What should I keep in mind when looking for already made 3D models?

[progamer 14]

So I'm basically a horrible artist but I'd like to start adding some new vehicles with mods. I know freeware models are allowed but what should I keep in mind when searching for 3D models? What exactly defines a freeware model and how do I know the model is freeware? What are the best websites to look for freeware models?

I am aiming for vehicle models that are unique in the sense on other game uses them. I know making the model yourself is generally the better way to go about things but please no make it yourself comments.

I did look for forums posts on this issue but the closet one I found was dealing with models from other games. If there already is a thread on this issue, please delete this one.

Edited November 16, 2013 by ProGamer

[Hatchet_AS 201]

Unfortunately (speaking from experience), it can be quite challenging trying to find/utilize 3rd party assets. First and foremost, you generally don't find game ready assets for free. Secondly, what you do generally find for free (or even paid 'high quality' models) is a clusterfoo of geometry that has to be reworked for a game engine. The amount of time it can take to work through the model to find everything that is not correct and fix it ... is generally more than it would have taken to model it properly the first time. You're better off in most cases remodeling off whatever you get your hands on. This can be very efficient if you know what you're doing in your 3d app. If you're not a 3d artist as it were, then it might not be a reasonable thing in the first place.

Assuming you can find something free that is usable and you have your resolution LOD, there are still the additional resolution lods, geometry and shadow lods, and all the needed named selections and memory points that have to be generated. Again, not something you'll likely find in a free or even paid model.

At any rate, there are a few sites like grabcad, blendswap, TF3DM I browse on occasion (google ftw). What to look for ... it's all relative, considering you're scenario ... I'd say you'd want game ready assets. Which would hopefully include all the 'work' involved. Like the low poly model with UVs and textures. Otherwise, you're going to be doing all that work yourself. And again simply means you'd be better off doing it all yourself from the start. I know thats not a reply you want. But is what it is.

[progamer 14]

Unfortunately (speaking from experience), it can be quite challenging trying to find/utilize 3rd party assets. First and foremost, you generally don't find game ready assets for free. Secondly, what you do generally find for free (or even paid 'high quality' models) is a clusterfoo of geometry that has to be reworked for a game engine. The amount of time it can take to work through the model to find everything that is not correct and fix it ... is generally more than it would have taken to model it properly the first time. You're better off in most cases remodeling off whatever you get your hands on. This can be very efficient if you know what you're doing in your 3d app. If you're not a 3d artist as it were, then it might not be a reasonable thing in the first place.

Assuming you can find something free that is usable and you have your resolution LOD, there are still the additional resolution lods, geometry and shadow lods, and all the needed named selections and memory points that have to be generated. Again, not something you'll likely find in a free or even paid model.

At any rate, there are a few sites like grabcad, blendswap, TF3DM I browse on occasion (google ftw). What to look for ... it's all relative, considering you're scenario ... I'd say you'd want game ready assets. Which would hopefully include all the 'work' involved. Like the low poly model with UVs and textures. Otherwise, you're going to be doing all that work yourself. And again simply means you'd be better off doing it all yourself from the start. I know thats not a reply you want. But is what it is.

If I wanted to model something myself, what program would you recommend? And are all the models on those websites safe to use for Arma 3 mods? Or what caution should I use when looking through them for ones that I am allowed to use?

Edited November 22, 2013 by ProGamer

[chortles 263]

Blender's the first program to look at, simply because it's free. :D I'd also add that there are some existing upsides such as Alwarren's export script (requires Blender 2.66 and up) which actually let him for the most part forego Oxygen.

As far as the models, I'm not sure re: grabcad and TF3DM, but one upside of Blendswap to me is that it allows one to filter by model license, i.e. CC Zero, CC-BY. If I can have something like the author further clarifying in the comments that yes their HK416 is "you may use it for whatever you want, if you want to credit me then go ahead but you dont have too", even better.

[progamer 14]

Blender's the first program to look at, simply because it's free. :D I'd also add that there are some existing upsides such as Alwarren's export script (requires Blender 2.66 and up) which actually let him for the most part forego Oxygen.

As far as the models, I'm not sure re: grabcad and TF3DM, but one upside of Blendswap to me is that it allows one to filter by model license, i.e. CC Zero, CC-BY. If I can have something like the author further clarifying in the comments that yes their HK416 is "you may use it for whatever you want, if you want to credit me then go ahead but you dont have too", even better.

Thanks fro the info, but what are all the licenses am I allowed to use the models from? Can I use a model and provide credit for the creator? Do you know of any Blender tutorials?

[chortles 263]

CC Zero and CC-BY are examples of seemingly 'usable' works, along with CC-BY-SA; all of these allow for commercial use of the work, although CC-BY-SA requires that "If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one", and both that and CC-BY require providing credit for the author: "You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work)." (I am uncertain of how exactly CC-BY-NC-SA works with regards to Arma 3 mods and therefore omitted it.)

Unfortunately I don't have any specific Blender tutorials on hand.

EDIT: When I downloaded a CC Zero blend, this prompt was given:

This blend is licensed Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0.which has no requirements:

• Blend Swap recommends you give credit to the blend author, but there is no obligation to do so.

Do you agree with this license ?

When downloading a CC-BY blend, I instead got this prompt:

This blend is licensed Creative Commons Attribution 3.0,which has the following requirements:

• You must give credit to the author of this blend.

What's the deal with all this "giving credits" thing?

Do you agree with this license ?

The latter link has more details on use of non-CC Zero models. The ShareAlike ("CC-BY-SA") download prompt adds the clause that "You must distribute any derivative works under the same license.", while CC-BY-NC-SA's download prompt adds "You can not use this blend commercially under any circumstance." on top of the other two clauses.

Unfortunately it does not appear that Blendswap allows filtering by both category and license, only one or the other, so I for one just sort by category (i.e. "Weapon").

Edited November 22, 2013 by Chortles

[progamer 14]

Thanks for the info, but once I have the model, how do i know if i can get it into oxygen?

[Heinrich Kramer 172]

To get a blender model into oxygen you should take a look at Alwarrens Blender toolbox: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?154289-Arma-Toolbox-for-Blender-Arma-2-3-exporter-script

also, here is a youtube channel with videotutorials, i guess the last 2 categories are of your interest then: http://www.youtube.com/user/blendercookie/videos?view=1&flow=grid

[progamer 14]

To get a blender model into oxygen you should take a look at Alwarrens Blender toolbox: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?154289-Arma-Toolbox-for-Blender-Arma-2-3-exporter-script

also, here is a youtube channel with videotutorials, i guess the last 2 categories are of your interest then: http://www.youtube.com/user/blendercookie/videos?view=1&flow=grid

Thanks for the info!

Edited November 23, 2013 by ProGamer

[marksinnerdemon 11]

I will thank you as well. I use to mess with sketchup, but haven't in a while so I am thinking about learning a bit.