What do you prefer?

[tophe 68]

I'm just starting out learning to make addons.

I've been toying with SketchUp to make buildings, but it seem

hard to be able to optimize them for o2 in there..

So I'm going to learn to medel properly.

SO.. what do you prefer? Using 3D studio Max and importing

to o2, or do you always use o2?

[JdB 151]

I use 3DS MAX for all modelling, mapping and skinning purposes with the exception of selections, which are an OFP/ArmA specific job, so O2 is required.

[MehMan 0]

Same here.

[Jackal326 1173]

I use o2 for everything. Its the only program I've ever used, and ever needed to use for 3d modelling, so I've not bothered learning any other programs. I suppose this is very short-sighted as what happens when (if) I turn away from OFP/ArmA, O2 wont serve me very well if I want to go into, modding for HL2 for example. But thats just the way it is.

[abs 2]

3DS Max.

It's good for you.

Abs

[DarkGiver 0]

I use milkshape for modelling and texturing... with the help of 3dsmax for boolean operations, pre-render and final exportation in .3ds and after of course.. o2 for the required operations.

I find milkshape more pratical and lighter for low poly modelling than 3dsmax...

[MehMan 0]

Believe me, it isn't. I used Milkshape before I switched to max. Max beats it. But milkshape is a good learning program.

[BraTTy 0]

O2 only here

Like I am going to spend 3000$ or whatever 3dsmax is to make free addons. sif

[DarkGiver 0]

MehMan, you underestimate milkshape... making some nice render of highpoly model is one thing.. but having a working low poly textured model ingame is another thing...

By the way.. the software used is not the most important... the skill you have with is the key

[Col. Faulkner 0]

O2 beats 3Ds Max on price

[vilas 475]

i use oxygen because it is free

3ds max costs in PL 5000 euro or more while man earns 200-400 eu/month

also i try not to use pirated and stolen software

so i do all in Oxygen

[MehMan 0]

MehMan, you underestimate milkshape... making some nice render of highpoly model is one thing.. but having a working low poly textured model ingame is another thing...

By the way.. the software used is not the most important... the skill you have with is the key

I spent three years working with milkshape. I know what it can and can't do. Max beats it hands down. You can model much faster and much more efficently in Max.

[baddo 0]

Hey Olle Stolpe,

if you are serious about 3D modelling, then I suggest you take a look at 3D navigation devices too. Of course you need to use a program which supports one. This rules using only Oxygen out. We'll see if there is support in the next version release of Oxygen by BIS. With a 3D navigation device the rotating you normally do with your mouse, will change into the 3D navigation device making your modelling work more efficient and a bonus is that the strain on your mouse hand will reduce which can be quite significant gain (at least for me it made a big difference in how much my hand hurt after a working day).

At least http://www.3dconnexion.com/ makes good 3D navigation devices. They also offer a SDK to integrate support into your own programs without fee, so BIS could provide this in their own modeling program as well.

Best Regards,

Baddo.

[oyman 0]

I tried 3dsmax but its pretty confusing at first. I use o2 alot more but I will use 3dsmax to uv map models made in o2.

[Synide 0]

Having a philosophical discussion about 'which 3d tool' is better is like UN debates... pointless.

I recommend Max and Maya if you can afford it as they are commerical programs specifically made for the job/job's your wanting to do.

Howver, I would say that most users who post in this forum would never use the complete gambit of functionality that 3DSMax 9 & Maya 8.5 provide you.

I recommend Modo - even buying it is cheap.

It is easy to use and functionally great.

Use a 3rd party tool for converting to 3ds for O2.

If you're planning on making modelling a career go for Max and/or Maya

O2 beats them all on price - cause it's free but the funtionality and useability in comparision to above products is not good. (and b4 you disagree, just don't)

But, you will have to use O2 so start using it... alot.

You may even find that for your needs it is entirely satifactory.

[nephilim 0]

Modo

Mudbox

o2 is essential for settiing up models for ofp/arma and not modeling in the primary field..

btw thats offtopic..

[baddo 0]

O2 beats them all on price - cause it's free but the funtionality and useability in comparision to above products is not good. (and b4 you disagree, just don't)

Yup that is very true... somehow when I brought that up some time ago, people jumped on my throat. I don't know why that happened as I only said a fact. There is no need to be so protective over Oxygen when we say non-arguable facts. We can argue about matter of taste but not about obvious facts, I think. In facts there is nothing to argue about

What matters is, Oxygen is free, and unavoidable at some point. I don't know what this http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/GateBuilder Oxygen clone/copy? can do, but that is an option too maybe.

Then there is the free http://www.blender.org/, which is a powerful program but harder to learn compared to Oxygen. Blender has, in my opinion, a significant flaw in its ideology though; they refuse to support closed-source 3D navigation devices (like the ones from 3dconnexion), even if they could do it so that no GPL'd source code is mixed with closed-source code. Well many other tools too don't support 3D navigation devices so Blender doesn't lose anything to them in that aspect.

Cheers,

Baddo.

[VXR 9]

I prefer O2 above others, simply because I learned to model in O2 Oxygen. Once you can model in O2 it is easy.

[baddo 0]

Once you can model in O2 it is easy.

Yes, but if you try some other tools you will see how much more efficient and easy 3D modelling can be, when there are more advanced (but still easy-to-use) features available.

Oxygen is a simple program so it is a very good starting point for beginners, that is true.

Best Regards,

Baddo.

[max power 21]

There is a lot of information on the web on how to use 3dsmax effectively for pretty much any purpose under the sun. There are tutorials for it, and how to integrate it into a workflow using pretty much any other 3d application.

[Synide 0]

@nephilim... hmmm, Mudbox, and made in my hometown... lol, bugger, missed that one... investigating now. thx.

[JdB 151]

While it is true that higher-end applications (even Blender and Wings3D which are free IIRC) have alot of functions that you will never need for OFP/ArmA, the advantages in modelling and mapping a model are enormous (although no program is worth anything if the user does not now how to use it).

With what I know now (I started in Oxygen, then switched to MAX, this was easier for me as I have some good friends that already worked in MAX), if I were to start modelling tomorrow, I would have chosen Oxygen over MAX, because it teaches you the basics of modelling while not being overly confusing. I would then switch to MAX though (or any other program) because it is alot more usefull in longer terms, you can easily model for other games etc. You can of course replace "MAX" in my case with any program of your choice, they're all more capable as Oxygen.

Still a good knowledge of Oxygen is required to bring models ingame, and give them features.

[nephilim 0]

gatebuilder HAHAH!!

what a joke..

honestly if it was a clone/copy

it would be pretty dumb to put it in the wiki...

besides i wonder why they have shut down p3dedit...

so gatebuilder...

i think you get the clue..

[tophe 68]

Thx all...

Well, I'm probably switching to 3dMax now.

I tried it and it's just so much cleaner to work with.

Seems faster and easier. More shapes and stuff. I like it.

Any good tutorials anywhere?

[Guest]

making all the GEO LODS and VIEW LODS seem easier to make in o2. As far as doing complicated uvw unwraps, 3dsmax is the way to go when comparing the 2 programs. 3dsmax is one of the easiest 3d apps out there imo. Its not something you will learn overnight, it can take years before you are really on top of every step. Same goes for o2. Ive seen some serious magic being made from the expert o2 users out there.

I think people should just be happy that there are tools, and lots of them out there. When I first started there was nothing out there for the casual 3d artist. I started with Autodesk 3dstudio v1 way back in the day, and if i compare that feeling of first learning a 3d app to what people must experience today.... you guys are all really lucky to have so many powerfull tools available.