does anyone happen to know of a more recent build of Blender with Quicktime (for psd loading) built in? I have one, but it's a 2.63 build, and I'm getting sick of the modeling tools (and I want to use the latest pie-menu build which needs a newer version).
Frankie: yeah, he compiled the 2.36 build I use and keeps updating that page, but recent versions just don't load psd's. A few updates ago the page did display a message about how the qt was failing to build, but even though the message it's gone it doesn't work.
Ok so this is going to sound really noobish maybe haha. But wasn't blender a tool in the theme of maya/max? Seeing that timelapse Mongrelman just linked it looks more like a Zbrush clone (not exact but you'll get what i mean) to me. When the hell did that all change or am i thinking about a totally different program now. Anyway it seems more viable then it used to be (been a longgg time since i last took a look at it). Is it really more viable or should i just keep my savings and get maya (wich i'm currently learning) when i start with payed work?
I would suggest looking very seriously into Blender before dropping so much money on Maya if you might not need it. Blender is essentially a competitor to Maya and Max, but it also has reasonably advanced sculpting tools now.
If you are dead-set on making a career of 3D modeling, you will almost certainly have to purchase some commercial software at some point. These are the programs that the majority of game and video studios use, and they will expect their employees to use them as well.
If this is more of a hobby for you, you might want to consider leaning on Blender. Blender is free, and will continue to be free. A casual hobbyist or intermittent 3D modeler isn't going to have the time or energy to master all of the features of a suite like Maya or 3D Studio Max. And those prices add up. Blender is an excellent solution for those who aren't as deeply invested in this craft.
If you are dead-set on making a career of 3D modeling, you will almost certainly have to purchase some commercial software at some point. These are the programs that the majority of game and video studios use, and they will expect their employees to use them as well.
If this is more of a hobby for you, you might want to consider leaning on Blender. Blender is free, and will continue to be free. A casual hobbyist or intermittent 3D modeler isn't going to have the time or energy to master all of the features of a suite like Maya or 3D Studio Max. And those prices add up. Blender is an excellent solution for those who aren't as deeply invested in this craft.
? Not sure I agree with this at all, plenty of people make a living using Blender. If you visit blendernation you'll see plenty of small studios and freelancers posting their reels of productions done in Blender.
@Richard Kain: I am actually dead-set on making a career of 3D. Way i figured it with the current/future versions of blender is that i will keep learning maya/zbrush right now so i know the programs when i apply for a job or internship at a studio (i currently have student versions of both so i can learn and showcase/portfolio etc. just not sell) and learn the blender ui when i'm ready to start doing freelance work. That's not a bad way to start out right? at least it seemed like a smart way to start out and grow. (learning via DT btw)
Chances are when you work in a studio max or maya will be the main app and the pipeline will be based around that, so you'll need to be able to use that software, so keep learning it. But you can then (probably) use blender for some of your work where it fits in.
For example, you may need to do UV tweaks to a model that's already skinned etc. , you may prefer doing UVs in blender (I know I do) but takingthe model across to blender, doing the tweaks, then bringing it back into max/maya, putting skinning back on etc. is more work (and more likely to throw up issues) than just doing the UV tweaks in max/maya.
So basically you need this:
You -> Max/Maya -> Game Engine
but you can then modify it this:
You -> Blender -> Max/Maya -> Game Engine
Hopefully that made some kind of sense. It's nearly 3am and I need to go to bed.
If you're a student then you can download any Autodesk programs that you need to learn for free. Would I personally recommend purchasing any of those products for the home computer? No way, not for what they provide and certainly not with your own money (unless you just feel like giving Autodesk a lot of money).
The main reason you would need to use Max or Maya would be if there were any special plugins, tools, or workflows that would require them.
If we're just comparing programs, you can actually do much more in Blender than either of them. Blender is unique in that it has compositing, sculpting, mesh painting, a built-in game engine, and a lot of really cutting edge developments that are happening constantly. Blender also gets a lot of great plugins, the majority of which are of no cost besides donations.
