3D modeling programs?

Lou Gojira

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This is something I've taken a bit of interest in lately, and so far I've heard quite a bit about Poser. I was wondering if anybody here uses any 3D programs, and if so which ones? What are their strengthes and weaknesses? Thanks for any info. :cool:
 

neobuyer

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Well, it depends what you're looking to get out of it Lou,

The two 'real' 3D modellers that are current and used to create stuff for games and films are Maya and 3D Studio Max.

Most of the other programs like Lightwave and SoftImage are outdated and no longer in use professionally.

Poser is cool, but not a real modelling program, if all you want to do is pose pre-made 3D characters though, then Poser is completely adequate.

Max and Maya are deep, intense and can be really confusing, so unless you're looking to 'get into' 3D hardcore, Poser is actually really cool, and simple. Also, Bryce is a good, simple 3D landscape program.

I use Maya, and it can be fucking hard. Max is a little easier, but they're both pretty complex.
 

Lou Gojira

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Thanks for the insight neobuyer. You hit the nail on the head with what you say about Poser. I'm not wanting to go all out with it, just try my hand at it and see if it's worth working in 3D.

Here's the kicker, the Reverend 330 Mega downloaded a trial version of Poser 5, and neither he or I can try it out because the damn thing requires a serial number which we don't have! So close and yet so far... crying
 

strider88

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Lou Gojira,

What exactly do you want to do with the program? I think its great you want to learn it! It’s an excellent skill wink I went to skool for graphic arts and learned using 3D-max and strata studio pro, but now years later I am using Maya. I am a video game developer and have used both programs Max and Maya for game development. I prefer Maya, but they are both similar and easy to pick up. They are 2 very expensive programs, but I am sure you can find somewhere version somewhere? If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me wink good luck!
 

Lou Gojira

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Thanks strider, I may very well be sending you an e-mail sometime. :)

As for what I want to do with the program, I want to try creating characters I draw with the program, their faces, anatomical build, height, etc, then see how I could manipulate them and possibly do some prints or even a comic.

My friend The Reverend 330 Mega downloaded a trial version of Poser 5, and personally, I thought it sucked donkey balls. The damn thing stretched waaaay off the sides of the screen, with no apparent way to pull it all together, and it was a bit too complicated for my simple mind to understand all together. Photo-shop? Easy breezy, I can kick a little ass. But Poser 5 was too much trouble for what I wanted to do with it.

I'd like a way to build characters up, maybe using polygons or something, and adjust them as I go. I saw a tutorial a long time back where a guy was using polys to assemble some anime girl, which looked like a good path to take. Unfortunately, I assumed it was Poser 5 or some shit, didn't save the link, and now I couldn't find it again if you held a gun to my head.

Any help or recommendations are always appreciated. :D
 

Kid Aphex

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Download the programs from Kazaa. Start with Max and Maya.

Installing the pirated versions can be a bit tricky, so search for the "Cracks" on kazaa as well. They usually come with in depth installation instructions.

then visit sites such as

<a href="http://www.highend3d.com" target="_blank">www.highend3d.com</a>
or
<a href="http://www.3dcafe.com" target="_blank">www.3dcafe.com</a>
and check out their tutorials.

Or, visit barnes and nobles and purchase a maya or Max book. Going through all the tutorials in such a book REALLY gives you a lot of information, and by the time you've done them all, you'll have a great idea of how to use the program.

<small>[ May 02, 2003, 08:44 AM: Message edited by: Kid Aphex ]</small>
 

Lou Gojira

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Thanks for the suggestions Kid Aphex. Can you "build" characters with Max and Maya though?

For example, could you build up a man with an unrealistic build like, say, Haoh Maru or Kenshiro? The thing is, I'm not worried about how the model program renders it afterward, the way I figure I got photo-shop for all that "making it look convincing" business.
 

thundr51

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I've played with Max before and yeah, you can pretty much build anything with it. It's not too hard once you know you're way around the program. I've wanted to play with Maya before but never really had the time. Maybe one day.
 

Lou Gojira

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Hoody hoo! Max huh? Okay, hopefully this'll be the last question for a while. Once you build the character, can you animate it easy enough? Not have it fluidly animated doing something, but move it into a pose, then go from there?
 

Kid Aphex

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Lou Gojira:
Hoody hoo! Max huh? Okay, hopefully this'll be the last question for a while. Once you build the character, can you animate it easy enough? Not have it fluidly animated doing something, but move it into a pose, then go from there?
You sound pretty ambitious :)

What you're talking about is pretty advanced; not next gen...just pretty advanced.


To even build a realistic or good looking character, you have to get familiar with the program for quit some time. Then its a matter of making a bone system for that character, then key framing its poses into animation.
 

Lou Gojira

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You sound pretty ambitious
Yeah, but the problem is that between my ambition and the time I finish something, I realize exactly how low on talent I actually am! :p I guess that's the thing though, keep hammering away and eventually you get to where you wanna be with your art...

What you're talking about is pretty advanced; not next gen...just pretty advanced.
Thinking about it all, considering what I'm wanting to do with it, I may just stick with conventional hand-drawing full time (I count Photo-shop as part of hand-drawing as well, since your effects stay pretty much 2D). Unless I get too intimidated by it, that is...

To even build a realistic or good looking character, you have to get familiar with the program for quit some time. Then its a matter of making a bone system for that character, then key framing its poses into animation.
Woof...sounds like a lot of work. I think I better re-evaluate how serious I want to take this approach before I go diving in.

