3D-Mobster posted at 3:18PM Sun, 05 November 2017 - #4317177

moogal posted at 11:16PM Wed, 01 November 2017 - #4317153

Ha ha... I was thinking it would just be any program capable of generating the original base mesh. I worked with a couple modelers before sub-division was ubiquitous, Modeler 3D (which evolved into Lightwave's Modeler) was especially basic. You selected your work "plane" in one of the three windows and added individual points in another window. Technically you could make anything this way (if you had the time and patience of course).
Here's how I look at it... Basic modeling functions are things like: Load/create primitive.. lathe/extrude.. boolean cutting/joining.. point/edge/face tools.. While bone creation, skinning, weighting... All of that is specific to rigging animated characters. Most programs of Poser's complexity have basic modeling tools. But if you simply want to know what constitutes a modeling program (vs. a sculpting program or general purpose program) take a look at one of the number of programs which only focus on modeling: http://www.wings3d.com/ https://www.inivis.com/ http://www.metaseq.net/en/

As said I think its hard to define, but I don't think what defines a modelling software is whether it can boolean or not for instance, those are extra features, but nothing that define it. Because even without those functionalities you would still be able to model very complex models. If a software is capable of creating and manipulate a 3d shape in 3d space it at least to me is a modelling software. However if you are unable to divide your mesh, like in poser you can use the morph brush to manipulate vertices but you cant add or remove them, which makes modelling extremely limited, to the point where I wouldn't call it a modelling software.

I just meant that certain tools/operators such as booleans are most commonly found in modeling programs, just like path extruding and lathing (and none of these are part of Wing's tool set). The first polygon modelers simply let you connect points to make polygons, had some cut/copy/paste functions and maybe parametric primitives. Then there were some tools that worked with nurbs or spline patches. And while Wings is just a modeler, its winged-edge internal structure which produces manifold (closed) meshes is in many ways an improvement over earlier poly modelers. There are multiple methodologies a modeling tool can use to achieve similar results. Just as Poser can technically be used to make models but lacks proper modeling tools, programs like 3DS, blender, Shade etc. go far beyond what is required just to make a mesh. If a program has a timeline, a complex material editor, and a relatively full-featured renderer, it's likely more than just a modeler.