hi everybody. yesterday i happned upon a program called sharp construct which was like a virtual way of sculpting. then i tried zbrush and i like that too. what other programs are like sharp construct and z brush. i also tried a program called curvy 3d. i prefer the idea of sculpting objects rather then working with mathamatics and figures like blender and maya.

Mudbox http://www.mudbox3d.com

Silo 2 (currently in Beta testing) http://www.nevercenter.com

Hexagon 2 http://www.daz3d.com

thanx teyon

what do people recomend for an absolute beginner?

Well, that's a tough call. It all depends on what you need out of the program, the price range you can afford and the wokflow you prefer.  In order of price (at least, what I'm aware of):

Mudbox has been in use in production studios for over a year and a half. It's just recently been released to the public and while you have to have a base model available before being able to use it, it offers what is being called a more user friendly interface than ZBrush.  Local subdivision is a big plus.

ZBrush is an old warhorse, who has been around for a long time and has a large and relatively friendly user base. As a bonus, you can actually start and end in ZBrush if you're skilled enough with ZSpheres.

Hexagon 2 puts sculpting and 3D texture painting in the hands of those on a budget. It's interface could be considered a plus or a minus depending on your workflow habits and the inability to export texture or displacement paint information across UV seams is a big negative that needs to be fixed. Big draw is the ability to paint textures as well as displacement but again, clean up will be needed.

Silo 2 (Beta) Like Hexagon 2, Silo 2 is a budget priced modeler that offers digital sculpting and a completely customizable interface (right down to the graphics for the buttons  you use). The open and "clean" interface can make the program a joy for some and a mystery for others. Silo 2 is currently in Public Beta Testing and can only be had at the moment by purchasing Silo 1.42 or if you're a pre-existing user.  One major feature Silo has that's lacking in Hexagon is the ability to alter your geometry without loosing all of your displacement. Currently Silo 2 can only export Normal Maps, though the final will be able to export both Normal Maps and Displacement Maps.

BlackSmith 3D is a program I completely forgot to mention, sorry about that. It's sculpting tool (available as standalone or part of the "Suite") is a pretty cool alternative and offers features akin to those of Silo 2 and Hexagon 2. I've found the interface a little counter intuitve at times and the displacement tools can be a bit tricky to master.

Curvy3D is a fun program but lacks many of the important features needed to be used seriously as a sculpting tool.  Also, it's interface can take some getting used too.

Sharp Construct is a powerful little freeware app that again, lacks some of the tools/features of the bigger boys but at the same time is free and pretty "jump in and play" in terms of use.  Downsides can be frequent crashes and polygon limits.

I've heard word that Blender also has some type of sculpting feature but I couldn't confirm this nor have I used it (obviously), so I can't comment on how well I think it's implemented or what I see to be its strengths/weaknesses.

I hope that helped.

My personal opinion is to find out if a demo is available and try the program before you buy. I love Silo 2 but I'm also looking to pick up Mudbox, as it's been getting rave reviews from just about everyone who comes in contact with it. I have used ZBrush and while I could get things done with it, there were times I felt like I was fighting the interface to do what I wanted. Hexagon 2 was my first introduction into the world of displacement painting (I'm even the mod for that forum here) but I'm not a fan of the "Validate" command you have to go through in order for some tasks to be made final, I don't know of any other program that requires you to validate as you're doing basic modeling things. Also the texture painting isn't undoable and I have yet to see movement from Daz on updates beyond 2.1 which was released earlier this year. The other tools mentioned I haven't been able to get into at all as a user really, they just didn't do it for me.  Again, that's a personal and very biased viewpoint, as it's mine and mine alone. Each user will have different experiences.

im looking at silo 2 but it seems to lag quite a bit on my pc. pentium 4 2.8 gig 768 ram.id like an all in one solution if possible. i also notice there a freeware version of silo. silo doesnt seem vry phto realistic. it doesnt look like z brush. it has a very bland yellow colour.

