandy for Max and Maya which are on the list of supported products (im just making sure )

How is the 3rd party drivers/plugins fairing with those apps? (I hope i got that right)

Also the main thing I wanted to ask -- is there anybody here who has experiance with using just a 3D Connexions device and a Wacom tablet for 3D that can give me some feedback on weather or not this is a good idea.

[Gordon Thrompit]

Hi,
I can't directly tell you about 3d support, because I don't use any 3d programs besides Google Earth (if you can even really count that).

However, I use a tablet and the navigator together in Photoshop, and I never want to switch back to the mouse.

I still use the keyboard for shortcuts with my left hand, but to be able to change brush sizes and zoom with such precision are some great advantages.

For Photoshop alone it was worth the $60 for me, the other support has been icing on the cake.

[BBOwen]

If you buy it just consider yourself a beta tester. There seem to be issues with every program but it can be overcome. I am trying to figure out the issues with MasterCAM and Rapidform which are my primary programs.
The Spacepilot Pro works pretty well with both programs but it seems to have trouble remembering my custom button profile. Don't know why but I guess there is some issue with certain custom macros in each program.
It will not save the enter and delete buttons for either program.

[JeronCoolman]

If the program you want to use the 3D Connexion product with, is specifically listed as being suppoted, then buy it.

If not, save your money unless you want an expensive paperweight. I spend all of my time in Lightwave, Swift 3D, After Effects, Proanimator and a half a dozen other programs in which I navigate 3D space and my SpacePilot is an absolute worthless piece of...

There are a few other 3D navigation devices/mice out there you can find that work with ANY application that cost a lot less. I'm a gadget freak and I've bought quite a lot of devices like these and I was shocked at the the paradigm/philosophy 3D Connexion follows with their drivers; requiring a software developer to write special code in their application to support an input device/glorified mouse.

I can understand requiring the developer to spend their money so that their application will support another company's product (e.g. waste money for the sole purpose of selling another company product); but that should be for GREAT support. Out of the box, you should be able to program a button or knob movement to send mouse and keyboard macros to any application (like every single other competing product does)

Then allow the software developer of the 3D application to write custom code to have a tighter and smoother integration to the input device as another level of support.

[JeronCoolman]

Oh yeah if you can afford a Cintiq, get it!

I used a "normal" Wacom tablet for years before I finally broke down and got a Cintiq.

Nothing ocmpares to drawing right there on the screen! (I wiish my SpacePilot worked with my software that would be the perfect work environment the SpacePilot is awesome with a supported application )