Hexagon vs. Silo - Opinions

[Nate Owens]

Maybe this is a dangerous place to put this question ---

I use and like Hexagon, but have been looking at Silo http://www.nevercenter.com/

The features are interesting and the ones planned for the next upgrade look almost awesome.

Any opinions? ...... now, be nice... =8^)

thanks

[boblog]

Hi, Silo its different and you have a more features in Hexagon, but its very simple, Silo I like the way he smooth the poygons, working with Silo its more slow than Hexagon... but its a very good imersive 3d app, and for that price, its a good start, but hexa is more quick for me !!!

[Thomas]

Not dangerous at all, it's allow to speak about the Hexagon competitor ! by the way, I cannot answer to your questions

[Andreseloy]

I have been using Silo for a long time and I like very much, specially the mouse customization make a very difference in that allow an easy way to model.
Besides that when i saw for the first time the video promotion of Hexagon i was impressed about the many and easy ways you have here to work and without doubt i buyed very quickly!!..., i have some items that i will like to see in Hexagon, that in my opinion will jump Hexagon to a very high level:
a)The symmetry modelling workflow will be like ZBrush 2.0 and will be corrected the situation related when you are modelling in "symetry" you cant hold the mirror model in the same position.
b)The customization of the mouse, in my case i use a wacom tablet and i am lefthanded, and working with Silo is a very very easy workflow. If this is added to Hexagon, for sure will be a great update
c)The topology Brush like Silo and the Polyboost plugin for 3DMax are very useful items.
Finnaly, the above mentioned is just things that will be very usefful, but actually a like very much Hexagon and i am happy with it.
Andreseloy

ps:normally i dont like to compare.

[boblog]

Do oyou know this :http://www.groboto.com/v2/index.htm, its not Silo, its not Hexa, its different !

[Nate Owens]

Thanks, everyone.

I am taking my time looking at Silo. So far have come to the same conclusions that I see here. Hexagon is becoming easier and faster for me. I need a modeler that I can work with fast to meet illustration deadlines. Rendering is something that I do in programs like Carrara 4 pro if I need something complex. For 3D print services, the material/color assignments availble in Hex are working well.

Silo has many intriguing features, but it may well be too complex for my needs.

Groboto is different, for sure. Not thinking I can use the type of images I see in their gallery - looks kind of like a 3D fractal thing.

This is definitely an on-going quest.

[Nichod]

I've debated this as well. Finances limit my ability to purchase either. But I am exploring both options. Silo having displacement painting and the beautiful UV mapper is definetly looking more appealing. Yet Hexagon's workflow is much faster for many things. Just depends upon what you are shooting for.

[Nate Owens]

I'm on the verge of getting Silo.
Hex is ok. Texture mapping and UVs seem to be quite buggy in Hex.
Look in the Hexagon Bugs section of this forum for my post with examples of Hex texture mapping/uv issues.
For now, the price on Silo is good - I have heard that Silo is fast... I think it is just what you learn and practice.

[pixelwitz]

I have been using Silo for about 6 months now and becoming very comfortable with it. It is the first modeler that I have picked up and actually been able to make things with due to the simplicity of it's tools. I have to admit that the displacement painting they have planned for it really has me excited about the next version and the price point almost guarantees that I will buy the upgrade.

I played with the Hexagon demo for a little while, though not as much as I probably should have to give it a chance. I like the way it does things as well, but I knew that I didn't have the money right now to invest in Hexagon and the upgrade to Silo as well. I have to budget out my software expenditures. Since I already have Silo on my computer and I am becoming more comfortable with it...and it is cheap... I will stay with it until finances permit me to venture into other programs like Hex.

The only problem I have had so far using Silo is the way it handles sharp edges. It is difficult to maintain good looking sharp edged areas in combination with the soft, flowing curves of an organic nature. There are ways to achieve it using bevels, but sometimes it's hard to guess what you will get when the model is subdivided.

[fabster]

I have been using Silo for about a year (at a beginner's level, 3D's just a hobby for me...), but I almost didn't use it since I bought Hex. The workflow is much faster, and I find more user-friendly. I must admit however that there were a few features in Silo that I miss in Hex such as the possibility to "flatten" selections, and the topology brush, so I sometimes do an export from hex to refine topology, and then go back to Hex. The major feature in Hex though, is the dynamic geometry, that really helps!
Both programs are very good, but the price difference is justified for Hex, and I'm not saying because I'm on an Eovia forum...

