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What program?

Huntervalos
Huntervalos
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Huntervalos
Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>
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  • Rwolf
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    Rwolf polycounter lvl 18
    Autodesk Maya (can sign up for a free learning edition), Autodesk 3dsmax, Softimage XSI, Lightwave, theres acouple of more free and cheap programs I'm sure someone else knows about but can't recall off the top of my head.
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  • Emil Mujanovic
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    Emil Mujanovic polycounter lvl 18
    There was a thread exactly like this a few months back with links to all the free/trial versions to 3D software.
    I use both 3D Studio Max and Maya, so I would recommend getting the Maya Personal Learning Edition or GMAX (which is a free cutdown version of 3D Studio Max). You can get the XSI Mod Tool, which is a full featured version of XSI mainly for mod development. But it's free!
    Good luck dude, just make sure you pimp all your work as well, because you'll get the best critique the 3D community has to offer right here!

    -caseyjones
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  • Asmuel
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    Asmuel polycounter lvl 17
    Max is pretty much the meat and potatoes of the industry. Working freelance, I use modo because its a better modeller IMO, a lot cheaper, highly customizable and probably the easiest to jump over to after using another package.
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  • Rwolf
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    Rwolf polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Max is pretty much the meat and potatoes of the industry.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    That also depends on your location and field type, I lost a potential job because I didn't have maya experience... >.< But then I would be refering to the film side of the industry.

    I find XSI the most forgiving for a Animation/Modelling package. Mostly because of it's non-linear workflow, the draw back is few companies in North America use it.
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  • Emil Mujanovic
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    Emil Mujanovic polycounter lvl 18
    I used Maya on our last project, and our company is generally more Max orientated. The switch to Maya was forced because the company we were working with had all export tools setup for Maya.
    Plus from what I've heard from the animators, its nicer for animation (including setting up rigs as well as the animation).

    -caseyjones
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  • Asmuel
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    Asmuel polycounter lvl 17
    ^ QFT ^. Maya and max are certainly the most widely used programs from my experiance. Though that certainly doesnt mean they are the best
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  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    IF you're interested simply in animation, without the frustration of wondering which software is integrated into most game studios' pipelines...pick whatever software YOU like best. Just because one is more widely used, doesn't mean the software itself is THE best for your interests.

    I think that XSI is the best choice for animators. Getting into animation (I'm not an animator) takes little time at all with the tools they provide.

    With that in mind, I suggest you try the free versions of software, as well as 30-day trials. Try the Maya Learning Edition. It's a nice solid program they keep updated with the full release. It's stable, and the animation tools are nice. The XSI Mod Tool has some features removed, and also includes some problems the full retail version doesn't have, as it hasn't been updated since 4.2. The old EXP version was better, but it's still worth a try and the animation tools are excellent. When you get familiar with the interface, find some animation tutorials and try the 30-day trial of the new release. XSI Mod Tool also allow you to quickly and easily create assets for HL2, and UT2k4. Don't waste your time on Gmax. Not only is it old unsupported software, but animation in an old version of Max without plugins would be insane.
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  • EarthQuake
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    EarthQuake mod
    [ QUOTE ]
    Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>

    [/ QUOTE ]

    More important than what software to use, DO NOT go to college for anything related to game design. Its just a huge waste of money. You won't get a job being a designer out of college, thats just not how the industry works. Designers are generally very senior members of teams that have worked thier way up through production. Its also not the best idea to go to college for something like, game modeling or whatever. Those courses are usually very very outdated, and taught by people who couldn't get a job in the industry themselves. Go study traditional art, painting, sculpting all that good stuff and learn some fundamentals. And learn the 3d apps in your spare time.
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  • Rob Galanakis
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    Rob Galanakis
    Couldn't agree with EQ more.

    And whatever computer the school tries to force you to buy, don't buy it!
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  • Huntervalos
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    Huntervalos
    wow thanx for the suggestions didnt think it would turn out this fruitfull. ill give em a shot hopefully i can catch on to something lol.
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  • Huntervalos
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    Huntervalos
    the maya learning edition asks me a bunch of questions does it matter if the company i work for a company that doesnt do anything with computers lol?
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  • conte
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    conte polycounter lvl 18
    i think Blender is good choice.
    eq, agreed.
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  • Tulkamir
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    Tulkamir polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    You won't get a job being a designer out of college, thats just not how the industry works. Designers are generally very senior members of teams that have worked thier way up through production.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Sorry, I know many people who've gotten design jobs right out of college.

    Hell, I wasn't even trying to get a design job and I stumbled onto an interview for one out of no where.

    You won't forsure get get a job out of college as a sure thing. You won't in most industries. And yea, there are other cheaper ways to get into the industry, but the kind of response you gave EQ was based in bias, not fact.
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  • EarthQuake
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    EarthQuake mod
    Its my biased opinion formed from my own experiences and multiple other people that i know who work in the industry. You are mostly likely not going to land a designer job right out of college, odds are against it. And the more well known the studio is, the odds become increasingly against you landing that sort of job. The "game design" degree is often looked upon as the sort of "i dont know anything about them, but i want to make video games" degree by many people. This isnt a personal attack against you, but many people who get into those degrees dont realize that its not a very good starting point. Of course its possible, but on most occasions when a company is looking for a designer its a senior position that they will want a lot of experience for. Now that doesn't mean that if you come in and impress the hell out of them that they wont give you a job. Just that if this is your one and only goal you're likely to have a very very tough time compared to say, getting a position as an environment artist. And if this is the only skill you pursue, say you just go to college trying to be a designer, and you dont actually have any sort of production skills its going to be even harder.
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  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    well, you can get a level design job right out of college. Thats not tough. You can work your way up to the game designer from there.

