Easy 3d software

futureman

futureman

Active member
Hello everyone,

I have been wanting to get in to 3d for a while, and i think i am finally ready! My question is what is the easiest 3d app on the market, i was hoping for something with a very gentle learning curve... i dont want to be totally frustrated.

Is there any program which has libraries of object and environments, which can be dropped into the composition? I remember a long time ago i ran across this piece of software that could render whether, lighting and environments all by itself, and the user just had to set parameters...

Anyway, any help will be greatly appreciated... i have heard good things about 3ds max, if anyone cares to comment.
 
They all can be pretty frustrating at times. Most of the major makers offer free 30 day trial versions.3dsmax-Maya-Cinema4D. You can download free mesh models from various web sources and import them in your program. There are also alot of models for sale if your inclined. C4d may be a bit easier in getting started. You can load a preset sky and floor. Then import (merge) a model. There are also alot of tutorials on the web for all of the programs.

Theres a couple more threads kicking around here that go into much more detail.
 
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Yeah, i don't really want to be totally discouraged by insane levels of difficulty!

There must be at least one suite which is designed for beginners? I found this one called "vue 6 infinate" which would appear to offer the ability to just paint different terrains over models?

Also, i do not know if this has made it to the consumer arena yet... but is anything like the lord of the rings "massive" system available, which adds artificial intelligence to the models in the composition, so that they do not have to all be animated individually?

Thanks
 
Vue is pretty easy to learn compared to other programs, but it is pretty specialized toward landscapes, at least for beginners. I have seen vue movies with jets flying by etc. (the models would have to be imported), but for the most part it does landscapes and does them very well.

While there are some competitors to Massive, as far as I've seen all the crowd AI stuff is still much to pricy (and likely complex) to be considered consumer.

You can't go wrong by trying Blender. It's free so at worst you don't like it or it's more work than you want to do, then just delete it. As with many 3d programs, you don't have to model if you don't want to (find some free models online) and just use the program to animate/render.
 
Bodypaint is really easy to use if you just want to paint terrain or even models.
In fact I can't image doing it without that program. Terrain is easy. Just a noise map. You can then use bodypaint to texture it or just draw paint on the terrain. It's an amazing program and is available as plugins for 3d apps as well as a stand alone, I think. Like I said the other threads kicking around mention free modelling programs and has been discussed in quite a lot of detail.
I've been hearing alot of good things about Blender for a long time.
Worth checking out. Can't beat the price.
 
I think whaty your thinking about is known as Crowd simulation, this is pretty much standard these days.

Put simply you set up a few different guys to act in a certain way, then you give them rules on how to act, such as follow, aviod, etc then you multiple by hundred or thousand and let the computer simulate it.
 
"I have been wanting to get in to 3d for a while, and i think i am finally ready! My question is what is the easiest 3d app on the market, i was hoping for something with a very gentle learning curve... i dont want to be totally frustrated."


Everything in life isn't easy, especially 3D (they all have their ups and downs). :) I'd say try the free demos that are available online and go from there. I use maya and it was a PIA to learn at first, but once you do understand how the program operates, it's not so bad.
 
Yea, the hardest phase is "Just" starting out, once you get past that, and you get use to it, you start learning new stuff it becomes a joy to learn (sometimes anger, when you dont get the result you want).

You'll know that your in the "Comfort" zone when you start thinking in 3d all day long, you will look at something in real life and think

"Hmm, I could model that by..."
 
[SIZE=+0]futureman,[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=+0]I've puttered around in 3d for about 12 years now. The thing that I've found is that most programs aren't difficult to learn so much as they contain so many switches, buttons, and knobs that you get buried in functions and trying to figure out how to do exactly what you want. That 3rd dimension seems to add 10 times the complexity to the program. However, If you can find someone to show you the basics of Maya and you realize how elegant it is, another package might seem convoluted and confusing. (Personally, I'm not a Maya guy but it is a good program) [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0]Choosing a 3d program is like choosing an editing package. "Imovie" might be easy and cheap to use but once you start getting into more complex edits its nicer to have the added functions of a more complete package. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=+0]I've seen fantastic work created in almost every package on the market but they are not all equal. You should decide what you plan to do with the program whether it's character animation, particle simulation, or digital backgrounds. Then start researching programs that perform well in those areas. There are several 3d forums filled with artists who are usually happy to give helpful advice. [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=+0]Personally, the best way to learn for me is to find someone who can teach the basics directly. [SIZE=+0]Tutorials will help but I'm always frustrated when they direct you to do steps "4, 5, & 6" but fail to tell you why you need to do them. [/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0][/SIZE][SIZE=+0][/SIZE]

