Modo Steam Contest, Winner choose between $2K Mari OR Full License Modo
polycounter lvl 10
http://steamcommunity.com/app/244290
See comments section in their steam hub where mod says winner can choose prize.
Welcome to our first MODO Steam Edition Art Contest. Now that you have MODO Steam, lets see if we can create some cool stuff for Necrophos in DOTA 2. Whats in it for you? Well be giving away a full commercial seat of MARI 2.5 to the contest winner! Yes, you read that right a full seat of MARI worth nearly $2,000 USD!
See comments section in their steam hub where mod says winner can choose prize.
Replies
But isn't it the norm to have separate time periods for submissions and voting? Did I get something wrong?
EDIT: here's the part about the prize option:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/244290/discussions/0/630800443409499930/#c630800443462016003
Makes sense though, the goal is to promote the steam edition and showcase that it is a capable product for Dota 2 asset creation.
Just curious, looks nice on the store but the vid is blurry.
How is it compared to Max/Blender? I'm a long time Max user and it's easy for me. I've tried Blender and hate it soooooo bad.
Go to the guide section in the Modo SE hub and watch the videos. Greg shows you the process he made to create the Dota 2 weapon from scratch. Naturally you could apply all of that to TF2. It doesnt seem like Modo SE is built to quickly export to TF2 though, but you can use it.
That said, Modo is one of those apps where you really like it or really hate it, in my opinion. It's different for sure, and if you are familiar with Max you will go nuts not having a modifier stack to pull from. Just try the full version demo to get a feel for it. I personally dont like modeling in Modo, it just feels weird and a bit "clicky". From the little bit that I have used it, it seems like you have to jump through a lot of loops just to get some stuff done, but its obvious that its a very capable modeling app once mastered.
I am surprised you dont like Blender though. Its the closest thing you can find to a max alternative in regards to workflow. Default blender is a pain in the butt though, but changing (loading a different) keymap, it becomes much more Max like in usage. A long time Max user also created an addon with a keymap which made it feel at home for current Max users. Additionally, current development has them bringing more convention to the application with new keymap standards and a tabbed interface.
Also I am sure you know this but Valve has created an addon as well for Blender so it works well with the steam workshop process, though not as streamlined as Modo SE's implementation. http://steamreview.org/BlenderSourceTools/
I'm sure others with more experience in Modo can offer more detailed info though.
I like the modifier stack alot, but I don't use keyboard shortcuts at all. (well, one or two keys).
==I'm typing my life story in case someone familiar with Max and Modo wants to better understand my beef with Blender, and why I don't want Modo if it is similar, and to advise me as such.
I'll probably try the Modo demo soon.
=== Otherwise feel free to skip
I find Blender frustrating on many levels.
1- it seems to require keyboard shortcuts.
2- NONE of it makes any sense. I spent an hour today looking at tuts trying to be able to move around the window, select a mesh, rig it.
(also, on load I saw a "default/Max/Maya" button. But clicking it seemed to change nothing. I guess if it was only keyboard shortcuts I wouldn't have known anyway)
3- Different versions change too much, the wiki tuts always seem wrong, etc..
For example, I finally found the page for rigging and it was down
In years past tuts referenced menus/buttons that no longer existed.
I never did find out to have any view except 3d. When it changes modes and everything in the windows change is confusing and frustrating. It seems like the clunkiest, most confusing, worst lay out, etc.. etc.. and I have probably installed 3 times through the years to try and am in a rage by the time I even get and object selected and have to go outside to get what's left of my computer.
I did watch the video on Steam earlier, but he is whipping through it so fast its hard to tell. It's a good promo vid to show the full process of making the weap but that still... well, hands on is always different.
But from the window views it did appear to be simpler to navigate than Blender.
I couldn't even figure out how to export and smd from blender, I found it eventually (the export tab/window/whatever... I still don't know how I found it) then it gave me a 'find source tab for settings' error. Yeah, that's the trick, FINDING the tab. That's about the time I uninstalled.
I guess I'll try the demo of Modo. I did a quick look earlier but didn't see it. Too easy to jump back into Max and get something done at times like those.
Thing is, Max really is more than I need. These days all I do is simple low poly, maybe baking, TF2, Dota, a little rigging , simple anims... There are parts of Max after all this time I have barely or not even looked at.
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1. Blender has, recently-ish, only had one major change: 2.4x -> 2.5.
2. It doesn't require keyboard shortcuts AT ALL (in fact, pressing Space would open up a search function that you could achieve pretty much everything). This only exists for 2.5x/2.6x.
3. If you want to change into UV mode, just press the Screen Layout button right next to Help (near the top).
4. Change the default selection button to L click in the preference menu if it bothers you.
5. Wiki has two versions: 2.4x and 2.5/2.6. Go with the right one, or your head's going to spin.
I'm not trying to defend Blender's incompetancies (God, the OBJ exporter is so damn useless, and the FBX not much better, not to mention the stupid lack of a proper gizmo), but don't try to blame all your incompetancy to a program.
I'm just looking at it from the point that it was frustrating as hell trying to learn how to even start using it. Where as I started making stuff in Max almost immediately.