Even for the people who complain about Blender having too unusual of a UI, you can set just about anything to work however you like.
As far as the actual modeling goes, some of the best modeling workflows I've seen were using Blender. Many of the old restrictions with mesh geometry have been cleared and everything's pretty much on the same playing field now.
Blender also has a fast pace of development; it's completely open for getting the latest builds to try (or even make) new features. There's also a very large community that will only increase as it continues to grow in popularity and prominence.
I'm rambling a bit, but the main point is I wouldn't disqualify using blender. As far as workflow compatibility with other applications, they all pretty much use the same standard formats. Models that you make in Blender will work just like they would from anywhere else. You'll be able to make content for something like UDK or Unity just like you would in any other application, no need for a middle-man unless there are proprietary features involved. That being said I'd learn all of the products if it's an option, that way you can adapt to any situation pretty easily.
I'm not saying that anyone should avoid using or learning Blender. Far from it. I've been using Blender as my go-to option for 3D modeling for years. I love Blender and think its a fantastic program.
But I'm also not a professional 3D modeler. I'm just a hobbyist game developer. For getting some basic, low-poly models created, rigged, UV-mapped, and imported into Unity, Blender is great. It's more modeler than I actually need for my purposes. But my purposes are limited. I'm not a power 3D modeling user, and my livelihood does not depend on it.
While I think it would be a great idea for more professional studios to start using Blender as a standard, that is not currently the case. And for the time being, programs like Maya, 3D Studio Max, Mudbox, and Z-Brush are industry-standard programs that most people who want to work as 3D modelers and animators ought to be familiar with. If you want to play around with Blender on the side, more power to you. It's an open source program, no one is going to stop you. But using it as primary modeling tool is not something I would recommend for budding professionals.
Of course, integrating Blender into your existing pipeline to complement other modeling programs is usually considered to be just fine. Once again, open source. No studio is going to complain about you using free software.
Is there any way to manipulate (move) a meshes origin point? (The small orange circle). I prefer moving that to moving the whole mesh in edit mode, then moving the whole object back to its original position.
Is there any way to manipulate (move) a meshes origin point? (The small orange circle). I prefer moving that to moving the whole mesh in edit mode, then moving the whole object back to its original position.
In object mode place 3D cursor where you wish then, object -> transform -> origin to 3D cursor
There are some x,y,z sliders in the right panel (N key) for the 3D cursor if that helps.
You also can select geometry in edit mode and position the 3D cursor too if you didn't know that already. In edit mode just select some verts or whatever, then hit Shift+S a menu will pop up and the 3rd option is cursor to selected. You can also hit Shift+S, 3 and it'll work. Still have to pop back out of edit mode to reset origin though.
Matcap support was added today. There is also a vertex bevel (Ctrl+Shift+B) now. With dyntopo sculpting, and hair for Cycles Blender 2.66 is looking to be a pretty impressive release.
xrg, that "script" you gave me for object mode on a hotkey uninstalls itself from the keybindings whenever I restart blender (I just pasted it on the bottom of an exported keymap) any ideas? Thanks for helping btw
Matcap support was added today. There is also a vertex bevel (Ctrl+Shift+B) now. With dyntopo sculpting, and hair for Cycles Blender 2.66 is looking to be a pretty impressive release.
sounds nice
whats even better, die F2 script from the loop tools guy.. thats just awesome
xrg, that "script" you gave me for object mode on a hotkey uninstalls itself from the keybindings whenever I restart blender (I just pasted it on the bottom of an exported keymap) any ideas? Thanks for helping btw
That's weird, I'm not sure. On mine it seems to keep, at least in a custom keymap. Where is the location of the file you're copying it at?
Well I'm on Linux so they're saved in ~/.config/blender/2.6x/scripts/presets/keyconfig. On Windows it looks like it's in that awful Documents and Settings mess.
