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What 3d Modeling tools do you use? What do you recommend?


Einlander
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I'm an ok 3d modeler but I decided I needed to move on from my favorite program Anim8or because since it has no fbx export, I needed to add another program to my workflow.

 

What 3d modeling programs do you or have you used and what do you recommend? Other than Blender.

 

I use and recommend Anim8or (free) for general modeling. It is VERY simple and capble. I like it because it makes it so simple to make a single polygon, then build form there. I'm not a fan of start from a shape and build out.

 

I also have:

  • Fragmotion ($50usd, trial)
    • because it has everything a game molder needs.(Modeling, multi-exports, animation and rigging)
    • NOTICE: It collapses all meshes into a single mesh for fbx export.
    • Does Batch model conversions
    • supports dbo, b3d, .x conversions for those of us who started with blitz3d or darkbasic
    • Don't want to pay for the full version? brush up on your "Lords Prayer".

    [*]Shade 3d Standard, (free for unity, $49usd Basic, $249usd Standard, $499usd Pro, softimage to shade 3d pr0 upgrade $199usd, timed trial)

    • Windows, OSX
    • I am learning this one so i can replace Anim8or. It is simple enough, has unity exports and I have some settings for Leadwerks.
    • Comparable to Blender, the user interface is more exposed.
    • Lots of Export Options
    • Renderer

    [*]3dCoat ($99usd, Pro $379usd, Demo)

    • You can sculpt your objects as if they were clay.
    • for texturing and export.
    • Renderer

    [*]Deled 3d Editor (free, open source)

    • Level editing, light baking

    [*]Sledge (free, open source)

    • Can open Leadwerks vmf Exports and can save them as objs
    • Hammer alternative, exports objs, quake maps and vmf files

    [*]Clara.io (Web Based, Free)

    • Full featured 3d modeler in your browser
    • Modeling, animation, Materials
    • INSANE amount of import options and standard (collada, obj, stl,fbx)
    • MULTI-USER SIMULTANEOUS COLLABORATION
      • You can have your group/team working on the same scene/model simultaniusly

      [*]Renderer

    [*]Blender (free, open source)

    • Does it need an explanation?
    • New features being added all the time
    • Plugins
    • Sculpting
    • Mesh painting
    • Multiplatform
    • Renderer
    • It does have a learning curve. If you have time you can overcome it.

    [*]Silo 2 ($79.99usd, multiplatform)

    • Multiplatform
    • Uv Mapping
    • Lots of mesh editing tools
    • Retopology
    • Import Export: .sia, .sib, .obj, .3ds, .dxf, and .fac

    [*]RaySupreme 3D ($39.99usd, Multiplatform)

    • Multiplatform
    • Low cost
    • Can create a model by Text ("A living room. It is 1928 AD" will create a living room circa 1928 provided there are models that are properly tagged)
    • Node editing of objects and materials
    • Renderer

What else do you use, recommend or don't recommend?

 

Edit: Somehow I missed RaySupreme and Silo 2 even though I own them. Added Multiplatorm, also added more points to some of the editors

Edited by Einlander
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Let me throw in Wings3d (free, open source): The modeler, I made my first models with. It is very lightweigth and you can get the grip on it quite fast, just give it a try.

But it can't export to .fbx, as well and its main purpose is the modelling (I think, it can do UV-unwrapping as well but no animation, etc.).

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3dCoat ($99usd, Pro $379usd, Demo)
  • for texturing and export.

 

Ouch, only that ? Do you even have really used 3D coat before stating that ?

- voxel and surface sculpting

- Retopology tools (among the best ones)

- Normal map baking

- 3D model texturing on diff/norm/specular channels

- tileable texture making

Stop toying and make games

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You should try out 3DS Max or Maya. Both are really aimed for professionals so there's a lot to explore. It's free for students.

Using Leadwerks Professional Edition (Beta), mainly using C++.

Windows 10 / Linux Mint, Visual Studio 2017. GPU: NVidia GeForce GTX970, CPU: Intel i7 7700K @ 4.20 GHz

Previously known as Evayr.

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Ouch, only that ? Do you even have really used 3D coat before stating that ?

- voxel and surface sculpting

- Retopology tools (among the best ones)

- Normal map baking

- 3D model texturing on diff/norm/specular channels

- tileable texture making

 

I use it for exactly what i stated it for because I don't need to model in it. I am proficient enough at modeling that I do not have to use voxel and surface sculpting and retopology. It is a very good surface painter and I do use the diff/norm/spec channels, I just felt no need to seperate them into the individual components. I use Photoshop or Bitmap2Material for tileable texture making because, quite frankly not all textures are tileable. I also got it before Substance Painter/Designer was available on Steam.

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Your listing seemed enumerating software features as it is written, so anyone could misunderstand your listing.

 

I am proficient enough at modeling that I do not have to use voxel and surface sculpting and retopology

3D coat like Zbrush are for character sculpting, or character with hard surface stuff (armor etc ... ) , these software are not dedicaced to modeling hard surface assets even if you can do it also.

 

I would say, Blender will give you all you need just need to learn it, not the best interface at all.

Silo 2 : small modeling app, lightweight, fast , very intuitive and easy and cheap price (99$) .

Stop toying and make games

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  • 3 weeks later...

Blender has everything you should ever need ...TONS and TONS of free tutorials on youtube for it..

 

You can sculpt, mesh paint,cell fracture,animation,rigging, easy UV mapping,tons of plug-ins and add-ons,deform,extrude ..the list is very very long ...for a free program you cant beat it..

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Windows 10 Pro | Blender | Paint.NetWorld Machine | Shader Map 4 | Substance Designer | Substance Painter | Inkscape | Universal Sound FX | ProBuilder | 3D World Studio | Spacescape | OpenSky | CubeMapGen | Ecrett Music | Godot Engine | Krita | Kumoworks | GDScript | Lua | Python | C# | Leadworks Engine | Unity Engine

 

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I've seen some awesome things created in blender. But alas, Blender is not for me. I've been trying to use it since 1997 (I'm starting to feel old,Just discovered Linux and Debian at age 12) since before the interface change. To much stuff needs to be memorized before you start using the program, very noob hostile with hard to discover features. Counter intuitive UI options, (click for menu, right click to select) etc...

 

Regardless of my dislike for Blender it is the first piece of software i will recommend to anyone. Then if they don't like it I go down the list.

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I use Blender, and recommend Blender. not because is free but because it mostly works for all my 3D asset creation purposes.

 

I tried the trial/education version of Maya, RaySupreme, and they were just hard to get used to, specially since I cannot (or could not find) a way to change key-bindings.

 

Maya was a pain to install on Ubuntu. there are plenty of tutorials on how to use it.

RaySupreme was really easy to install but I still cant figure out how to use it, and the tutorials available assume you already know your way around the software

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