So I'm looking at Modo in that respect. Is it pretty clear to understand or is it convoluted? IMO Blender is convoluted. I really love the open source thing and I really want to like Blender. I think we just have personality differences
I think that applies to most applications though, same with Zbrush (but once you realize the logic in the design, then it clicks). Granted, yes some parts of Blender are very convoluted, and its very hotkey driven. Thats actually something they are addressing, though I think we can find convoluted design elements in just about every major application. However, nearly everything is fairly easy to access if you know where to look. The ADD menu does just that, adds everything you need (meshes, lights, curves..ect). Edit mode does just that, same approach as Maya..ect Use the specials menu or the menus for vertex, edge, and face for ways to edit the selection. These can also be called upon by just using the dynamic spacebar option. Very simple and very direct. The outliner is in line with just about every other outliner out there. Apply modifiers under the modifier tab. This workflow is something you will be familiar with coming from Max. The side panels allow you edit viewport properties and mesh tools.
As a modeler its one of the best and easiest to use in my opinion. Its when you get out of that area that it starts to suffer. UV editor is "unique". Its capable but very different from any other UV editor you might come across. Applying texture maps is visually different but easy once you realize how it works. With cycles its easier, just simple nodes. Texture painting isnt really there yet. Rigging and animating are fairly standard and one of the better options out there. Rigify makes character rigging fast and easy. Sculpting is also one of the better options out there as far as sculpting in 3d packages are concerned (excluding dedicated sculpting apps). Very easy. Toss on multi-res modifier and it acts just like Zbrush on a very basic level. Remove multi-res modifier and use dynamic topology to sculpt new geometry.
The default controls are off putting entirely, so I can understand the frustration. Just change those and it clicks pretty fast depending on which part of the application you need to use.
In my opinion, Blender is one of the better tools for modeling, UVing and exporting meshes for Source. Its worth getting comfortable with since it will cost you nothing to use, and it can enhance your workflow either as a main application or a complimentary application.
To be honest, I hated Blender as well, had the same reaction you did. Then I spent a weekend to figure it out, make the appropriate changes, and my opinion of it changed drastically. Glad I gave it a shot, I think you would to if you ever take the time to figure it out.
Ok so back to Modo! (finally right?)
The UI makes it very clear to understand where everything is. Its clean, consistent, and very organized. That said, chances are high you will have the same negative reaction you had with Blender. The viewport movement and navigation will probably drive you nuts. You will want to do the same thing I recommended with Blender, make some changes to increase usability, this is often hard or offputting when you dont even know the app yet. So two things have to be done, one is in properties, change the mouse behavior to something like Maya or Max (its in a pull down menu). Then in the viewport settings, right corner of the viewport, you will probably want to turn off the trackball rotation. I also turned off the workplane there as well. Useful for when you need it but it just adds too much noise to the viewport.
Once you get to that point, the viewport navigation feels familiar. What you will find then is that how you interact with the mesh is different. In the outliner, you have to add "mesh layers" first otherwise everytime you add a primitive or what not to the scene, it gets merged (considered same item) with whatever is in the mesh layer. So if you add two cubes, they will be considered one item instead of 2. Its very annoying, for some it might be useful...though what it means you is that you need to micro-manage more and do more steps for something we never really consider in other applications. Thus it might be seen as convoluted, maybe not. You have to activate an operation by calling upon it, then clicking in the viewport, and then you can make the changes you need, so its around 3 steps just for something we might do in 1-2 in other apps. Then you need to hit the space bar to drop the tool, selection or what not. A lot of the workflow is about dropping things when you are done with them. I read this can be changed, but dont take my word on it, it just means making more custom changes.
Adding texture maps is also something you might not like if you found Blenders approach difficult. You have a shader tree, which is like an outliner for materials, images and texture maps. I personally found this to be convoluted, maybe it might be different for you. Basically you have to do more micro management in adding "layers" or objects to the shader tree outliner, then defining them while making sure they are "parented" in the right category while also making sure the hierarchy is correct, since whatever is on top can over ride something lower on the list. It didnt feel direct. Rather I felt like I had to jump through all sorts of hoops just to get the material and texture maps in. I'm sure its fine once you get used to it, but it definitely felt like far more steps and management was required just to use it (unnecessary complexity), as for game art I really dont want to have to do all that.
For modeling, you wont have a modifier stack and the modeling workflow seems highly reliant on micromanaging the work plane, falloffs and action center options, which require you do some extra steps to use. Snapping left a lot to be desired. You also might not like how the viewport displays/renders your meshes, not the biggest deal but the look is a bit abnormal if one comes from a max, maya, blender background.
UVing and Retopology is fairly consistent with the modeling workflow, and should be easy to pick up once you get how the modeling works.
Again this is just my experience and opinion after playing around with Modo. I am no modo-expert by any means so take that into consideration.
You probably hit the nail on the head with my main issue with Blender, and possibly with Modo when I get around to trying it.
Just spending a few days learning it with no goals in mind. If I can get a more 'max like' interface working with Blender I'm sure my impression would change.
Sounds like Modo is probably similar. Either way I just need to set aside the time and give it a go.
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Looks like either program will take some learning curve, and from your descriptions it sounds pretty 50/50.
I'll probably try modo demo, get a rough idea of what it's like. Then decide which one I'd prefer to jump into.
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I know this is a bit off topic for the thread and I definitely won't make a choice in time to even enter the contest. Who knows, maybe it'll help answer questions for someone else too.
Again, thanks for the responses everyone.
Last year I've learned to use modo, maya, little bit xsi, blender
and a bunch of other apps dealing with 3d/textures/comping.
Now I''m not a master in those all, but coming from only 3dsmax
knowledge it was good thing to do.
I can work on a more abstract level and not get stuck on
the software cause I know now that "all roads lead to rome".
Also trying to learn every soft in it's intended mindset was
helpful; treating modo for example like max is gonna be slow
and frustrating.