That is weird that it didn't work on import though. You don't have any extra entries in the drop down do you? If so you should be able to select them then just click the save user settings at the bottom and it should pick it on startup.
Matcap support was added today. There is also a vertex bevel (Ctrl+Shift+B) now. With dyntopo sculpting, and hair for Cycles Blender 2.66 is looking to be a pretty impressive release.
So for matcaps, does that just make it easier to use them? Because Blender already ahd the Matcap functionality already, it just required some setup of a material first by loading the matcap as a texture and setting the UVs to Normal.
so looking at it some more it does work for session on import but then doesn't work when I reload blender, the new keymap appears as the active one in the user prefs input list (like on the screenshot) but the new menu dosen't work, it then starts working for that blender session if I reselect the key map from the list.
Not really sure what this means but it appears in the console
File "C:\Users\Frankie\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.65\scripts\presets\keyconfig\key3.py", line 616, in <module> bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='OBJECT', toggle=False)
File "C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.65\scripts\modules\bpy\ops.py", line 188, in __call__ret = op_call(self.idname_py(), None, kw)
So for matcaps, does that just make it easier to use them? Because Blender already ahd the Matcap functionality already, it just required some setup of a material first by loading the matcap as a texture and setting the UVs to Normal.
its in the display rollout of the 'n' panel. you just turn it on and select one. thats it. unfortunately its only ever active on your current selection
Any way to have a background image show in the viewport while in perspective mode? In the same fashion as in the orthographic top, left, etc.
I'm also finding it fairly fiddly to create a camera aligned perfectly to my current view... CTRL+ALT+0 doesn't seem to be doing it for me. I'm trying to create a camera from a perspective view.
Any way to have a background image show in the viewport while in perspective mode? In the same fashion as in the orthographic top, left, etc.
The only way I think you can do this in Blender is using a plane, with your ref image as a texture.
I'm also finding it fairly fiddly to create a camera aligned perfectly to my current view... CTRL+ALT+0 doesn't seem to be doing it for me. I'm trying to create a camera from a perspective view.
It works correctly to me. Are you remembering to use the 0 of numpad keyboard?
you can also go to camera view press n for the tab menu and select "lock camera to view"
then you can adjust the camera how you want it and deselect the option
You can also use an empty for images. They work a bit nicer than planes I think, because you don't have to be in textured mode to see them. To make them so you can't accidentally select them while modeling or whatever, you can turn off the little arrow in the outliner.
Hey guys. I'm having an issue with pop ups that disappear when the mouse cursor isn't hovering over it. For example, if you bring up the DynamicSpqce menu, the move the mouse away the menu closes. This type of thing happens to me constantly because I move the mouse so I can read the tooltip or I move it before a submenu has appeared. The annoying ones are the tiny confirm boxes, like deleting an object.
I can't seem to find an option to change this behavior. Anyone have any suggestions?
Hey guys. I'm having an issue with pop ups that disappear when the mouse cursor isn't hovering over it. For example, if you bring up the DynamicSpqce menu, the move the mouse away the menu closes. This type of thing happens to me constantly because I move the mouse so I can read the tooltip or I move it before a submenu has appeared. The annoying ones are the tiny confirm boxes, like deleting an object.
I can't seem to find an option to change this behavior. Anyone have any suggestions?
I don't know of any setting to change this. I've never had any problems with this though, because when I open a menu I plan to select something from that menu. It seems correct that the menu should close if I move the mouse away, because I obviously don't want to use the menu. But that's just me. My best advise is, sorry, get used to it :poly121:
I'm having issues displaying normal maps in blender. I don't really have any idea how to use blender and only need to do one quick thing in it, load a pre-created mesh and apply an exsisting normal map baked in xnormal to see how well it handles mikktspace normals.
Is there any simple guide to this? It looks like a lot of the documentation is for older versions, and the ui and app features are totally different.
I managed to sort of set up a material that kind-of renders with the offline renderer, but I need to view this in the viewport. I've set the thing to GLSL but that doesn't do anything.
