3D Software?

[B.J.]

Well, I can't speak for most of that list (only played around with Blender a little), but you can probably cut truespace from that list, since it was announced the other day that it is going the way of the Dodo.

[Relayer]

Truespace is now available for free. Just had a new release May 22nd. Plenty of free tutorials. http://www.caligari.com/

You might also want to check out XSI Mod Tool. Excellent free modeling program. XSI is also widely used professionally. Also plenty of free tutorials http://www.softimage.com/products/modtool/

[USS Jack Riley]

Thanks for the suggestions. Any more will help if you can think of them. In this case, it appears that price is not an issue, since the company is bascially throwing the programs in with the rest of the computer package.

[jamestyler]

I'm determined to stop using a pen and paper and go back to using my laptop to make pretty pictures.

I've read through this thread, took some notes and downloaded whatever was free. Seeing as I'm extremely impatient, which would be recommended for getting used to reasonably quickly? Blender seems to be one of the best here, but I assume I'd pull my hair out before being able to draw a circle.

[dubeau]

My opinion about them:

Lightwave: One of the best for modeling. Interface is cumbersome (Takes time get used to) and texturing is in another part of the software.

Maya: Great modeling. Interface decent. Texturing insanely difficult, especially when dealing with alpha and multi textures.

Poser: For characters only.

3ds Max: Same as Maya.

C4D : The most easiest software. Easy interface and easy texturing. However, modeling has limits and doesn't have a decent texture map import/export.

CAD Autodesk: For architects

After Effects: 3D Text and websites

[Psion]

jamestyler wrote:

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I'm determined to stop using a pen and paper and go back to using my laptop to make pretty pictures.

I've read through this thread, took some notes and downloaded whatever was free. Seeing as I'm extremely impatient, which would be recommended for getting used to reasonably quickly? Blender seems to be one of the best here, but I assume I'd pull my hair out before being able to draw a circle.

How to draw a circle in Blender:

1. Open Blender.
2. Position one hand on the keyboard, and one on the mouse (I'm serious here, the interface was originally designed for speed and to maximize the benefit of this posture. That's less true today, but still a good rule of thumb.)
3. The default cube is probably highlighted. Delete it by hitting the x key (the delete key will work too) and confirming the operation. The confirm menu choice should be directly under the mouse pointer, just click. One hand on the keyboard, one on the mouse.
4. Hit the space bar. A menu will appear with the Add option under the pointer. To the right of this (usually) will appear a sub-menu with the entries "Mesh", "Curve", "Surface", "Meta", "Text", "Empty", "Group", "Camera", "Lamp", "Armature", and "Lattice".
5. Move your mouse pointer over to "Mesh". You'll see a new sub-menu appear containing the entries "Plane", "Cube", "Circle", "UV Sphere", "Ico Sphere", "Cylinder", "Cone", "Grid", "Monkey", "Empty Mesh", and "Torus". Obviously, you want to select "Circle".
6. A dialog box will appear asking for details about the circle. By default, your new circle will have 32 vertices (points between lines or edges), a radius of one Blender unit (an arbitrary scale that can mean one meter, one inch, one furlong, one light-year, etc.), and a toggle button for filling the circle with faces so the circle becomes a flat disk. Leave the default settings for now and just click "Ok".
7. You have a circle ... or, rather, a 32-sided polygon that in many instances looks smooth enough to stand in for a circle. If you need smoother edges, add more vertices. Yes, there are tools for creating true, perfect circles, and they're just as easy to use, but for many modeling needs, this works fine.

You might notice your circle exactly circumscribes a smaller cross-hair type cursor. This is your 3D cursor. New objects and other operations will be placed based on its location.

Your circle should be a pinkish color, unless you've changed preferences. You're in object mode, and the pink color indicates this object is selected. Now hit the tab key, this puts you in edit mode and you can now edit your shape. You can exit edit mode and return to object mode by hitting the tab key again, but stay in edit mode a moment longer. You'll see the circle has turned yellow with 32 small yellow boxes equally spaced around it. Each of those little boxes is a vertex. RIGHT-click on one. Hit the g key and move your mouse around. You no longer have a circle. You could also have grabbed that green and red arrow structure thing that appeared around the vertex you right-clicked on and simply dragged that. This was a relatively recent addition to Blender that I usually turn off as soon as I start modeling because it's just not how I'm used to doing things, dang nabbit!