[pixelwitz]

My problem with Hexagon was that I knew I wasn't going to be able to buy it any time real soon so I didn't want to get myself lusting after it.

The companion upgrade price is fair enough, it's just that my money is kinda funny right now.

[ninjamonk]

I use Silo and love it. I love the tools and once you know your way around the app you will not look back. its work flow is second to none.

If you get it check out the DVD at Kurv studios called Get into Silo the definitive guide by Glen Southern. its cheap and extremely good. I learnt loads just in the first couple of vids.

however i have not used Hex so I cannot say anything about it. I am currently using Silo with Carrara 4.

[Frenchy Pilou]

...Wings3D
in the competition but it's some unfair

[CnoEvil]

Well... I went ahead and bought Hexagon anyway. Seems that the money made itself available afterall... (I changed my username from pixelwitz) I like Hex but I still don't use it as much as I do Silo, mostly because of familiarity. I try to take Hex for a spin on a regular basis so I can grow more comfortable with it, but I haven't undertaken anything major in it yet.

[jclark]

Originally Posted by Nate Owens

I'm on the verge of getting Silo.
Hex is ok. Texture mapping and UVs seem to be quite buggy in Hex.
Look in the Hexagon Bugs section of this forum for my post with examples of Hex texture mapping/uv issues.
For now, the price on Silo is good - I have heard that Silo is fast... I think it is just what you learn and practice.

You won't see any serious UV tools in SILO until 2.0. I can't comment too much on Hexagon's UV. But if you aren't rendering why does it matter? I didn't understand your comment about Hexagon's materials being OK, but then you said if its complex you'd get Carrara Pro or something to render.

If you are doing something complex, why not UV Map it in Carrara or whatever you're using?

[bwtr]

On principle, sticking with the Eovia combinations will serve most people well. I can not imagine an organisation more intimately involved in helping users.

[jclark]

Originally Posted by bwtr

On principle, sticking with the Eovia combinations will serve most people well. I can not imagine an organisation more intimately involved in helping users.

Well, this is a big attraction to SILO because Nevercenter is the same way.

However, SILO is purely poly pushing and doesn't have the advanced surfacing like Hexagon.

[Nate Owens]

I need to render a proof to send to the 3D print service.
Some of the 3d prints offer the ability to imprint texture maps on the item.
Hex has been able to export flat color domains like one color per object that can be used by the 3d print service, but nothing more complex (like texture maps). You can see both a monotone 3D print and a flat color 3D print at my web site (go to digital sculpting section) http://www.nateowens.com

I use hex pretty often for illustration work.. rendering is a must, so I use Carrara.
If Hex had the tools, I'd probably prefer to do it all in one program rather than export/import, etc... doing that isn't the most expedient process when deadlines (always) are to be considered.

It looks like the new Carrara Pro C5 will deal with some of the importing issues - haven't upgraded to it yet.

[crazy wabbit]

I love my Hex and know that all the features and more that are in silo will be made much better on hex, both hex and carrara are stable and proffesional programs, and the team behind it knows their homework, when I purchased both, I had no doubt that they will win my heart over and over again with their next release. I worked with silo and it was not bad, but decided on Hex.

[LoneGunman]

Hey all, I'm active SILO user for about 10 months now, and every single model I made in that period was made in it...I'm kind of big on certain things, like, I do not like manuals and steep learning curves.

In the first hour with SILO I was comfortable with using it already and that is a big plus (in my book), there was no need to study tools, they were made just like I wanted them, so I could go straight to modeling without hassle of thinking and trying to find things around. Just a few 3d apps on the market are like that...Carrara feels the same to me, still did not read the manual, and I will not, unless is absolutelly necessary


Considering that Nevercenter team is only 2 people(!) that is actually the best customer service in the world to date.


I also do not like lot of tools on my disposal, I like few, but very flexible and powerful. I also use keyboard shortcuts a lot, which tremendously boosts my workflow.

I'm not planning to use any other modeler in the near future, cuz SILO gives me all the tools I need (so far so good), which of course is just my personal preference and liking, some people are more comfortable with other approaches to workflow of modeling, I guess, that is the way the cookie crumbles