Best 3D Modelling Program?
- Thread starter Kent
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What kind of 3D design are you looking to get into?
There are many packages out there these days. Personally I use Autodesk 3D Studio Max as its great for game modelling and smooth (high poly) modelling and there's plenty of renderers for it.
Some people also like to use Rhino which can be used for surface modelling techniques which are difficult to master but great for vehicular type modelling from splines.
XSI Softimage is another Max type modeller which is mainly seen used in the gaming industry and, also Newtek Lightwave which is more of an all-rounder like Max. Maya is Max type package which is more known in CG movie type areas.
The easiest to learn I would say is Cinema 4D or 3D Studio Max. Maya I would call the most difficult.
There some free ones out there too, the main one being called Blender.
Personally I would go for Max to start off in. The free tools are usually overly confusing and buggy. Max has most tools to hand and there's plenty of info out there for free to get you started.
All these programs have demos and trails from their official sites, so just give them a go. If You're at University you might be able to obtain or utilize some software they might have.
I'm afraid these packages I have offered are mainly artistic type packages and not the sort of thing you use as a technical aid like Auto cad etc, but look them up first as being the more artistic type I couldn't care less about being too accurate.
There are many packages out there these days. Personally I use Autodesk 3D Studio Max as its great for game modelling and smooth (high poly) modelling and there's plenty of renderers for it.
Some people also like to use Rhino which can be used for surface modelling techniques which are difficult to master but great for vehicular type modelling from splines.
XSI Softimage is another Max type modeller which is mainly seen used in the gaming industry and, also Newtek Lightwave which is more of an all-rounder like Max. Maya is Max type package which is more known in CG movie type areas.
The easiest to learn I would say is Cinema 4D or 3D Studio Max. Maya I would call the most difficult.
There some free ones out there too, the main one being called Blender.
Personally I would go for Max to start off in. The free tools are usually overly confusing and buggy. Max has most tools to hand and there's plenty of info out there for free to get you started.
All these programs have demos and trails from their official sites, so just give them a go. If You're at University you might be able to obtain or utilize some software they might have.
I'm afraid these packages I have offered are mainly artistic type packages and not the sort of thing you use as a technical aid like Auto cad etc, but look them up first as being the more artistic type I couldn't care less about being too accurate.
Depends on what you want to do with it.
My personal choice would be Maya ( steep learning curve ,but you'll pick it up if you give it the time )
Maya is ideal if you want to model characters and backgrounds and then animate them.
A couple of (very basic ) examples of one of my projects here ( towards the bottom of the link ), to give you an idea :
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17619247&page=4
Mark
My personal choice would be Maya ( steep learning curve ,but you'll pick it up if you give it the time )
Maya is ideal if you want to model characters and backgrounds and then animate them.
A couple of (very basic ) examples of one of my projects here ( towards the bottom of the link ), to give you an idea :
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17619247&page=4
Mark
it is and it isn't 3d, check out zbrush2..they do a trial 
http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/home/home.php
examples
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/index.php
some are blends between zbrush and other apps but even alone it's quite a tool.
the GUI is a bit confusing to start with but after a week or so it starts to feel normal. while your in 3d editing mode then you can create/import/edit/export models but 3d is just part of the app, that's not to say the 3d is shallow though.
i may not be a 3d pro but i was knocking out rather detailed aliens after 20 days.. my bro knows roughly what i can and can't do and i had to show him one being made so he'd actualy belive i had done it
edit:
some movies of it in use..
http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/25/25.php
http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/home/home.php
examples
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/index.php
some are blends between zbrush and other apps but even alone it's quite a tool.
the GUI is a bit confusing to start with but after a week or so it starts to feel normal. while your in 3d editing mode then you can create/import/edit/export models but 3d is just part of the app, that's not to say the 3d is shallow though.
i may not be a 3d pro but i was knocking out rather detailed aliens after 20 days.. my bro knows roughly what i can and can't do and i had to show him one being made so he'd actualy belive i had done it
edit:
some movies of it in use..
http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/25/25.php
There used to be (maybe there still is) a free 3D Modelling program called Z-Modeler which I believe a number of people used to create car models for some racing games on the PC. Not a bad program but obviously not as 'complete' as the major commercial programs (Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3D Studio MAX, Lightwave etc..)
Haven't used Maya since Autodesk bought out Alias (I think it was Alias which produced Maya) so I'm not sure what they have changed if anything since it would seem that it is a direct competitor to Autodesks existing app 3D Studio MAX
Haven't used Maya since Autodesk bought out Alias (I think it was Alias which produced Maya) so I'm not sure what they have changed if anything since it would seem that it is a direct competitor to Autodesks existing app 3D Studio MAX
This question seems to come up from time to time. I am guessing you want a complete package rather than just a modeller.
