Whats the best free modelling tool you've ever used? Thread

Edit: sorry didn't realize i was in the wrong forum category.

I thinking of starting to learn how to model but I'm in need of a free modelling tool. Since I'm not sure if I "like" doing this, so I'm not abuot to fish out money to buy software for this. I have the mod tool, but I've heard that it's not the greatest. Can anyone point me free modelling tool you've ever used? and tutorials as well? thanks.

Edited by: -hp-

Blender.org < THIS JUST USE IT >_<

right now i've just been hopping 3d modelling programs. I can one that I can use for a while. I started out with Maya PLE, then to XSI, and I've learned stuff from both those programs. I dl'ed Blender, but its really confusing, i gotta read up on some tuts

Blender is actually easy once you get the hang of it. Don't let it's "new and fresh" inteface daunt you

You keep pimping Blender every so often so I always end up trying to learn it every few months, but that interface is just too obscure . It must have been designed by an artist instead of a programmer because it's just too damn illogical for me to follow. I've always been stuck with the POS crapware programs like QME and Quark until I got MilkShape. I was all hyped up and tried Gmax, but it's not that user friendly. MilkShape is the only one that matches my logical train of thinking, so it's easy for me to use.

You don't have to learn every button on the menu down there. Blender is mostly hotkey fueled; A (de)selects all, G moves, E extrudes, B selects via box, F creates faces with 3 or 4 selected vertices, R rotates, S scales, W pops up an editing menu, TAB switches in between edit/object mode etc.... the mouse right click would be used for selecting, and view adjustment. That's all there is to it for minimal blender knowledge.

Edited by: leilei

notepad is free, if not, i can google for a free text editor

double cheapy here. blender is very easy. the only thing you have to learn is that it is not silly windumb-clicky-pointy. you just have to remeber the very simple 1 or 2 key long shortcuts or if you can't remember them press 'spacebar' and keep in mind that all views are autonomic (thus press your keys where you want to work).

what is quicker than pressing one button to?
g: move around
r: rotate around
s: scale things
e: extrude things
w: subdivide things
b: select things
tab: change working modes
... ... ...

show me one app where this and more is as simple as a that. work with one hand on the keyboard and the other on the mouse. it's like working on 'roids that quick

Cheapy , show them your flash movie of you starting to make a gargoyle, you only clicked one of them daunting buttons like once :o

Don't all modelling programs have keyboard shortcuts?
MilkShape also uses hotkeys(f1=select,f2=move,etc) but you still have the option of pointing & clicking on clearly visible menus & buttons. Plus you can hit 1,2,3,4 while in any mode to toggle the features/axis and the interface will actually change when you hit a hotkey, showing you what mode you are currently in.

ok... F1 til F12... that's at most 12 keys that are one-button keys. most of them windows does even grab for itself.

now blender has an unbelievable asortment of key-shortcuts which are one or two buttons long. sorry dude... milkshape doesn't beat blender there... even if this is a swiss product it is not a match.

milkshape don't even have camera panning, so it's hella hard to make good models comfortably in Milkshape.

Believe me, iv'e been experienced in MS3d for 5 years and i've switched over to Blender and it's one hell of a switch. Don't take my word for it:

Boards.polycount.net

Milkshape is $25 and has a limited time trial, I really wouldn't consider that free

Edited by: leilei

As far as I have seen the blender interface looks no more daunting than Milkshape... or some other one I tried... but then again I am just not a modeller seeing as though it took me about an hour just to figure out how to make a sphere...

Blender is a lot closer to high end apps than Ms3d.
Ill stick to trusty XSI for now and yes most modelling programs are fuelled by shortcuts only n00bs press the buttons .

the problem is when moving between apps and the shortcuts chnage u do all sorts of weird shit lol

the XSI Mod tool is perfect for me the animation and rig side is a lot easier to understand than blender.

Maybe I should try that

try the free version of 3D Canvas. unless if you want to make serious models for games. i wonder if blender is easier the 3D Canvas....

the problem with the Mod Tool, i've noticed that its tough deselecting all the vertices cause u cant just click into empty space to deselect. I always have to press ctrl shift a to unselect everything.

can anyone point me to some good blender tutorials, i could use google, but i wouldn't know if they would be good or not until i try it. if you would be so kind and recommend me to some, it would save lots of time thanks.

Hmm.. well I gotta say Milkshape 3D or Gmax.. Milkshape first though cause you learn all the basics in there and it helps u get prepared for more complicated programs like 3DSMax and even Gmax.. if go straight for Gmax, you should be aight with 3DSmax right away.. Milkshape if you want things less complicated at first to make your life easier in modelling and then you move onto more complex programs like 3DSMax

p00nstar. there is a setup to select like tht its setup like tht at my uni . havent found out which settings it is etc yet because it annoys me too.

its very annoying... cant stand it.

Anim8or is my fave, since I can use it and it has the features that I like.

Blender is by far your best choice. As cheap and dragonlord said, it's fueled mainly by hotkeys. You might point out that nearly all apps are fueled by hotkeys if you take the time to learn them. But the thing that makes blenders hotkeys great is the layout. You can reach practically any hotkey availible without ever taking your hand off the mouse. The layout makes it possible to work very fast. Almost like typing.
For tutorials, your best bet would be to check at the documention at: Download.blender.org

anim8r is horrible. we had to use it at school, and it sucks.

i've started trying out blender. so far so good

Good luck with it If you need any help ask Me, Cheapalert, or DragonLord. We all get around it pretty well. Or you can sign up on www.elysiun.com The main blender community.

anim8or is what jeff lew used to make KillerBean 1 and 2 so it cant suck that much it got him a high end job in the CG industry after all