There's a learning edition of Silo 1.3 (or 1.42) yes. As for lag, I can't really say...most folks think Silo's pretty speedy but then again, it all depends on your video card and onboard RAM I guess.

yeah i gues itsa not realy that slow. i like silo

modo, one day.

i should have mentioned that im coming from a music production background so i dont have a very good video card yet. i have a pentium 4 2.8 gig pc with 80 gig hd space and 768 ram i have a intel r extreme graphics 82845g/gl/ge/pe/gv graphics controler. is this a generic version of a name brand card? i know my pc specs are quite low for graphic work but i have an m audio soundcard lol. what do people recomend for my pc specs. (not just 3d sculpting software anymore) im looking at both payware and freeware. but id prefer  payware because at least then i know what im getting into but stability and speed is the most important.

hi. i think im going to just stick with freeware for now. because i realy dont know what to buy or even what im looking for. what do you guys recomend for freeware.

teyon, you said soft construct crashes alot?
i need software thats doesnt suffer from stability issues, software for a beginer, something that will work with and not against my pc specs (new videocard soon) and something with a short learning curve but also something i can grow with. i have alot of the freeware like anim8tor, gmax, true space and others. i know i got a bunch already  but i have this newbie attitude that theres something out there that will click. but i think im seeing now that the ideas and technology of the basics are the same in each software.

Well, I must admit it was an early build, there've been several updates since I've tried it last. You may find Sharp Construct to be more stable now. I'm personally looking for something to work along side with Silo and am waiting for a Mudbox demo to make a final decision.

Alot of the tools we use do share similar ideas, it's the way those ideas are presented and implemented that determines how well it performs in the way you like to work. 

I find Silo suits me but the developers aren't trying to make it a sculpting app, instead, they're trying to give its users a place they can begin sculpting or do test sculpts with before moving to a program like ZBrush or Mudbox while at the same time, offering a great polygon modeling/uvmapping solution. I personally find Silo's sculpting tools to be strong enough to compete with both ZBrush and Mudbox, the only limiting factor is that the current beta can't get over 2.5 million polys on my PC where ZBrush could.  So I guess I can see why the developers feel the way they do. So I'm in a similar boat, I'm looking for something that not only works well but works well with the way I like to work. From what I hear, Mudbox is the closest to that but I don't jump on any ship without testing first after my experience with Hexagon. :)

I guess what I'm trying to say is give them a try and see which one feels right to you. None of the program's demos are permanently on your drive, you can always uninstall if you don't like a certain tool's workflow. There's no harm in doing what you're doing, looking for a program that "clicks" is something even pros are doing (otherwise, there wouldn't be as many  choices).

I suggest ZBrush 2; it's the most affordable and full-featured of the bunch. You can model (kinda), (auto) UV map, sculpt, texture, and render out all needed maps. It might seem a bit unfamiliar, but it's worth learning. Anyway, you're going to want to have a "normal" modeling program handy for some tasks too.

hi. ive been messing with all this 3d software for several days now. is it just me or is there some more then just basic  math knowledge that i need to understand to do 3d work. i know how to rotate, move, switch from wire to shaded and other extremely basic stuff, but when i try to acatuly start designing something, (a simple 3 layer spehere snowman) i come across all these complicated number boxes. and worse i have to manualy import the figures.

is there any 3d software that doesnt require math skills? im a bright guy (people always say so) but math is my weakpoint. did i have the wrong idea from the start? do i need to understand more then just basic math to understand 3d software, functions and figures?

 i have problems with 3 figure multiplication and division lol. would i be better with the painting side instead of 3d art? and please be dont sugarcoat things.  if its not gonna click due to my lack of more then just basic math do save me the trouble.

and merry chrismas to all!

ryan

i just found something else called amapi goona try that out later.

Attached Link: Wings 3D Hompage

If you decide to give it a try keep an eye on the information line at the bottom of the modelling window, it will let you know which options are available when using tools. Should you need any help the forum is quite active and you usually won't have to wait long for a reply.

Wings only has an OpenGL renderer but can be used with YafRay or the models exported for use in other programs. The main thing is its modelling capabilities.

Good luck with your search and Merry Christmas.  :)