From: Anders Backman [andersb@oxe.cs.umu.se] Sent: Monday, October 11, 1999 2:33 PM To: bowman@vt.edu; 3dui List Subject: SV: 3d modeling packages Here at Umeå University we use: Multigen II and Multigen Pro which I think is one of the most competent real-time modelling tool out there. It outports .flt (OpenFlight) files wich contains a lot of real-time features. I myself think it is a pain using it, it is so huge. Some of our modellers really loves it, even though they had been using 3Dstudio, Maya, Alias, LightWave and some other modellers for years before it. It has a really great texturing module. But it takes a while to get into. For the most basic modelling, such as the one at our VR course, I choosed to use AC3D, a really really small, easy to use and almost free (couple of bucks). It imports 3ds, dxf, lws, lwo (lightwave), tri (alias/triangles), VRML1, and exports: pov (povray), renderman, VRML1/2, DIVE, Massive??, DVS??, inventor, dxf. It is not a full modelling tool, but for the most part it is enough. I think it is great to use on a VR course where the most time should not go into learning 3DstudioMax or Maya!! Download and try it, youll probably like it. It takes two red seconds to learn and master! I think that it was mainly developed for a research project where they needed a modelling tool with the basic features without having to pay a lot of money. It is still being developed. Go to: http://www.comp.lancs.uk/computing/users/andy/ac3d.html -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- Från: Doug Bowman Till: 3dui List <3d-ui@hitl.washington.edu> Datum: den 11 oktober 1999 17:14 Ämne: 3d modeling packages >This is not a very "research-y" question, but I think it's an >important one for those of us building VE applications and >experiments. I'm interested in finding out which 3d modeling >packages people use to create objects for their virtual worlds. >(I know you don't code it all in openGL ;-) ). > >I've used Wavefront (actually the 'model' module of the Wavefront >Advanced Visualizer), Alias, and just a taste of 3D Studio Max >and the free Blender. Wavefront is old and has a horrible interface, >but is fairly reliable (plus the VE software I use already has >a file parser for OBJ files). Alias is nice, but way too expensive >and really geared more towards animation than just modeling. >3DS Max I couldn't figure out at all, but I understand architects >and other design types love it. It doesn't output OBJ files, to >my knowledge. Blender (my apologies if anyone loves it) has an >incomprehensible interface, but it *is* free. > >So, what else do people use? What are the pros and cons? What platforms >does it run on, and what file formats does it support? > >Best, >--Doug > >-- >Doug A. Bowman, Ph.D. (540) 231-7537 >Assistant Professor bowman@vt.edu >Computer Science www.cs.vt.edu/~bowman/ >Virginia Tech >