I'm not a modeler (i'm gonna have to start), not even an experienced animator, the thing is that I want to model of told how to model something like the path and the meadows in the picture above... Any chance someone of you guys could tell me what i have to do, and what program i have to use in order to model and export them into .obj, .dxf, .lwo, .3ds, or else so i can bring it to P4-5 as props? Thanks for the help Paoli J

Free: Wings is a good start . . . I think it exports obj. A few people are making models with it. I think Gerald Day uses anim8or and he has a couple of tuts for it at his site. I think that one's free. GMAX is also available for free from descreet. There are max-scripts available on other sites to make it functional as regarding imports and exports (.obj, .3ds). Again though some Steep Learning Curves (SLC). metasequoia may be worth trying - the freeware 2.1 not the shareware 2.2.(again the shareware version doesn't export obj to my knowledge.) I never made good sense of this one also try marbleclay (beta). Just now trying it out. Low Cost: I'm trying to learn Carrara but there's a lot of curves to it. I'm getting it though. A lot of people also use Amapi 7 but you have to convert to obj externally from what I hear. Better: When I can afford it I'm going for Lightwave (SLC) but that's around $1700 U.S., but some people say Rhino is the way to go in that regard. Maya or 3DSMAX: "If I were a rich man . . ." - from fiddler on the roof If I win the lottery I'm getting them both and taking the rest of my life tring to learn them.

or XSI or Mirai..... mmmmm Mirai!

Modelling something like this would be pretty easy in any modelling app. You could even do it in Bryce. How you go about making it would depend on which app you choose though. Wings would be my recommendation, it's an excellent modeller and the easiest to learn in my opinion. It does export .obj and 3ds. I believe the more recent versions of Amapi export .obj too. Amapi is a great modeller but a bit of an oddity. Some love it others hate it. Try before you buy! If you get on with it it is excellent value, will model polys or Nurbs and has a decent renderer and is well priced. Unlike the last few on Bikermouse's list, and mine for that matter! - Baz

Yeah, that could be done in Bryce and don't underrate Bryce as a learning tool - the biggest shortcomming is the fact that a lot of what you model in Bryce can't be exported - but a lot of what you learn from it can. Amapi 5.15 would be easier to understand with a manual - but then it was free with Carrara 2. I think you all can get Amapi 5.15 free now, can't you ? )

I got Amapi 5.15 on a magazine cover CD, but it crashed 3 times in the first ten minutes. It's never been that stable on a mac and I was running it in classic under OSX which may be the reason. I think it's better under Windows. Anyway I gave up with it! What are you modelling with Bikermouse?

I've got a hilly/wavey landscape mesh you can have that will do for that image - send me your e-mail and I'll send it to you. The path is probably easiest to do with a texture map on the landscape. the building in the distance looks like a cube with a texture map on it. Sorry I can't see what the rest of it is. If its the moon, again just a sphere with a good texture map and you're all done. regards peejay

BazC, I get most of my ideas from Bryce, model them there first- Then I try to convert those ideas to Carrara where I can. Eventually I won't need to do it this way, but I'm so much more familar with bryce interface right now. For example: Anything that resembles a "curtain" could be made as a heightmap in photoshop, moved to Bryce as a terrain and exported as a .obj or .dem. ; (or for that matter imported directly to Carrara's terrain editor.)

Wow thanks guys, i'm working on it right now, i'll give it a try to Bryce, and start looking for some tuts for those programs you guys told me to use... keep on coming the suggestions please! Cheers Paoli J

Paoli, The idea is to find something you're comfortable with that you can EASILY translate your ideas into - once your idea is on paper (so to speak) you can always refine it in another application - even if you have to do the physical work over again in another application. A good support group for whatever application you decide to use is essential; at least at first. good luck, - TJ

yes you are absolutly right TJ, for me its very hard to find an app that i can translate truthfully my ideas, i'm reading a lot of reviews and sites but it's really hard "to fall in love at first sight" with a modeler... meanwhile i'll keep reading and trying... Thanks again Paoli J

I've heard good things about Carrara, never tried it myself though. I 'll have to see if there's a demo :o) Baz

I think so. Here 's the URL to their website. http://www.eovia.com/home.jsp

Thanks :o)