Which 3D program?

[AkaNezumi]

I'm starting to learn how to think in 3D on my own thanks to the http://www.secondlife.com game. However I'm interested in learning how to do it apart from the game, and maybe participate in a mod. I know little about 3D, but I know I can do it. If there was ONE program that is the most common or powerful, what would it be?

Reason I ask is that I have very little time and don't want to find out I started learning on the program that noone uses. I'm definitely a noob. I have access to pretty much every 3D program known to man.

Help?

[nick reynolds]

3D Studio Max is your best bet, its the most common for the mod scene. It supported the most at least.

Good luck.

[AkaNezumi]

Ahh..ok. I think I have that one. :D

Do you work in 3d? Have any of your work up?

Yeah. I'm new. :D

[WordUpG]

He's right, 3D Studio Max is probably your best program. My cousin has been using it for two years and he's pretty awesome with it. However, I use a program called LightWave 7.5, and it has the same capabilities as 3DS Max only it's probably more userfriendly. I've been using it for about 5 months and I'm already pretty good at it. You can see some of my artwork on the link at the bottom of this post. But like I said, if you want to get more advanced then I would suggest 3DSMax.

[cucaracha]

I'm also a Lightwave user, using LW 7.0 :)
But 3ds max is just "bigger" - it has some more capabilities that LW imho, but it's hard to use I think. Should be no problem if you put some effort into it.

The scene and amount of plugins/software for MAX is propably the biggest.

You can download a free, similar software to MAX, gmax.
http://www.discreet.com/products/gmax/

The GUI is pretty similar, so you can get used to it or just test around before you buy this very expensive software (but believe me, you have a lot more possibilities with MAX)

If you have enough paper - go for Maya :D

cu

[NekoSage]

i strongly sugest the softimage series.
Softimage | XSI ..
the older version of XSI did a LOT of impressive stuff like jurrassic park (all) .. final fantasy ( 7 to 9 ) and his new version is standard into square enix .. capcom .. konami .. and a lot of hollywood studios.
Ever whatched some making off .. and saw that weird 3d app w/ two button bars in the sides? .. well . its Softimage | 3d

i also sugest wings3D .. is based in Mirai (wich XSI is based also) .. and its freeware .. www.wings3d.com

XSI is very very user friendly (as wings) and have some breathtaking features ..

*takes the cash from the softimage corp from the marketing* :D :D :D

[charger]

well i had wings3d like a year ago and it sucked then!!!!! but i dont nkow if its any good now. i will try it

[Wart]

No, don't go with wings. If you want a fully functional 3d program (that is, with rendering and animation capabilitys) go here: http://www.blender.org. (Wings can't animate, and I find the interface to be a tad clumsy, but thats just my oppinion, so I will always recomend Blender as a freeware program). Be warned: it has a steep learning curve, isn't usable for any mods, etc., but it still is an exellent program once you get to know it. Plus, older versions include a reltime engine that allows you to make your own game (newer versions lack the feature at this time due to licencing issues). Yeah, I know like I sound like blender is paying me to write this, so I'll stop. I'd also recomend 3ds Max, if you have the money, if you really want a job in games company. Try out gmax- if you like it, there are ways to get student versions of 3ds max for cheaper. However, gmax can't render, but some games do use it for mods.

Ok, i'll shut up now.

(Sorry about the spelling, although I'm american, I can't spell worth crap)

[mcampbell]

I use LightWave 7.0
I have been a lightwave user since version 4.0 for PC came out.

To be honest, I tried 3D Studio Max and I found it extremely tedious to do the simplest thing (like add an image and apply to an object).

LightWave, for example, is very user friendly as some people have already said. I feel it has a great interface and a beautiful render output. I attached several examples of some images I've done with it.

http://www.shadowlight3d.com/images/poolhouse.jpg
http://http://www.shadowlight3d.com/images/whitezin.jpg
http://www.shadowlight3d.com/images/underpass.jpg

[AkaNezumi]

Wow, so much good advice!

I'm bookmarking this so I can follow up on all of these if possible. I'm so excited! As soon as I get home from work, I'm going to start. :D I'll post a follow up on what happens.

[poopinmymouth]

just a friendly moderator reminder to keep this thread helpful. any flame posts about which program is best and which sucks, i will change to read something like this:

I am not able to act in a mature manor, so i have to resort to using insults. Oh, and i also like pleasuring myself with mayonaise.

[nick reynolds]

I still suggest 3D Studio Max even though I'm a big Maya fan and have to use Softimage XSI at work. To do mods and such you should stick with 3d studio, all the mod software that I know of supports 3d studio max more often than any of the other programs suggested above. It's the easiest to learn and there is tons of information to help you get started and learn the program online.

It's a good starting program, once you learn one 3d program and the theory behind it switching to the other programs is easy.

Don't be swayed by the fact that Maya, light wave, and Softimage are used to make these great movies and games. 3D studio has been used on great projects also, but it is still the most user friendly for beginners.