[SIZE=+0]I hope my post doesn't seem to scatterbrained. I'm trying to multitask with 5 other things but, hopefully, some of the info is useful. [/SIZE]
 
I started with Bryce and Daz Studio. Google Bryce (6 now I think). Very reasonable, like 50 or 60 bucks US, and Daz Studio is included for free. Then Google "Bryce Tutorial by Robin Wood". Great way to jump-start your learning curve. Like the Vue products, Bryce is really strong in landscapes. Daz is a figure posing program, like Poser, and it comes with a bunch of free content.

My $.02.
 
Here's one worth checking out,

Here's one worth checking out,

You really should look at LightWave. It's far from the hardest to learn, AND it can take you to any level you want to go. Countless motion pictures have utilized its capabilities including the recent 300.
http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/index.php

And there are lots of programs and plugins that make basic stuff like flashy flying 3D logos easy. That's quick money to be made and adds more bang to your productions. 3D Arsenal takes you through most menus for a great ramp up to the cooler stuff.
http://www.newtek.com/3DA/

Then there are the forums that can't be beat with more talent and helpful people then you can shake a stick at.
http://www.newtek.com/forums/

All decent 3D aplications will take some time to learn, But starting with one that can take you anywhere is worth considering. I wish you luck.
 
Lightwave is way harder to learn then 3DS max. 3DS max has one of the easiest learning curves but it's packed with all kinds of features and effects. A cheaper and easier alternative is Soft Image (XSI). It's only 700 bucks for the core. One thing about 3DS max is thought it can model some realistic characters, It's geared more for the gaming industry and lower polygon mesh models. MAYA is a Standard in animation but MAYA is the hardest of them all to learn. As far as Bryce goes.. It's basically a terrain generator. At least the older version were. I think the newer version has some geometries to model with. But if you want it that simple, Just buy Poser6. It's like playing with dolls. You can change hair, clothes and even textures. But that requires learning how to use the node function. I would stick with Max. There are some great tutorials out there. 3d-palace.com has some free modeling tutorials. They're in avi format. I use 3DS max when I want to create a composition effect. I just use a spline tool to trace over a building, apply a texture map to it and then have something move behind the plane. You can adjust lighting. I've created some realistic effects that way. It's why I like max, it's not just for making animation, you can apply it to film making effects as well.
 
I learned on some of the cheaper programs that were easy to learn. Best way to go.. minimum investment, best returns, and you will outgrow them eventually, but why spend the money off the cuff? Try the 30 day trials for the bigger better programs, try the 30 day trials for the cheaper ones that so far havn't been listed. also if you are a college student, there are HUGE savings for education discounts for the cheaper programs. 50% savings or more.

Carrara (www.daz3d.com) also compatible with Poser 4, 5 & 6.. not 7 yet I think
Vue http://www.e-onsoftware.com/ good landscaping program and model imports ok
bryce www.daz3d.com not as good as vue, but cheap and decent. hardly broadcast quality unless it got better since I used it 4 years ago
strata www.strata.com I learned on this program. Good in it's day. landscapes, modeling creation, import/export etc. It was cheaper then. Now it's a midline priced program with not a huge following, but it was powerfull and easy to learn and played with most other programs (not poser) fairly well.

Bigger programs like Maya, Lightwave and Cinema 4d are used a lot in TV & Film, and are generally over $1,000 or more. You get whatyou pay for. That doesn't mean that a $150 Carrara type of program can't do great stuff and be good enough for the next year or two of you learning curve. Maybe you will move beyond it, maybe it will be good enough for your purposes. Maybe work with Carrara and if it's something more specific that you need, just pay a sub contractor artist who has Lightwave, and is good, after you roughed out the idea on carrara type of program for him or her.
 
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