so im guessing that meshtools and textporter are standard, what else are people using to help in game modelling, texturing?
nannoo nannoo
Shiptu: Do you mean which plugins or which software?
Plugins: as you said texporter, dont really use mesh tools now that max has a decent poly modelling system. Don't really have any other plugins that I use alot for lowpoly maybe shag hair for higher stuff.
Software: Max, Maya, Photoshop, Deep paint 3D, Painter.
havent used mankua plugs yet.
Dont know what youre getting at when you say you use textporter with max 5, so do I am I missing something?
Ive used deep paint 3D with texture weapons, is that what you mean?
As for changing max, well after using maya for a bit now I prefer there uvw mapping so implement the interactive nature of that and better animation systems, apart from that shes a sweet program.
ive only brushed on maya and was amazed at the possibilities,im wondering as maya gets cheaper and max becomes more expensive when the game companies will change over.
deep paint seems like a good alternative to me to the lengthly procedure of mapping involved in max.
as primarily a max user and with a limited time schedule i cant waste time learning new applications which prove to be fruitless, so i get a grasp on more productive less time consuming applications from heresay and reputation.
max has an amazing amount of plugins out there many that are used primarily for our field and there is nothing more frustrating than some one telling you "oh if you use this plugin it does it all for you" and you get a vision of months of menial labour you have done for no real reason.
I don't think that UVW mapping/unwrapping can ever be fully replaced by a plug in, a lot of it comes down to 'feel', Does the artist think that this bit of skewing on this poly is ok but not on the other because a decal has to go there, type stuff. So I think good texture mapping will always be a needed skill.
Pantmonger
I only use plugins for thing that help me work better, like textporter. Not for doing things that you should be able to do by your self like uvw mapping, Pants is right its to varied for a plugin to be all that effective.
Deep paint still needs you to uvw map I think just is easier to paint on a 3d model than a flat, but I personally prefer doing it on the flats anyway.
As for companies changing to Maya, don't know if they will all change especially since an upgrade for Max is still cheaper than buying a new product, mainly new companies seting up will choose it at the start.
Max is still the leader in low poly modelling in my eyes, Maya was primarily used for film, if Maya keeps adding useful functionality to the low poly end of its tools Max may be on the slow march out.
I've been using the Kaldera beta quite a bit lately http://www.mankua.com/kaldera.cfm
It's good for baking textures and has a normal map material for Max5 that lets you render out with normal maps. Good for previewing.
Aside from that, Photoshop and painter sometimes.
I still use max, texporter, and photoshop. I've tried deep paint alongside it's brother deep uv (if that's its right name), but was not to impressed with it to be honest. Deep uv makes does awkward stuff with the coordinates and deep paint (in my opinion) is terrible and awkward to use. I was only using it for a brief ammount of time and therefore might have been going about it all the wrong way, but I'd recommend texporter over it anyday.
Abobe Photoshop, but Id be surprised if that wasn't standard also.
Pantmonger