How do you choose a 3D Modeler?
by Ryu Hayabusa · in Artist Corner · 05/08/2004 (12:17 am) · 4 replies
This was some of my research into various 3D Modeling tools and packages at various pricepoints. My questions to the forum would be, which would you choose when considering price/ease/performance/branding?.
Also, do you think the modeling program you use affects the viability of your product? What i mean by that is, does using a freeware tool vice using 3DS max essentially make your game look second-hand either in actual looks or in the publisher's eyes?
A small group of us were planning to develop a simple game but haven't settled on a 3D modeling tool yet. We have the capital to buy any, this isn't the point. The point is, does paying 3k vice 49 dollars put you ahead in any way?
I feel slightly biased that in my eyes, YES, knowing that someone used an expensive 3D modeler does make me give them more credit. We currently have a modeler who uses LightWave 7 and a modeler who uses trueSpace 6.6 and i tend to view the LightWave guy as 'more advanced' even though they can produce the same quality of work. Is this true in anyone else's eyes? Are you taken more or less serious depending on what you choose?
While i was doing this comparison i was on NewTeks site(Lightwave) and looked at their 'competive price' section and thought it was interesting to note that they only listed Maya, 3D Studio Max, SoftImage, Cinema 4D and Mirai as being 'competition'. That kind of made me say, wow, so where does everything else fall? Where's trueSpace 6? Carrera? Pixel 3D? Strata 3D?
Any comments that can shed any light ontop anything mentioned would be appreciated. If anything, this list can help and new developer find a tool which works for their pricepoint. [Note: Only reason i mention trueSpace many times is because their gameSpace sister product looked rather interesting.]
PRICE URL SOFTWARE NAME
[unknown] http://www.izware.com/news/index.htm MIRAI / NENDO
(company restarting, looks rather neat)
[free] http://www.blender3d.com/ BENDER 3D
(source available, can't beat free, unless free is hard to use...)
[49] http://www.ac3d.org/pages/introduction AC3D
[109] http://nevercenter.com/index.php/Home/254 SILO 1.2
[299] http://www.hash.com/ Animation Master
[399] http://www.eitechnologygroup.com/ Universe 8, Amorphium 3
[399] http://www.eovia.com/carrara/product_intro_car3.jsp Carrara Studio 3
[399] http://www.pixels3d.com/ Pixel3D v5
[595] http://www.caligari.com/ TrueSpace 6.6
(gameSpace provides direct Torque integration)
[595] http://www.maxon.net/index_e.html Cinema 4D R8.5
[695] http://www.strata.com/products/ Strata 3D pro
[895] http://www.rhino3d.com/ Rhinoceros 3D
[1595] http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/index.php LightWave 8
[1995] http://www.softimage.com/home/ SoftImage XSI v4
[2000] http://www.alias.com/eng/index_flash.shtml Maya 6
[3495] http://www.discreet.com/ 3DS Max 6
Also, do you think the modeling program you use affects the viability of your product? What i mean by that is, does using a freeware tool vice using 3DS max essentially make your game look second-hand either in actual looks or in the publisher's eyes?
A small group of us were planning to develop a simple game but haven't settled on a 3D modeling tool yet. We have the capital to buy any, this isn't the point. The point is, does paying 3k vice 49 dollars put you ahead in any way?
I feel slightly biased that in my eyes, YES, knowing that someone used an expensive 3D modeler does make me give them more credit. We currently have a modeler who uses LightWave 7 and a modeler who uses trueSpace 6.6 and i tend to view the LightWave guy as 'more advanced' even though they can produce the same quality of work. Is this true in anyone else's eyes? Are you taken more or less serious depending on what you choose?
While i was doing this comparison i was on NewTeks site(Lightwave) and looked at their 'competive price' section and thought it was interesting to note that they only listed Maya, 3D Studio Max, SoftImage, Cinema 4D and Mirai as being 'competition'. That kind of made me say, wow, so where does everything else fall? Where's trueSpace 6? Carrera? Pixel 3D? Strata 3D?
Any comments that can shed any light ontop anything mentioned would be appreciated. If anything, this list can help and new developer find a tool which works for their pricepoint. [Note: Only reason i mention trueSpace many times is because their gameSpace sister product looked rather interesting.]
