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Graphics > 3d graphics

#60085 - ghost Leinad - Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:07 am

i know this is not a GBA question but i know you'll help me...

what's (for you) the best 3d graphic tool or software you can find...(and if is free, better :D)

and what are the best tutorials for 3d graphics...:D

tanx in advance!!
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#60104 - DekuTree64 - Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:42 am

My favorite modeller is trueSpace. Anything version 4 or above is plenty for most game models, although it doesn't look like they're even selling 4 anymore.
Normally it's pretty pricey, but they have specials pretty frequently that are much better (like, a few months ago they had trueSpace 5 for $79, when the normal price is $395).

The built in skeletal animation system is pretty crappy though. There's a plugin that works good, but I don't think there's any documentation on its data format so you couldn't really use it for a game.
The actual model data format is pretty straightforward and well documented though. I wrote an exporter for it a couple years ago for a demo.

As for tutorials... you're on your own :)
I usually start with a single polygon and just scoot vertices around, add an edge here, remove an edge there, until I've got the shape I want.
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#60124 - keldon - Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:47 am

a full copy of truespace is always being given away with PC magazines ... they've even had a full version of Realsoft 4.5 given away on PC mags

#60137 - thegamefreak0134 - Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:46 pm

For starting out with 3d, I recommend 3D canvas. Now before you yell at me because of how bad a program that is, I say this because it's the only free one I've seen thats any good. It also has an extensive tutorial to get you started. Did I mention, it's free? This way, you don't go spending money on something you may not end up getting into.

I'm not sure, but I think 3d canvas has a good selection of export formats for models and such.
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#60144 - keldon - Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:05 pm

here are some reviews of products within the community

#60163 - techtech - Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:50 pm

http://www.blender.org/

#60196 - legalize - Tue Nov 08, 2005 12:01 am

FW 3D Canvas
SW AC3D
FW Amapi 3D v4.15
OS Aztec 3D Tools
FW Anim8or
FW Blender
SW CharacterFX
FW CityGen
SW CyberMotion
FW DoGaL1/2/3
FW GMax
SW Milkshape3D
OS OpenFX
FW POV-Ray
OS Wings3D
FW ZModeler

FW: Freeware.
Can be downloaded and used for free, but no source code is provided.
SW: Shareware.
Can be downloaded for free, but a registration fee is required if
you use the software.
OS: Open Source.
The software can be downloaded for free. Source code is provided.

#60201 - SevenString - Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:14 am

These days, for personal projects, I use XSI ($495), and a whole slew of applications at my day-gig, including Maya, RealFlow, and Houdini.

However, DON'T pay money until you feel like you REALLY need to do so. I've used Blender and Wings in the past, and they're both amazing freeware tools.
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#60202 - ScottLininger - Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:31 am

Sketchup is an extremely sexy (albeit unusual) modeller. They have a fully functional demo available that lets you use the program for a LONG time before they ask for a license. http://www.sketchup.com

I've found that I can model stuff twice as fast in Sketchup than any other 3D tool I've used. Reason? As the name suggests, the program is all about "sketching" your ideas in 2D (either in space or onto another 3d surface) then stretching them out into 3D shapes. Its manipulation tools are very intuitive.

Now, I haven't used Sketchup for generating any game assets... so I'm not sure how well that would work for you. But I highly recommend taking a look.

-Scott

#60207 - tepples - Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:03 am

ScottLininger wrote:
I've found that I can model stuff twice as fast in Sketchup than any other 3D tool I've used. Reason? As the name suggests, the program is all about "sketching" your ideas in 2D (either in space or onto another 3d surface) then stretching them out into 3D shapes.

