What's so bad about 3D Canvas?

Community Forums/Developer Stations/What's so bad about 3D Canvas?

Chatty(Posted 2004) [#1]
As a newbie to 3d programming I have been downloading and demoing various programs for creating my own models/levels etc. I have also searched these bulletins and noted that 3d Canvas has got terrible press - why?

So far I've got my head around

Maplet
Deled
Wings3d
3D Canvas

but have struggled with the rest i.e. blender

So far I have found 3D Canvas the easiest to use - though I haven't produced anything yet.

I'm only going to be able to afford / use a limited number of programs so I don't want to waste my time/money learning it.


morduun(Posted 2004) [#2]
3D Canvas is a bit crashy, and a bit laggy. It also can't export .b3d format, so the only animated format you can export out of it are hierarchical (segmented) .x files.

That said, I always enjoyed it myself -- until I got my head around Milkshape, which is honestly a far easier modeller to work with when it comes to creating game content imo, though that's always going to be personal preference.

In theory you could probably export a boned animation as a wavefront .obj file out of 3D Canvas, import into Ultimate Unwrap and export a .b3d that way if you really needed to (MS3D's .b3d exporter is borked so you'd need Ultimate either way).


Bob3d(Posted 2004) [#3]
Vertex weights level of control, and another way of "3d guessing" of your movements...difficult to explain in english. Metasequoia and Wings are much better as modellers.

Blender is much better in Animation.(and can do it all)

Ultimate unwrap or Lithunwrap are better in uv mapping.

Crashes often, true.

Morduun, you mean x..obj does not have bones.. ;)
There's an standalone xtob3d converter, of teh special x that 3d canvas export.
I have a less limited 3d canvas 3.32 version from the past...

I have modelled and tested recent 3d canvas versions.

Other than that, has enough formats, and some people like it, so...

The advantage is like allways:have all in one. SOme prefer that, some not. Blender has that, but people say is hard to learn...

For projects, using wings+uu+blender, works well. if ur patient person.


Chatty(Posted 2004) [#4]
Thanks for the replies Guys. They seem to agree with the consensus that unless you buy a hyper expensive application like Maya, Ultimate Unwrap is essential. The file formats for 3D are truley mind boggling so I printed off some of the UU documentation that listed the file formats.

I tried Milkshape but was put off by the 30 day trial. I work so slowly it expired before I got round to trying it properly.

I managed to understand Wings by printing off its manual and working through the examples given. Is there something similar for blender? If there is I will give it another go.


Bob3d(Posted 2004) [#5]
Yep, there's an outstanding online doc for free, for Blender.You could buy the book, too.

http://blender.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=documentation&file=index

"They seem to agree with the consensus that unless you buy a hyper expensive application like Maya, Ultimate Unwrap is essential"

Even more: for Blitz3d character animation support, seems you still need Ultimate Unwrap for the conversion. Same goes with XSI, Hash AM, etc.

IMO Wings3d, uu, blender, make a more powerful thing than Milkshape. But is a way probably no good for starters. Or starters without lots of time and patience.


Chatty(Posted 2004) [#6]
Thanks Bob - I will print it off when I get back to work


hed(Posted 2005) [#7]
> I managed to understand Wings by printing off its manual...

Go ahead! Wings is a *really* outstanding app. It's a bit hard to
get into it - but once you are famillar with it you can get your models
out of a simple cube in minutes...

I also use Max from time to time, but I must say Wings is a lot better to model with...
At least for me... ;)

Another good (and cheap animation app is CharacterFX).
It takes just some hours to learn how it works and you get results
(animtions) to play with in Blitz in a reasonable time...

This is my momentary production pipeline for (animated) B3D files:

Modelling: Wings3D (Exporting OBJ Files)
UV-Mapping: Ultimate Unwrap (UV's on OBJ Files)
Texturing: Photoshop etc.
Animation/Export to B3D: CharacterFX (Triangulate Model in Unwrap first! else CFX will hangup...)

greez,

hed


Chatty(Posted 2005) [#8]
I've tried the demo version of CharacterFX and thought it was very good, though it's very frustrating to see your attempts disappear because it wont allow saving. I've now downloaded and printed the tutorials for blender and will have a go at them when I get the time. But suspect I will 'buy in' the animation.


Bob3d(Posted 2005) [#9]
Blender is more powerful but..only if u really master it...u don't need to handle it all but animation.

Character fx...don't download the undone 1.4...that did not get ended...and is not for sale...download 1.34.That one must let u save...

if only for animate, cfx is rather easier...only that with blender, u at least have some tricky, indepth ways to avoid feet sliding on floor.


hed(Posted 2005) [#10]
> I've tried the demo version of CharacterFX and thought it was very good, though it's very frustrating to see your attempts disappear because it wont allow saving.

Register it! It's just 15$ ...

;)


wizzlefish(Posted 2005) [#11]
>>What's so bad about 3D Canvas?

Nothing! Although I've gotten more used to Milkshape.


Chatty(Posted 2005) [#12]
hed - i'm a cheapskate that's why i haven't bought it!

I've started trying the tutoriors for blender, but even with reading through it very slowly blender is still wierd. Will keep trying though