Silo modeler
by Brian Ramage · in Artist Corner · 05/28/2004 (10:38 pm) · 16 replies
I saw this review over at CG Channel. Looks like it could be a great little modeler for indie developers. Joe mentioned it to me the other day and gave it the thumbs up. It costs only $109 and apparently it's way better than Milkshape. No animation though.
Anyone interested in writing an exporter for it? ;)
Anyone interested in writing an exporter for it? ;)
About the author
I have over 16 years of professional game development experience at both AAA studios like Dynamix, to indie studios like GarageGames and my own Black Jacket Games. I worked for 5 years at GarageGames as the lead developer on TGEA (precursor to T3D).
#2
06/01/2004 (11:26 am)
All this new and wonderfull stuff... it has one common weakness- no plugins- in most of the cases it means no support.
#3
06/01/2004 (1:53 pm)
Hmm bummer on both accounts. It had textured models in there though Alex, so it must have some kind of UV mapping? 
#4
Still no animatin though. Perhaps it will be in the soon to be released Silo2.
04/05/2006 (2:39 pm)
Silo now has UV mapping and plugins... In case anyone happens across this thread.Still no animatin though. Perhaps it will be in the soon to be released Silo2.
#6
It's apparently faster to use as well.
But mainly cost.
Truespace is 600$ (You really need Truespace, not Gamespace)
GameSpace 300$
Silo 100$
04/05/2006 (5:12 pm)
Well, for one Silo is a different type of modelling tool, using Sub Division modelling, etc.It's apparently faster to use as well.
But mainly cost.
Truespace is 600$ (You really need Truespace, not Gamespace)
GameSpace 300$
Silo 100$
#9
04/06/2006 (3:38 am)
Silo kicks ass!! If you like Maya, but can't afford a commercial version, use Silo for modeling with Milkshape 3D for UVMapping, Animation and dts export. Silo is soooo damn easy to use and even easier to learn to use.
#11
04/06/2006 (6:21 pm)
Gamespace can produce some nice model. Once you learn how it is very easy to use. I am write several tutorials for it.
#12
04/28/2006 (3:05 pm)
Depending on what you're searching for, take a look at DeleD 3D Editor, to be found at http://www.delgine.com. Lowpolygon modelling with lightmapping and lots of extras. We're busy creating an exporter for Torque now too. :)
#13
Deled is a nice easy to use app that is more user friendly than Milkshape but not Torque friendly at this point without an exporter and not as modelling friendly as Silo or gameSpace with their model in 3d tools.
Lots of potential if the designers keep their focus.. definately one to watch and not too bad at $49.. unless Mete gets Milkshape 2.0 finished..
Silo is an excellent modelling tool at $109, very short learning curve and simple (yet powerfull) interface. Problems I ran into though.. their Windows "learning" version has broken shortcut links and you have to make one by hand from the main folder.. this is trivial but I see these things as indicators of possible shoddiness.. their 30 day trial just plain crashed my XP and I had to go to learning version after closing 15 looped "not responding" entities..
gameSpace is a VERY powerfull tool.. simple to use and fairly gradual learning curve.. its self contained with a modeller, UVmapper, and animator and supports a .dts exporter.. BUT.. after shelling out $300 for the program you may very well have to spend another $200 on the pay-to-learn tutorials just to be proficient in a timely manner.. and it seems to have little following here at GG which means it may well fall out of favor and become just an expensive modelling program used to export to another format to convert to .dts...
In summation..
Deded good app.. but Milkshape is tried and true at this point w/ lots of Torque support.
If Deded comes out with a solid .dts exporter it might give Milkshape a good run.
The cost v/s risk for gameSpace isn't worth it for a hobby programmer/artist.. I have yet to find much praise for the program here at GG.. thats says alot imo and makes me very wary..
My money is on Silo.. it has a new version on the horizon which looks sweet.. the learning version runs well and is VERY easy to use.. it exports .obj format meaning you can use a Silo-UVmapper-Milkshape(animate)+(dts export)-Torque or Silo-UVmapper-CharacterFX-Milkshape(dts export)-Torque pipeline and get your content in pretty painlessly.. There is even a .obj to .dts exporter around GG somewhere too.. for $109 its hard to beat and easy enough to learn you don't need to buy tutorials.
