Just wondering if any of you wonderfully talented experts can recommend a relatively simple and amateur-friendly 3D program (Windows 7 compatible and inexpensive or free would be preferred) that still gives reasonably nice results. I haven't had much opportunity to play with 3D since my Amiga days (it's just something I haven't had the time to focus on) but I'm quite comfortable around computers and have been thinking of starting to play with some modern software for a while now. I looked through the stickied list but was wondering if anyone might have any specific recommendations.
Amateur-Friendly 3D App?
- Thread starter LazarusMP
- Start date
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Welcome Aboard LazarusMP 
EDIT: On reflection you might be asking more for some scene modelling software rather than the more architectural modelling software I suggest below. You weren't specific though
I will highly recommend Google Sketchup. The free version is well featured and the tutorials will get you started quickly and easily. This coming from an old dog reluctant to learn new tricks
You can progress from the basics and turn out some truly great stuff and the forums have some great help.
http://sketchup.google.com/
Some of my own work from a while ago:
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?p=271393
Some much better work by Ian Stead aka middenface (front page link, you'll have to dig around the site a bit, he's started a tutorial on using SU for ships, bug him about doing more of that ):
https://biomassart.wordpress.com/
EDIT: On reflection you might be asking more for some scene modelling software rather than the more architectural modelling software I suggest below. You weren't specific though
I will highly recommend Google Sketchup. The free version is well featured and the tutorials will get you started quickly and easily. This coming from an old dog reluctant to learn new tricks
You can progress from the basics and turn out some truly great stuff and the forums have some great help.
http://sketchup.google.com/
Some of my own work from a while ago:
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?p=271393
Some much better work by Ian Stead aka middenface (front page link, you'll have to dig around the site a bit, he's started a tutorial on using SU for ships, bug him about doing more of that
):https://biomassart.wordpress.com/
saundby
SOC-14 1K
I used to use a lot of Amiga stuff, too. Coming over to the current software has been tough. I started with Sculpt 3D, later Sculpt-Animate 3D then 4D, using 3Demon as a modeller. Then I went to Silver/Turbo Silver and Lightwave, then Imagine became my favorite and I stayed with that on the PC at first.
Blender is free, but takes a while to learn. I haven't found a perfect book on it yet, and while my daughter gets a lot out of it, I'm giving it a rest.
For modelling of organic shapes, Sculptris is powerful, easy, and free.
For hard-edged shapes, Sketchup is free and effective but it was frustrating to my post-Amiga mind.
I've also used Art of Illusion some. It's a bit limited, but that makes it easier to learn. It's simple, predictable, and it felt a bit like an old-fashioned Amiga package.
You can get personal versions of Maya and 3DS Max for free. My daughter likes Maya a lot for scene rendering. Not sure if it's a student-only deal or not.
Paid-for, I'm using ZBrush and saving up my ducats for Lightwave. Both use the Go-Z tranfer system to move objects from program to program (as does Sculptris). Think IFF on steroids.
Blender is free, but takes a while to learn. I haven't found a perfect book on it yet, and while my daughter gets a lot out of it, I'm giving it a rest.
For modelling of organic shapes, Sculptris is powerful, easy, and free.
For hard-edged shapes, Sketchup is free and effective but it was frustrating to my post-Amiga mind.
I've also used Art of Illusion some. It's a bit limited, but that makes it easier to learn. It's simple, predictable, and it felt a bit like an old-fashioned Amiga package.
You can get personal versions of Maya and 3DS Max for free. My daughter likes Maya a lot for scene rendering. Not sure if it's a student-only deal or not.
Paid-for, I'm using ZBrush and saving up my ducats for Lightwave. Both use the Go-Z tranfer system to move objects from program to program (as does Sculptris). Think IFF on steroids.
Thanks guys. That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
Dan, I suppose architectural is more what I had in mind - hadn't really quantified it though. I noodled with Sketchup on a very basic level when it was launched and found it pretty interesting (I actually used it to design a tailbox for my motorcycle with the intention of having it fabbed but ended up coming up with a much simpler design that I just built at home) but haven't had the time to really dive into it. Guess I'll have to give it a much closer look.
Saundby, I was running S-A 3D back in the day but unfortunately a complicated life intervened and my computing world focused down to primarily hardware and away from programming and graphic design. One of the things I used it for was to get a more accurate representation of what my CT ship deck plans would look like when skinned as one of the things that always bugged me about a lot of the published designs was that the deck plans simply didn't fit well (or at all!) into the exterior illustrations. Now that my interest in Traveller is becoming more active again I was looking for a modern tool to make that task easier - plus my old 1084S monitor has gone wonky so my Amiga and S-A 3D are a little less useful than they once were...
Mike
Dan, I suppose architectural is more what I had in mind - hadn't really quantified it though. I noodled with Sketchup on a very basic level when it was launched and found it pretty interesting (I actually used it to design a tailbox for my motorcycle with the intention of having it fabbed but ended up coming up with a much simpler design that I just built at home) but haven't had the time to really dive into it. Guess I'll have to give it a much closer look.
Saundby, I was running S-A 3D back in the day but unfortunately a complicated life intervened and my computing world focused down to primarily hardware and away from programming and graphic design. One of the things I used it for was to get a more accurate representation of what my CT ship deck plans would look like when skinned as one of the things that always bugged me about a lot of the published designs was that the deck plans simply didn't fit well (or at all!) into the exterior illustrations. Now that my interest in Traveller is becoming more active again I was looking for a modern tool to make that task easier - plus my old 1084S monitor has gone wonky so my Amiga and S-A 3D are a little less useful than they once were...
Mike
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I would recommend Blender. It's open source (free), full featured, cross platform, easy to learn and use (only sketchup would be easier, but it's not as featured), and it's constantly being improved. I've been using it for a few years now, and I'm really happy with it.
www.blender.org
www.blender.org
DangerousThing
SOC-13
I'm a big fan of Modo. It's not free, but it's easy to learn.
My second choice is blender, 2.5+. When I was first starting 3d, Blender was harder to learn, but now it is about as easy as Modo.
But 3d packages are very personal. I would try out the free selections, then get demo versions of the others if you need to see something else.
My second choice is blender, 2.5+. When I was first starting 3d, Blender was harder to learn, but now it is about as easy as Modo.
But 3d packages are very personal. I would try out the free selections, then get demo versions of the others if you need to see something else.
I've tried Sketchup recently (as much as I can with my right/dominant wrist in a cast). Good tutorials, good program, no crash problems so far, decent results (for me).
Now just have to learn what the heck I'm really doing with it, and I might get somewhere! (An artist, I am not... )
Now just have to learn what the heck I'm really doing with it, and I might get somewhere! (An artist, I am not...
)
I've tried Sketchup recently (as much as I can with my right/dominant wrist in a cast). Good tutorials, good program, no crash problems so far, decent results (for me).
Now just have to learn what the heck I'm really doing with it, and I might get somewhere! (An artist, I am not...
The more you work with it, the easier it gets. I whipped out: http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Gallery/index.php?n=1379 in 10 minutes, including upload.
Nice work, for a mere 10 minutes.
I've had decent results for the limited time I've tried it, but it'll be months before I can do much. Can type ok, but mousing...
[Not that it matters here, but: Commuted right distal radius fracture, metal plate with 8 pins; minimum 6-8 weeks before cast removed.
Them's the 'breaks'. Sorry for the bad pun...]