Attached Link: http://nevercenter.com/index.php/Home/491

Attached Link: http://www.cgchannel.com/news/viewfeature.jsp?newsid=2902

Looks like it shows some potential. Workflow seems like it's really good, and customizable. It's really a bare-bones modeler right now though (with some advanced features for that), but it doesn't have a very advanced materials editor, and you have to export the scenes to a renderman compliant renderer like POVray. They claim to be working on a built-in renderer for it though.

Also, they have admitted there will likely be a modest price increase for version 2.0, and I expect as it gets more deeply enhanced with features, the price will also gradually climb.

It won't stay this cheap for long. ;-)

Message edited on: 07/15/2004 15:22

I have Max 3 and only just so I could load my fantastic De Espona collection, (which is MAX only) and export them into Poser, Vue, etc. And, I've played around with the P4-PP import plug-in between MAX and Pro-Pack. But my biggest gripe about MAX is that for being so EXPENSIVE, and constantly more expensive with every release, you would think that you are paying the BIG BUCKS for something that is intelligently designed to be easy to use- (Big Bucks should equal=Easy to Use) But while I have gradually gotten the hang of MAX, I still think it is one of the mostly BADLY DESIGNED programs ever. You have to hunt through a million menus all over the place to do what you need to do. Seems to me that it could be re-designed to be a lot more "intuitive"- and then worth paying the Big Bucks, etc. That's why I hope people like these guys come along and knock MAX's sox off! And when while Lightwave ever become ONE PROGRAM? That's another stupid software design I think. I'm sure avid Lightwavers have it figured out, but switching between two programs isn't very "intuitive" (I have LW 6.5).

Silo has only one main drawback: by the time you have installed it, they have released yet another version with new features. My guess is they're gonna make it in a bigbig way IF they resist being bought by one of the biggies. And if they don't want to be it all and do it all. I mean: their app should fit seamlessly in the pipeline of workflow. If they strive to replace the big-ones directly, they are doomed.

Well, Veritas777, "easy to use" and "easy to learn" are two different things. I haven't come across a software package yet that had EVERYTHING I needed and was as easy to learn as, for instance, Poser. You have to understand that with more features, more options, comes a greater learning curve.

Max IS easy to use... once you learn it. I don't like Lightwave's interface with all the different modules it breaks down into (very much like Poser 5's "Rooms"), but once you learn it, it's also very easy to use.

Once you get a solid grasp on how to do things in any of these packages, the real power behind them (compared to most smaller, less expensive ones)is indeed WORKFLOW. Packages like Maya, Lightwave and 3dsMax are geared toward making professional production pipelines faster and more efficient than can be found in many of the lower-end solutions.

With 3dsMax in particular, there are at least 3 or 4 different ways you can tackle any single objective/problem. Some poeple get frustrated because it gives you TOO many choices to do certain tasks, but I like that about it myself.

PS: You DO know that there are customizable hotkeys for almost every task you can do in 3dsMax (which makes things as easy as one-click), and also a fully customizable UI that allows you to arrange menus and buttons to suit your workflow/style.

;-)

Message edited on: 07/15/2004 16:27

"Nevercenter is a new private company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. We are a small team devoted to the development of 3d software and content. Our goal is to make 3d graphics more accessible to a wider variety of people, with an emphasis on speed, appeal, and ease of use, while maintaining a high-end product." Sounds like Dan Farr is only a Harley drive down the turnpike from these guys... (How about some software contracting to soup-up DAZ Studio and the 2005 "Super-Bryce"?)

Note the statement--"development of CONTENT"--Hmmmmm????

Blender is a free 3D modling program .Never used it befor though but my buddy seems to like it.

Has anyone downloaded the Silo demo and tried it out? It looks interesting. I've mostly been learning 3d modeling using Wings (cause it's free ;-) but I would be willing to check this out if it gets good reviews from people who have tried it out.

I tried downloading the free learning edition, but I can't figure out anything except loadint the pretty basics (ohh look, a cube!) I don't know how to do anything to it, except moving the camera around it!

A 17-day fully functional test period before purchase? Sounds like something other programs might consider as well.

"Blender is a free 3D modling program .Never used it befor though but my buddy seems to like it." Yes, I've heard and seen some extraordinary things about Blender. I hear it's a pretty impressive package. :-)

The recent freebie of the HIGHLY accurate "Alien Queen" was modeled in Blender. A pretty good testament for that program I'd say. Sincerely, Bill

I love Blender. Do my modeling and character morphs in it. Imports and exports in .obj with a python script.

I have never been able to get the .obj import/export to work in Blender. Got any pointers or links?

A 17-day fully functional test period before purchase?

Sounds like something other programs might consider as well.

MilkShape has a 30-day fully-functional trial period. Even after the trial period ends, you can still practice with it; only the save/export functions will be disabled.

I've downloaded the demo a while ago and even though I've modeled with many 3D applications, I found it a bit 'different' to use. Played with it for a while, but didn't like it too much. It for sure maybe powerfull but due to it's different approach in modeling, it need quite some time to get used too. If this application wants to be a companion to Lightwave/Cinema 4D/3DMAX and so on, it should have at least followed a similair approach in usage. If it want to be a serious contender to the 'big boys' it for sure needs to go a long way still. But that's my opinion. Seen it, been there, done that, won't do it again.

Actually- these guys should get together with DAZ, I would think. At least DAZ could maybe contract them to work on parts of DAZ Studio and Bryce to add modeling features, etc. (However- DAZ really needs to work on the rendering speeds of DAZ Studio and Bryce- and I think the only way Bryce and DS can be "Super Versions" is kick them up to 64 bit code.)

DAZ already figured out how to make improvements on the rendering speed of Bryce, and users should see that in the next upgrade release. At least that's what I read in the Bryce forum. I doubt you'll ever see modeling in DAZ Studio, but Bryce can already do boolean modeling, and I suppose they'll expand on that even further. You might see something like being able to pose figures directly in Bryce and things like that. I have to admit, the acquisition of Bryce was probably a very smart move on DAZ's part. I don't use Bryce, but it seems to be quite modular, and if expanded upon, it could really be a force. The thing is, it really needs better import/export functionality and extensive plugin support to compete with Vue.

Powerful, Easy 3D Modeling Software- And Cheap? Why did I immediately think Wings3D?

Well, I went and got the download, though I'll have to get home before I can get to a working windows machine to test it. Some of the features I've seen (soft selection, seam-bound mirroring, etc) look damned useful for modelling poser stuff. It also looks as if you can bone it before export. Now if there was a way to convert such bones to JCM's via a plugin... I guess I'll see what their SDK has in it >:) /P

"I have never been able to get the .obj import/export to work in Blender. Got any pointers or links?" Try the 2.33a version and also grab the debugged python script at http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Python_Scripts.3.0.html#21

Attached Link: http://www.anim8or.com

The easiest program to model, I have tried many, I think is wings3d. Very good results in a short time.

While it is still missing a few tools, I find Silo indispensable, it is a straightforward modeler with a real nice tool set. I own C4d and Lightwave, and more and more I am reaching for Silo. having those other programs I am not concerned with materials or rendering features, and personally I would rather Nevercenter spend the time on the new modeling tools, like the Topology Brush which is coming out in 1.3, I would pay $109 just for that tool!