3D Modeling programs The good and the bad

Just wanted to inform you guys on some 3D modeling programs I have used personally over the years of my modding experience and some are good and some are really terrible. Learn from me and don't buy or download the bad ones.

So over the years I've used a bit of 3D programs and I have to say I've wasted money on one of them because of how buggy it is. Please do not make the same mistakes I have.

So here's my list and the reasons.

[The good programs]
Program Name: Autodesk 3DS Max (I had the student version for a year)
Rating out of 5: 4
Price: $3675 (you can get a student version for a year free if you have a engineering teacher to give you a code)
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-Used by game devs (So lots of features)
-Graphite Modeling Tools
-Can export to multiple file formats (including .obj and .3DS)

[Cons]
-Price
-Not easy to learn
-Can't use any newer versions files (Mainly the .max scene files)

Program Name: Autodesk Inventor (Used this in my engineering class)
Rating out of 5: 4
Price: $7295 (you can get a student version for a year free if you have a engineering teacher to give you a code)
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-Used by engineers (so has tons of good features)
-Assembly files
-

[Cons]
-Price
-Hard to learn
-Can't use any newer versions files (Mainly the .ipt, and any file associated with it)
-Can't export files to any except Autodesk Friendly ones (Inventor Part File (.ipt))
-Need the same year version of 3DS max to convert the models into other program friendly ones. (2014 Edition of Inventor needs the 2014 Edition of 3DS Max)

Program Name: Autodesk Maya (Used for a month)
Rating out of 5: 4
Price: $3675
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-Don't know (because of how hard it is to learn I didn't use it very much)
[Cons]
-Price
-Hard to learn
-Can't use any newer versions files

Program Name: Blender 3D (I use this the most)
Rating out of 5: 4
Price: FREE
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-FREE
-Fairly easy to learn
-Has its own game engine built in
-UV Mapping
-Weight Painting
-Texture painting
-Sculpting (very basic tools)
-Pose Mode (For characters with bones)
-UI and Plugins all coded in python 3 (with custom API specifically for blender)
-Downloadable Themes
-Theme creator (themes mainly recolor the UI and such)
-Pretty stable (only crashes 2 or 3 times a week if you use it every day)
-Multiple import and export formats
-Supports MakeHuman files (Addon)
-And more
-New version gets released about every 3 or 4 months (About)
-3D Coat Applink (Addon)
-Full UI Customization (Position, colors, hotkeys, addons)
-Everything in the UI can be edited to add custom features to them (Using the built in Python editor (which is really the built in text editor))
[Cons]
-Retopo tools are not very advanced

Program Name: 3D Coat
Rating out of 5: 4
Price: $100 (Consumer license), $380 (Professional Licence), $280 (Professional version (on Steam) if you own the consumer version)
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-Voxel and surface sculpting modes
-Sculpting (Advanced sculpting tools)
-UV mapping
-Advanced Retopology tools (Better than blenders)
-Texture Painting (A lot better than blenders)
-Can be used in conjunction with blender
-Supports modding for Team fortress 2
-Stable
[Cons]
-Kinda expensive (but worth it)
-A little tricky to learn

[The bad programs]
Program Name: Ray Supreme 3D (Such a waste of money and time)
Rating out of 5: 1
Price: $40
Reasons for rating:
[Pros]
-Couldn't find any.

[Cons]
-Buggy
-Glitchy
-Crashes every 10 minutes or so
-Updates don't really fix any bugs that I've noticed
-Hard to use

 

maya is a pretty good one, but it does have a very steep learning curve. about to start my 4th class in it this fall, and i think 5th as well with how they have it setup lol.
while not used by the dev's here it to is used for game dev. personaly i prefer it over 3ds Max, but only because maya uses a node based system and max a stack based one. each has their own benefits and draw backs, but i just like the node one better.
the 2014 version was much easier to learn than the earlier one i had tried, 2005 i think.

their is also light version that is a bit more reasonable and aimed at indie game devs. $30/month or $795 one time.
and of course a 3 year student version witch i think has everything but scripting.

 

There is good model programs, bad ones, horrible ones... and then there's Milkshape 3d. Just a warning, really - DO NOT use this thing. It was horrible even back in early 2000s.

 

The new 3DS Maya has a great UV-Mapping tool.
Haven't used it yet, but it looked kinda promising.

3DS Max is not harder to learn than any other modelling program.

