What 3D modeling software is best use for independent game developer?

[Lauren Revolt]

There are plenty of 3D modeling tools out there. Most of them are sharewares and the rest are freewares. Some of the sharewares out there are overpriced because of the popularity. And some have a pretty fair price. But which of them you think performs almost the best that cost a reasonable price?

Some people suggested 3D Studio Max and Maya. Also, they warn me that those two cost a fortune. I tried to see for myself and what the heck!! Although Maya is currently on promo-sale that time but still, it cost 4,995 USD. What the hell is that, a treasure!?
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn16 ... _promo.gif[/img]
(the promo is still ongoing.)

Later on, I asked my mates and they recommend me the Lightwave 3D. They also give me a registered copy to try it myself but I never had it installed yet.


I want to ask for your suggestions on this.
What do you think is the best for use by an independent game developer?
Please recommend at least one.  :lol:
â–º Something that can model, animate, render, and something that doesn't need a dongle (if possible) â—„


I don't want to use that Lightwave my mates gave me.
I want to use something I paid for....  :wink:
(such a pitiful pride of mine.)

 

[rexxzecutioner]

You're going nowhere with your argument. What do you think pre-rendered means in this context? Do you think they are trying to say they PRE-RENDERED 2D objects? No, it applies to 3D.

Face it, Diablo, Starcraft, Baldur's Gate...hell almost all of the Infinity Engine games IIRC all use pre-rendered 3D graphics.

Hell even DONKEY KONG COUNTRY used pre-rendered 3D graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_kon ... y#Graphics

Since when can we trust Wiki.  Also, I don't care what it says, if you look closely, you can tell that they are not 3D models.

Also this statement is HILARIOUS. Why can't you trust wiki? Do you assume everything on it is false? Also, the models are pre-rendered 3d. gg though.

 

[blazingamer]

Pre-rendered 3d is something where you take a 3d object, add lighting, take a picture of the object in different positions and link it together.  Of course the lighting is going to not work, this is because the lighting was already put in.  When a sprite is a pre-rendered 3d object, it's the same as taking a plain in any 3d renderer and applying a picture to it, then using that as the character.  Remember that those games were made awhile ago and they couldn't handle highres pre-rendered models, if they could it would have looked better. 

Sonic 3d Blast for the sega saturn used 3d models, but then they just took pictures of the model in different positions applied them to a sprite set and there you go, you have Sonic 3d Blast for the genesis.  That right there is an example of a game that used pre-rendered graphics.  Notice, the game looks kinda crappy, and the lighting on sonic is always in the same place, well what do you expect, its for a 16-bit game system, of course it's not going to look as great as something that's pre-rendered now a days.

You've been looking at the 3d pre-rendered graphics in today's games, we've been looking at the 3d pre-rendered graphics of the past, that's why we have different opinions on how it should work.  Now please no more arguing, let's just let this topic die.

Oh, and if you don't want to use RMXP for your 3d work, you could always use Blender and Crystal Space, there's currently a project focusing on making them work together now.  There's also a lot of new features going into its newest release.

 

[Kraft]

Since when can we trust Wiki. 

Effing lol ^_^

sorry, that actually made me smile ^_^

 

[bayonet]

making 2d pictures out of a 3d model isnt that uncommon. instead of having to draw lots and lots and lots of pictures, you can model skin and bone a character and then u can put it in any position you want and it will look realistic to how the character should move. I worked alot with animators while doing my degree and alot of them hated 2d art, so when i asked them for sprites for a 2d game alot of the time they would make it in 3d and take screenshots and return it to us like that

 

[arcthemonkey]

Darkfire, you are so profoundly wrong and out of line...

Seriously... stop, or warnings will be handed out for trolling. Can we please get this thread back on topic?

 

[candle]

Anybody else notice I stopped posting in this thread five days ago?  I did decide to drop it.

 

[arcthemonkey]

!!!

... Fair enough.

 

[___]

Softimage XSI is also gaining a lot of respect as a modeling and animation platform for games.  If you are serious about forking out several grand for a software platform (which, no offense, I doubt :D) make sure you really play the field and find the one that is going to fit you before you drop the cash.  You will find that picking the right platform is more about taste and the needs of your game engine than price tag or prestige.  Blender can be awesome if you can decipher its arcane interface, for instance; some people excel at that.

Another piece of free software called Milkshape 3d might be a good one to tinker with, to sort of learn the fundamentals of modeling and animation.  It might be good to pick up a cheap software toy and play with it for a while before you dive into the serious stuff; you may even find the medium just isn't up your alley (I know I did).

Oh also, not that I take your statement seriously, but it would be both against forum rules and illegal to distribute any means of bypassing copy protection on any software here; you'll find the copy protection schemes on expensive software are quite a bit more complicated than "type in some numbers in this box" though :D  In any case there are plenty of people out there already on the task of circumventing them and if you know where to look you won't have a hard time finding it.

 

[silentswordsman]

Well I use Zbrush. It is great 3D modeling software. Resent games like Uncharted Drake's Fortune have used it, and a lot of those 3D animation movies use it as well. It is pretty easy to use once you understand how to use. You can make anything you want with it because you sculpt everything similar to sculpting clay. It is also fun to use, but it can be frustrating at times and it takes up a lot of time to make stuff with great detail, but the results of your creations can be impressive! Here is a link to the site. http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/index.php 

I hope this helps!  :thumb: