MODO Steam Edition

WRHerbert

I haven't seen a thread about this and wanted to get a discussion going about the recent release of MODO Steam Edition by The Foundary.

Trailer:
http://store.steampowered.com/video/244290/2030421

Product:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/244290/

What do we thing, it looks cool to me. I'm considering getting it. I've used Maya/Mudbox/ZBrush so far but this looks fun. Does any one have previous experience with MODO, how does the normal version differ with the Steam Edition?

mrpresident

I've been wondering the same thing, everything looks fantastic in that trailer, especially the source engine integration, but then again trailers always make stuff look good. Does anyone have any experience with MODO? How does it stack up to Maya+Zbrush+Photoshop? If anyone gives this a try we'd love to hear your experiences with it.

Snowstorm

Wow that's a great price.

I've been using Modo since... 301? So for 3 different versions now (I've not upgraded to 701 yet). Honestly, given the choice I wouldnt want to model in any other package. Modo does almost everything you'd need for Dota 2 - the modeling workflow and tools are really good and easy to use, the retopo is excellent, and you can do straight painting to texture right in the 3d view, similar to 3d coat or polypaint. Except you're painting right on the actual texture itself. UVing is (relatively :P) straightforward and easy to manipulate.

I also do most of my texture baking in Modo, despite XNormal and Handplane being available. Most of the texture baking is literally 2-3 click stuff, very simple. I only resort to those when Modo doesnt produce satisfactory results. Note though that Modo's normal maps' green channels need to be inverted to work with Dota 2, something I assume is fixed by this version's direct import.

I've not been using Modo for rigging and animation however, as the fbx import for skeletons is screwed up in 601. So I can't really comment on that, but from what I know the Modo system for animation may take a little getting used to. Apparently the fbx import is fixed with the new 701 importer (this Steam version is based on 701), and I'm not sure what changes they may have made to the animation tools for Dota 2.

601 also doesn't function as a realtime renderer that well - I find that the 3ds max shaders like Xoliul or the Dota 2 hero shader produce better promo image results. Marmoset too. But with this Steam version it looks like they've updated the materials and shading, so it might perform better there.

As for Zbrush and Photoshop, it's definitely not going to replace Zbrush, and probably not going to replace Photoshop. Modo can do sculpting, but can't hold a candle to Zbrush's feature-set. It can do a good job of putting most of your texture work into a single software package, but I still take my textures into Photoshop for sharpening and small touch-ups. It does adequately replace everything else I do though (which excludes rigging and animation of course).

WRHerbert

I've read that it obviously doesn't contain all the functionality of normal MODO and can only output limited .fbx files that are only licensed for use in the Steam Workshop. So that's understandable, but a shame.

MagnoHusein

From what i've heard, modo is one of the best tools to do 3D stuff nowdays. My concern is about import/export I mean, Modo steam edition only imports/exports to DOTA 2 and Source engine stuff, or you can use for other goals?

In the description says that exports in FBX. But only for dota?

Snowstorm

According to this thread it can be used for non-commercial stuff outside of the Steam workshop. Which I suppose does limit it somewhat. http://community.thefoundry.co.uk/discussion/topic.aspx?f=3&t=82947

If the fbx is as it is in the normal version of Modo it'll import into UDK and Unity pretty fine. I don't know for sure though.