PRICE URL SOFTWARE NAME
[unknown] http://www.izware.com/news/index.htm MIRAI / NENDO
(company restarting, looks rather neat)
[free] http://www.blender3d.com/ BENDER 3D
(source available, can't beat free, unless free is hard to use...)
[49] http://www.ac3d.org/pages/introduction AC3D
[109] http://nevercenter.com/index.php/Home/254 SILO 1.2
[299] http://www.hash.com/ Animation Master
[399] http://www.eitechnologygroup.com/ Universe 8, Amorphium 3
[399] http://www.eovia.com/carrara/product_intro_car3.jsp Carrara Studio 3
[399] http://www.pixels3d.com/ Pixel3D v5
[595] http://www.caligari.com/ TrueSpace 6.6
(gameSpace provides direct Torque integration)
[595] http://www.maxon.net/index_e.html Cinema 4D R8.5
[695] http://www.strata.com/products/ Strata 3D pro
[895] http://www.rhino3d.com/ Rhinoceros 3D
[1595] http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/index.php LightWave 8
[1995] http://www.softimage.com/home/ SoftImage XSI v4
[2000] http://www.alias.com/eng/index_flash.shtml Maya 6
[3495] http://www.discreet.com/ 3DS Max 6
#2
05/08/2004 (9:16 am)
Cross-posting is not necessary. Just post the thread in one forum, and people will see it. 
#3
Its will to determine the decision on which 3d package do you need.
IMO Im recommending LW. Its a very robust modeller and animation package with a very competitive price. Its have a brand new 8.0 release. Its have more than 10 years in developing, very comfortable and easy to learn and use. Im use it more than 7 years as a professional artist for movieas and games. Im used by periodically some of the competitors, and i must to say LW have the smoothest and best modelling tools ever in the industry. The modeller is separated, a very compact one, and if you wanna make animation is this yours with the LW-Layout. The UI is not a menusoup as -for example- the MAX is.
The only one program which can to take the race with LW is Softimage/SXI, but XSI really much expensive than LW, and not supporting TGE.
So, my advise is >
With a limited budget try Truespace 6. Its compact, a good program, is there are TGE exporter. Not really recommend it for movies, but acceptable on midrange render quality.
With avarage or good budget for movies and TGE, or other games try LW.
With high budget, for movies or for the Source engine try Softimage/XSI.
If your technology doesnt support any from them above, try Maya, or Max or the supported 3d program as a last step.
Other programs are ok for learning 3d as a first step, (after you made your decisionon on learning or practice animation/modelling or both) but they are not really used
in the industry widely, and have much smaller support from game maker's audience.
05/08/2004 (10:11 am)
What is your primary targer on 3d modelling ? Games ? Movies ? Which engine ? Its will to determine the decision on which 3d package do you need.
IMO Im recommending LW. Its a very robust modeller and animation package with a very competitive price. Its have a brand new 8.0 release. Its have more than 10 years in developing, very comfortable and easy to learn and use. Im use it more than 7 years as a professional artist for movieas and games. Im used by periodically some of the competitors, and i must to say LW have the smoothest and best modelling tools ever in the industry. The modeller is separated, a very compact one, and if you wanna make animation is this yours with the LW-Layout. The UI is not a menusoup as -for example- the MAX is.
The only one program which can to take the race with LW is Softimage/SXI, but XSI really much expensive than LW, and not supporting TGE.
So, my advise is >
With a limited budget try Truespace 6. Its compact, a good program, is there are TGE exporter. Not really recommend it for movies, but acceptable on midrange render quality.
With avarage or good budget for movies and TGE, or other games try LW.
With high budget, for movies or for the Source engine try Softimage/XSI.
If your technology doesnt support any from them above, try Maya, or Max or the supported 3d program as a last step.
Other programs are ok for learning 3d as a first step, (after you made your decisionon on learning or practice animation/modelling or both) but they are not really used
in the industry widely, and have much smaller support from game maker's audience.
Torque Owner Jarrod Roberson
as for artists, a talented artist can produce just as good work with anything . . . it just might take them longer using a 'low end' program because of the lack of features or tools to make it go quicker. basically there is no "right" answer it is pretty much based on a combonation of will it do what you want and artist preference.