can anyone help me fine the best and easyest program for make ships

This post has been edited by Vell-os Master : 18 October 2004 - 10:53 AM

Best: Lightwave, Maya.

Easiest to use: Flash

Free: Googlesearch it.

This post has been edited by Hamster : 18 October 2004 - 11:39 AM

thanks for the help

Hamster, on Oct 18 2004, 04:39 PM, said:

Best: Lightwave, Maya.

Easiest to use: Flash

Free: Googlesearch it.

View Post

Flash??? What the ######? Flash isn't even a proper 3d tool! Ok, you can use flash with 3d but its a whole lot more complicated than actually just using a dedicated 3d program. s###, even Blender is easier to figure out how to do 3d with then flash is and its a dedicated 3d program... (all be it a rather complicated one interface wise).

Flash is best saved for 2d vector animations for the beginner at least. Going any further requires a LOT of expertise, and for that kind of functionality definitely doesn't come under the "easiest to use" category...

There is also Strata, Cinema 4d, Blender, Wings (pretty much modelling only), Mechanisto (Mac only), and many others. The search feature should bring up more than just a few results given the correct input...

go for anim8or its so easy to use and has all that you need to make ships
http://anim8or.com

If you have a Mac, I recommend Mechanisto. It's very easy to learn, and although not nearly up to the caliber of modern programs, still quite powerful. It's free, and Tycho has some great tutorials here to get you started:

http://www.geocities.com/tycho61uk/

At the very least, it should help you decide if you're content with its capabilities or are ready to invest in a more serious graphics application.

Also consider Cheetah3D. It's cheap at $60, and seemed fairly simple to me, although I didn't have much time with it. It has features that Mechanisto doesn't, and there is a demo you can dowload, so maybe give both a try and see what you like more.

http://homepage.mac....genm/Cheetah3D/

Best... Uh.. what do you want. C4D can do nearly everything Maya or Lightwave can do.. especially if you get the studio bundle version..

And it´s much easier to learn..

demo

It´s what is use.

And the program is not free.. like some of the less capable are..

I second the cause for Mechanisto... Using it to do all the ships in my TC.

Having seen these "3D Modeling Program?" "Ship Making Tool?" "How Do I Make Nova Graphics?" posts for years now (and not as many years as many of you), I would recommend a comprehensive notice be stuck up in the Important Topics section covering all the used 3D modeling/rending applications to date, like the current format of the EV Dev Links (hopefully it will eventually be condensed...) Hell, I'd be happy to build the list and compile imput from people myself, even update it once a month or so...

Just a thought

wings is hard to use.....i mean its a great program ment specifically for making complicated 3d designs, but its so hard to master

i mean i used it for about 2 weeks, and i had troubles making triangles, let alone 3d objects lol :laugh:

actally, i like wings 3d a lot. it's not so hard to use, and the smoothing feature can make some nice graphics. unfortuantly, you ned to export to another program in order to get nova to understand it.

i personally like povray

I just wrote up a hack that will take a ship (that fits into a unit sphere bubble) and renders the whole spin all in one go. Very cool.

WATCH OUT! THE INEVITABLE WHAT_IS_THE_MATRIX LIST POST!!!!

Current (to the best of my knowledge) as of October 24, on 2004, said:

POV-Ray (free), Wings 3D (free), Blender (free), Alias Maya 5.0 Personal Learning Edition (free - not full featured w/ watermarks), Softimage XSI Experience ($19.95 - not full featured w/ less obtrusive watermarks than PLE), Cheetah3D ($59), Animation Master ($299), Zbrush ($399), Eovia Carrara Studio 3 ($399), Maxon Cinema 4D 9 ($595), Strata 3DPro 3.9 ($695), Eovia Amapi 7 Pro ($799), Rhinoceros 3.0 ($895), Modo ($895), Houdini 6.x ($1299-$17000), Softimage 3D 4.0 ($1495), Newtek Lightwave 3D 8.1 ($1595), Softimage XSI (no price quoted, but probably more expensive than Lightwave), Alias Maya Complete 6.0 ($1999), Discreet 3D Studio Max 7 ($3055), Alias Maya Unlimited 6.0 ($6999) View Post

My recommendation is that you start with Wings, Blender, Mechanisto, or basically anything free, and work with it until you figure out that you aren't getting the results that you want with it. For instance, if you want to make a complex shape that you simply can't make with the free programs. It's at this point that you want to move on to a more expensive program. The "Big Four" programs are Maya, 3DSMax, Softimage, and Lightwave. If you plan on going into a graphics career in the gaming industry, then 3DSMax is your best bet, because it's the most prevalent program. Maya, Soft, and Lightwave are more widespread in the movie industry. Strata and Carrara are still good, but basically choose a program that fits your modeling style, etc. It'll be a bit easier to choose which expensive program you want to invest in when you have the experience to know what you want from the program. Pretty much all of these programs are available for all platforms except for (to the best of my knowledge) Houdini, Softimage, Rhinoceros, and 3DSMax, which are not available for the Macintosh. Cheetah is one of those rare breeds that is for Mac OS X only.

Matrix

This post has been edited by what_is_the_matrix : 24 October 2004 - 10:15 AM

You should add Cheetah3D to your list, Matrix.

Azdara Ace, on Oct 23 2004, 03:30 PM, said:

You should add Cheetah3D to your list, Matrix.
View Post

right. I'll add it.

Matrix

My opinion:
Programms are good, but what if i cant handle them

Dont be sad, but many peoples here working with these apps since years and everybody i have seen, has began testing them and has been failed. These programms are very difficult - sorry - i think so and i am using Cinema4D and working with 3D-Programms since 10 Years

I would say that to everybody who never has used souch a programm, he cant make a ship (what looks only a littly bit like a ship ) in a short time (1 month ;-))

PS: If you have these qualifings, then dont read this text. I dont want make anybody angry.

Use: Cinema 4D

This post has been edited by Phil_Morteja : 27 October 2004 - 02:49 PM

I personally like to use Mechanisto. The author abandoned it, so its totally free, and it's amazingly easy to use. The guides by tycho go even more in depth...

Anaxagoras, on Oct 28 2004, 06:45 AM, said:

I personally like to use Mechanisto. The author abandoned it, so its totally free, and it's amazingly easy to use. The guides by tycho go even more in depth...
View Post

Seriously though, for NOVA use, it is extremely limited. You really need something a bit more featured and with a good rendering engine in order to make the most of NOVA.

what_is_the_matrix, on Oct 24 2004, 03:01 PM, said:

right. I'll add it.

Matrix
View Post

You could also add the fact that there is a studio bundle version of C4D.. which competes right there with Maya and softimaga and Lightwave.. Price is the about the same as mya i think.

This post has been edited by modesty_blaise_us : 28 October 2004 - 06:15 AM

Mechanisto does have a decent rendering engine, you just have to know how to trick it to get the results you want.