Thanks again to you and everybody else who gave pointers and suggestions. :cool:
 

Kid Aphex

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a lot of airbrush artists [in photoshop or painter] will use Poser for the basis of their humans; export it to photoshop, and create the hair, clothes, landscape, etc. on their own. its a real nice way to get humans done quick, in the right proportion. :)
 

Lou Gojira

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Kid Aphex:
a lot of airbrush artists [in photoshop or painter] will use Poser for the basis of their humans; export it to photoshop, and create the hair, clothes, landscape, etc. on their own. its a real nice way to get humans done quick, in the right proportion. :)
I've seen some pretty amazing stuff where Poser was used as the basic foundation, then Photo-shop finished off. The problems I had when I toyed around with Poser 5 was the anatomy of the characters. For example, making a girl with proportions like Gwen Stefani (small chested, not necessarily hour-glass shaped) was hell. Also, making a guy like Haoh Maru was hard as hell too since Poser follows a realistic anatomy lay-out. I keep thinking that with a program like Max, where I am in control from the ground up may be the way to go. But like you and others have pointed out, it's going to take a while to learn it, and to be quite honest, if all I'm going to use it for is still shots, I can almost as easily draw it out. The main reason I'd use a 3D program is for the modeling effects (i.e. where the light hits, where the shadows are cast, etc)
 

Lou Gojira

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Thanks Samhain. Truckin'? I can do that. Fuckin' is a problem though, being as I'm divorced and all. :p :cool:
 

Gamefan

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Hello,

I am almost done with my Bachelors degree in Animation and Visual Arts and I would say if you want to learn character design and animation, then get yourself a copy of the latest Digit and it comes with a free full version of Maya 4.5. It has a watermark but other than that, it is just like the professional version.

Also I would recommend getting maybe Animation Master or maybe an older version of 3D Studio MAX for learning. I have learned so far Lightwave 7.5 and 3D Studio MAX 5.1. I love them both and spend most of my time making models of spaceships and characters. I am no genius, but I am learning still and it takes time to master.

Just my input. PM me if you want to talk more or email me.

GAMEFAN
 

eight one

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Lou Gojira:
Thanks for the insight neobuyer. You hit the nail on the head with what you say about Poser. I'm not wanting to go all out with it, just try my hand at it and see if it's worth working in 3D.

Here's the kicker, the Reverend 330 Mega downloaded a trial version of Poser 5, and neither he or I can try it out because the damn thing requires a serial number which we don't have! So close and yet so far... crying
Sorry I took so long, bro.

I'll get with you ASAP so you can get to modelin'!
 

Lou Gojira

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Sorry I took so long, bro.

I'll get with you ASAP so you can get to modelin'!
Thanks eight one, but don't worry about it. The Rev found a crack in it, and we got to try it out already. Neither of us were all that impressed, and the interface was for shit. No offense if you happen to like the program, but like I said in a few earlier posts, Poser 5, for all intents and purposes, it wasn't what I was looking for. But thanks again anyway! :)

Hello,

I am almost done with my Bachelors degree in Animation and Visual Arts and I would say if you want to learn character design and animation, then get yourself a copy of the latest Digit and it comes with a free full version of Maya 4.5. It has a watermark but other than that, it is just like the professional version.

Also I would recommend getting maybe Animation Master or maybe an older version of 3D Studio MAX for learning. I have learned so far Lightwave 7.5 and 3D Studio MAX 5.1. I love them both and spend most of my time making models of spaceships and characters. I am no genius, but I am learning still and it takes time to master.

Just my input. PM me if you want to talk more or email me.

GAMEFAN
Thank you for the kind offer, as well as the advice. Very much appreciated. Good luck in your goals with your art, and if and when I jump into this stuff, I'll more than likely be firing an e-mail your way. Thanks again. :)

On a side note, just last night I got to price one of them Wacom tablets. Holy crap was that thing jaw-dropping expensive! $350 man! I think I'll stick with my lil' $20 tablet for a little while longer... :p Any Wacom users here? How much did you folks pay?
 

Riot Blood Khyron

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If you just like to dabble use Max! They have dozens of plugins and its hella easy to use. Get a book read it for a week and youll be set, 3DS Max Effects magic is fun and it shows you some easy as pie ways to impress your friends. Maya is more complicated but once you learn it its a hundred times better then max.

Here is another dope 3d site

<a href="http://www.3dluvr.com/content/" target="_blank">3DLuvr</a>
 

Lou Gojira

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Thanks for the advice and link Khyron (nice name too, one of my fave villains :cool: ). I'll look into that link and see what I can learn. :)
 

Riot Blood Khyron

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Oh I almost forgot. You were asking about how to animate and such I have another tip for you. Get the plugin character studio for 3DS Max. It has a bunch of preloaded walk cycles and such, I think that stupid baby dance is in there somewhere. Before I go let me tell you about an important button for making characters. The IK button (I believe it stands for inverse kinetics) That button connects all your charaters appendages and also sets there perameters (which way they bend and how far) Make sure you connect from the outside in for example connect the foot to the lower leg then lower leg to upper leg and finnally upper leg to torso.

Now that I have you confused go check out those tutorials and get you a copy of that program!!!! And yes Khyron is da man!!
 

Lou Gojira

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Yeap, Khyron is the man, and so are you for all the advice. Thank you. :cool:

Thing is, I wasn't necessarily wanting to animate anything, but now that I think about it, if I have that option, I'm sure it could be used for a lot of cool stuff. Mna, have I got some reading, studying, and practicing to do! Hoooo! :)
 
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