Welcome back folks and to part two of our 3D Modeler's and Animator's Guide to Surviving the Credit Crunch. This time round we will be looking at 3D modeling applications, from the most expensive to the freely available and helping you to decide which could be the best applications for you and your budget. One of the most important choices to make is which 3D modeling application you are going to train in and hopefully master. For those of you looking to enter the film, television and games industries, it is key that you are using the tools that potential employers will want in the future. Many of you in the Architectural and Engineering Industries might be looking to develop new 3D modelling and skills but increasingly the trend is moving away from learning specialist visualisation systems so what is the best route for you? Finally but by no means least we have those individuals where 3D modeling is a hobby and for many the financial investment is very limited and can be a major stumbling block. So let us start with the financial investment needed to set up a 3D modeling suite and see if we can work out the most cost effective route.
The ChoicesLow Cost 3D Modeling
We are lucky that there are a number of applications that are available to us at low cost or for free. Many of these can be considered a good introduction and an excellent way of learning the fundamentals of 3D modelling, but some give you so much more. Wings 3D - A Free subdivision modeler with the ability to import and export a number of popular 3D file formats. The reason we have included this as an option is that you will be able to export your work to other applications if required and the impressive work produced by those using this software. MilkShape 3D - A free low polygon modeler supporting seventy different file formats. For those interested in the gaming industry, this is a nice introduction to producing game engine suitable 3D models and viewing your work in your favourite games such as Call of Duty or the Sims. Truespace - Here is an interesting product that used to sell for $600 but then Microsoft acquired the company and released TrueSpace as a free download in July 2008. This is a feature rich product and includes a collaboration server which enables multiple participants to connect to a shared 3D space to create and manipulate shared content in real-time. So if there is a group of you working on a project together or even as an individual this is certainly worth considering. SketchUP - Google's free 3D modeling system is very easy to use and has a very quick learning curve. Very popular within the Architectural Industry and although there is limited export functionality within the free version, if you decide this is the product for you there is an upgrade path. One word of warning though is that model files sizes are large and may not be suitable for use in other 3D systems. Blender - Blender is a free open source 3D content creation suite with a very strong following and amazing work produced by its users. With functionality and capability of systems that would cost thousands this is one for serious consideration. So above is a select list of five freely available applications which will all enable you to model in 3D. There are many other freely available applications out there, but from our particular list you can see that whatever area you wish to specialise in there is an opportunity to produce work without spending any cash. A number of the products mentioned are also used by full time professionals and come with capabilities beyond producing the initial geometry. Mid Cost 3D Modeling There are a number of products that can be considered purchasing for less than a thousand pounds, these normally will come with a good development and upgrade path and often will form part of a complete suite or provide integration with other 3D applications. Words of warning, prior to purchasing always consider the upgrade costs now and for the future. Cinema 4D - £746.35 (Upgrade from r10.5 to r11 £274.85) This is good value for a product which we mentioned earlier and is becoming increasingly popular within professional circles and has a modular path to add even more functionality. Carrara 7 Pro - £373 (Upgrade r6 to r7 £108) this software has had a bit of chequered past and on occasions considered obsolete but this is the 2nd update by current owners Daz and each time it gets stronger and stronger. A lot of capability for such a modest purchase price. Lightwave 3D - £605 (Upgrade £335 from previous versions) This is one product that many will not realise has been used on projects such as the Ironman and The Dark Knight motion pictures, and TV shows such as Battlestar Galactica and CSI. There is a lot of capability within this application to rival far more expensive systems. Maybe not advertised in the past as well as other applications its credentials as a serious product is clear to see when you see the list of projects it has been used on. Hexagon 2 £100 (Upgrade from previous version £33) Developed by Daz this is unlike the above three systems which included a suite of extras, Hexagon is simply a 3D modeler with texturing capability and there are a large range of products similar and in this price range to choose from. High Cost 3D Modeling High cost is a bit unfair as a title as you do get a lot for your money, but this series is all about getting full value for every penny you spend, and as we have demonstrated within the low cost and mid cost sections you can get a lot of capability for a modest sum or even for free.
Autodesk have been buying up products in this sector and now own the majority of the best know products. They all have their similarities but at the same time have their own strengths and weaknesses in certain areas. 3DS Max 2010 £3,050 (yearly subscription £375) Maya Complete £1,750 (yearly subscription £525) Softimage 7.5 £1,725 (yearly subscription £460) http://www.autodesk.co.uk/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=452932&id=6909145 Next Steps So where do you go from here? You have a list of 3D modeling applications, which again I stress is just a selection and many provide capabilities far beyond just producing 3D geometry. You have the costs and we hope a few tips to help you along the way. But how do you choose which one is right for you?
This ultimately has to come down to personal choice, but your budget, the goals you set last time and personal motivation will all help in arriving at that decision. What I hope you did find surprising and hopefully encouraging is the wide range of options available to you and some products that really stood out. I firmly believe there is a 3D software option for any budget and when it comes down to the quality of the final 3D model this is simply down to the skill and dedication of the artist. For more help and advice visit the forums and post your questions, we are more than happy to help out and expand on this subject. 10 Tips to save money Okay folks, here is where we try to save you some money Tip 1 - If you are brand new to 3D modeling choose one of the free options and set yourself three test projects, at the end of each project you will know if the software has enough functionality for you, if you actually enjoy the 3D process, have the time and more importantly can complete from start to finish. If you mange to model for example a house, an automobile and a character congratulations you have just proved you have the commitment to complete projects, learn new software and develop specialist skills without spending any money. Tip 2 - Look around for 3D modeling and animation courses, often for a fraction of the price you can purchase educational software licenses once you start the course that will run for a year or longer and at the same time you will get a recognised qualification. Tip 3 - Keep checking out industry magazines and cover CD's. Digital Arts April 2009 (UK) had a full copy of Carrara 6 Pro for free. If you consider an upgrade to the very latest version costs £108 and a purchase price of the magazine of £6 you have just saved £259 on the price of a full version. Tip 4 - It is important that you choose the right software to learn if you are looking to make 3D a career. Check out the wanted ads online and in trade magazines for the latest industry requirements. Tip 5 - Use online forums and community sites to obtain advice, help and often encouragement from others as well as useful resources and free tutorials. Tip 6 - Magazines such as 3D World and Digital Arts are cheaper on subscription (33% for 3D World) than at the news stand. I know we are talking about spending money here but these provide such a useful resource and future reference material it is worth the initial expense. However do check out the magazines first to see which one you prefer as quality and the amount of varied content does differ. Tip 7 - When looking to purchase new software do look for the various options, as some companies offer large discounts for software downloads in preference to shipped boxed sets. Tip 8 - A big warning here, it is our advice not to consider buying second hand software. Often there is no upgrade path when you contact the software company, as that was an agreement with the original purchaser, and secondly you could be buying pirated software. Now that could cost you a lot more in the long run. Tip 9 - Use 30 day trials to your advantage, they are there for you try before you buy but do make sure you have time within those 30 days to test it to the maximum before it locks out. Tip 10 - If you are not going to get a financial return via paid work, make sure you are going to be prepared to pay for software upgrades in the future, If not save your money and look again at our low cost selection. Next time - We look at surviving the credit crunch within a company or as a freelance 3D modeler and animator. What you need to do to keep clients happy, controlling cash flow and how do you win work in such competitive times. All will be revealed in part 3. By Daryn Fitz Copyright 2009, PlanIt 3D Did you miss part one? READ IT HERE... | |||||
