Modo + Seneca's scripts (So many that I have many still to discover, knife screen and mesh cleanup are most used). Interested in learning the basics of blender just so I can quickly set hard edges by uv borders, since you can't easily do so in modo.
I have an older version of ic.shape, for Max 9 (circa 2008 ), including the full html help files with all the cool little animations. I don't know if Enrico wants it out there publicly, so PM me.
the tools aren't what is going to make you a good artist, i suggest you focus on modeling with what you got atm, and improve on the tools once you got your modeling skills and workflow down.
the tools aren't what is going to make you a good artist, i suggest you focus on modeling with what you got atm, and improve on the tools once you got your modeling skills and workflow down.
Thanks, but I would really rather start under optimal conditions now, that way I don't have to transition. I'm interested in learning about the programs that aid people who do know what their doing. It's not like I don't understand what they do, so I don't see an issue with learning the techniques now.
The problem is that there's no one answer for everyone. For example - some will swear by UV Layout, and others will like Roadkill, and others will say that the built in UV tools are best with ScriptXYZ installed.
there are no optimal conditions, why do you think autodesk makes multiple 3d packages, and why everyone of them has a ton of people who make there own scripts and solutions.
thats like a guitar player asking for the optimal guitar for all genres.
Look, I get what you're trying to tell me, but the fact of the matter is that the default is not so wonderful, and I like to see how other people work.
For example, Racer's post allowed me to evaluate the programs he was using, see how they are useful and make a decision to try them or not. I really do understand that people use different tools and that everything is preference. It's really not a question of 'what's the best', that's why I didn't phrase the question that way.
Technically, no, you didn't ask "what's the best" but you DID say:
"Thanks, but I would really rather start under optimal conditions now, that way I don't have to transition.'
Which is functionally the same thing.
I dunno ... I use:
Modo with Seneca's scripts
ZBrush
XNormal
Photoshop
Headus UV Layout
Hope that helps!
It won't of course, which is my point. Most people use what they use because they've spent years figuring out what works best for them. That's what you need to do.
not sure why you guys are giving him shit for exploring new options... I mean thats how you actually FIND the workflow that suits you best.
YOU TRY STUFF
EDIT: also tools may not make you a better artist. but they'll certainly make you a faster artist. which in this industry makes you more desirable. which by all intents and purposes DOES make you a better artist sooo....
Max 2009 is what I use too, Max 2011 is the next best option, Max 2012/2013 break too often (I had Max 2012 literally delete models in my scene, after I collapse my UV modifier, if I have a certain order of stacks).
I will have to agree with passerby. Extra tools will definitely make you faster but especially when starting out I believe you shouldn't depend on these tools. Being too dependent on some of these tools isn't always a good thing as you could work at a studio that may not use them.
With that being said here's what I use.
Maya (NEX, Ninja Dojo and few other modeling scripts)
Headus UV Layout
Zbrush
Topogun
Photoshop
I will have to agree with passerby. Extra tools will definitely make you faster but especially when starting out I believe you shouldn't depend on these tools. Being too dependent on some of these tools isn't always a good thing as you could work at a studio that may not use them.
With that being said here's what I use.
Maya (NEX, Ninja Dojo and few other modeling scripts)
Headus UV Layout
Zbrush
Topogun
Photoshop
That's not a valid argument anymore honestly, for example, both Max and Maya still in 2012 or 2013 don't have a global modifier panel, which allows you to globally change stuff.
Example: Modifier Zorb. It's a simple yet free script that anyone who will be stacking modifiers globally will need access to, yet 4 grand software doesn't support it natively?
Outliner is the next step for scene management, especially since it doesn't break rigs, yet we have Max's old manager, which breaks rigs in certain setups?
Textools also pretty much cuts out the middle man with Headus, or ZBrush with it's unwrapping tools, yet we still lack some of it's functions? Like mirror?
We also have MaxRetopo for example or Wrapit, which support interactive swift loops on your mesh, live, unlike many other apps or some of the native tools.