05/22/2006 (2:52 am)
K, I have been playing around with DeleD, gameSpace, and Silo and have came to this conclussion..Deled is a nice easy to use app that is more user friendly than Milkshape but not Torque friendly at this point without an exporter and not as modelling friendly as Silo or gameSpace with their model in 3d tools.
Lots of potential if the designers keep their focus.. definately one to watch and not too bad at $49.. unless Mete gets Milkshape 2.0 finished..
Silo is an excellent modelling tool at $109, very short learning curve and simple (yet powerfull) interface. Problems I ran into though.. their Windows "learning" version has broken shortcut links and you have to make one by hand from the main folder.. this is trivial but I see these things as indicators of possible shoddiness.. their 30 day trial just plain crashed my XP and I had to go to learning version after closing 15 looped "not responding" entities..
gameSpace is a VERY powerfull tool.. simple to use and fairly gradual learning curve.. its self contained with a modeller, UVmapper, and animator and supports a .dts exporter.. BUT.. after shelling out $300 for the program you may very well have to spend another $200 on the pay-to-learn tutorials just to be proficient in a timely manner.. and it seems to have little following here at GG which means it may well fall out of favor and become just an expensive modelling program used to export to another format to convert to .dts...
In summation..
Deded good app.. but Milkshape is tried and true at this point w/ lots of Torque support.
If Deded comes out with a solid .dts exporter it might give Milkshape a good run.
The cost v/s risk for gameSpace isn't worth it for a hobby programmer/artist.. I have yet to find much praise for the program here at GG.. thats says alot imo and makes me very wary..
My money is on Silo.. it has a new version on the horizon which looks sweet.. the learning version runs well and is VERY easy to use.. it exports .obj format meaning you can use a Silo-UVmapper-Milkshape(animate)+(dts export)-Torque or Silo-UVmapper-CharacterFX-Milkshape(dts export)-Torque pipeline and get your content in pretty painlessly.. There is even a .obj to .dts exporter around GG somewhere too.. for $109 its hard to beat and easy enough to learn you don't need to buy tutorials.
#14
Tank, have you looked at the open source, cross platform subdivision modeller Wings3D? So easy even I can use it. The development version's UV unwrapping tool is reported to be very powerful, although I've not tried it. It exports to .obj, and Blender can import .wings for UV and animation.
Silo v Wings thread
05/22/2006 (3:35 am)
obj2dtsTank, have you looked at the open source, cross platform subdivision modeller Wings3D? So easy even I can use it. The development version's UV unwrapping tool is reported to be very powerful, although I've not tried it. It exports to .obj, and Blender can import .wings for UV and animation.
Silo v Wings thread
#15
I had looked at it after reading your prior posts but backed off when I saw the old links and info on the site.. free is nice but hate to put alot of effort into learning something that is transient.. but after reading the forum you linked I might give it a try.
05/22/2006 (12:21 pm)
Thanks for the tip Andrew, I will give it a trial run.I had looked at it after reading your prior posts but backed off when I saw the old links and info on the site.. free is nice but hate to put alot of effort into learning something that is transient.. but after reading the forum you linked I might give it a try.
#16
I think Silo is great for organic SubD modeling, but Hexagon 2 is better for hard surface SubD modeling. Of course I have XSI so I can just use that and will probably get Silo 2 if it has good sculpting tools and a fast openGL display (ie. if it is better than Hexagon 2's).
05/23/2006 (1:48 am)
I tried Silo 1.4 since version 2 will have some realtime displacement sculpting in it. I think it is a great modeler and the UI customization is great. It's missing a lot of curve tools and modifiers though, which I like to use, especially for hard surface subD modeling. Lately I have been doing a lot of SubD modeling to prepare a Normal-Map workflow for my Maemi character.I think Silo is great for organic SubD modeling, but Hexagon 2 is better for hard surface SubD modeling. Of course I have XSI so I can just use that and will probably get Silo 2 if it has good sculpting tools and a fast openGL display (ie. if it is better than Hexagon 2's).
Torque Owner Alex Swanson