Valve has said that while they use XSI internally, they'll be releasing exporters for all the major 3D pacakages (Max, Maya, and XSI), so apparently you'll be able to use any one you want.
If you are using XSI, why did you decide to use it instead of one of the more widely used modeling applications? Are you switching from something else or are you modeling for the first time in XSI? If you're not using XSI, why did you decide not to?
I've tried all 3 packages and I can honestly say that I like XSI the best. Once I got past the UI - which I found intimidating at first after working with the less complex looking UIs of Maya and MAX - I found that XSI has some distinct advantages that I did not see in the other packages. For one thing, XSI has pre-built primatives for humans, both detailed and box models with realistic proportions so you don't have to worry about proportioning them yourself if you're going for realism. I really think XSI shines over the others in the animation department though. It has guides for bi-peds and quadra-peds that you can use to automaticly generate a fully functional IK and FK rig for your characters. It supports the muscle system that is in the source engine, which lets you easily maintain volume in your characters while their limbs move, and creates realistic twisting of the "flesh" in places like the fore arm. And the animation mixer makes blending very intuitive and easy.
Anyhow, I assume that most of the modelers in the community are already familiar with 3DS Max since it's the most popular modeling tool for games. I am just trying to get an estimate of what percentage of the mod community will be sticking with the tools they're used to and what percentage are willing to switch to a new application.
If you are using XSI, why did you decide to use it instead of one of the more widely used modeling applications? Are you switching from something else or are you modeling for the first time in XSI? If you're not using XSI, why did you decide not to?
I've tried all 3 packages and I can honestly say that I like XSI the best. Once I got past the UI - which I found intimidating at first after working with the less complex looking UIs of Maya and MAX - I found that XSI has some distinct advantages that I did not see in the other packages. For one thing, XSI has pre-built primatives for humans, both detailed and box models with realistic proportions so you don't have to worry about proportioning them yourself if you're going for realism. I really think XSI shines over the others in the animation department though. It has guides for bi-peds and quadra-peds that you can use to automaticly generate a fully functional IK and FK rig for your characters. It supports the muscle system that is in the source engine, which lets you easily maintain volume in your characters while their limbs move, and creates realistic twisting of the "flesh" in places like the fore arm. And the animation mixer makes blending very intuitive and easy.
Anyhow, I assume that most of the modelers in the community are already familiar with 3DS Max since it's the most popular modeling tool for games. I am just trying to get an estimate of what percentage of the mod community will be sticking with the tools they're used to and what percentage are willing to switch to a new application.
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