Hell, I still don't understand how some software can get by not having some sort of swift-loop system in place, especially it's lerp based math for curved lines, something so basic yet 'next-gen' in 2012 is still a privilege sometimes.
I'm not talking about silly stuff like a plugin that allows you to make Cogs or Molecules as a primitive, but stuff that has proven to be functional in working environment.
This argument of 'know your tools before bloating it' does stand true for beginners and I get it, but even then so, it kinda loses it's drive and meaning when you're forced to upgrade to the latest version of a software for a pretty buck or two and not have half of the free scripts out there that SHOULD be natively available, especially in this day age are in there.
And it stops being about speed at this point...it's about making a program barely functional by standards, if I'm able to drag and drop a model in my UDK scene, I can very well should be allowed to use a script in a studio that allows me to insert loops in my mesh without doing the whole 'select > ring > connect > scale > match by eye' process.
Sorry, a little bit of a rant, but I wanted to make it clear that sometimes it's not about the speed, it's about the standard that we should be having, but aren't getting.
@Ace-Angel my point wasn't against these extra tools or modifications since i use a massive amount of them, both stuff written by me and 3rd party stuff.
my point was more about the feeling i was getting from the OP's original posts, which kinda game off like "if i use tool X like the pros, i should be able to create art at the same quality."
and i also think starting off using someone else's configs and tools at first, isn't the best way to go about things. These various extra tools are more or less peoples way to problem solve around various problems in workflow, or work around bugs. the problem solving experience is often just as valuable as the solution.
maybe if i take this away from the tools and too a workflow type problem.
what is more useful know the lists of do's and do not's for baking proper normalmaps?
or know what a normalmap is and how it works?
I think your issue is that you evaluated my knowledge from previous posts of mine, asking novice questions. This may have fabricated the impression you got from my post in this thread. (e.g. "if i use tool X like the pros, i should be able to create art at the same quality.") I literally was not implying this. No need to discuss the semantics of what is most important, I'm sure we all agree that the 'basics' come first. There's no doubt that I still have much to learn about the program at a more basic level. There are reasons I went to this when I did though. I've played a lot of Starcraft and the efficiency of hotkeys is important to me. I want to learn about what methods others use to improve performance.
You were correct to criticize my 'optimal' comment, that was a poor choice of wording on my part, and I see how that implied that I was thinking there was an optimal, when really I just meant better. Really though, I appreciate your effort to have me understand your point of view
imo for personal art, just use whatever that helps/allows you to create what you want.
In terms of workplace, I would suggest to be as proficient with tools out of the box as possible. because you won't always have plugins installed on your work station.
Replies
-3dsclean, other manual speed tweaks
-textools
-soulburnsscripts
-quadchamfer
-ic.shape
-3ps shader
-xoliulshader
-max retopo script
-"welder" script
photoshop cs2
-xnormal plugins
-custom actions and brush/pattern/etc presets
handplane, xnormal etc
thats all i really use
The various file save scripts/actions for photoshop are pretty damn useful too if you haven't got them yet. http://wiki.polycount.com/PhotoshopTools#Export_Tools
xnormal
PS cs6 with QSM and my own custom scripts and actions.
tend to be a bit more of a technical user, so when i hit a snag somewhere i just program my own solution.
I'm using Max 2013, do you guys think I should downgrade since nothing is really available 2013? What should I go to 2009, 2011?
Thanks, but I would really rather start under optimal conditions now, that way I don't have to transition. I'm interested in learning about the programs that aid people who do know what their doing. It's not like I don't understand what they do, so I don't see an issue with learning the techniques now.
thats like a guitar player asking for the optimal guitar for all genres.
For example, Racer's post allowed me to evaluate the programs he was using, see how they are useful and make a decision to try them or not. I really do understand that people use different tools and that everything is preference. It's really not a question of 'what's the best', that's why I didn't phrase the question that way.
