Ive tried to get into 3d modeling many many times, Ive tried Modo and Max Multiple times its, I even bought a 6 hour tutorial last week on modeling in Max for beginners and I just couldn’t stick with it and gave up after 10 episodes. Yet I can spend all day using Daz 3D and UE4 and making simple levels with Supergrid Starter Pack, I want to learn max or Modo its, just complicated idk why. And there are only so many hours in the day as well. Would Z brush be easier for me to get into? Ive used play dough and clay before.
Well first, the two programs have different purposes, 3ds Max is an all-around 3D software, for modeling, texturing, animation, simulation, rendering, etc. Zbrush is a sculpting program, and you can’t actually do a game character entirely in Zbrush because it doesn’t have animation rigging.
Zbrush is necessary to learn if you want to become a character artist, but you’ll need to know a 3D software like 3ds Max/Maya/Blender as well.
Zbrush also has a UI that just isn’t very good and takes some getting used to.
if you talking about general modeling, max is good. but for *simple modeling zbrush is good. (*sometime zbrush is complicated too if you want create hardsurface stuff
if you use zbrush only, it is really something if you want to import your sclupted model into ue4 if you ONLY use zbrush
so, use max or both.
but like darthviper107 said, max and zbrush have diferent purpose. max is more general, max will be fine if you need general software (rigging, animating, etc)
if you need software that support sculpt, you have option like Modo, Maya, Blender.
if you need recommendation about modeling software, I recommended Blender.
I can use Vue pretty well, havent tried world creator or World machine, I went to the wm website and saw it was all that connect the dots system, nodes i think they call it, on the other hand there is probuilder coming to ue4 which isnt a replacement for max or modo but im assuming its better then bsp as you can do more complex stuff with it,
3DS Max is certainly easier to jump into. As mentioned already the UI is more consistent with your typical modeling software, whereas ZBrush is very unusual and takes time and practice to get down. Also, subdivision modeling in general is easier to master because it is more absolute, and less abstract. It is easier to maintain your geometry as well because you typically don’t work with a very high number of polygons in subdivision modeling software. Zbrush as a sculpting program was optimized to handle hundreds of thousands (or even millions if your rig can handle it) of polygons in a modeling session. This is why Zbrush is great for character design. With the wide number of brushes available, you have more control over the polygons and the level of detail you can add. However I will say that Zbrush 4R7 seems to do a much a better job of handling subdivision modeling with the new modeling tools they added. It is also MUCH cheaper than Autodesk software. It could offer you the best of both worlds for a better price. Than again, that really depends on your creative needs. To recap though, 3DS Max is much easier to get into. You might even consider starting there before using Zbrush.
all I want to do is make architecture for archviz/game projects I have in my head. I might try Modo again but Idk Im starting to think that it might not even be worth learning Polygon modeling software anymore as its just so complicated to me and there is only so many hours in the day. I wish there was a KISS version of Max (Keep it simple stupid) that Just has the modeling of Max and UVing nothing else, that I could get into, as of right now, theres just way too many buttons and options in Max, its overwhelming
I haven’t used Modo so I can’t comment on that. It sounds like to me that you are struggling more with modeling principles and techniques rather than the software itself. Instead of approaching modeling with the idea of what software to use, and which is is better, you should focus on mastering modeling principles and techniques. Before you frustrate yourself and end up quitting game design (which is what a lot of people do), I recommend you get the book called “Digital Modeling” by William Vaughan. It is a great introduction to modeling that is not independent to any particular software. It also has an introduction to sculpting. Don’t get me wrong, the software you choose is important because they all offer different features and tools to accommodate your workflow, however at there core they are all built on the same fundamental designs and functions. Whether you use Blender, Maya or 3DS Max they are all going to offer a basic modeling tool set that manipulates vertices, edges, faces and UVs. So while they are different in what they offer you, fundamentally they are all the same. What you need to focus on is modeling principles and techniques (and best practices), and not the software suit itself.
This might sound like a strange analogy but bear with me; Martial artists often argue about what “style” is best, and why it is. However, no style is better than another. What makes one style “better” than the other is the martial artists skill level in that style. Not the style itself. Get good modeling principles and techniques under your belt and you can better work your way around applications like 3DS Max. Oh and by the way, take your time learning this stuff. It doesn’t happen overnight. You will burn out fast if you expect to be an expert in a short amount of time. Enjoy the process of learning.
Modeling is a huge undertaking, and not something that can be taken lightly. If you don’t enjoy it and don’t have a great interest in it, then you should either work with someone else who specializes in it or use assets.
Half-hearted efforts will only lead to hideous results anyway. Even a lot of dedicated 3D artists aren’t very good.
Alternatively, you could go 2D. The basics are much easier to grasp.
It sounds like you need a coach of some sort. Can you find someone in your city who you can show what you’re trying to do, and who can help you out with whatever it is you get stuck on?
Anyway, if you want the simplest program for “just making some houses,” then try Sketch-Up. Zbrush is not good for architecture in my opinion – you’d be better off with Max or Maya or Modo, or even a plain CAD program like AutoCad (which can do 3D from floorplans as well.)
The other question is how much you already know about 3D graphics in general? If you have to learn all the fundamentals of 3D graphics and geometry, AND you have to learn to use a program to express that, at the same time, it will be going slower. That’s a bit like trying to learn latin at the same time as trying to learn math, from a math textbook written in latin…
I live in a small town in Iowa so yea sadly having a coach isnt an option, I have used sketchup over the years and have used Cinema 4d a little here and there, I use Daz Studio and Vue a lot more over the years then sketchup though. Would going back to school to learn 3D modeling be a good idea, I graduated 2 years ago and still am working to find a job in my chosen field, which is Graphic Design. Are there any online like 1 on 1 or online classes I could take for 3d modeling?
Are you strongly attached to 3D? Because if you’re working as a Graphic Designer, there would already be a lot of skill crossover with 2D work.
Ive always loved messing around with 3d,
3ds max is a general 3d package. You can do modeling, rigging, and animating in 3dsmax entirely. Its can be used in many purposes (Architectural modeling, character mdeling , vfx, etc) . Another example of general 3d package are Autodesk Maya, Lightwave, Cinema4D, Modo, and Blender (free)
in the other side, Zbrush is more on 3D “sculpting” package. Sculpting means detailing your model. Zbrush widely used to give a great amount of detail to the model (such as wrinkles, clothing fold, stitch, etc). Usually, an artist will make base mesh in 3ds max and move it to Zbrush for detailing. Another sculpting package is : Mudbox
You may do sculpting in 3ds max but Zbrush can do it more efficiently and saves you a lot of time.
You may also use zbrush to model (using their ztool) but its uncommon.