 

I find Blender UV stuff real easy to use, but I've used it for so long. I'd say the only downside to Blender for Space Engineers purposes is the inability to create custom properties for stuff like the doors (the properties vanish on FBX export), and the inability to create the collision meshes due to the lack of HKT support.

 

that.
Why is havok so much of a -insert b word- for absolutly needing autodesk softwares?

 

It was developed for autodesk, that's about it. I'm sure if there were enough demand for Blender support, it'd happen.

 

While talking about blender, are "dummy" things, like the thurster flame thingie, single vertex objects?

 

No, it's a dummy. It's as if you made an object with no vertex in it, but that's a bad comparison, as they're sort of different.

 

All autodesk programs now have three year student licenses that do not require a code. Just go to the Autodesk site and look for a link that says free software for students.

I've used (and still use) Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD, and 3dsMax.

I haven't tried the older versions of Inventor, as I started with 2013, but it was very easy to learn, and can uses drafting tools to make sure everything is to scale. I do wish more 3d modeling systems were as easy to use as inventor. Even basic animations are simple to do. HOWEVER, it is more useful for modeling artificial objects. Organic objects are much too curvy and asymmetrical to be used. So if you want to model a creature of some kind, use something else, but it's hell on wheels for machines, buildings, etc.

3dsMAX isn't as user friendly as it could be, but it is very useful. It can convert to the .fbx files that SE uses, and it is an "industry standard" program, so it's compatibility with the more commercial end of modding is very good.

I tried using blender several years ago, and the learning curve was so steep that I couldn't get anything made. But the beauty of open source projects is the development pool. They aren't trying to meet a deadline or sell a product. They're trying to make it the best tool it could possibly be. That said, I tried it again last year and was surprised at how easy it had become. It's supported file formats do leave somethings to be desired, but it's getting better all the time. I do need to re-download it and see what else they've made.

One other program I found is DAZ Studio's Hexagon2. Don't expect miracles from this little 3d modeler. It doesn't support many file formats, has no animations support, but it does have a very easy to navigate UI, and the simplest UV mapping system I've ever seen. I litterally figured out how to use it in thirty minutes of playing with it. If you play Second Life, it has the added bonus of being able to generate sculpty maps from 3d models, making it great for content builders in SL. It's usual price is around $20 but it often goes on sale for $10, $5, and often times absolutely free. I use it to easily uvmap models, and then use other more full featured modeling programs for more complicated stuff.

 

If I do a lot of bolean modeling, I also use MeshFusion MODO 801. It is very very difficult to learn, but worth it.

 

Make all the jokes you want but Google Sketchup isn't bad for when you're first learning how to 3d model.

 

You are all missing a few tools

For example there is Cinema4D

Prices start at about 800 or 900 €

Pros:

• a more beginnerfriendly workflow (in my opinion)
• very very good renderer
• possible integration of BodyPaint3D (a photoshoplikething inside C4d)
• 2 Scripting languages (one is code based the other is node based)

Cons:

• No real NURBS support
• Not as much export formats as 3ds max
• not as widely used for game dev

and what you say about that blender is fairly easy to learn is a joke. The ui is just horrible and you have to actualy learn all the Shortcuts. The Change from one software to blender is for me hard as hell. And i have not only seen 3d Graphics software but also CAD/CAM-Software like SolidEdge, Proengineer und the most horrible ui in that group Catia

Another thing i am missing in this list is Autodesk Automotive Studio or how its called. A few years ago it was called Alias Studio

 

https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/all

Not need engineering teacher, anybody can register oh btw the main thing <h3 style="font-size: 19px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; padding: 0px; color: #0696d7; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; font-family: FrutigerNextW04-Medium;" class="pc-brand">Get a free 3-year license

so next time check the website.</h3>

 

Always been a 3dMax guy, was just what I learned on. But recently have fallen in love with Substance Maker, and Substance Painter. Finally somethings that works intuitively for painting meshes! Tho it did take me most of a day to watch tutorials and trial and error. Not a 3dMax learning curve, but was certainly a new workflow as comared to say photoshop.

 

Substance Painter awesome!

 

Thats because if you read it carefully I specificaly say "programs that I've used"

 

What happens if you are in college for over 3 years. lets say a game design degree

 

Really? Because as contrary to Autodesk's programs, Blender has its button where it should be, and the workspace thing is really intuitive to use.