Which Modeller?
Community Forums/Developer Stations/Which Modeller?
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| I have been playing with B3D for a while and now what to create some simple objects and texture them, can someone recommend a good, preferably free, modeller. I have been trying DeleD but find that scaling the textures is very awkward, and i think buggy! Is there anything as nice as say the old quake or UT editor that can export to .x format? Cheers |
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| See the following link for relevant information: http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=40151 I'd just like to add some points of my own. Wings 3D is a free modelling program that has a good reputation. I've used it a bit and it does seem powerful and easy to use. Many people here like Milkshape3D, which is only $25 or something. Personally I didn't find it to my liking but you may have better luck. The best tool for texturing is probably Ultimate Unwrap. Unfortunately it costs about $50 |
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| From what little I have learned, I've found that really it isn't as much the program but the person's experience. Most of the good programs share similar tools and capabilities, and it's all about how you can use them. |
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| I actually got so frustrated with Milkshape that I uninstalled it not long after I bought it, and have not used it since. |
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| Rhino 3D is what I use and I have always been happy with it. -RZ |
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| Wings3D is my favorite modeling tool, and the fact that it's free is major icing. It doesn't export to .x, but it does export to 3ds and that's easy to find a converter for. Although Blitz3D loads 3ds too so you may not need to. |
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| Use the only good thing: http://leadwerks.com/index.php?page=mapeditor.htm |
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| You can download the milkshape demo from www.milkshape3d.com and try it for 30 days. It's pretty intuitive, but has its quirks. I personally hate the wings3d interface, but I guess that just takes some getting used to. You can also try blender, which is free, but that will take quite some practice. |
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| The bad thing with wings is that the mesh's must be always complete and water type, you can't have singuler polys for opacity mapping etc. I like silo www.nevercenter.com it may seem expensive, but it really REALLY isn't |
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| "The bad thing with wings is that the mesh's must be always complete and water type, you can't have singuler polys for opacity mapping etc. " I dont see advantage over wings, unless too much maya ui nostalgy ;) I tested Silo ui and didnt like it a single bit.But I dont think is wrong.Is not for a modeller like me, an we are numerous ;) wings 3d can do those polygons...as the use of em is mainly for engines or other renderers, all u may care is export...so, hole material, and Ive done just as easy any singl sided and nitty gritty export.Check puzzled paul site... wings 3d with full knowledge is .."da tool" ;) and it does not take the time to master than with any other modellers. plus is free, even bsd open source....REALLY generous license... i already buy too much software that i have not the option to buy free, to also buy the modeller, when there are loads of free modellers(though couldnt resist the tentation of buy zbrush and amorphium, but then again, it adds functionality) out there quite capable..is not a field so well covered with expensive tools.. imho the initiated hi res orc i posted serves as a proof, and well, everything i've modelled being paid a salary in game company.. while dont have a real option for free lightmapper or free char animator...at the features I want.While instead, I know several Maya tv professionals modelling with Wings... But, ok...I guess the 95% will never know Blender and Wings3d to all its power...I must just admit it and let it be...imho, wings keeps a high rate of learning curve-power, more than any, but few learn the real advantages. |
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| LOL... you hafta love the way HALO advertises himself :D I use Wings3d WITH milkshape... I think wings 3d is easy to use for modeling and Milkshape is great for animation and has many plugins |
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| www.blender.org |
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| I use Milkshape3D combined with a full version of Caligari Truespace 4.3 that I got from the 3D World mag, that cost me 15$, not bad for an expensive modelling app like that, also, like stated above, for unwrapping and texturing your models I reccomend this: Unwrap3D, setup UVMAP, then export the UVMAP to bitmap, next step can be one of two, depending on texture detail level needed,etc.. if you need high details, and sweet looking textures, light fx etc.. import the uvmap stencil bmp file into either adobe, gimp 2.20+, or Pixia, or PSP and go to town on it, using a drawing table, either wacom, or UC Electronics, I purchased an 8"x6" working area one, *NOTE* this is the size of the whole wacom tablet, of which only 2x3" is workable area on the wacom, these there is no substitue for, once you get used to them, you can make anything, period.. okay let me finish... if you just need a quick texture, that is going to be seen from a distance, and need to get some content done in a hurry, I reccomend purchasing tattoo if using in commercial project or use free version for non-commercial, once the initial texture is painted right on the surface of the model, save the model again, bring back into ultimate unwrap3d or milkshape3d for final tweaks, *NOTE* better use unwrap3d, since it is what I found has a MUCH NEEDED FEATURE **** B3D **** import and export functionality along with alot of other formats!!! so I import back into unwrap3d, check out for seams etc.., and if I need to export the uvmap and do final touchups in adobe, save, import, apply, export, done. I have tried alot of things, and this workflow seems to be the best, and the quickest method thus far. *NOTE* I use milkshape3d for non-organic stuff like cars, buildings, etc.. and the caligari 4.3 for the organic modelling with nurbs, etc.. and whamo, we can now make anything. Hope this helps, btw: my current project is DozerVille, and as I write the game currently about 60% done, for demo contest at conitec 3d game studio spring 2005 contest, I am also writing a book about the experience, things learned, the wip title is: Trials and Tribulations - Real Game Creation. check out my currently heavily under construction website at : http://www.pain-killa.com/ and check out the forums, screenies, downloads, news items etc.. for progress reports, and tutorials and diaries of development on the project. Hope this helps you guys out, I feel like I have to give something back. Ken - Owner - Pain Killa Entertainment / MirroVision Studios (c) 2005 - All Rights Reserved. |
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