The important question is how much money are you prepared to spend and is it your own or works? Or (and I hate to say this) are you going to acquire it some other way, if you know what I mean? If this is the case then you are probably just going to download Max or Maya.
If it's your own money then I doubt you will find better value than Softimage XSI which is just about to be upgraded to v6. At £350 it includes a vast amount at a price that would have been a couple of thousand not so long ago. 30 day demo available.
Cinema4D v10 has just been released and you can get the base package for £499 (I think) and this now includes BodyPaint. Demo available.
Lightwave 9 is the same price as Cinema4D but I'm not sure about the demo status.
There is also Modo by Luxology which I am trying to resist buying at the moment but they are having a $200 discount offer at the moment so I may not be able to resist. This has a very good modeller, 3D paint tools and a very nice renderer but no animation at the moment. Demo available.
I have no experience of Max or Maya as they are way out of my budget.
Blender is of course free but its interface drove me nuts. Worth a download though, you may love it!
Well, those are my recommendations. All capable of excellent results.
The important question is how much money are you prepared to spend and is it your own or works? Or (and I hate to say this) are you going to acquire it some other way, if you know what I mean? If this is the case then you are probably just going to download Max or Maya.
If it's your own money then I doubt you will find better value than Softimage XSI which is just about to be upgraded to v6. At £350 it includes a vast amount at a price that would have been a couple of thousand not so long ago. 30 day demo available.
Cinema4D v10 has just been released and you can get the base package for £499 (I think) and this now includes BodyPaint. Demo available.
Lightwave 9 is the same price as Cinema4D but I'm not sure about the demo status.
There is also Modo by Luxology which I am trying to resist buying at the moment but they are having a $200 discount offer at the moment so I may not be able to resist. This has a very good modeller, 3D paint tools and a very nice renderer but no animation at the moment. Demo available.
I have no experience of Max or Maya as they are way out of my budget.
Blender is of course free but its interface drove me nuts. Worth a download though, you may love it!
Well, those are my recommendations. All capable of excellent results.
philhoole said:
You can get a demo by emailing Newtek and they will send you it.
philhoole said:
Liked the modo demo when I played about with it, another good cheap modeler is Silo.
For the price as mentioned XSI is the best bang for the buck.
I hated the blender interface to.
Associate
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I'm an avid XSI user (no pun intended!) and it comes highly recommended from me. The only problem I think you have is finding free support in the form of tutorials and if you want to get a job as everywhere is Max or Maya now. This problem has forced me into thinking about switching although I've still not decided on which although I'm favouring Maya as I find it quite intuative and Max just annoys me (although I don't really know how to use it!)
Soldato
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The best top end 3D modelling/Animation/Rendering programs are;
3D studio Max (My personal favourite)
Softimage XSI (Interface just didn't agree with me)
Maya (Not used much at all, but quite similar to 3DSMAX as far as I know)
Lightwave (Not used for many years, but is what I started with so will always be remembered fondly)
Houdini (Not used personally, but has a silly hard interface from what ive heard)
Cinema 4D(Not used personally, but quite popular in the amateur scene)
To be honest, there probably isn't much difference in features between the top end packages, certainly not in terms of features that your likely to use. The 'which is best' argument pretty much comes down to which interface and control method you feel most confortable with, which often equates to the on that you are most used to. Since you presumably haven't tried any yet the only deciding factor is which program can you get most community support for, which IMO is either 3D studio max or Maya. For other opinions it might be worth visiting places like 3Dbuzz and 3dtotal. Hope that helps.
3D studio Max (My personal favourite)
Softimage XSI (Interface just didn't agree with me)
Maya (Not used much at all, but quite similar to 3DSMAX as far as I know)
Lightwave (Not used for many years, but is what I started with so will always be remembered fondly)
Houdini (Not used personally, but has a silly hard interface from what ive heard)
Cinema 4D(Not used personally, but quite popular in the amateur scene)
To be honest, there probably isn't much difference in features between the top end packages, certainly not in terms of features that your likely to use. The 'which is best' argument pretty much comes down to which interface and control method you feel most confortable with, which often equates to the on that you are most used to. Since you presumably haven't tried any yet the only deciding factor is which program can you get most community support for, which IMO is either 3D studio max or Maya. For other opinions it might be worth visiting places like 3Dbuzz and 3dtotal. Hope that helps.
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