3D modeling software

[astrogeek]

I'm trying to build some add-ons for the Motherlode and for use in my own presentations. I'm using Blender3d (free and powerful), but the 3DS files I export don't work well in Celestia. Is there a trick to this or is Blender known to work badly with Celestia?

I'm curious what packages other people are using. I'd be interested in both Mac and PC software. My high-end machine is a PC, but I will be getting a high-end Mac in the next couple of months.

Thanks in advance.

[selden]

Anim8or works well enough. I've never had any compatibility problems with its 3DS files.

[ElChristou]

I'm curious what packages other people are using. I'd be interested in both Mac and PC software. My high-end machine is a PC, but I will be getting a high-end Mac in the next couple of months.

Hello,

On Mac, you have the pro soft -> Maya, 4d, Blender
and a quite cool almost pro -> Cheetah 3D

Now personnaly I'm using as modeler (not renderer) Amapi pro 7.5 then Cheetah for texturing and setting the smooth values of each meshes. (Amapi is available on both platform).

[astrogeek]

I saw Selden's latest "Bonestell" package was done with Anim8or. I'll try it out.

It sounds like there are a number of Celestia-compatible modelers/renderers for Mac. I may have to put off my big add-on building until this summer after I get my Mac.

Anyone else have a favorite package?

[selden]

fwiw, if you buy an Intel Mac, then there are several ways to run Windows in a virtual PC under MacOS.

[ElChristou]

fwiw, if you buy an Intel Mac, then there are several ways to run Windows in a virtual PC under MacOS.

On an Intel Mac, you don't use anymore a virtual PC, you can boot directly on XP... now it's not yet a completely secure process, people have lost datas with a bad use of the XP installation...

[astrogeek]

Yes, I'm all excited for the possibility of having a dual Mac OS X and Windows computer. Since OS X is built on Unix, it very nice for research purposes. But Windows has all the useful office-type programs like word processing and draw/paint programs that I like.

Since Apple offered the Intel core chipset for its new Macs, we've seen:
- A complicated process for installing Win XP that only geeks could love
- Apple releasing BootCamp in beta that's a vast improvement on the first
- And an indy company releasing a new package that allows parallel runs of Windows and OS X.

All in the last couple of weeks.

What's the Win-on-Mac going to look like in 6 months? I can't wait...

[julesstoop]

But Windows has all the useful office-type programs like word processing and draw/paint programs that I like.

You'll be very pleasently surprised with OS X... :)

[cartrite]

Hi astrogeek,

Ive been using Blender for about 6 months. Ive found that the uv's don't get exported with the 3ds exporter. I used to export to waveobj then use Anim8or to export to 3ds. Ive also wrote a script to export to cmod.

http://www.celestiaproject.net/forum/viewtopic ... 9038#69038

If you decide to try this be sure copy the last script on the 2nd page.

This script was made for planets and seems to work some what. There are problems with the normals. If your addons are less then 65k triangles the waveobj > Anim8or 3ds is your best bet. That way you can use Blender's power to create and Anim8or to export to 3ds.

cartrite

[Kitteh]

I use 3dsmax. Great program, very powerful and easy to use. Also, exports the best .3ds files for an obvious reason :p

[jll]

Hi,

I use wings3d http://www.wings3d.com/ for a while now.

It's easy to use and run on win, mac, linux

It can export 3DS and use texture in jpg and png (very nice to work with transparency).

It isn't as powerful as commercial product but very less complex to learn.

JLL

[DonAVP]

I use Lightwave.
http://newtek.com/

I also have two programs that convert any 3D fileformat into any other format. RightHemisphere's Deep Exploration
http://www.righthemisphere.com/products/dexp/index.html
and Okinio's PloyTrans
http://www.okino.com/default.htm