@jgrant - I have been coming to the realization that building a PC is the best option. It just doesn't seem like booting my Mac into Windows will be a rewarding experience. My reason for looking at iClone is to relive frustration, not create more. :) Thanks for the info.  I don't mind dedicating the time. My concern is if it will yield a better environment/process than I currently have - if not, I have simply spent a lot on hardware and software to end up back where I started.

@Grimhilda:
Great points. First off, I am a hobbyist. I would simply like to create some short animations for myself. My main goal is to produce music videos for songs that I write. Nothing commercial - I just really enjoy the process of creating things like this.

Yes, any serious production usually has a large crew associated with it. Lots of people specializing in various aspects of the production usually results in better quality and almost always in improved production times. I'm not trying to create a Pixar quality animation all on my own. At the same time, there is a certain minimum "look" I would like. I have been able (more or less) to get results that I find acceptable with Carrara (balancing render times vs quality). While I really like Carrara, it has always been unstable for me. It presents many problems doing what I want to do which are related to speed, stability and workflow (as opposed to my own artistic limitations or lack of proficiency with the software).

Telling the story is definitely important. For me, much of the enjoyment is in creating the story and having the final product "look" the way I want it too. Even if my clay + stop motion skills were acceptable, it is not a "look" that I feel would tell my story the way I want it told. At least it is far enough away from what I think can be realistically achieved using the tools at my disposal.

I have looked at  some iClone videos and will look at some more. It's hard to judge as everyone's vision, talent and proficiency differs. What I "like" may have been done by a master artist and took a month to render. Or, it could have been done by someone with similar skill as myself and rendered in a reasonable amount of time.


I will see if I have a friend with a PC he can loan me for a week or two. Seems that messing with the demo is probably the best way to figure out if iClone is right for me. 

Thank you all very much for the replies. 

Regarding A...





You have a choice.
WIN or Fail miserably.
Psychologically NEVER EVER assume that the subconscious isn't ALWAYS at work even while you're inanely staring at the movie as it flickers past your senses....
CUT QUALITY... CUT YOUR OWN THROAT.
REDUCE CONTENT... REDUCE IMPACT.
THIN SET ... THIN AUDIENCE.

NEVER EVER skimp on set quality.  If the set needs the prop put the prop on the set.
If you think it should be there PUT IT THERE.
If its MISSING, FIND IT.

There are two types of people in this world. 
Simpson Animators.
&
Avatar Animators.
You DONT get to choose which you are.
The amount of work and effort you put into your production automatically classifies you to everybody else.



Regarding (B)...
You said the "P" word.
Possible.

possible - adjective     (CAN ACHIEVE)

A1 able to be done or achieved, or able to exist:

Yes,                        with iClone it is possible.

Hi Armstrong,

Although you've quoted me and expressed an opposing point of view, I don't disagree with your thinking.

This thread actually has a pre-history: the main questions being asked by the OP, who is considering buying Iclone, were first raised over in the DAZ forums and have now appeared here where, I suppose, more informed opinions were being sought.

I think it's fair to say that the majority of DAZ users concentrate on producing still images.  Indeed there are never-ending discussions on the forums on how to achieve greater realism through the use of new generations of figures, better render engines, advanced lighting, texturing techniques and so on.

I think it's also fair to say that many of the DAZ users who are currently taking an interest in Iclone, are attracted to returning their animated characters back to DAZ software for rendering because the results are perceived to be better.

My remarks to the OP were made in that context.  Some DAZ users (I don't refer to the OP here) could be disappointed in the differences between Iclone and their favourite DAZ software.  However, animating DAZ scenes in the full glory they're capable of would take forever and a day for the average home PC user.  That's what I meant when I said that 'something's got to give'.

(I think it was also Planetstardragon who said elsewhere that there's:  low-cost, speedy completion and highly-polished final quality.  We can only get two out of those three.  Fighting a hard battle against that is to be admired but may not be for those just doing this for fun).

Again I'm not opposed to what you say about the viewer taking in all the secondary elements of a scene.  Spartan sets are generally less satisfying than they could be.  What was behind my comment was the common advice to animators that only what the camera sees really needs to be there - a facade will do rather than a building complete with interior, for example. 

My view is that sometimes elements, such as textures, can be more relaxed in a moving scene than they might need to be for a still render. Especially if depth-of-field settings softens them further.

Regards

@Jrm21,

As  Carrara fan, I'm sorry to hear that the program is unstable for you.  I do get the odd crash but not often.

Maybe, if you do buy a PC, the PC version might work better?  That would be a great bonus.