I Need...

[bulio]

arrggg i've tried almost every 3d modeller an they r sooo damn hard to use. can any 1 give me a name aof one that is easy to use but professional looking?

[monica_green_22]

What modelers have you tried?

I use Maya for NURBS and Subdivision Surfaces modeling, 3D Studio Max for polygon modelling, and occasionally, Lightwave for polygon modelling (and some subds).

What type of modelling are you trying to do? (Polys/Nurbs/Subds/Nurbs patch, ...)
What type of things are you trying model? (organic, toon, architectural, outdoor scenes, ...)
What modelers have you already tried? (max, maya, lw, xsi, houdini, blender, wings, ...)

Monica

[Xilo]

Of course they are hard to use... They are complicated software. What you think you can just get into the program and be able to make something great immediately?

[MagicNakor]

Uh...Poser, I guess. ;)

:ninja:

[monica_green_22]

All I can suggest to any aspiring 3d artist, is to pick one program, such as the ones i mentioned in my previous post, and stick with it.

It may take you a year or more, but you will eventually be able to produce professional looking models. There is not instant way to produce great models, it just doesn't happed, just like you can't pick-up a good pen, and be able to write good books.

The software is a tool, you have to create the model. As far as that goes, there is a lot to learn, and not just modeling, but texturing, rigging, anitmation, rendering, post-effects, compositing and so on. Being able to create photorealistic stuff is a skill, the software can only do what you tell it to.

Monica

[monica_green_22]

I would like to add that Poser, Bryce, and other ready-made-3D tools are not modeling tools. yes they are 3D, but the models have already been created, and cannot be modified. They can't be used to create anything but the most trivial images/movies with only rudimentary animation.

[balamm]

Wouln't it kick ass if the software would let you tell it what to do though ;)

F88kin menus are rediculously complicated. And buggy.

[monica_green_22]

What do you mean by:


Wouln't it kick ass if the software would let you tell it what to do though


Thats the purpose of the software in the first place, otherwise we would all be typing the world-space co-ordinates of individual vertices by hand in notepad... Ever looked at the MI file format specification? :nuke:

Serisouly though, if there was a way for the software to just read our minds and create that in 3d, I would be out of a job :'(

Monica

[balamm]

I didn't say or mean telepathy at all. Too many buttons just don't do what the name implies or do it poorly, don't allow for simple configuration, etc.
A good program should allow you to set parameters freely as long as the program is not threatened by it.
And at the cost of these programs, A whole box full of configuration files and samples, templates, help, how to's, etc, should be included.

[monica_green_22]

Could you perhaps give some examples of these buttons, and parameters? I must say, that despite a small occasional deviation in functionality, almost all buttons, sliders, etc. do what they say they do. The problem is simply that theres a lot of information needed to correctly calculate how an object looks (or rather, how an object is).

For example, a common complaint is that its difficult to get a realistic looking glass/metal/cloth/<insert item here> look. But thats because these items are inherently complicated, i.e. glass needs to have reflections and refractions and other light calculations, and caustics, photon mapping, final gathering, etc. are ways of simulating that look. This information is required to calculate the image. There is simply no other way about it.

As for the price... the software itself which bears this price, is immensely complicated, and thus requires large research teams, programming teams, design teams, for the various stages. This is by no means a mean feat... unlike most software offerings, these programs drive the film and game industries, which are increasingly demanding. To be honest I am surprised this kind of functionality is available at todays prices.

Software like 3D Studio Max and Maya can do in a few minutes what took supercomputers weeks to do in terms of effects/dynamics/fluids/kinematics and so on. This is some of the most advanced stuff you can find... and for just about &#036;5000&#33; less than 10 times as much as a MS office&#33;

[/praise]

Monica

[bulio]

listen i just wanna make 3d models of stuff, thats it and i want an easy interface.

