I have tried several 3D modelling programs and given up trying to learn how to drive them, yet modelling furniture with Poser primitive props seems easy to me and the way to go for my requirements. Made a nice vanity unit but having no luck creating a realistic mirror surface, searched and experimented for hours last night. Perhaps some of our experienced members could offer me some advice, a simple method they use or tutorial link. My other related question is the need for a super friendly modelling program suitable for BIG DUMMIES like me, I can do anything in Coreldraw and CorelXara but 3D is an alien world. Hoping to find something similiar in use but a little more versatile than Poser. Thanks, Tommy

Attached Link: http://digitaldreams.bbay.com/down.htm

If you want a real working mirror , that doesnt work in poser, because poser cant do refelections.But if you follow the link ,you get to a page where you can dl a mirror and a tut how to fake a mirrorimage

"but 3D is an alien world" it is for all of us when we start out Thomas :o) i think the human brain can't get to grips with having debth on a 2d screen but after a while you get used to it, mind i still get my x,y and z's mixed up between apps :o).....word is pcformat www.pcformat.co.uk is giving away a version of cinema 4d (SE i think) next month might be worth getting a hold of a copy as its pretty good app to start out with .....Steve

you can try anim8or.com for an easy 3d modeler. (free too)

For me, MilkShape 3D presented a very shallow learning curve with its simple interface and helpful forum. But it probably isn't suitable for everyone. My years of experience with trueSpace might have been a contributing factor.

I have alway thought that Amapi is most natual interface there is. At least for right brainers, anyway.

Attached Link: http://www.rhino3d.com/

Have you tried Rhino 3d? I love it. If you like that vector line stuff in Corel Draw you should like Rhino since you can do so much by just lofting some profile curves. Give the demo a try. Its a limited number saves type demo. Oh yeah, we have an excelent Rhino forum here.

heyas; look in your coreldraw suite for corel dream, which is corel's version of ray dream. or at least, it used to be. if you like to model by assembling pre-made shapes, you might try organica, which works in that paradigm. you can find links at www.3dlinks.com for that and about every other modelling program in existance.

I have Corel Draw Suite version 8, and finally installed Corel Dream a few months ago (yes, I'm slow). I was fascinated, then horrified to discover Dream had long ago been abandoned, and really wasn't good for anything in the rest of the graphics world. I uninstalled it.

Attached Link: http://www.wings3d.com/

Tommy - go get Wings3D. Read through and watch the tutorials on the page. Then go to the Wings3D forum to ask questions when you run into them. I'll be happy to help get you started by answering any questions you might initially have. At the Wings3D site download the Erlang runtime libraries, then the Wings windows binaries. Install Erlang first, then install Wings. For future upgrades you only need to download the Wings binaries. Drop me a line if you need any help getting started. It's a very easy to use modeling package, Open Source, and free. jon

Thank you to everyone for their replies, I checked them all tonite and will take a second look tomorrow. I use Corel V9 and Dream is not included. A couple of the programs you suggested look a bit to tekkie for me and a couple of others are way above my price range. I have inherited or downloaded etc a couple of possibles including Bryce and Amapi 4.1 that are over my head technically, also tried 3D Canvas download but doesn't seem to save in any format I can import into Poser? Same problem with old TriSpectives, easy to use and imports 3dS but only saves as a jpg or native format in 3d. Do have Truespace 3SE but haven't tried it yet. Another thought I had was to draw in Corel, then import to Photomodeller lite for modelling. I'm sure something will fall into place for me eventually and I was appreciative of your advice. Just for fun have included an almost finished shot of the vanity unit I'm putting together in Poser. Tommy.

Tommy, That vanity is looking good. One thing about Corel: They seem to change their package every time they come out with a new version. That's why Corel Dream was in version 8 but not version 9. By the way, I went to the Wings site, even downloaded it. But I couldn't get a single clue about what it is or what it does no matter how much I dug. So I decided to move onto something else. I'm still looking for a good program.

If you made that vanity with Poser primitives, then my hat's off to you. Very nice. Did you try Wings and find it too tekkie for you? If you would like I could put together a little tutorial on making a similar vanity with Wings to help get you started. But you will find your own way, no matter which program you settle on. Everyone has to find their own comfort zone. jon

I can't even get the wings site to load. Well I guess it keeps disappearing. There is very little information on Wings at the site. And why do you need to install a new operating system in order to use it?

It's not an operating system, it is a runtime library for the laguage it is written in, Erlang. Has to do with the way it was compiled. He intends to include the necessary library calls in the binary eventually, which will make the whole thing a lot smaller, but it's still in Beta, so that is low priority right now. I don't know why you can't get the site to come up. Server problems perhaps at the time you tried it. It's been pretty reliable for me. Sorry you could not get it, I think it is great. jon

Thanks for the tips. I've finally got my Windows XP system just where I want it. That usually means I shy away from Beta stuff. I'll come back in awhile and check it when it's in official release.

If there were just a few more tools and simple shapes available in the standard Poser objects library it would be a much better Lego set for building simple props, without the need for most folks to learn other model programs. The image I posted was made from 18 boxes and built to encase a 3D washbasin model. No special skill required just a bit of patience. Tommy.