Free Software that Makes Life Easier

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  • cdordonicdordoni Posts: 583
    Sad said:

    free retopology program not tried

    I got it now, but haven't tried it yet. This looks abso-freaking-lutely fan-freaking-tastic!!!

    I have used instant meshes several times now. It is easy to use ... the automatically generated flow is pretty good for the meshes I have used. It is possible to redirect the flow if desired by drawing guides on the mesh, but have not tried that yet.

    Definitely play with the settings. I have occasionally found some artifacts which kind of look like chips missing from sharp edges. Sometimes these can be fixed by increasing the resolution.

    It would be worth paying for if the price was reasonable.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572
    cdordoni said:
    Sad said:

    free retopology program not tried

    I got it now, but haven't tried it yet. This looks abso-freaking-lutely fan-freaking-tastic!!!

    I have used instant meshes several times now. It is easy to use ... the automatically generated flow is pretty good for the meshes I have used. It is possible to redirect the flow if desired by drawing guides on the mesh, but have not tried that yet.

    Definitely play with the settings. I have occasionally found some artifacts which kind of look like chips missing from sharp edges. Sometimes these can be fixed by increasing the resolution.

    It would be worth paying for if the price was reasonable.

    Agreed... and thanks for the tips! ;)

  • cdordoni said:
    Sad said:

    free retopology program not tried

    I got it now, but haven't tried it yet. This looks abso-freaking-lutely fan-freaking-tastic!!!

    I have used instant meshes several times now. It is easy to use ... the automatically generated flow is pretty good for the meshes I have used. It is possible to redirect the flow if desired by drawing guides on the mesh, but have not tried that yet.

    Definitely play with the settings. I have occasionally found some artifacts which kind of look like chips missing from sharp edges. Sometimes these can be fixed by increasing the resolution.

    It would be worth paying for if the price was reasonable.

    FYI, the author of Instant Meshes is Wenzel Jacob, who is also the author of Mitsuba, a very good physical renderer (and supposedly the fastest CPU only one). I was wondering why Mitsuba wasn't evolving anymore (the reason why I gave up developing an exporter for it). Anyway, Wenzel Jacob is one of the rising star of 3d development and is a name to remember.

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    edited August 2016
    cdordoni said:
    MistyMist said:

    was there a tool to record video tutorials and narrate?

    i need something will work offline.

    Flashback Express (free) does basic recording with sound. Also works as a great all purpose screen recorder. There are 2 paid for versions with additional functions, like editing and annotating.

     

    Thanks!


    audio/video editing,

    Post edited by Mistara on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572
    Philemo said:

    Anyway, Wenzel Jacob is one of the rising star of 3d development and is a name to remember.

    ...and so is Philemo! ;)

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,220

    a free rigged FBX figure from a scan site  link on my video

    I retargetted and animated her in iClone but she imports rigged to C8.5 as is, you need to add the maps

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Nice find - going to take a look!

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,064
    edited November 2016

    For those on Windows 10 Insiders

    Have you been trying the free 3d Paint tool?

    from the Windows store.

    3dPaint.jpg
    1202 x 934 - 86K
    Post edited by Stezza on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572

    No, but I should... it looks really cool!!! Have you tried the free 3D Modeler Windows 10 comes with? It's kinda clunky, I think. But when I saw the demonstration, she was using her hands and VR/AR goggles! Still pretty clunky when she was demonstrating, but still... it was cool to see ;)

    On another note, I've just put a small presentation about compositing software available for Free in This Post

    Nuke, Fusion, Natron, and Hitfilm

  • ImagoImago Posts: 5,158
    Stezza said:

    For those on Windows 10 Insiders

    Have you been trying the free 3d Paint tool?

    from the Windows store.

    You can export textures? It works on overlapping UVs?

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 26,284
    Stezza said:

    For those on Windows 10 Insiders

    Have you been trying the free 3d Paint tool?

    from the Windows store.

    It will not let me get it nor do I see any way to get a windows version that will allow me to get it.

  • ImagoImago Posts: 5,158

    @ Bad Wolf

    You have to wait version 14800 or enter the Insider program.

  • Imago said:

     

    You can export textures? It works on overlapping UVs?

    Nope, no 3D painting software can work properly on overlapped UV's, why would you have your UV's like that anyways ? smiley

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,064

    For those on Windows 10 Insiders

    Have you been trying the free 3d Paint tool?

    from the Windows store.

     

    Stezza said:

    For those on Windows 10 Insiders

    Have you been trying the free 3d Paint tool?

    from the Windows store.

    It will not let me get it nor do I see any way to get a windows version that will allow me to get it.

    MBW you do need to be in MS Windows insider program to get the app unfortunately... otherwise just sit out the wait till it is released to the masses which is I don't know when :-(

    I've only played with it for a few minutes but it exports to fbx as well as the textures.. see attached the underwhelming effort I did wink

     

    282.png
    2048 x 2048 - 1M
    3dPaint.jpg
    800 x 1172 - 326K
  • ImagoImago Posts: 5,158
    Imago said:

     

    You can export textures? It works on overlapping UVs?

    Nope, no 3D painting software can work properly on overlapped UV's, why would you have your UV's like that anyways ? smiley

    Sorry! The more I grow old, the more my memory fades! cheeky

    I meant if I can paint on Genesis 1/2/3 directly and seamless on more than one material!