Don't most 3D modeling programs let you sketch a 2D polygon and then extrude it to a stack of prisms or antiprisms?
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#60391 - ghost Leinad - Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:25 pm

tank you all for your help!!

as soon as i finish my finals im going to test all this software and stick with the best... :D

any other ideas???
_________________
All human wisdom is summed up in these two words, - 'Wait and hope"
****************************************
My site www.myth-world.net and www.bmrpg.com :)

#62728 - Yonomicon - Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:46 am

I think that you should get a demo of Maya and mainly focus on learning everything maya has to offer. There are lots of tutorials in the maya documentation which are easy to follow and remember. I personally feel that it has the best workflow ever.

Sure great 3D art can be achieved with cheaper tools but it is always better to learn the industry standard. PIXAR, Dreamworks and ILM all use maya and it is truly a pleasure to work with.

I find 3D studio Max to be annoying, buggy and unreliable when working on large projects. However that is my opinion and many 3D artists use 3D Max and swear by it.

I can't use Lightwave. I started to learn it after Maya and simply thought Maya was easier.

Other suggestions include Cinema4D or Hashs Animation Master.

Most developers of expensive 3D applications will provide a demo which has all the important features and documentation included, only the renders have a watermark. Just look in the downloads section of the companies' websites and you should find the demos.

Anyway in my opinion learn the best and then if you want try the rest.
You probably won't bother after learning Maya though.

#62755 - OogyBoogy - Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:59 pm

[quote="Yonomicon"]I think that you should get a demo of Maya and mainly focus on learning everything maya has to offer. There are lots of tutorials in the maya documentation which are easy to follow and remember. I personally feel that it has the best workflow ever.

Sure great 3D art can be achieved with cheaper tools but it is always better to learn the industry standard. PIXAR, Dreamworks and ILM all use maya and it is truly a pleasure to work with.

PIXAR uses Renderman, which if I am not mistaken was there long before Maya. For a while there was a freeware renderman-complient program called Blue Moon Rendering Tool, but due to a lot of legal hassle this has been discontinued.
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#62758 - keldon - Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:23 pm

PIXAR is using maya now - which they have ported to linux; and before the change (2003) I think they were using maya under windows. They spoke about this in the 2003 sep/oct linux expo. Either that or I am confusing them with their competitor - you can check out the 2003 UK Olympia Linux Expo lineup to confirm this.

#62776 - ScottLininger - Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:05 pm

tepples wrote:
Don't most 3D modeling programs let you sketch a 2D polygon and then extrude it to a stack of prisms or antiprisms?


Yes, of course they do, but Sketchup's entire interface is built around this concept, and its sketching tools are extremely "smart" in how they work. You can sketch onto other 3d shapes then extrude or warp the bits you've just created in realtime and with ease. It's really hard to describe, but once you've used it for a drawing or two, it's great.

If you're looking to build a career in the 3D games world, then Sketchup would be a terrible choice, I think, since nobody in that industry uses it (AFAIK). But if you're a weekend modeller like me, Sketchup is awesome.

#63627 - ghost Leinad - Thu Dec 15, 2005 3:20 am

well well, I was looking for the Maya software...a learning edition is avaliable for free!!!

but the mimimun requeriments are:

Windows: Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon processor

Macintosh: G4

512 Mbytes RAM

CD-ROM drive

Hardware-accelerated OpenGL? graphics card

3-button mouse with mouse driver software

450 Mbytes of hard disk space

****

I don't have 512 Mb RAM....:'(... I guess I'll use canvas for learning :-)

is there anything else I should know as a begginer???
_________________
All human wisdom is summed up in these two words, - 'Wait and hope"
****************************************
My site www.myth-world.net and www.bmrpg.com :)

#63650 - keldon - Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:14 am

I got the full version of realsoft 3d V4.0 for windows and V4.5 for linux [as sold for ?600] for free with 3d world DEC' 03 ( http://3Dworldmag.com ). It was a one off as V4.0 was actually released and sold as a beta; which is weird as they later gave the package away for free with this mag when V4.5 came out.

Nethetheless if you can get a back issue from HERE . 3D WORLD DECEMBER 2003 - issue 45