Meshing Question The best 3D programs for addon development

[Malkom K]

Hello everyone.

I'm wondering what the most popular 3D application for Orbiter add-on development is. Also I would like to know if there are any tutorials that describe how to determine how big your model will be in Orbiter, in comparison with other Orbiter ships.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Izack]

Based on what I've seen here (not a modeler) Anim8or seems to be the most popular. There is also a large advocacy for Wings 3D and Blender. All of these are free software. Some people like to use Google Sketchup (also free) but I'm not sure that it's as great a program for the kind of modeling Orbiter wants. There is also the usual 3DSMax, etc. if you have the $$.

 

[Rtyh-12]

Excuse me, but isn't Blender free?

---------- Post added at 21:37 ---------- Previous post was at 21:36 ----------

Yup, I checked.

Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, [...]

 

[Izack]

Fixed. Should have checked that, sorry. :facepalm:

 

[Bibi Uncle]

Personnaly, I use Blender with the export script that you can find on the web. It works really great. However, I don't have any talent in 3D modeling...

 

[Malkom K]

Thanks for the replies. I'll definitely check out 3DS Max as well as Anim8or and Blender.

Also, is there a good, understandable, easy-to-use tool for creating textures/skins/whatsit for your vessels?

 

[Bibi Uncle]

GIMP is probably the best freeware for painting on the computer. Of course, there is Photoshop but you must pay for it. I have it (actually, I bought Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 and Photoshop Elements 6.0 was free with it) and I use GIMP. Photoshop is good for editing real pictures, but it's rather difficult to create a bitmap or a texture from it. Also, Photoshop uses way too much ressources. I have a P4 3.06 Ghz with 1.5 Gb of RAM and it runs with little difficulties. GIMP runs smoothly everytime.

 

[Malkom K]

GIMP is probably the best freeware for painting on the computer. Of course, there is Photoshop but you must pay for it. I have it (actually, I bought Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 and Photoshop Elements 6.0 was free with it) and I use GIMP. Photoshop is good for editing real pictures, but it's rather difficult to create a bitmap or a texture from it. Also, Photoshop uses way too much ressources. I have a P4 3.06 Ghz with 1.5 Gb of RAM and it runs with little difficulties. GIMP runs smoothly everytime.

I mean something that's used to tell you where to draw your skin/texture/whatever. I know there's something called UV Unwrapping but I could never figure it out. A tutorial would be great.

 

[C3PO]

I use Gmax. I think it's still free. And the poor look of my meshes is my fault, not Gmax's. :lol:

 

[Stevodoran]

I use google sketchup and solid works.

 

[Bibi Uncle]

I mean something that's used to tell you where to draw your skin/texture/whatever. I know there's something called UV Unwrapping but I could never figure it out. A tutorial would be great.

Oups ! Sorry for the misunderstand.

Blender can do UV mapping. It's a bit hard to understand whatever the software you use, but you can get a UV map with almost every 3D modeling software. In Blender, when your UV map is ready, you can export it as a JPEG, BMP, TGA and others so you have a reference for the drawings.

 

[Arthur Dent]

A good tool is also AC3D (available at http://www.inivis.com/). It is very affordable, and very powerful. Not as powerful as 3ds Max, but way superior over Anim8tor, and IMHO definitely easier to use than Blender.

It has very easy to use UV Mapping tools, which Anim8tor lacks.

It has a free trial.

 

[Ghostrider]

Has anyone tried out K-3D?

 

[Urwumpe]

Has anyone tried out K-3D?

I tried it, but the user interface is again something new. Can't people use the same UI for all modelling programs...

 

[n122vu]

I've used anim8or and Blender. Although I felt anim8or was the easier tool to use, Blender is by far the more powerful. I just haven't had time to become as familiar with Blender as I am with anim8or.

Once you do get UV Mapping down, GIMP is definitely one of the better free tools to use for your texturing. Paint.NET also looks like a comparable tool, though I haven't used it for texturing yet, only for editing photos for our company website. It is also free.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

I use AC3D and GIMP.

AC3D is an often overlooked 3d modelling app. It does have limitations, especially when compared to Maya et al, but I find it easy to use, it contains a UV mapper, and it is only about $70 for full version (trial available). For orbiter, AC3D has everything I need and I enjoy using it. I certainly find it much easier to use than blender or wings3d.

I find GIMP clumsier than Photoshop, but for a free app it's pretty comprehensive, so meets my limited artistic needs.

 

[Stoat]

Here's a link to uvmapper http://www.uvmapper.com/

 

[Moach]

for free, i'd recomend Gmax and Paint.NET...

but, if you got a buck (or 5k) to spare, get PhotoShop CS5 and 3dsmax2011 (my weapons of choice) - Photoshop is particularly magic... 3dsMax is very much awesome as well... but you gotta take your time to set up the UI and keyboard assignments, otherwise it's soooooooo cumbersome.....

and i recommend to all that if possible, get yourself a 6dof thingy (i use space
navigator) - it helps a LOT

 

[Stoat]

On the subject of mapping, does Orbiter have problems with a mesh with ngons in it?

 

[Urwumpe]

On the subject of mapping, does Orbiter have problems with a mesh with ngons in it?

Yes, because Orbiter only supports triangles. Your mesh exporter needs to triangulate n-gons.