Affordable modeling software?
EmotionalOutlet3D
Posts: 243
Wasn't sure where to put this discussion as it is more general than just Hexagon so hopefully it is ok here. I'd like to try my hand at modeling and I've been trying out some software ... price is a consideration and I don't really want more than just modeling. I have Hexagon which would be ok if it was being updated. I really like Silo but there is a bug which won't let me use the 64 bit version on my desktop though I can use the 32 bit version (before you ask my system is 64 bit). I have been unable to get any support from Nevercenter for the issue so hesitant to move forward with the software as I'm not sure it will be updated. I have been trying out Metasequoia and going through their included tutorials and so far looks good. I would love some feedback from artists on software they use for their modeling, particularly the 3 mentioned. :)
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What is Silo doing for you? I've been using the 64Bit version since they released it and don't have any issues with it.
I just found out about sculptris today.It's free and made by a man that works for pixologic(the makers of zbrush).
http://pixologic.com/sculptris
I'm going to jump in before everyone else does and put my vote in for Blender.
Yes, it has a reputation for having a steep learning curve, but then again, almost any other modeling software does, too. But for the price (free) it's worth finding out if it would be a good fit for you.
Icecrmn: How does Sculptris compare to Carrara and Blender?
Blender, the steep learning curve is just too much for me.
Carrara, a lot of small problems (saves, clunky file UI) make it mildly irritating as an app, but I own it. Wondering how the usability and power/features compare, and whether learning Sculptris would be painless enough to try.
It crashes when I try to load, save or use the file browser in any way. The 32 bit version works on the desktop. Ironically the 64 bit version works on my laptop which is an older system. My concern is that there is no support for Silo.
Where are you trying to get support from? What site? Their forum is on CG Society and not Nevercenter. They have a whole group of people to work you through issues.
Oh I also have Sculptris but can't get the hang of it. Have also tried Mudbox and have the same problem.
Well,,I've been toying with it in between "fixing" my contest render and render tests, but its a lot like playing with play-doh.You get a glob of it to start with then you quite literally squish it into something :) . You can move around with the mouse pretty easy.The middle mouse click gives you a free orbit. My absolute lack of modeling skills is holding me back though.
Hexagon is a bit easier to get started with.I've made a rudimentary dress in hexagon so far and it's the furthest I've made it in any of the modelers I've tried.It's a bit boxy, doesn't have UVs, no material zones either :) but it's low poly :P hehe
Yup have Blender as well. I open it up periodically and then quickly x out.:) There is not a "dummies book" that will help me. I think ppl who can use Blender are probably a special kind of brilliant! :)
I tried the CG Society forum but no help there with the issue. Besides if you are paying for software there should be better support, imho.
Sculptris is an alpha software for sculpting. It's not comparable to Carrara or Blender(they do a ton of stuff). It was abandoned years ago and Pixelogic grabbed it so no one else would continue development for it. It's a good free tool, but may not be useful(some find it useful though)...I wish I could use it but there are hoops to get it to work with Daz content.
It's very focused on sculpting and painting so unlike some software it's really quick to come to grips with. I find it very intuitive. It just doesn't fit my workflow most of the time.
If you just want to grab a ball and sculpt it into something nice looking, monster, human, alien, it's great for that. Morphing daz figures with it has some quirks that some have found workarounds for.
It is a dead software though.
Hmm. Sounds like I'd be better off brushing up on my Carrara.
I have yet to get a single render from Carrara :(
I can load a character, but I haven't found a way to put clothes on them or make a scene.
I go to the render tab and the screen is blank, even though I told it to render the naked t-posed character.
I know it's me and not the tool, but it's not easy to figure out.The fact the fonts are so tiny doesn't help out much.
I'm holding out for the updated Hexagon myself. :)
I just use Carrara as a modeler. Then I move it over to Daz. ;)
I've made pipes, pyramids, swords, vaulted ceiling, yay!
Still trying to work out how to texture them. (The pyramid looks absolutely godawful with regular texture patterns, and my metaball experiment couldn't texture at all)
Will, can I call you that? :)
I haven't got that far with the tutorials but Metasequoia has a 3D paint option which I think you were looking for in another thread. I don't know how good it is, but setting materials and material zones seems easier than some of the other software I've tried. There is a no license version (free but lacking some of the features), standard licence and ex licence. There is a 30 day free trial for the full licence. They have a compare editions page and the standard version is only $45. If you decide to try it out I'd love to know what you think as you have more modeling experience than I do! The software comes with a beginner's mode which has tutorials on using it.
Hexagon, even as it sits now, is an excellent modeller. What can't you do with it because of lack of updates?
I also use the 64 bit version of Silo with no problems.
Well the updating is only one issue ... the constant crashing is annoying. I also wish there were good written tutorials or guides on using Hexagon. I'm sure lots of people love video tutorials but I prefer the written word so I can go back to find what I need quickly. It's an age thing ... :)
I agree, the crashing is the biggest problem.