This is fairly old, a low poly truck done as a test when i finished school, and was looking for work... It was done about 6 months ago but i can't show any recent work.

http://www.colossalart.com/images/3d/nickseatest06.jpg

[mephisto]

If your making games either use maya or 3ds max. I havnt heard of a single game company that uses lightwave, softimage or anything else anymore. Maya is the easiest to learn, most strait forward, I slightly prefer it. Max is more common and for what you are doing is probably the best bet because its what most mod-kids use, but harder to learn. You can usually use either to export to a game, but usually one is easier depending on the engine. If your can, learn both. I have 2 years of game industry experience being an artist, whatever thats worth.

[nick reynolds]

A list of games made with softimage... I'm using softimage at work for a game, so it's used but not as common.

Valve: Half-Life 2
Activision: Soldier of fortune 1 & 2
Activision: Dark Reign 2
Activision: Battlezone 1 & 2
Capcom: Resident Evil/Biohazard 0, 1, 2, 3 & nemesis
Capcom: Star Gladiator
Capcom: Devil May Cry 2
Capcom: Onimusha 1 & 2
Curly Monsters: Quantum redshift
Curly Monsters: n-Gen racing
Cyan: Riven
Electronic Arts: Fifa 2003
Electronic Arts: NBA Live 2003
Electronic Arts: NBA Street Vol. 2
Fasa: Mechwarrior 3
From Software: Armored Core 3
Infogrames: Alone in the dark
Infogrames: Grand prix challenge
Konami: Anubis
Konami: Silent Hill 1, 2 & 3
Konami: Metal Gear Solid 1 & 2
Namco: Dead to Rights
Namco: Pacman World 2
Namco: Soul Calibur
Namco: Tekken 1, 2, 3 & 4
Namco: Tekken Tag Tournament
Namco: Mappy Park
Nintendo: Pikmin
Nintendo: Super Mario64
Nintendo: Smash Brothers
Nintendo: Zelda64
Nintendo: Luigi's Mansion
Pandemic: Star Wars:The Clone Wars
Psygnosis: Colony wars
Psygnosis: Codename: Tenka
Psygnosis: Wipeout
Psygnosis: Wipeout XL/2097
Psygnosis: Wipeout 3
Raven Software: Soldier of Fortune
Sega: Shinobi
Sega: F-Zero
Sega: The House of the Dead 3
Sega: Rez
Sega: Super Monkey Ball
Sega: Virtua Fighter 1, 2 & 3
Sega: VF4
Sega: Shenmue
Sega: Jet Set Radio
Sega: Panzer Dragon 1 & 2
Sega: Space Channel 5 1 & 2
Sega: NFL 2K3
Square-Enix: Final Fantasy 7,8,9,10,11&12
Square-Enix: Bouncer
Tecmo: Dead or Alive Extreme Beach VolleyBall

[mephisto]

where you get your info nick? my buddy is workin on half life 2 and their using a modified version of max. Metal gear is maya. I have no clue about the rest of that stuff but ok..whetever you say.

[nick reynolds]

I got it off the Softimage website, under their game industry section.

[mephisto]

cool i had no idea... I emailed my buddy to double check valve but he hasnt gotten back yet...

[cucaracha]

my latest Lightwave 7.0 WIP render -

http://www.epm-clan.org/cv/temp/bri.jpg

LW really produces beatiful renders - go for it!

:evilbat: the LW army has to grow :evilbat:

[WordUpG]

Here are a few renders that I have created using LightWave 7.5.

http://3dgraphics.4t.com/Drumset0001.jpg

http://3dgraphics.4t.com/Car-in-rain2001.jpg

http://3dgraphics.4t.com/SAgentTable001.jpg

http://3dgraphics.4t.com/3DG%20Logo001.jpg

I would suggest you use LightWave, it is very easy to pick up and very user friendly as i mentioned earlier.

[Bo Degn]

There is no such thing as an easy 3d program.... it takes a lot of practice to master, and even if you master a 3D package it doesnt guarantee that you can make stunning work, if you dont have any understanding of art fundamentals. People have a tendency to think that 3D is cool... just because its "new".

Im not going to recomend a 3D package because i dont master all of them. I use 3D studio MAX, but any package will do.

The important thing is to ask yourself is "are you ready for a tool that takes a lot of work to learn?" i dont think people should start out with 3D before they can draw with pen and paper. And preferebly have some art training.

you see a lot of bad 3D out there because people dont have any understanding of colours, proportion, shadow, texture and so on and so on.... you can even see examples in this wery thread.

i have worked proffesionaly with 3D for 4 years and i still learn a lot every day...

sry about spelling... i dont have my spellchecker hope it makes sense... :-)

good luck with your 3D exploration. :-)

[mcampbell]

Yes, it is true that any 3D package will take time to master. I don't feel I am a master at it by any means! It is, however, an enjoyable way to express yourself. I am still learning also, as are most of us if we are in this forum to begin with.

I suppose the other questions we need to answer for ourselves before we buy any 3D package would be:
1. how much are we willing to spend?
2. what is most important in the software (easy to use, versatility, track record and so on...)