Hey dude here's my test
After you set glsl you need to press alt+z or select viewport shading to texture.
In the material, the normal map texture needs to have image sampling to normal map in order to work, and a little bit down to change from default slot(diffuse to normal), and lastly tell blender you want that texture to use the model uv(disabled by default).I have not looked into anything else model .obj related(smoothing groups etc).
Hey Earthquake - I've uploaded the zip to my DropBox but with a blend file included that has everything setup. What you've written should have worked, though.
@EQ, For some reason your xNormal bake didnt match Blender...not sure why...but after exporting the mesh from Blender and rebaking it myself in xNormal (with a cage exported from Blender) everything is working perfectly. Odd. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2057427/Polycount/Blender_Test_Normals.zip
Do you have "compute binormal on the fly in shader" checked in xNormal under the configure options in Mikk?
Replies
What's this?
also xrg when I save and restart blender removes that section from the keymap, any idea?
http://www.blendernation.com/2013/01/16/sculpting-timelapse/#utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Blendernation+%28BlenderNation%29
If this is more of a hobby for you, you might want to consider leaning on Blender. Blender is free, and will continue to be free. A casual hobbyist or intermittent 3D modeler isn't going to have the time or energy to master all of the features of a suite like Maya or 3D Studio Max. And those prices add up. Blender is an excellent solution for those who aren't as deeply invested in this craft.
? Not sure I agree with this at all, plenty of people make a living using Blender. If you visit blendernation you'll see plenty of small studios and freelancers posting their reels of productions done in Blender.
For example, you may need to do UV tweaks to a model that's already skinned etc. , you may prefer doing UVs in blender (I know I do) but takingthe model across to blender, doing the tweaks, then bringing it back into max/maya, putting skinning back on etc. is more work (and more likely to throw up issues) than just doing the UV tweaks in max/maya.
So basically you need this:
You -> Max/Maya -> Game Engine
but you can then modify it this:
You -> Blender -> Max/Maya -> Game Engine
Hopefully that made some kind of sense. It's nearly 3am and I need to go to bed.
The main reason you would need to use Max or Maya would be if there were any special plugins, tools, or workflows that would require them.
If we're just comparing programs, you can actually do much more in Blender than either of them. Blender is unique in that it has compositing, sculpting, mesh painting, a built-in game engine, and a lot of really cutting edge developments that are happening constantly. Blender also gets a lot of great plugins, the majority of which are of no cost besides donations.
Even for the people who complain about Blender having too unusual of a UI, you can set just about anything to work however you like.
As far as the actual modeling goes, some of the best modeling workflows I've seen were using Blender. Many of the old restrictions with mesh geometry have been cleared and everything's pretty much on the same playing field now.
Blender also has a fast pace of development; it's completely open for getting the latest builds to try (or even make) new features. There's also a very large community that will only increase as it continues to grow in popularity and prominence.
I'm rambling a bit, but the main point is I wouldn't disqualify using blender. As far as workflow compatibility with other applications, they all pretty much use the same standard formats. Models that you make in Blender will work just like they would from anywhere else. You'll be able to make content for something like UDK or Unity just like you would in any other application, no need for a middle-man unless there are proprietary features involved. That being said I'd learn all of the products if it's an option, that way you can adapt to any situation pretty easily.
But I'm also not a professional 3D modeler. I'm just a hobbyist game developer. For getting some basic, low-poly models created, rigged, UV-mapped, and imported into Unity, Blender is great. It's more modeler than I actually need for my purposes. But my purposes are limited. I'm not a power 3D modeling user, and my livelihood does not depend on it.
While I think it would be a great idea for more professional studios to start using Blender as a standard, that is not currently the case. And for the time being, programs like Maya, 3D Studio Max, Mudbox, and Z-Brush are industry-standard programs that most people who want to work as 3D modelers and animators ought to be familiar with. If you want to play around with Blender on the side, more power to you. It's an open source program, no one is going to stop you. But using it as primary modeling tool is not something I would recommend for budding professionals.