"Thanks, but I would really rather start under optimal conditions now, that way I don't have to transition.'
Which is functionally the same thing.
I dunno ... I use:
Modo with Seneca's scripts
ZBrush
XNormal
Photoshop
Headus UV Layout
Hope that helps!
It won't of course, which is my point. Most people use what they use because they've spent years figuring out what works best for them. That's what you need to do.
YOU TRY STUFF
EDIT: also tools may not make you a better artist. but they'll certainly make you a faster artist. which in this industry makes you more desirable. which by all intents and purposes DOES make you a better artist sooo....
With that being said here's what I use.
Maya (NEX, Ninja Dojo and few other modeling scripts)
Headus UV Layout
Zbrush
Topogun
Photoshop
That's not a valid argument anymore honestly, for example, both Max and Maya still in 2012 or 2013 don't have a global modifier panel, which allows you to globally change stuff.
Example: Modifier Zorb. It's a simple yet free script that anyone who will be stacking modifiers globally will need access to, yet 4 grand software doesn't support it natively?
Outliner is the next step for scene management, especially since it doesn't break rigs, yet we have Max's old manager, which breaks rigs in certain setups?
Textools also pretty much cuts out the middle man with Headus, or ZBrush with it's unwrapping tools, yet we still lack some of it's functions? Like mirror?
We also have MaxRetopo for example or Wrapit, which support interactive swift loops on your mesh, live, unlike many other apps or some of the native tools.
Hell, I still don't understand how some software can get by not having some sort of swift-loop system in place, especially it's lerp based math for curved lines, something so basic yet 'next-gen' in 2012 is still a privilege sometimes.
I'm not talking about silly stuff like a plugin that allows you to make Cogs or Molecules as a primitive, but stuff that has proven to be functional in working environment.
This argument of 'know your tools before bloating it' does stand true for beginners and I get it, but even then so, it kinda loses it's drive and meaning when you're forced to upgrade to the latest version of a software for a pretty buck or two and not have half of the free scripts out there that SHOULD be natively available, especially in this day age are in there.
And it stops being about speed at this point...it's about making a program barely functional by standards, if I'm able to drag and drop a model in my UDK scene, I can very well should be allowed to use a script in a studio that allows me to insert loops in my mesh without doing the whole 'select > ring > connect > scale > match by eye' process.
Sorry, a little bit of a rant, but I wanted to make it clear that sometimes it's not about the speed, it's about the standard that we should be having, but aren't getting.
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my point was more about the feeling i was getting from the OP's original posts, which kinda game off like "if i use tool X like the pros, i should be able to create art at the same quality."
and i also think starting off using someone else's configs and tools at first, isn't the best way to go about things. These various extra tools are more or less peoples way to problem solve around various problems in workflow, or work around bugs. the problem solving experience is often just as valuable as the solution.
maybe if i take this away from the tools and too a workflow type problem.
what is more useful know the lists of do's and do not's for baking proper normalmaps?
or know what a normalmap is and how it works?
You were correct to criticize my 'optimal' comment, that was a poor choice of wording on my part, and I see how that implied that I was thinking there was an optimal, when really I just meant better. Really though, I appreciate your effort to have me understand your point of view
- 3dsmax 2012 or Maya 2012 depending the project
- quad chamfer/quad cap(max plugin)
- Wrap-it (max retopo plugin)
- Textools (max)
- smartQuad (max plugin)
- FroTools (maya plugin)
- lcRetopoBasic (maya plugin)
- pBridge (self written mel script)
Shaders
- 3ps shader (max)
- Xoliul shader (max)
- icUdershader (maya)
- koddeshader (maya)
Texturing
- Photoshop cs4 w/ Xnormals, Ndo
- Mudbox 2012
imo for personal art, just use whatever that helps/allows you to create what you want.
In terms of workplace, I would suggest to be as proficient with tools out of the box as possible. because you won't always have plugins installed on your work station.