3D Design Programs

Building using prims, sculpties and meshes. Texture creation techniques.
User avatar
Dot Matrix
Posts: 1625
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2013 3:26 am
Has thanked: 1208 times
Been thanked: 2324 times

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Dot Matrix »

If you can use Blender, you're doing very well, Dagon. I find the interface quite challenging!

One thing you might like to try is building something inworld using prims, then exporting that creation as a .dae or .obj file using Singularity -- there's an option to even include textures. If you import the result into Blender, you can try experimenting with the various tools there and see what effect they have.
User avatar
Dagon Xanith
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 11:27 am
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Dagon Xanith »

Dot Matrix » Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:42 pm

If you can use Blender, you're doing very well, Dagon. I find the interface quite challenging!

One thing you might like to try is building something inworld using prims, then exporting that creation as a .dae or .obj file using Singularity -- there's an option to even include textures. If you import the result into Blender, you can try experimenting with the various tools there and see what effect they have.
I haven't yet used Singularity or built anything in Blender.
I have figured out how to make some basic 3D things like the male figure with arm spread out.
And someone showed me how to paint on dae file in Photoshop CC.
But I don't know how to rig, or anything more complex yet.
I bought though Mesh Studio in Second Life, I wish there was opensim and version that actually helped with texturing daes.
So far all I can figure out is how to turn the dae objects from prims in SL into dae files I can use else where but not much else yet.
I am wonder if its similar to what I did with the tutorial in photoshop painting on dae skirt. I have to try it out and see.
But don't know how to bake a texture either yet which I think I may need to do make it official mesh.

I did make very cool cube texture for 1 prim house.
Here I will share it if I can upload its basic template for inside of box.

http://dagondoodling.blogspot.com/2013/ ... -cube.html
User avatar
Dagon Xanith
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 11:27 am
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Dagon Xanith »

I found something very basic its 3d browser program and the pro version is only 9.99 a year.
Within few minutes was able to build very basic end table.
See here http://www.3dtin.com/ofze
User avatar
Jack Spade
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:57 pm
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Jack Spade »

You might also try Google Sketchup. I personally use Blender - once you get up the learning cliff it's very powerful - but I have friends who use Sketchup for work and Opensim.
These users thanked the author Jack Spade for the post:
Dundridge Dreadlow
User avatar
Ozwell Wayfarer
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:32 am
Has thanked: 831 times
Been thanked: 954 times

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Ozwell Wayfarer »

I have been thinking for a while about how to most helpfully give a contribution to this thread. The original question posed by the OP is a tough one. So for anyone trying to choose a program, I offer you this.

There is such a wide variety of 3DS programs out there now and their workflows and interfaces vary wildly. You need to know something about what your looking for before you begin searching, if that makes any sense?

For example, depending what you are trying to achieve, your workflow will have several steps. Break that workflow down and try to find all the basic functions to achieve your desired results. If you are baffled or frustrated by the way a certain program handles something, don't despair! It may be handled in a totally different way in another program, and there is nothing stopping you using different programs for different things of course. This is what makes it so difficult to make a recommendation.

A few basic questions a total beginner should ask themselves:

1. How do I manipulate the camera and view controls
2. How do I add objects and how do I add, subtract, sculpt, manipulate and otherwise influence those objects in 3d space
3. How do I add materials and textures (creating those textures is a whole other issue ;) )
5. How do I create rigging (Attaching to the avatars bone structure, not always required)
4. How do I export to COLLADA .dae format (you should probably check that at the beginning really :mrgreen:) most programs have plugins available of they do not offer native support.

You should also read up on basic concepts in low poly modeling for video games in general.

I use Maya, but many peole HATE Maya with a passion for reasons too long and boring for the casual reader to recite here. I have those same reasons for hating 3DMax. Recently I picked up Blender just to take a peek and I must say I am very impressed with how far it has come since I last looked (a year or maybe more ago). The problem with the radical interface re-designs is that there are now a billion irrelevant Blender tutorials out there to frustrate and confound you, though it seems to be a very active community and you can usually find what you need if you use the wiki. I cant speak at all to Sketchup but have heard positive things in general.

So I guess what I am saying is shop around, you can at least try most things these days for free. Find something that clicks, try a basic project like a chair or table and replicate it in any program you try and this will give you a feeling of what is most comfortable and intuitive for you. Best of luck! :)
These users thanked the author Ozwell Wayfarer for the post (total 2):
Dundridge DreadlowJaz Beverly
Jaz Beverly
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 7:33 pm
Location: Louisiana, USA
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: 3D Design Programs

Post by Jaz Beverly »

Thank you for the thoughtful and very helpful advice! This is exactly the kind of thing I try to figure out when choosing software or buying some important household appliance -- what questions should I be asking as I evaluate each option? How does one kick the tires of this sort of thing?

By approaching the question in this way you've given us all a lot to think about, and extremely useful way to approach the question.

Much appreciated!!!

Jaz
__

Jennifer Hamilton
(Jaz Beverly in Kitely and Second Life)
Head of Instructional Services / Assistant Professor
Edith Garland Dupré Library
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
P.O. Box 40199, Lafayette, LA 70504
(337) 482-1160
jen@louisiana.edu
Post Reply