Of course, integrating Blender into your existing pipeline to complement other modeling programs is usually considered to be just fine. Once again, open source. No studio is going to complain about you using free software.
In object mode place 3D cursor where you wish then, object -> transform -> origin to 3D cursor
You also can select geometry in edit mode and position the 3D cursor too if you didn't know that already. In edit mode just select some verts or whatever, then hit Shift+S a menu will pop up and the 3rd option is cursor to selected. You can also hit Shift+S, 3 and it'll work. Still have to pop back out of edit mode to reset origin though.
The Looptools fella is at it again.
xrg, that "script" you gave me for object mode on a hotkey uninstalls itself from the keybindings whenever I restart blender (I just pasted it on the bottom of an exported keymap) any ideas? Thanks for helping btw
pea, did you find a psd build?
sounds nice
whats even better, die F2 script from the loop tools guy.. thats just awesome
That's weird, I'm not sure. On mine it seems to keep, at least in a custom keymap. Where is the location of the file you're copying it at?
That is weird that it didn't work on import though. You don't have any extra entries in the drop down do you? If so you should be able to select them then just click the save user settings at the bottom and it should pick it on startup.
So for matcaps, does that just make it easier to use them? Because Blender already ahd the Matcap functionality already, it just required some setup of a material first by loading the matcap as a texture and setting the UVs to Normal.
Not really sure what this means but it appears in the console
File "C:\Users\Frankie\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.65\scripts\presets\keyconfig\key3.py", line 616, in <module> bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='OBJECT', toggle=False)
File "C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.65\scripts\modules\bpy\ops.py", line 188, in __call__ret = op_call(self.idname_py(), None, kw)
I'm a bit out of my depth now
its in the display rollout of the 'n' panel. you just turn it on and select one. thats it. unfortunately its only ever active on your current selection
I'm also finding it fairly fiddly to create a camera aligned perfectly to my current view... CTRL+ALT+0 doesn't seem to be doing it for me. I'm trying to create a camera from a perspective view.
The only way I think you can do this in Blender is using a plane, with your ref image as a texture.
It works correctly to me. Are you remembering to use the 0 of numpad keyboard?
then you can adjust the camera how you want it and deselect the option
I can't seem to find an option to change this behavior. Anyone have any suggestions?
I don't know of any setting to change this. I've never had any problems with this though, because when I open a menu I plan to select something from that menu. It seems correct that the menu should close if I move the mouse away, because I obviously don't want to use the menu. But that's just me. My best advise is, sorry, get used to it :poly121:
Is there any simple guide to this? It looks like a lot of the documentation is for older versions, and the ui and app features are totally different.
I managed to sort of set up a material that kind-of renders with the offline renderer, but I need to view this in the viewport. I've set the thing to GLSL but that doesn't do anything.
Help?
Heres a link to the OBJ and TGA files for the test mesh: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/499159/blendertestnormals.zip
After you set glsl you need to press alt+z or select viewport shading to texture.
In the material, the normal map texture needs to have image sampling to normal map in order to work, and a little bit down to change from default slot(diffuse to normal), and lastly tell blender you want that texture to use the model uv(disabled by default).I have not looked into anything else model .obj related(smoothing groups etc).
http://www.lluc3d.com/wp-content/uploads/blendertestnormals.rar
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/41049228/blendertestnormals-withBlend.zip
Couple of things:
Renderer should be set to Blender Render (or Blender Game)
Viewport shading should be Textured
Shader should be GLSL (which you already mentioned)
Let me know if the file doesn't look correct for you or if you have any questions about the settings.
/edit - ha, damn - I guess everyone is willing to help on your birthday...
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2057427/Polycount/Blender_Test_Normals.zip
Do you have "compute binormal on the fly in shader" checked in xNormal under the configure options in Mikk?
EDIT: NVM, you have to use the hotkey to get it working. http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.66/Mesh_Modeling