free 3d apps

[cassius]

I took a look at what free 3d apps are available on line. I already have Blender and Softimage mod tool ,but there are several others such as Aladdin 4d.

Since only blender seems to get much mention on this forum can I assume that the others are mostly not suitable for le in some way? Just curious.

[Pancakes]

The reason blender is the only open source 3d app you'd ever need is because it is 1,000 easier to make blender look/feel like Alladin, than to make Alladin have all the features that blender does.

 

That said, Alladin, Wings3d, DAZ studio, Sketchup all of those programs are good enough to use with Leadwerks. But still blender has the most features and best organization and support of all of them.

 

In my mind it just comes down to whether or not you want a complete 3d app with monster development or you want less complete one with much less development.

 

Alladin4d doesn't have 1/4 the features blender does.

 

Sketchup is great but it teaches you nontransferrable habits for teh most part. So to a newbie it's hard for me to recommend that one. Wings3d, has less features than Alladin4d probably and DAZ also doesn't have as many features.

 

You can use whatever you like with Leadwerks. But I simply could not ever recommend a 3d open source app over blender. Not without feeling like I'm being dishonest.

 

Now I would recommend, still, downloading sculptris over sculpting in blender. But blender's sculpting is improving all the time. Pretty soon I probably won't be able to recommend sculptris over blender any more.

 

It's not that I'm just a mindless blender idiot (I hope not). But that program really has Akira (you've seen that manga/movie )level of evolution going on. It changes so much one day to the next in so many different ways. It's hungry to evolve all the time and that's what it does. That's why it gets prominance in my mind over all others. Because it's more than earned that prominence.

[cassius]

Thanks pancakes. I am spending 30 minutes every night learning blender 2.54 but I can't figure out what tools to use to design a wineglass or other rounded objects. The bezier curves don't seem to do a lot.

[Richard Simpson]

Sketchup is great for architectural modelling due to its ease of use and measurement systems. That's why I use it It's very easy to build something accurate in no time at all.

[Brent Taylor]

Avoid using SoftImage Mod Tool if you have any intent whatsoever of selling your game. Mod tool is specifically designed for non commercial work.

 

If you're looking for a free 3D modelling and animation package, the only one worth considering currently is Blender. If you're willing to spend some cash...there are arguably better solutions.