Experimenting on archviz I need some tool that allow me to rework this kind of geometry (i.e just close wall holes, or modify skirting shape).
Using a demo C4D installation currently but for my needs even the Prime is too expensive. Didn’t want subscription based Autodesk tool, also tested Blender and I really didn’t like the UI (personal opinion). Did have a license of 3d-Coat but is specialized on different tasks.
There is anything else.
The best cheap options are Blender, Maya LT, Modo Indie.
Did you use them? What’s the most useful for archviz asset editing. I’ll focus/purchase on just one of them.
If you can’t purchase a software then Blender is the only option really
I’ve already a 3d-Coat license but need to experiment and not sure if it’s the right tool, and can afford something about Modo Indie, wanted some advice from more experienced users before spending time just searching trying tools I didn’t know.
By ¨¨re modeling¨¨ if you mean to retopologise the mesh,than use topogun.Cheap and the best.
Meaning mesh editing, so polygonal re-modelling of an existing mesh.
Not sure if this is also related to retopolgy, I’m confused also from the fact in 3d-Coat retopo room (something I always associated to create a low poly mesh from an high poly one, that’s not what I want to achieve) there are also mesh editing tools.
In my understanding retopo and mesh editing are two separate activities, but I might be wrong and here the usefulness in asking to you experts.
They are separate tasks, retopo tools are mostly for organic stuff like characters, rocks, clothes, trees, etc. Some of them are fine for certain types of hard surface models, but definitely not for archviz, modular meshes, or meshes that need to snap together and be perfectly flush.
That’s why I’m in doubt if 3d-Coat is good for this kind of work (I still need to experiment, just an idea right now knowing what is good on), will be nice if someone can share his experience with both 3d-Coat and Mari to compare their fit with hard surface polygonal modelling activities.
Will be a good idea, except I’m on UE4 after bad experience with Unity marketplace. Purchased some editor and engine extension to overcome current limitations, and many of them become unsupported from the developer or open sourced (about the same) in less than one year.
After struggling to achieve anything with a moving target of both the engine and the lot of external tools I decided to give UE4 another run. It’s not perfect, but totally another level having all integrated and maintained tools.
So I prefer to rely on tools with bigger than one developer support for primary activities.
True, but not being my full time activity I need to do things in the time when I have time, without delay. Also learning some more generalist app might be always useful.
I read anyway a new Mesh Tool it’s in a GitHub repo, for free might be worth a test if it’s an official Epic maintained tool.
TopoGun is best in class these days.
Then there’s 3D Coat, Maya 2018, Mudbox and ZBrush (automatic but bad quality)
And the in-engine LOD generators.
Thanks, as written I need more a polygonal modelling tool than a retopo, except if I misunderstood what retopo mean.
I would strongly strongly recommend Blender(free) + HardOps addon(15$ cost one time purchase) from masterxeon101 and other dev’s. And absolutely must have Carver addon(free)
HardOps Hard Ops 00987 - Francium (#b3d)
Carver: Carver - Released Scripts and Themes - Blender Artists Community
Tutorials HOps - YouTube
The problem with blender is that first you should use 3d pie menu’s to get around, and most basic settings like edit/object mode, otherwise classic UI with no pie’s its hell, i fly trough blender menus with 3d pie menu, which is an addon included by default but disabled, and sadly many blender settings are all over the place atm, not very organized.
As far as i know there are no other options that are free or as cheap.
Modo would be a nice candidate but hell its expensive lacks tutorials and laggy/buggy program, i tried it as trial for a while, has potentiall but not affordable.
I use blender+hardOps+carver for my modelling and it really is a life saver.
Blender is extremely powerfull but many settings/techniques and addons are not really well known you have to search for them, like Bsurfaces addon(free) workflow for retopology, learned about it a few months ago and its insane that i didnt know about it for years doing manual retopo lol, sucker me.
Link to bsurfaces technique - YouTube
I dont know what your “hard surface” needs are but thats what i recommend.
Vanilla blender without a proper setup and a few addons(mostly are free) is kinda meh makes it very boring and pale experience out of the box.
If you need normals baking from high res mesh to low res mesh use xNormal or AwesomeBump, the built in blender normal baking is kinda meh, slow and quirky sometimes works sometimes not, thought id mention that aswell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRMepJq3Ptw this video is old pie menus have a few more options nowdays.
Nothing to wonder about, youtube is full of 3D pie menu toturials and its old now like 2-3 years old, the basic interface without it is just a lot of shortcuts and menu clicking annoying.
The reason why its disabled by default is because the old style blender was to use pure shortcut keys and almost no buttons to maximize viewport work area, but not everyone can do shortcuts, i cant remember them i always forget after a while, can only remember few of them. Once i found 3D pie menus i was able to focus more on modelling rather than fighting with the interface.
If you are beginner pie menu’s are a must use IMHO.