Modeling+Design Tools

[HSDrac011]

What would you guys say is the best FREE 3D Modeling and Design Tool out there... Ex: making creatures, landscapes, terrain, people, and buildings...... if NO 1 program can do all these just post seperate ones.... i want to practice making some things for fun since im bored

[Ondor]

Originally Posted by HSDrac011

What would you guys say is the best FREE 3D Modeling and Design Tool out there... Ex: making creatures, landscapes, terrain, people, and buildings...... if NO 1 program can do all these just post seperate ones.... i want to practice making some things for fun since im bored

Could name a few, but I can't say much about the quality since I'm a MAX guy ^^

If you wish to nail the very basics of modeling, I'd suggest Milkshape 3D (My very first 3D experience) It's easy to use, and fast to learn. It's basicaly a modeling tool, not of much use for scenery and such. But it's good for getting the basics down :P http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/

Then there's Blender, which is propably more up your alley. It's supposedly an all-round tool, and it's free. Never really used it though, seeing as I hated the interface. But it seems to be the best free all-purpose tool out there. http://www.blender.org/

There are a few others, but those should get you started. And remember - There are no shortcuts ^^

[HSDrac011]

cool, Thana bunch man +rep to you

[Ondor]

It does seem to be on a hobby basis, but I strongly advise you to get your hands on 3DS MAX at some point in the future. It's costly, but it's simply the best (In my opinion, based on what programs I have tried).

[Denny Lindberg]

What you can get for free from the top of my head.

Blender
Autodesk Maya Personal Learning Edition
Softimage XSI (6.5) Mod Tool
SideFX Houdini Apprentice

I hope it's good for starters.

[HSDrac011]

Thanks a bunch guys, i have just been bored lately and need something to occupy my time besides posting everyday in MO forums and waiting for new info about MO to release ><.

So im going to do a little practicing since im going to go to College for Video Game Design :P

[Ondor]

Originally Posted by HSDrac011

Thanks a bunch guys, i have just been bored lately and need something to occupy my time besides posting everyday in MO forums and waiting for new info about MO to release ><.

So im going to do a little practicing since im going to go to College for Video Game Design :P

Heh...Good luck with that! You're in for a rough ride, if this is your first time with 3D!... I'm hoping to really brush up on my 3D skills, so I can focus all my time on C++ programming, once I decide to go to the Intractive Media and Marketing Academy, with focus on game design. Who knows, we might end up in the same place.

Let me be the first to warn you though...once you get to modeling, and rigging your first character - Good luck, you'll need it!

[HSDrac011]

yea, on Blender its pretty confusing I was on this step to step guide before i got stuck on the basic box things ...wouldnt let me do what it was telling me to do in the manual LOL....Blender needs to update their Manuals

[HSDrac011]

Other than that i think im going to stick to Basics for awhile on these programs until I get the hang of it then slowly move forward with it ><

[Ondor]

Originally Posted by HSDrac011

Other than that i think im going to stick to Basics for awhile on these programs until I get the hang of it then slowly move forward with it ><

try setting up some simple milestones.

-Make a box
-Make a tube
-Make a simple tank (Box/Cylinder/Tube)
-Make a soda can
-Make a bottle

And then continue on from there. Then once you feel comfortable with modeling, you could move onto texturing and shading, starting from your soda can, and setting milestones again.

-Give it a metallic look, and apply a [Insert favourite soda here] look to the can (Although you might wanna leave that part out until later, just make a tin can).
-Make your bottle transparent, add tags, make it seem like there's a liquid in the bottle, make your cap look plastic-ish (Or metallic, depending on what type of bottle you chose)

And you can basicaly keep that up for quite a while. What you use in those simple steps, is...pretty much what you'll be using for most models. Like guns and vehicles...objects in general. Even characters and landscape, though you'll need a little more for the character part. Well, not the model itself, that's the usual stuff. But the rigging, clothing, hair...that kind of stuff.

But just keep on setting some new tasks and milestones, and you'll be pretty decent at it in a few months.

And once you move onto game graphics - It's all about faking it...as much as you can. Might as well get used to it.

[mikesanimation]

Well I know of a specific one for making terrain. It's easy to use, powerful, and the result is amazing. It's called terragen. Its free...I think. Fun to play around with :P
http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/

[Nordri]

I usually use Maya and Z-Brush. So I can't tell you any good free tools out there. But learningeditions are a good choise to start with.

Btw. I really love Soft Image XSI, maybe Ill switch from Maya to XSI.

[Somarl]

I played around with z-brush once and found it to be tough but awesome. I watched a tutorial on it and someone (who made it look easy) drew up his fantastic picture of a fish. Its well worth a try.