[mephisto]

Yea, youre better off spending time in the life drawing lab before you pick up a program.

I just found out from my friend that valve switched over to xsi softimage last year.

[strib]

Made with Maya....

Just a correction.

Interesting, though.

[silverslash]

CINEMA 4D ,anyone use this program? i just started taking a class in 3d animation and this is the program were learning, id hate to be learning a non industry used program...:-( My teacher said jumping to maya after learning how to use this should be snap, how accurate is that do u guys think?

[mephisto]

every little bit helps. I havnt heared of many companies using cinema 4d, but its certainly better than nothing. And it will make learning whatever tool you end up using much easier. Its also good to know many different programs because they teach you new ways of looking at things in other proagrams. I learned on 3d Studio Max and had to switch to Maya at my last job. My concept of uv mapping is much improved now that I am back on Max, because of the way Maya's uv mapping tool worked. I think it comes down to you need to understand the fundamentals of 3d digital art in general. If you learn to model, texture, uv map, animate in cinema 4d your brain will be configured the right way. You will also need 3d in your portfolio. I think most companies will care more about how cool the 3d is rather than what program its in. Most companies that are intelligent know that a good artist can be taught a tool in a short amount of time. Care most about being a good artist, whatever discipline it might be. Focus on the basics and work hard and you will win. (:

[silverslash]

Woah thx alot, i was seriously having doubts about that class but your defin right, thx for the info and advice i am very much inspired to go work hard out there now:-)

[raytracer]

Hi AkaNezumi. Let me give my few cents in. It all depends on what part of the game industry you'll want to be in. But the top software being used today are Maya,Lightwave,XSI,3dmax in japan,US, europe. My software of choice is Lightwave,the best bang for the buck price is only around 1000-2000 dollars, best modeller, very good still renderer but weak in character animation. I know some companies that use it for modelling alone and export to Maya for animation. Although I haven't touched Maya, my friend who works for an animation company uses it for animating almost anything! LOTR was made in maya so is gran turismo for the PS2. But it's the kind of programs you'll spend a lifetime to master. price is around 4k
3dmax is a favorite for pc games as most cutscenes are done here like armored core for the PS2. I used this before I learned lightwave and i have to say that character animations are easier to do here and the plugins, if you can afford em, greatly enhance 3dmax. poor renderer though without the plugins. I'm talking about way back when I was using 3dmax 4 in an architectural firm. Price is around 3k which is a lot cause in my opinion it's the same level to lightwave so is it more expensive?
And now for the most expensive software I have ever come across. I passed by a friends office company to see the work they do and when I saw the interface I couldn't recognize it. Lo and behold it was XSI. Impressive yet confusing. This app was the premiere animation package for a long time but honestly the companies are slowly swithing to Maya. Though if you look at most namco games for the PS2, it's in XSI. I asked him the price the company shelled out and the price is steep at around 7-8k i think.
And finally, what part do you want to be in a game? If you're gonna be modelling and texturing you can go with lightwave,3dmax. But if you think you have the patience and more importantly the time to animate, go with Maya,XSI.
But since I'm not in the game/animation company, unlike my friends:( modelling and rendering is more of what we do, Lightwave does it's job. Have a look at my personal porfolio to see what lighwave can do. www.raytracestudio.tk

[ProjectVoid]

You can't judge a 3d program by a picture someone made because your actually judging their skill. Get some trails of 3d studio max, Maya, Lightwave, and so on and see what best fits for you. I used 3d studio max for a while but ended up switching to maya because I feel I have alot more control over everything as well as the fact it's way way more advanced. Also check out www.3dbuzz.com they have lots of video tutorials for many different programs. Also check out my gallery there:D. http://sv1.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showcase_page.php?userid=81329

[mephisto]

I think its just different brands of hammer. It doesn't matter what brand you use, as long as you smash something good with it. Maybe some brands break more easily than others though...

[NoUseFrAName]

for modelling I think XSI has a workflow that would be difficult to improve upon.....plus, I heard that the next versions coming out are gonna have built in effects & timeline editors similar to the features you'd get in Premiere or Aftereffects.

I've only really used Maya and XSI.....and I started on XSI, so I'm biased a bit I guess.....plus I was doing high poly stuff with subdividing and stuff....way faster and easy in XSI....

Maya is just too menu-heavy for my tastes.....although painteffects and just the easiness of maya's texturing was nice....

from what i've seen of 3d max though....booya! dynamics and stuff....totally easy and awesome.

I suppose it depends what you wanna do with 'em.....I'd go with XSI for modelling & animating.....maya for render related stuff, and 3d max for dynamics....

but don't take my word for it, I only started 3d a year ago.

-Rob

[NoUseFrAName]

ooh, almost forgot, Maya's weighting tools are way more efficient than the ones in XSI....easier to use anyways.....
I spent a lot of time being frustrated learning Maya after being used to using XSI, until we got to weighting....like a gajillion times faster.....so uh, props to Maya for that.

-Rob