Well, since HL2 will be shifting with a freebie mod version of XSI and a .smd exporter, you might want to have a look at that... <a href='http://www.softimage.com/products/EXP/HL2/' target='_blank'>http://www.softimage.com/products/EXP/HL2/</a>
Linux / Opensource monkeys may wish to work in Wings and import to XSI <a href='http://www.wings3d.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.wings3d.com/</a> Do not be misled by the price, Wings is superior to almost all commercial modellers in most areas, it's not a new program as such, it's more an opensource re-write of Nendo / Mirai ( google it..) and it's a superb program.
Finally, don't know what you plan to do but you <i>must</i> have a look at ZBrush, it's easily the weirdest app I've ever seen, can't seem to decide whether it's a paint prog or a 3d one but it has soooooo much potential, grab the demo and see at least. As used by the n00bs at WETA digital... <a href='http://209.132.69.82/zbrush/zbrush2/Z2Home.html' target='_blank'>http://209.132.69.82/zbrush/zbrush2/Z2Home.html</a>
oh yes! zbrush! the COOLEST program i have ever used. i think alot (if not most) of doom3's models were made with this. and with its displacement and bump mapping, it maybe be able to be used reliably in hl2.
Actually, the organic doom 3 models were made in lightwave then imported to zbrush for all the small details. And zbrush isn't good for anything mechanical.
yeah, zbrush has a really soft, clay result to its models. thats how its so easy to point out zbursh models. it is good for aliens and people tho. some of my examples.i really suck at this program. buts its really easy to learn. i highly recommend it.
<!--QuoteBegin-CMF_FATAL+Aug 28 2004, 10:03 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CMF_FATAL @ Aug 28 2004, 10:03 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->it maybe be able to be used reliably in hl2.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I remember seeing a video ( or was it a still? ) on the making of HL2 and I'm pretty sure they <i>were</i> using Zbrush, presumably for the normal maps. Someone was certainly tinkering with a high poly headcrab in what looked like the Z2 interface.
If most of / all of the art assets for HL2 were made in XSI, there's no reason ZBrush couldn't be integrated, Z seems to get on well with XSI and all the other main apps.
Frosty: Yeah, Zbrush really isn't cut out for mechanicals imo and as you will both have noticed by now, even though Zspheres give you a lot of flexibility for modelling Zbrush is at it's coolest when you feed it a pre-made clean low poly mesh with good poly distribution. Don't be throwing away your traditional modeller just yet.
For instance, check this guy out, even though he's a ZBrush Ninja he ( very sensibly ) uses Wings for the mechanical parts of this scene. <a href='http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=163404&page=1&pp=15' target='_blank'>http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=163404&page=1&pp=15</a>
btw, that's a very informative place, use the search function and there's an answer to almost everything gfx related you ever even considered thinking about.
im taking a big fat leap of bandwidth and downloading XSI, then wings to mess around with. Wings seems pretty simple, which I like. 3DS turns me off because its so damned complicated.
EDIT:
Wings- This program is very buggy, but thats obviously since its still in infant stages. its got some serious potential.
<!--QuoteBegin-CMF_FATAL+Aug 30 2004, 10:12 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CMF_FATAL @ Aug 30 2004, 10:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->XSI is an oer-complicated peice of crap IMHO :/ but with alot more work than usual, it can be secksy i guess..
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> It's complicated because it's a professional level 3d application on a par with Maya and Houdini capability wise.
If milkshape had fully non linear animation, physics and cloth simulation, a built in compositor, node based materials, integrated Mental Ray and about a million other features, well, its interface would get a lot more complicated too..
btw funbags if you do look into XSI check the softimage website, there's a good selection of tutorials for all levels, noob to pro but I think you need to register first.
Also, this place has enough tutorials to last anyone a year or two. <a href='http://www.edharriss.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.edharriss.com/</a>
Another fantastic XSI resource is xsibase. Loads of scripts, shaders etc. It is quite elitist and pro though so don't post any noob questions, you'll either be told to rtfm or it'll be deleted. L33t speak or warez chat will likely get you an IP ban. <a href='http://www.xsibase.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.xsibase.com/</a>
<b>XSI Tips.</b>
<b>1) Learn the shortcuts / hotkeys- XSI is ten times slower if you have to mouseclick everything.
2) Alt+5 opens netview, if you are on the net you can find a vast ibrary of scripts , shaders,rigs, normal map generators, all kinds of goodies.