[monica_green_22]

Originally posted by bulio@15 August 2003 - 03:02
listen i just wanna make 3d models of stuff, thats it and i want an easy interface.
The best easy modeler, with a great interface, http://www.wings3d.com/ :)

[Xilo]

3ds Max is really easy to use and has a good interface. Well, at least to me anyways... :rolleyes:

[monica_green_22]

Yes, 3dsmax is generally the easiest to use, and also the least capable. But its a good learning tool.

But for general use (apart from creating low-poly models) its too limited. I don&#39;t advise newbies to learn it, unless they plan to move to another program once they learn the basics.

Monica

[bulio]

my comp cant handle 3d max cause i only have 127 mb of ram <_<

[monica_green_22]

I have run max 4.2 on machines with 64mb of ram, it runs slowly, but its still usable, unless you are rendering with raytracing, or making heavy use of particle systems.

127 should be enough to make simple models with max 4.

Monica

[bulio]

what abot maya? and can i use ther latest version of max?

[bulio]

which is the easier max or maya? i use blend (wich sucks) and I hate it.

[monica_green_22]

If you want easy, then stay away from maya... it can cause you to have a stroke with all that complexity.

You can run Max 4.2 quite happily on that computer, and possibly max 5.1, but don&#39;t go for it, unless you really need one of its newer features, since its just going to slow you down.

Monica

[bulio]

ok so 3ds max is ok? also is there any addon tutorials for 3ds and are all the 3ds max versions corrupt on k-lite?

[monica_green_22]

I would suggest using bittorrent to download a program as large as 3dsmax, since there is a high likelyhood of ending up with a corrupt download with Kazaa.

The file you want is 2.09 GB and includes 3D Studio Max 5.0, the 5.1 update, a keygen, 700MB of documentation and tutorials, lots of samples, many liks to sources of information, a book on 3dsmax for beginners, and the following plugins: Reactor (for dynamics, cloth, and rope calculations)
Character Studio for character rigging and animation
Brazil (one of the best medium end renderers currently on the market)
Some other stuff thats useful for newbies

Monica

[bulio]

omg, i need a new comp. i only have 20 gig hd. i&#39;m gonna wait till a get a new comp be4 getting that&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[monica_green_22]

Just get a new harddisk, and add it to the computer. Even a 100GB is pretty cheap these days.

Monica

[internet.news]

You are desperately searching for an easy 3d tool?

Try Bryce5 and Poser4 (for people) :)

With Bryce5 and Poser4 you can easily share your thoughts and dreams :)

I have Win98 and not very very fast pc :) but it works quite well...
I also tried 3d studio 2.0 or 2.5, but there is a thick manual :)

here are some good sites: http://fly.to/mirre (Bryce4/5 with Poser4)
http://ww.surrealplaces.com (partly 3d studio, partly Bryce4/5)
http://www.renderosity.com (artist community)
http://internet-news.gmxhome.de (my own work, there is a link&#33;)

thanks anyway, david.

~you can get bryce and poser on kazaa or in the shop (amazon.com .de, only 99Euros)

[monica_green_22]

I would like to add that Poser, Bryce, and other ready-made-3D tools are not modeling tools. yes they are 3D, but the models have already been created, and cannot be modified. They can&#39;t be used to create anything but the most trivial images/movies with only rudimentary animation.


Please do not take these programs seriously, as they will considerably hinder your ability to learn how to use real 3d programs.

They are toy program, great for simple scenes, but impossible for anything non trivial, which you will eventually realize.

Monica

[internet.news]

simple scenes: yeah you maybe right - if you are looking for a 3d tool
to calculate exactly scenes the best to choose would be 3d studio,
but for 3d studio you have to read big manual, befoe starting...

I would not say bryce is just for simple scenes, cause you also can
make different object with boolean, ok it is not as professional like 3ds, but
it is worth looking, some scenes really look professional.

And If you really want professional scenes, you probably may use more programs:
means: making the models in 3ds, import them to another program and so on...

thks...