Good 3D Maker program?

Hello there.

I would like to know about a good 3D program. I would like to be able to make models, items to make a game as well as to make a short movie.

As I have no idea where the right tools are I would like to get suggestions on everything.

Thanks in advance :)

Answer this question

Good 3D Maker program?

Fwank79

Ive been using lightwave for nearly 7 years now, and I find it well worth the value.

I haven't checked to see if the latest version can export to the X format or that even Microsoft is suporting X format anymore, but I do know that D Storm has a Lightwave plug-in for exporting to the X format.

Even though I have worked at a gaming company, I never actualy seen anything Lightwave used as game content, but I have heard of it's use!

Me, I mostly work on animation projects and Simulation work and do mostly programming at that. I have used lightwave to develop models for Open Flight simulation models for the US ARMY, but only after I used an exporter and Multigen's creater to finish them.
leonreet
There are pretty much two industry standard tools, which are 3DStudio Max, and Maya. Both will require purchase, and major study to use - people go to school for years to master them.

If you want something free I believe Milkshape is still a decent low cost alternative, though much less powerful.

MikeTennor

Mine's an indy game dev company so I'm on a shoestring budget, so hopefully these links will help you:
Art of Illusion: http://www.artofillusion.org/ (open source modeling & rendering studio)
Blender 3D: http://www.blender3d.org/ (open source, "3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback")
3D Canvas: http://www.amabilis.com/products.htm (3 versions: free, $35, $70)
K-3D: http://sourceforge.net/projects/k3d/ (open source "3d modeling, animation, and rendering system")
MakeHuman: http://www.dedalo-3d.com/ (open source 3D humanoid character modeling)

If you're interested in ray-tracing (i.e. "too realistic" imaging), you might explore POV-Ray's site:
http://www.povray.org/
Not only is the software free, but it's been around for an extremely long time and is still quite active. There's a plethora of free GUIs that work with POV, and that'll help you. Just remember, that ray-tracing is too CPU-intensive for realtime images, but it's incredibly useful for generating 3D model skins. Examples:
http://www.bishop3d.com/
http://mysite.verizon.net/sfg0000/
http://povclipse.sourceforge.net/

A nice sub-$1,000 package is Newtek's LightWave 3D: http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/highlights.php (currently 4 packages, $500-$900). LightWave has a large customer base, uses common file formats, and is very popular because it is very easy to use yet is extremely powerful.

Another sub-$1,000 product is Luxology's Modo: http://www.luxology.com/whatismodo/
I can't personally vouch for Modo, though I've talked to several game content creators who swear by it, both for ease-of-use and the model quality.

Lastly, Visual3D.NET is in closed beta and looks promising (e.g. highly integrated into .NET), but who knows what its final cost will be:
http://www.visual3d.net/

I also suggest browsing at http://www.3dlinks.com, especially their 3D Modeling shareware/freeware section: http://www.3dlinks.com/links.cfm categoryid=1&subcategoryid=2
...where you'll find info on AC3D, DX Studio, and MilkShape 3D (my favorite):
( http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ )

MilkShape 3D is a low-polygon modeler, which was initially designed for Half-Life. By and by many file formats and features have been added.

MilkShape 3D has all basic operations like select, move, rotate, scale, extrude, turn edge, subdivide, just to mention a few. MilkShape 3D also allows low-level editing with the vertex and face tool. Standard and extended primitives like spheres, boxes, cylinders, etc. are available too.

MilkShape 3D is a skeletal animator. This allows to export to morph target animation like the ones in the Quake model formats or to export to skeletal animations like Half-Life, Genesis3d, Unreal, etc.

MilkShape 3D currently supports 70 different file formats! Download MilkShape 3D yourself and see how easy it is to create models!

Sorry for the overly long reply, but finding a decent 3D modeling pkg can be very time-consuming if you don't have an infinite budget like large, commercial game studios have. ;)

Good 3D Maker program?

Answer this question