    Im pretty amazed tulk that there are companies that would hire someone to design their game who had zero experience. If I owned a studio, you couldnt pay me enough to do that.
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  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    Actually I'll have to go with Tulkamir on this one, one of the guys starting at work when I did had only worked for a while on a mobile phone game and he's one of the game designers (not level designer) now.

    But I do agree, people shouldn't expect to just walk into a game design role (or any other role for that matter).


    EDIT: Said EQ, meant Tulk. woopsies
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  • Tulkamir
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    Tulkamir polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Im pretty amazed tulk that there are companies that would hire someone to design their game who had zero experience. If I owned a studio, you couldnt pay me enough to do that.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Well, much like a junior artist wouldn't be creating the full art style, they'd be working off of other, more senior artists art styles, a junior designer wouldn't be designing the full game. There is a lot more that goes into game design, so a company doing, say an RTS, might hire a junior to do some of the more menial number crunching or such. It happens, so I guess... uhh... be amazed.

    Just some food for thought, if designers require the most experience, why are their wages on average lower than both artists and programmers?

    http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/266/are_you_in_demand_2006_game_.php?page=1

    EQ - I agree about the degree. And in most cases I consider that little piece of paper that a student gets at the end of the course totally useless at this point. But in a lot of cases it's also a manner for someone to learn the skills they need to make games, and then learn how to present those skills in order to get hired. Not all schools do that, I'd never even think about a school that taught only game design, but some of them do. Also, what my school atleast did (I don't know if they all do) is creates a facilitated environment for the students to create their own game. This means that designers get some experience making a mod that will forsure get finished, which helps in the job market hugely. (Most internet mods never see the light of day).
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  • fmnoor
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    fmnoor polycounter lvl 17
    People who go into these courses (at least in our school - aisf) thinking / wanting to become game designers are pretty much mocked on (because their level of work really shames the student body for the most part) if they haven't dropped due to the workload already.

    There are a few classes focusing on design and larger projects where prototypes are mades but it's clearly not the focus even though "design" is part of the program name.

    As for 3D programs, I'm surprised Wings 3D hasn't been mentioned - http://www.wings3d.com/

    I found it awesome to use when I started to learn modelling.
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  • KICKER
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    KICKER
    Noor is right about the art institutes, you are not going to get a very good education as far as actual game design goes, and your chances of getting a job as a designer are slim if not almost impossible. I would go to creative writing workshops instead, learn some programming on the side.

    If you want in on the art side go to the art institute but expect only what you put into it. 95% of other students aren't going to get a job doing anything except QA. Work your ass off and you will have a pretty good chance.
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  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>

    [/ QUOTE ]

    More important than what software to use, DO NOT go to college for anything related to game design. Its just a huge waste of money. You won't get a job being a designer out of college, thats just not how the industry works. Designers are generally very senior members of teams that have worked thier way up through production. Its also not the best idea to go to college for something like, game modeling or whatever. Those courses are usually very very outdated, and taught by people who couldn't get a job in the industry themselves. Go study traditional art, painting, sculpting all that good stuff and learn some fundamentals. And learn the 3d apps in your spare time.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Nice derailment, EQ. I don't see anywhere in his post where he asked about game art schools. Perhaps you meant to post in this thread.

    The majority of the game industry still uses 3ds max. Modo and Maya are fine programs but I would recommend learning 3ds max first and then branching out to learn some other 3d apps. They are all pretty much the same, really. It is just a matter of becoming accustomed to an interface and workflow. Good luck!
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  • Ged
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    Ged interpolator
    Hi there Huntervalos, Im going into my 3rd year studying design for interactive media and animation for an honours degree at the moment. I have to say that all that going to university has done is give me the free time I needed in order to teach myself what I wanted to know, my lecturers have taught me probably about 5% of what Ive learnt and Ive just got my first job working as a 3D designer in a small marketing studio. My boss does say he will offer me more when I am fully qualified though so having a degree will definitely have benefits. But yeah you could probably take fine arts/sculpting/painting etc and learn more useful things than I have studying computer based stuff and still have time to teach yourself your chosen application and possibly use it in your coursework. I suppose it does depend on the quality of the university or course though. My uni frustrates me.
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  • Joseph Silverman
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    Joseph Silverman polycounter lvl 17
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>

    [/ QUOTE ]
    [eq]

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I don't see anywhere in his post where he asked about game art schools.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    tongue.gif
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  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    Forgive AZ. He's only persuading people to purchase 3DS Max. laugh.gif
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  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>

    [/ QUOTE ]
    [eq]

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I don't see anywhere in his post where he asked about game art schools.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    tongue.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    uhhh ... yea ... I was drunk poly103.gif
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  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    Thus, in summary:

    If you are aiming to get into the industry-

    1. 3D Max
    2. Maya
    3. XSI
    4. Anything else
    5. Cut yourself a little (sorry, Per seems to have subliminally infected me)
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  • EarthQuake
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    EarthQuake mod
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Hello there i just made an account here cuase a few days ago i saw the Samus vs master chief video and thought it would be cool to do those kind of things(i also plan to go to college for game design). Being the noob i am i have no idea what program you need to make/edit polygons. Someone wanna give me a clue???lol <font color="green"> </font>

    [/ QUOTE ]
    [eq]

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I don't see anywhere in his post where he asked about game art schools.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    tongue.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    uhhh ... yea ... I was drunk poly103.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Its ok, i still love you. And yes, in *that* way.
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