6 replies to this topic

[Goofy]

I'd like to know of any 3D programs. I don't know of any so..which is the most user friendly? And if possible please post a link with pictures or tutorials .

[spy_charly]

well if you wanna start creating small, easy, and also well done 3d worlds, you can download SWIFT 3d 4.5 that also can export to flv (video) or as vector to flash images, it is also one of the easiest user friendly interfaces with less controls than many others. Visit www.erain.com

Another ones are MAYA and 3d Studio Max, but here you need to read lots of tutorials and manuals in order to take advantage of each program and tool.

But these are very well know in the game and filming industry, cos Maya was use to create movies as Ice Age and Studio Max to develop games.

[FLaKes]

There is also this really great free 3d program called Blender. I downloaded it about a month ago and I am taking the introductory tutorial on how to use it, so far it is really complicated, but If you want something free to make 3d stuff with it look no further:

Blender.org

You can find anything about blender on that page, and a good introductory tutorial is on this page:

Blender tutoriaL

Good luck.!

[stlgoalie]

Blender is free, but has an extremely high learning curve due mainly to scattered and often out of date tutorials online. The only book I know of (The BLender book by no starch press) is woefully out of date covering version 1.8 when Blender is now at 2.4 and everything has changed from the rendering engine to the User Interface. Still if you want to learn the basics, blender is a good place to start.

Maya also has a free learning version, but there are some restrictions on saving and output. However, Maya was just purchased by the same company that owns 3D studio max, so the product's future is still a question mark at this point

3D Studio is very popular for game designers, and those using Autocad since the same company owns them both. However, with Autodesk buying Maya, the product's future is in question.

Lightwave http://www.newtek.com has been used in several films and many TV series including Babylon 5 and most recently Firefly and the New Battlestar Galactica. Lightwave is aimed more at TV broadcast material, but can be used for games or film. Also it only costs around $800 now I think. Maybe it's $1000, but compared with $6,000 for Maya and $3,500 for Max, it is realtively cheap. Lightwave also is one of the few systems that does have an out of the box broadcast quality rendering engine included.

Another popular system for beginners is Truespace. http://www.caligari.com/. You can download and use Truespace 3.2 for free! So that makes Truespace an attractive alternative.

Cinema 4D is another popular package for those wanting to learn how to do 3D work at an affordable price. http://www.maxon.net/ One big note, they are the first company to release a native distro for Intel based Macs...

Hope that helps

[Goofy]

stlgoalie, on Jan 31 2006, 09:12 AM, said:

Blender is free, but has an extremely high learning curve due mainly to scattered and often out of date tutorials online.  The only book I know of (The BLender book by no starch press) is woefully out of date covering version 1.8 when Blender is now at 2.4 and everything has changed from the rendering engine to the User Interface.  Still if you want to learn the basics, blender is a good place to start.

Maya also has a free learning version, but there are some restrictions on saving and output.  However, Maya was just purchased by the same company that owns 3D studio max, so the product's future is still a question mark at this point

3D Studio is very popular for game designers, and those using Autocad since the same company owns them both.  However, with Autodesk buying Maya, the product's future is in question.

Lightwave http://www.newtek.com has been used in several films and many TV series including Babylon 5 and most recently Firefly and the New Battlestar Galactica.  Lightwave is aimed more at TV broadcast material, but can be used for games or film.  Also it only costs around $800 now I think.  Maybe it's $1000, but compared with $6,000 for Maya and $3,500 for Max, it is realtively cheap.  Lightwave also is one of the few systems that does have an out of the box broadcast quality rendering engine included. 

Another popular system for beginners is Truespace.  http://www.caligari.com/.  You can download and use Truespace 3.2 for free!  So that makes Truespace an attractive alternative. 

Cinema 4D is another popular package for those wanting to learn how to do 3D work at an affordable price.  http://www.maxon.net/  One big note, they are the first company to release a native distro for Intel based Macs...

Hope that helps

Thanks alot! I plan to use at least one of them. I'll probably try them all out and then decide which one I like. Thanks again

Edited by jlhaslip, 31 January 2006 - 06:50 PM.

[Razor]

There is also Corel Bryce 5.... unfortunatly it isnt free..but im sure its cheap ,
its generally easy to get used to..after getting the program i pretty much got used to it after reading 1 - 3 tutorials..very easy to learn and i personally think this would be a good place to start....
but i feel as if Cinema 4d would be the best to learn..that just takes a while longer to learn

[far3]

I use bryce at school, even though i havent been using 3d much latley, I want to try other prgrams my best opinion would be to try the free blender, I have no idea how to start or the urge to do so so im not going to for a couple of months. good luck! free ftw