I've actually bought some tutorials for hexagon, but they weren't what I had expected.The beginner tutorial showed a cursor zipping around the screen with the presenter mentioning things like "Now select this line" and on the screen the model would suddenly have all the squares in the mesh around the dress' waist selected.At no time did the presenter say how they were able to select all of those surfaces with a single click.I found out though a painstaking google search that I had to use the "L" button on the keyboard to do that.The rest of the tutorial was pretty much the same thing, basicly me watching someone speed model a basic dress with very little instruction on HOW he was getting hex to do the things I was seeing.Further googling turned up more keyboard shortcuts that were apparently being used.The UV maping and texturing tutorials were more of the same.It never really got around to telling me what button to push on the keyboard, and what it was for.Hexagon even crashed a few times for the presenter during the tutorials, leading to time lapses and lost continuity.The dress was mostly finished when the tutorial resumed after the last crash with no instruction on what to do with the edges,or how the shoulder straps (front and back) were rejoined.Good tutorials are hard to come by,,even if they are paid for :(
This is the ultimate in what cheese me off about tutorials and 'help':
Like, dude. I need help to get from #4 to #5, not how to go from 'lumpy potato' to 'somewhat less lumpy potato.'
Examples like that are meant for people who understand the tools but are looking for a guide on the process. Some people may be good at modelling cars but never thought about human heads. A guide like that gives them enough to get the job done. You may find a lot of examples like that. Once you learn the tools, you don't need a step by step anymore.
Once I got hexagon to stop crashing on me, I haven't left it. I do really like silo though but because more than half of my need regarding modeling still comes from morphing Daz assets...hexagon still wins in workflow there.
I can totally get why people wouldn't have the patience for Hex, it actually took me quite a while of on and off attempts to overcome the quirks. I have Carrara but hate it's modeling tools.
I probably have that tutorial as it sounds familiar especially the crashing. I think the presenter doesn't really use Hexagon as a serious modeling tool as he seemed unfamiliar with some of the functions. I also bought video tutorial by a different presenter which was tedious in almost too many details. The best Hexagon tutorial I've watched was free on Youtube by Greenlees making a dress. However it got you to a point and stopped so you have to figure out how to add trim, materials, etc yourself.
The best tutorials I've come across in 3D software so far is what comes with the software I'm currently playing with, as it is in written steps with diagrams. So far in just a couple of hours this morning I've modeled a gourd, a cactus and a hand. Not a very good hand but recognisable. Which is further than I've got with any other of the software I've tried.
I'm really excited by the prospect of modeling in Carrara, if I can get stuff for exporting Shader stuff and otherwise get a handle on UV Mapping. It's funny, because I don't like half of Carrara... but the half I do like, I REALLY really like.
Modeling by lathe and extrusion appeals to my logical mind, setting envelopes, etc. Very different from the usual vertex/box modeling people do... but the nice thing is converting and then proceeding with more traditional modeling practice.
Icecrmn, breathe, breathe. :) I always end up taking text blocks like this to my text editor because it's so hard for me to read without some break-up. At least you didn't do a page long one like we've had from some people. Heh.
Most often, these are not meant as tutorials. I don't know what this was taken from, so I have no context. If I only saw this, I would think they are just progress shots.
yeah,,a few periods, and some paragraphs probably wouldn't have been such a bad thing :)
For the curious:
http://www.patrickeischen.com/tutorials/silentMan/
(I had been looking up 'box modeling' for some insight)
Ah, see, yes, I see why it is confusing. This is actually a presentation rather than a tutorial. Similar to when someone does a session at the last ZBrush Summit (that we just had; I attended online) and they present their work and show bits and pieces of their process. It's not a step-by-step on how to do it. IMO, the artist could have labeled it better, at least in the intro to his page.
These pieces often give some insights and do expect the viewer to already have knowledge of the craft. They're still valid works, but a bit too advanced for the beginner viewing it in many cases.
Now, something else you'll often run into is the speed sculpt/modeling. There is no voice over, just a sped up version of the work. Once I'm familiar with the program, these are a gold mine. One thing I found that is really helpful is, if you can download the youtube or vimeo video, using VLC (VideoLAN). This is a great player, but the cool thing is it will allow you to really slow down a video and watch these high-speeds at just about real time.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is the fact that there are different kinds of 3D modelling, not just different programs. Comparing Scultptris to Hexagon or Silo isn't completely valid since they use completely different approaches. I won't even attempt to offer a treatise on the various methodologies in use today here, but it is something that anyone wishing to choose a single solution needs to be aware of. It is not just about the interface or perceived ease of use. One important question is: "What do you want to model?".
I could not live without Download Helper (plugin to download most video formats) and VideoLAN; I capture all the videos (my home network is to slow to even think of watching them) at a wi-fi hotspot and then play them with VLC. Not only can you slow down or pause the video, you can take still image snapshots to view later.