  • TangoAlphaTangoAlpha Posts: 4,584

    I can't speak for this, but with Substance Painter, I've found that if you have more than one material, and all your materials are UV mapped to a single texture sheet, it's best to combine them into a single material for export to Substance (otherwise it'll create separate texture sheets for each material, and you'd need to recombine them in Photoshop/Gimp/etc afterwards.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572

    I can't speak for this, but with Substance Painter, I've found that if you have more than one material, and all your materials are UV mapped to a single texture sheet, it's best to combine them into a single material for export to Substance (otherwise it'll create separate texture sheets for each material, and you'd need to recombine them in Photoshop/Gimp/etc afterwards.

    ...or in Carrara 8.5 Pro, using it's killer PhotoShop-style multilayer feature! ;) yes

  • DUDUDUDU Posts: 1,945

    I don't know if it's referenced in this thread but I tested today this great free program: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/?source=top3_dlp_t5

    Here a screen shot with the import into Carrara.

    Test Sweet Home 3D.JPG
    899 x 658 - 90K
  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 26,284
    Imago said:

    @ Bad Wolf

    You have to wait version 14800 or enter the Insider program.

    Trying to get that

    DUDU said:

    I don't know if it's referenced in this thread but I tested today this great free program: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/?source=top3_dlp_t5

    Here a screen shot with the import into Carrara.

    I been meaning to try it out.

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145
    edited November 2016
    DUDU said:

    I don't know if it's referenced in this thread but I tested today this great free program: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/?source=top3_dlp_t5

    Here a screen shot with the import into Carrara.

    Looks to be a nice find - somewhat similar to Carrara's Architools.

    I don't know if it has been mentioned but the free Genetica Viewer is a great source of seamless textures and there are tons of presets that you can set parameters for and render out. Unless you are very into texture creation, there is no need to get the paid for version which allows you to fully edit the textures.

    http://spiralgraphics.biz/products.htm

    Post edited by PhilW on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572
    DUDU said:

    I don't know if it's referenced in this thread but I tested today this great free program: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/?source=top3_dlp_t5

    Here a screen shot with the import into Carrara.

    Awesome, DUDU, Thanks!

  • mindsongmindsong Posts: 1,701

    I can vouch for the simple/ease-of-use factor with SH-3D as well. Requires java if I recall correctly. Has some texture-packs and scene elements (walls, roofs, furniture, etc.) that work well for making basic scenes and background elements. Like any tool, with a little bit of work and some export/texturing work, I'd imagine some serious structures could come out it. Allows for material grouping and such, so after-the-fact texturing was pretty easy. Intuitive to use as well. I had cause to bring some buildings into bryce a while back and it fit the bill nicely.

    --ms

  • I know it is liked on the iClone forum by many but I have never actually tried it.

    Maybe I should enlightened

  • mindsongmindsong Posts: 1,701
    edited November 2016

    I mentioned this over in a stereo-scopic tool thread, and thought it might be good have here:

    It's a site that contains a series of free stereo-centric utilities - e.g.  the 'stereo-photo-maker, or stereo-movie-maker' site (windows only, I think). Been around for a good while, and there are a bunch of other cool resources/images/web-based viewers, and the like on this site:

      http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/index.html

    If you like stereo-scopic stuff o any kind, you'll find some fun here.

    cheers,

    --ms

    Post edited by mindsong on
  • VECTARY, free, in browser 3D modeler, pretty good, still in beta, ya all check it out smiley

    https://www.vectary.com/engine/

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987

    http://locate32.cogit.net/

    hard drive search for a file - really fast, can load directory file is in or run the file - eg jpeg will load up eg photoshop

    great for finding where textures are  on the drive

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572
    edited January 2017

    I know it is liked on the iClone forum by many but I have never actually tried it.

    Maybe I should enlightened

    Speaking of iClone, iClone 5.5 is now Free, along with some content to get started ;)

    Edit: bummer.... must have been time-limited :(

     

    head wax said:

    http://locate32.cogit.net/

    hard drive search for a file - really fast, can load directory file is in or run the file - eg jpeg will load up eg photoshop

    great for finding where textures are  on the drive

    Good call posting this here! Thanks man!

     

    VECTARY, free, in browser 3D modeler, pretty good, still in beta, ya all check it out smiley

    https://www.vectary.com/engine/

    Hmmm... pretty cool, berry interestingk! yes

    Also, just an FYI, a friend of mine turned me onto a place called SharewareOnSale, which then gets the user onto an e-mail list. I don't often like being on constant e-mail lists, but this one is kind of fun, and the author certainly deserves kudos for putting in a lot of work towards getting his free members a lot of great deals - most of them Free.

    Most of the e-mails I get from it get deleted simply because I'm not interested in what's in the title of the message - so it's easy that way. But if I change my mind about something, I don't need to fret because if I look into the next message I get, it'll still be in there, as long as it wasn't labeled Last Chance.

    I just recently got a cool free Office suite, even though I already enjoy free Libre Office.org, this one is cool too. I just got the BioWare game Mass Effect 2 Digital Collector's Edition, and that's how I learned about iClone 5, which was the first one that got me signed in to the list, which I can unsubscribe from at any time ;)

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    The iClone 5.5 link seemed to be just a one month trial rather than a free version?

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,572
    PhilW said:

    The iClone 5.5 link seemed to be just a one month trial rather than a free version?

    Bummer. Removed link :(

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987

    thanks Dart, yes bummer !

    here's a simple one

    http://www.7-zip.org/

     

    it's an obvious one but I just nearly lost a few hours work because I saved a car file as compressed, and I NEVER do, but a long term user advised me a few months ago that they always saved compressed......

    and I took their advice and got an end of file error ^%$%$&^*&^*&^%%$$%#@!!!!!! Gah

    luckily  i Unzipped the car file (didnt even change suffix) then changed it back to a car file and it loaded ... thank fully!

    7 zip was Fenric's suggestion a long time ago?

     

    thanks Fenric

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