Hi,
I am just starting out. I have gotten myself copies of GMAX, Maya PLE and Softimage Xsi (all free).
I have found Maya the easiest so far but I was wondering... Is Maya a good package to start with? Is it "industry standard" enough?
What do you prefer to use?
Any help / advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Hades, Welcome to Sumea.
As far as I know 3D Studio Max is probably still the most predominant in the industry but with lower pricing plans Maya is gaining ground fast.
Also with its excellent animation systems and the larger counts on some of the newer game models softimage is being used more and more.
I'd keep with Gmax or if you can get a copy of the evaluation cds for softimage and maya try them too then the one you feel more comfortable with go with that.
Major Clods right in saying pick one and learn, do everything you can but just in one package at first, its suprisingly easy to adjust to another package once you are proficient with the first one.
Have fun, its a pretty stressful industry to get a start in but its a hell of alot of fun if you like a challenge.
I've posted a fair few good links on the [url="http://www.sumea.com.au/section.asp?class=Modeller&modeller=-1&type=2"]modellers section[/url] page.. Under Sumea links - tutorials.. Lots of people love that Joan of Arc modelling tutorial, so check that out.
I think it's such an awesome tutorial - worthy of publication in a book, I reckon.. It gives you the concepts on how to model the body, head, eyes, hair, armoury, gloves, accessories, boning, skin deformation.. the lot! It's such a great starting point for people who don't know how to approach modelling characters.. and once you follow it through, you could pretty much do any model that those concept artists chuck at you.. [;)]
I'm also a relative noob to the gaming modelling area. Have worked on a few small high-poly animation projects where optimization isn't as imperitive but am now heavily involved in the beginnings of an AWESOME mod which will be for Half-Life 2 and need to get heavily into modelling for games.
To this end, can anyone recommend any great tutorial sites on modelling and animating for games? Specifically for the Half-Life engine (I know Source is completely different but HL is as good a place as any to start).
I also have never done any REAL texturing, have only done procedural mapping. Would love to get some really great tutes on UVW unwrap texturing.
Thanks in advance guys.
There is a brilliant tutorial on modelling a low poly human at www.3dtotal.com at the moment (here is the direct link: http://www.3dtotal.com/team/Tutorials/benmathis/benmathis_body_1.asp). It's not quite as beginner friendly as Joan of Arc, but still exceptional.
@Malus: you don't like danger Girl models? if it is any consolation, i feel like screaming whenever i see someone refer to something over600 triangles and/or not built vertex_by_vertex as 'lowpoly'....
~i know we have silly high poly limits now, but you can get a lot more detail in if you work the polys instead of using these 'quick' modelling high end apps. hades, if you have a chance, check out lightwave.
nuf' said
I like danger girl models, just don't like seeing everyone doing it and pimping it as a new model.
I've never built a model vertex by vertex, thats just insane. [:P]
Why are higher poly limits silly? You have to grow with whats out their, I love making sub 800 poly models myself but its all different disciplines, don't pigeon hole yourself into only being capable of one thing or you'll be left behind.
By my definition the term low poly is a fluid one, it describes the common industry limit for popular modelling (even though most games still use sub 1500 polys)therefore it grows as the tech/popularity grows, low poly by comparison to film/fmv/dead or alive models etc.
Otherwise we'd be saying "its mid/low poly" and "low high/poly" etc, would get confusing really fast.
My pet hate, people who think engines can only use quads, and those that don't give correct tri polycounts on their models therefore there 2000 poly model is 4000 poly, argh learn some basic modelling standards or at least ask some coders what an engine does!!
You need to know more than modelling to be useful in this bis, you need to know the background, structure, work practices and standards too.
Hey trankillity. From what I've heard, HL2 uses (or can support) normal mapping. So you might want to look into that for your mod. It's a different way to doing low poly character, but can save you on texturing time, as a lot of the texture data comes from the normal values. By that I mean the light and dark areas. Just a thought, seeing as you mentioned you havn't done any texturing.
hey hades, im new to 3d also I have been trying to teaching myself for the last 6 months or so and since this is my first post here so i'll just say hi to everone :P
from what i found 3d max is probly better poly modeller so more suited for game models and maya is a better nurbs moddler and is better for high detail so... movies ect
but i feel comfortable with max and there is an huge amount of tutorals for it too
No matter the case, it always comes down to whatever you personally feel comfortable in. At the base level, the theory is all the same - it doesn't matter if you use maya complete, or imagine 3.0 - as long as you're comfortable with the feel of the package and learn the base theory - it comes down to the package you use doesn't affect what you produce or what you're capable of.
I know people that still use 3dsr4 (dos 3d studio before max) that are just so sickly talented, it makes you blush.
I still think max has got it in terms of modelling and although I havn't done too much with Maya, I do prefer max's interface over maya's. But then again, I'm a max user, and I would say that wouldn't I?
I really comes down to spending the time to learn one package and doing the best you can with it. The principles of 3D modelling and animation are all the same, and those are the tricky bits, bot just learning the program.
Good luck with whatever you go with :)
If your looking for work in Australia forget XSI, truespace, blender and Lightwave... Maya and Max get you work down under. Max is the clear leader in game studios here. Photoshop is standard in all studios too so make sure you have and handle on that too.
As to which one is better, I have to let you decide... I now work for Discreet so I must be considered biased. Make your own call, but as Ionized says stick with one until your showreel rocks. Your showreel is your ticket.
Good luck!
i have used both max and maya (both to decent extents), and i must say that i personally prefer maya. the tools really arent that different. the main thing that i loved about maya over max is the interface. really alien at first (as i did max first), soon became second nature. i really wish more apps had that interface. god bless marking menus.
it does come down to personal pref though. look at a lot of forums, and cool work is done with all the packages. even cinema 4D is getting some great character work pumped out of it now. go with what you like, not what other people like.
quote:Originally posted by kingofdaveness
If your looking for work in Australia forget XSI, truespace, blender and Lightwave... Maya and Max get you work down under.
Mostly true, except Melbourne House have been Softimage users for years although they also use Max, and Tantalus were Lightwaver's, whether they still use it or not I'm not sure.
I personally use 3D Studio Max, and have not used those other packages yet, though I do hope to play in Maya PLE sometime in the holidays and get myself a copy of Softimage XSI EXP.
From my understanding, Max has been the most commonly used over the past few years, but Maya is also up there and is used quite often too. Softimage is quite high end but is now starting to get used quite a bit. Jedi Outcast used it for animations, and Halflife2 has used it for all models.
I'd recommend you concentrate on the single package while you get into modelling, and once you feel confident, check out the other packages. When you have developed your modelling skills, you should be able to jump over to another package without too many problems.
As you are learning, I'd probably check out which title has the most tutorials and support available online. If it is game models you are after, Max would probably be the easiest to find information on.
Good luck!