Modeling and 3d programs?

#1 You can try a few of them. trueSpace 3 is available free from various places(the company site-I forget the link, magazines, etc). Milkshape is very cheap, as well. For professional grade apps, trueSpace 6, LightWave, Max, and Maya are the ways to go. HTH...

#2 thnx

#3 click here

#4 on related note: has anyone had any expierence with Mirai? I have heard some very good things online about the package, but never had a chance to take a closer look.

#5 The best thing I have found so far is - gMAX - it's from Discreet and it's basicaly a game orientated and looks, works and feels like 3dstudio max and its FREE!!!

#6 Is it also free for commercial use? I'm never sure about this.

#7 I just registered Milkshape. While it may not be feature-rich enough for the pros, it's very easy to use and can be used to generate some fairly nice low-poly models (as in, less than 8,000 verts).

I may be wrong, but I believe the simple interface helps you build a model very quickly. Maybe old hands at Maya / 3DSMax are just as fast with their tool of choice. I can't say - I'm not a modeler, I just play one on TV.

And $25 is pretty dirt-cheap for a modeling package.

#8 @ Marco
Yes, as far as I can tell.
It's VERY like 3ds Max and is also used to create game paks - the next big thing to extend the life of games.
Check it out at
www.discreet.com/products/gmax

#9 @ Marco
Yes, as far as I can tell.
It's VERY like 3ds Max and is also used to create game paks - the next big thing to extend the life of games.
Check it out at
www.discreet.com/products/gmax

#10 Curious,, does the max2dts plugin work with gmax?
here's some other choices for modeling software-
Wings3D
Realsoft3D
also insane software's characterFX for animation.
Also Animation Master has spline modeling that doesn't play well with other software or allows for import of poly models decently but it has THE BEST animation tools. The animation tools rival the pro packages and as far as I'm concerned is better then some. It's intended for the freelance animator or hobbiest who is going to do all hand made animations rather than using mocap(although it does support it). It has a robust constraint system that allows the character to practically pose itself. In one instance of the software running you can have multiple animation windows open and by combing them in a choreography window you can experiment with blending in real time. I've exported from AM into milkshape and Life forms via a BVH file and then imported into max char. studio as a "mocap".

#11 No, I dont think so. thats is the only problem so far. But there is work being done on it apparantly it is not far from being finished.( the Plug-in )

#12 Anyone else out here tinkering with Blender? I'd think that would be a primary contender as a solid indy art tool. It's free, open source, and is a full-force professional 3D studio.

#13 Only a teensy bit. It's something of a beast to learn, but the price is hard to beat.

#14 Ive been playing with Blender and so far don't have any complaints, it seems to be a solid 3D tool and its free

#15 It's a tough learning curve. If I may suggest...? There is a book called "The Official Blender Toolkit" which has some nice tutorials and assorted other info on using Blender. Good stuff. Book is by No Starch Press (in the US, anyway).

#16 Guys, don't want to rain on your gmax parade, but each Torque user would have to license it for their own games, and we're talking a lot of money here.
Gmax can NOT be used for any commercial work, ie you're supposed to get 3dMax for that, and then license gmax as an option for your users.
This topic has been routinely addressed in the GG forums and other game modding/creating websites, and beaten to death : you CAN'T use gmax unless you're using it for modding a product whose owners have licensed gmax.
Simple, ain't it ?

#17 Try anim8or, its free and can do modeling, creating skeleton/bones for animating, though you should plan on using something like lith unwrap for texturing.

http://www.anim8or.com/main/index.html

#18 @Nicolas True, but if GG ever licensed gmax for Torque then we could use it to develop games commerically.

#19 Is Wings3D free???

#20 Yeah it is ;)