3) Free XSI book, highly recommended. It's like the manual, but in English.. <a href='http://www.mesmer.com/?loc=/public/readpublicarticle.php&qs=in%3D1118' target='_blank'>http://www.mesmer.com/?loc=/public/readpub...hp&qs=in%3D1118</a> <a href='ftp://ftp.mesmer.com/books/xsicharacter/XSI_Character_2004_Mesmer.pdf' target='_blank'>ftp://ftp.mesmer.com/books/xsicharacter/X...2004_Mesmer.pdf</a></b>
I do understand why people think XSI is complicated though, that's simply because it <i>is</i>. I took the attached screeny as a memento of "The Day I realised I Need a Second Monitor"
try updating your video card drivers. Mine did that when I first got my radeon x800, but now with updated drivers it doesn't do that anymore. It never really affected the performace of the program and I could easily ignore it.
Comments
<a href='http://www.softimage.com/products/EXP/HL2/' target='_blank'>http://www.softimage.com/products/EXP/HL2/</a>
Linux / Opensource monkeys may wish to work in Wings and import to XSI
<a href='http://www.wings3d.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.wings3d.com/</a>
Do not be misled by the price, Wings is superior to almost all commercial modellers in most areas, it's not a new program as such, it's more an opensource re-write of Nendo / Mirai ( google it..) and it's a superb program.
Finally, don't know what you plan to do but you <i>must</i> have a look at ZBrush, it's easily the weirdest app I've ever seen, can't seem to decide whether it's a paint prog or a 3d one but it has soooooo much potential, grab the demo and see at least. As used by the n00bs at WETA digital...
<a href='http://209.132.69.82/zbrush/zbrush2/Z2Home.html' target='_blank'>http://209.132.69.82/zbrush/zbrush2/Z2Home.html</a>
<img src='http://www.clan-cmf.com/forums/uploads/post-36-1090443679.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.clan-cmf.com/forums/uploads/post-36-1089934347.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
course, those are about 300 or so polies each... heres one that could actually be used in a game.
<img src='http://www.clan-cmf.com/forums/uploads/post-36-1089533568.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
I remember seeing a video ( or was it a still? ) on the making of HL2 and I'm pretty sure they <i>were</i> using Zbrush, presumably for the normal maps. Someone was certainly tinkering with a high poly headcrab in what looked like the Z2 interface.
If most of / all of the art assets for HL2 were made in XSI, there's no reason ZBrush couldn't be integrated, Z seems to get on well with XSI and all the other main apps.
Frosty: Yeah, Zbrush really isn't cut out for mechanicals imo and as you will both have noticed by now, even though Zspheres give you a lot of flexibility for modelling Zbrush is at it's coolest when you feed it a pre-made clean low poly mesh with good poly distribution.
Don't be throwing away your traditional modeller just yet.
For instance, check this guy out, even though he's a ZBrush Ninja he ( very sensibly ) uses Wings for the mechanical parts of this scene.
<a href='http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=163404&page=1&pp=15' target='_blank'>http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=163404&page=1&pp=15</a>
btw, that's a very informative place, use the search function and there's an answer to almost everything gfx related you ever even considered thinking about.
In about 5 mins i was creating objects much more complex than i could have with 5 mins of max.
EDIT:
Wings- This program is very buggy, but thats obviously since its still in infant stages. its got some serious potential.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's complicated because it's a professional level 3d application on a par with Maya and Houdini capability wise.
If milkshape had fully non linear animation, physics and cloth simulation, a built in compositor, node based materials, integrated Mental Ray and about a million other features, well, its interface would get a lot more complicated too..
btw funbags if you do look into XSI check the softimage website, there's a good selection of tutorials for all levels, noob to pro but I think you need to register first.
Also, this place has enough tutorials to last anyone a year or two.
<a href='http://www.edharriss.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.edharriss.com/</a>
Another fantastic XSI resource is xsibase. Loads of scripts, shaders etc.
It is quite elitist and pro though so don't post any noob questions, you'll either be told to rtfm or it'll be deleted.
L33t speak or warez chat will likely get you an IP ban.
<a href='http://www.xsibase.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.xsibase.com/</a>
<b>XSI Tips.</b>
<b>1) Learn the shortcuts / hotkeys- XSI is ten times slower if you have to mouseclick everything.
2) Alt+5 opens netview, if you are on the net you can find a vast ibrary of scripts , shaders,rigs, normal map generators, all kinds of goodies.
3) Free XSI book, highly recommended. It's like the manual, but in English..
<a href='http://www.mesmer.com/?loc=/public/readpublicarticle.php&qs=in%3D1118' target='_blank'>http://www.mesmer.com/?loc=/public/readpub...hp&qs=in%3D1118</a>
<a href='ftp://ftp.mesmer.com/books/xsicharacter/XSI_Character_2004_Mesmer.pdf' target='_blank'>ftp://ftp.mesmer.com/books/xsicharacter/X...2004_Mesmer.pdf</a></b>
I do understand why people think XSI is complicated though, that's simply because it <i>is</i>. I took the attached screeny as a memento of "The Day I realised I Need a Second Monitor"
<!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
its very complicated, but methinks ill be able to pick it up easier than 3ds.
btw...ROFL.