Modeling Programs

[nightwolf41]

Hey,
I'm just interested to know what sort of programs you guys are using to make your models.

 

[Sir Phoenixx]

3d Studio MAX

 

[Ennui]

Blender's a good free one to start with but not for mod work.

Softimage|XSI

Milkshape 3d

and 3ds Max, like Phoenix said

g-max

 

[thereisaspoon]

i use xsi and max occasionaly

 

[Computer5k]

Blender because im not rich or a pirate

 

[Coolhead2100]

Maya Complete: $2000 cheaper then 3dsmax
Maya Student version: $3500 then 3dsmax

You can clearly see who the victor is here.

 

[Computer5k]

The student version is free?

 

[thereisaspoon]

xsi student version is liek 300 bucks, and its ADVANCE
comes with all the bullshit you want and like 300 worth of learning stuff for free

 

[Lupus]

I use Blender, used to use Maya (my uni has it).

 

[StardogChampion]

I use Max 6.

 

[Coolhead2100]

The student version is free?

No it isnt, it is around $500 which is a much better price than the regular $2000 price, compared to 3dsmax which is $4000..?

 

[flamz]

XSI EXP: Free
XSI Foundation: 500 bucks (windows/linux) which includes:

- 2 CPU mental ray v.3.3 rendering
- Advanced Subdivision Surface Modeling
- Full Character Rigs, Cloth & Particles
- Straightforward normal map and FX-map generation
- NLA3 Full Nonlinear Animation, Audio, and Actions
- 5-DVD Softimage Production Series (30 *hours* of learning material!)


+ it's FREE for the first 30 days so you can give it a spin and see if you like it.

hard to beat.

 

[Ennui]

Blender is sexy.

Blender, XSI, 3ds Max, Gmax, Maya, Milkshape are all I can think of right now. Blender and Gmax are free.

 

[Computer5k]

No it isnt, it is around $500 which is a much better price than the regular $2000 price, compared to 3dsmax which is $4000..?

Max is $3495

 

[thereisaspoon]

i think u guys need to reread what flamz said. softimage has the best deals ever. The production series dvds r alone worth 300

and flamz, is the "Straightforward normal map and FX-map generation " new to xsi 4.2?

 

[Sir Phoenixx]

No it isnt, it is around $500 which is a much better price than the regular $2000 price, compared to 3dsmax which is $4000..?

Why are you comparing a student version of one program to the complete commercial version of another?

The 'student version' of 3dsmax is about $550-600. Where did you see the student version of Maya at? Because the only version similar that I've seen is it's "Personal learning edition", which is free, but uses a large watermark on renders/etc., it's file can't be opened in a full Maya version, and doesn't allow import/export.

 

[flamz]

and flamz, is the "Straightforward normal map and FX-map generation " new to xsi 4.2?

This is what we call GPU Surface FX. A tool to generate normal maps from high-res objects to low-rez. This tool is available for 4.0 but was considerably improved for 4.2. You can now average tangents, bake ambient occlusion maps as as well normal, height maps for parallax mapping, diffuse and specular. It uses mental ray shaders to create these maps so it can be extended to use any shader you which, even your own.

 

[Coolhead2100]

Max is $3495

Yeh, yeh... umm go Maya!

 

[SimonomiS]

Ok, since learning that Blender is free, Im giving modelling a go. Beginner Blender Tutorial Links anyone?

 

[SimonomiS]

Ok, since learning that Blender is free, Im giving modelling a go. Beginner Blender Tutorial Links anyone?

Forget it, I give up, already heh. Too late to edit post too. :hmph:

 

[Ennui]

http://www.blender3d.com/

there's a big blender community somewhere on the net as well, shouldnt be too hard for you to find

 

[georgeblunt]

blender download and info: www.blender3d.org
blender development: www.blender.org
blender community: www.elysiun.com

blender rocks! it's got the best modeller ever made! (well.. my humble opinion.. *g*)

 

[random.hero]

ive seen versions of Max6 ( aimed at students coming out of Uni ) which are the whole shabang, plus Character Studio and all the other nick nacks, with a 3 year limit on them, going for £90. and if you think about it, 3 years of learning and messing about is long time. and if you still dont have enough money for the full version when that runs out or havnt got a job which supplies it. . . give up . . . just buy it again

 

[Gray Fox]

If you wanna start belender is the best to start with, all the other programs focus on people who allready know how to model, and thus you have to go to unofficial sites to get good tutorials and video tutorials, exept with maya mentor( but you need a atleast a res of 1200X1200 for it to work), anyway blender has a lot video tutorials on their site for the noobs, intermediate and advanced, I just wonder why all the major 3dprograms don't have it, but hey just go here and click on the video tutorials real easy, all very clear, beginning from the basics to hard.

If anyone here knows a page with this kinda of good tutorials for the other programs post it.

 

[SimonomiS]

Anyone know how to use a referance image with Blender?

 

[Computer5k]

At the bottom of the viewport (View, select, object manus)
View>Background Image

The image will only appear in that viewport when looking at it from the x, y, or z axis (numpad 7 1 3)

 

[Gray Fox]

Flamz are you going to make that kind of a video tutorials for the noobs up to advance in XSI, like blender.
I'm just asking cause your product seems really intend for the pro so you probably won't, but if you do I and many people would be more atracted to hl2exp, for now I just use blender, and have 3dsmax&maya as backup cause it has more support for games.