Anyway, welcome to Blender. Feel free to move more vertices around. You can also drag edges or faces, extrude new vertices, edges, or faces, rotate them, scale them, color them, texture them ... but, that's all for another post.

[Relayer]

jamestyler wrote:

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I'm determined to stop using a pen and paper and go back to using my laptop to make pretty pictures.

I've read through this thread, took some notes and downloaded whatever was free. Seeing as I'm extremely impatient, which would be recommended for getting used to reasonably quickly? Blender seems to be one of the best here, but I assume I'd pull my hair out before being able to draw a circle.

Are you wanting to do 2D or 3D work on your computer?

[BorgMan]

Well I can't speak for everyone, but I'm having a great time with the Pro version of SketchUp. With all the plugins that are available nowadays it makes modelling in it a breeze

[jamestyler]

Relayer wrote:

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Are you wanting to do 2D or 3D work on your computer?

3D. Though by the looks of it from the above, I should have sketches into almost 3D by this time next year.

Cheers everyone

[dubeau]

Anyone has ever try Luxury MODO 401 ? Downloading it to see...they say render is faster.

[Praxius]

dubeau wrote:

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Maya: Great modeling. Interface decent. Texturing insanely difficult, especially when dealing with alpha and multi textures.

I wouldn't call it insanely difficult, then again I went to college to figure it out. It just gives you way more options for texturing then say 3D Studio Max and I think because of all the options they provide for you, it can be a bit complicated looking.

You can find a number of decent tutorials for Maya Mapping here: (Along with a pile of plugins and textures, models etc. for just about any 3D program out there)

http://www.creativecrash.com/

The thing about Maya's texturing is that you gotta focus on bits and chunks at a time.

3ds Max: Same as Maya.

I personally found 3D Studio Max more limited and complicated in modeling compared to Maya, and while it's texture tools are pretty decent and easy to use, I find them more limiting then Maya's. But it's been a few years since I played around 3D Studio Max.

I'd suggest Maya above all others, but the program is pretty pricy, about the same price as a small motorcycle depending on what version you get.

Many movies used Maya, in Paticular, Final Fantasy, which was done on an early version of Maya...... it's abilities are far greater now.

I'll admit, I started on 3D Studio Max and was hooked on it.... I had a hard time wanting to get into Maya, because at the time I never heard of it and looked complicated.... yet since I got into it, I never touched 3D Studio Max ever again.

[Xavier_Storma]

I started with 3D Max, and really could not manage it.
I tried C4D and it was love at first sight. It is easy to use, and has a superb user friendly interface. You will be able to make animations in no time.

[n3mes1s]

I just started to modelling and sketchup just surprised me, easy to use and good functionallity. Maybe it lacks on some aspects like texturing, but its a great program to start modelling. I also have lightwave for use in a future.. 3d studio max is stupidly complicated for a non profesional modeller..

[RichMerk]

Sculptris

http://www.sculptris.com/

It's a free program like ZBrush. Super easy and way cool. Recently, ZBrush bought it, but they say they will continue to improve and support it.

[Saquist]

JoshC wrote:

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I'm sorry, I know this question has been asked here a million times, but I've never needed to know the answer so I didn't really pay attention. What 3D modeling software does everyone use? I want to *try* to design a couple of ships for a fanfic I'm involved in but I don't have the slightest idea what program to use. I'm probably in way over my head because I have absolutely NO artistic ability whatsoever, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions for me, particularly anything that's not too difficult for a complete newbie to figure out, I'd be forever grateful.

Might I suggest to everyone who is a new to 3D Modeling

Try Google Sketchup
http://sketchup.google.com/download/

Sketchup is the easist program I've come across so far.
- It'sFREE
- It's Fun
- All the tutorials are on-line and really easy to understand letting you take your time.
- There are already numerous models in the 3D Warehousehttp://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/

-Many of the Plugins are Free like the Soapbubbles Plugin that allows for organic shapes.
http://www.tensile-structures.de/Dow...Rel_1.0.11.zip

I learned Sketchup in about 10 days and here some of my work.

Oversize Image Converted to Link (please keep to 800 px wide max)















All these models were created in Sketchup.
The Fighter was my very first project followed by the Mega Carrier and I'm currently working on the Spacedock.
It's fun!

And after you think you can handle bigger programs like
3D Studio Max
Lightwave
Modo or Maya you can decide to buy them if you're serious about it.
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PM me if you need help it.