I use Mudbox at the moment for sculpting/texturing. I had it handy to start with so have never tried Zbrush, just got comfortable with Mudbox! You think its worth trying it out then yeah?
That's real handy to know about the CPU/GPU/RAM, I can sacrifice being able to smoothly run Mudbox, I would much rather have the performance in 3Ds Max, so if i end up needing to make cuts then this helps!
I believe that Mudbox is more like a traditional graphics app, being GPU dependent, so if you're gonna stay with that then you'll definitely need something more GPU focused.
About zbrush.
Honestly, mudbox isn't worth it.
I know people get into these 'its not about the tool its about the artist' arguments and on the surface, it seems like zbrush and mudbox must be at least approaching equal because they do the same general things, but it's not even close. Zbrush has superior tools in every department except texture painting, and specifically the tools for workflow (dynamesh, decimation, zremesher, Insert Mesh Brushes, Surface Tools, Fibermesh, etc.) are just not something that character artists can afford to be without at this point. As for tool vs. artist, it's one thing to say, but time is always a factor in game art, and using the correct tool for the job is important. I can build a robot arm in Mudbox but I can concept out ten of them in zbrush in the same amount of time using the fantastic hard-surface tools, and that leads to a better product.
I know for a lot of people the UI is a huge hurdle to jump and a reason to stay away from zbrush, I was the same way, starting with Mudbox because it was accessible, but the jump isn't that hard, and the payoff is huge.
And for the sake of being balanced: If you're determined to keep mudbox, you'll be fine. Things will be slower, you'll have to buy a couple of other programs like 3dcoat or topogun to help recreate some of the necessary functionality, but there are still a couple big names who use mudbox, like Dan Roarty (crystal dynamics and now Epic I believe), but the switch to zbrush will definitely be worth it if you're willing to put in the time.
Thanks for the info! It was purely convenience that got me using Mudbox but I wouldn't say I'm too attached to it, I'm definitely willing to try Zbrush so that is looking like something I should do soon! I completely agree with what you are saying about tool vs. artist, time and efficiency is a massive part of earning good money and hitting deadlines. If certain software is going to help you in those areas then its a no-brainer!
