Help required with a survey about modeling needed for scientific research..
Hello, I need everyone who is involved in modeling or is just looking forward to it, do this small survey, it is a part of my scientific research about modeling. It would be really great to have as many answers as possible so the more people will do this survey the better. Thanks!
What modeling application do you use?
What pluses and minuses does it have?
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
I hope admins won't just ignore this post this time, since it's really important for me..
What modeling application do you use?
What pluses and minuses does it have?
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
I hope admins won't just ignore this post this time, since it's really important for me..
Replies
I'm confused, where's the science?
What modeling application do you use?
3ds max 8
What pluses and minuses does it have?
plus: heavily modifiable, got a wide set of tools.
minuses: cluttered interface
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
i wouldn't. personally i went from a free version of truespace into 3ds max.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
with no previous experience in 3d, its a pain to learn on your own, but its possible.
it does have a big community, but its mostly advanced users who are more interested in helping people who have already gotten around the basics.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
rephrase the question.
Is modeling useful anywhere else than in games?
yes, archviz, simulators, CAD, movies...
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
it already is.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
modeling universities are mostly useless.
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How much time on average, do you spend on one model?
it depends on the model. a small model like a helmet(around 1000 polys), i usually spend 2-4 hours modeling, 2-5 hours texturing. on something larger, like a tank(10-12000 polys), i can tinker with it for weeks or a month.
on really detailed projects like tank interiors(80-100 000 polys) i could tinker for 2-3 months.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
nothing is hard, its just time-consuming. the more time you spend on a model, the better it will look. as you improve, you work more efficiently, and can do better work in less time.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
my first model was a monster i made 8-12 years ago in milkshape. it took about 1-2 hours to make, and its now gone.
1. 3dsmax (for about 14 years..as a hobbyist and a professional)..also tried Maya, and Modo.
2. +autoback +plugins +scripting +powerful tools -lot of useless crap packed into it -expensive -useless version updates to turn a buck
3. the main reason is cost. If you can get around that hurdle..by ponying up the doe, or turning tricks at autodesk,or whatever you got to do to get your hands on it..I'd say dive in. I'd like to emphasize the max will no more make you a better modeler, than a Ferrari will make you a race car driver.
4. It's not easy..if it was easy every fan boy this side of geekdom would be cranking out their favorite anime porn dolls. It takes time. It takes practice. That goes for all modeling packages, not just Max.
5. I think that conclusion is easy enough to come to on your own
6. I've only been modeling for games for about 4 years..the modeling gig I had before that was with a company called Flight Safety- instrument panels and plane parts and such..not nearly as fun.
7.It's a part of what I do now
8.My Opinion is do not waste your money. If you can not learn it on your own (with the vast resources of the internets behind you) a Uni won't help. Now one-off classes, work groups, videos, websites dedicated to learning the craft of modeling, are invaluable.....course if it is free, that's a whole different story. Also remember that degrees are like little brown bags filled with your portfolio. You can label it TASTY all you like,but it's not going to make it stink any less if you fill it full of shit.
9.depends on the model. a character.. Base..Sculpt...Retopo/uv..texture..shader set up..6 hour day..around 60 hours...and there is a ton of things that could simplify/complicate the process
10. not sure
11. I made some onion dome castle thing out of primitives.. didn't save the file
All and all if you want to get into modeling, just start doing it. And there is no need to be silly about it...if you are hoping to average a bunch of peoples opinions together to get a definitive answer, I think you are going to be disappointed. It's not going to make it any easier. 2cents
3DS Max 2009
What pluses and minuses does it have?
+Non-destructive workflow, makes modeling fun!
+Lots of tools, plugins, and community support.
+Good realtime rendering options in 2011. Soft shadows, AA, SSAO etc.
+Highly customizable UI, easy to learn scripting language.
+Far more modern than another Autodesk product that rhymes with papaya.
-VERY EXPENSIVE. They assume everyone is a large design firm. New freelancers can't just fork over $4000...
-Newer versions have interfaces that are overloaded with tacked on stuff.
-Certain versions are very slow and buggy, particularly 2010.
-RTT tangent basis isn't matched to the realtime viewport.
-Newer files cannot be opened by older versions, so teams HAVE to be on the same version or else they need to export to OBJ, which isn't ideal.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
I personally found it very simple to learn, it's also an industry standard so your skills will transfer over no matter where you go. There are also a LOT of help files. Also, if you're a student you can get the software for free to learn.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
See above.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now? Hmm? Well, 3d modeling is an essential part of game development today if that's what you're asking.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Absolutely! Your modeling skills will transfer over to film, architecture, product design, and any kind of CAD work.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Yes.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
I have no intention of going to school for any kind of 3D. From what I've heard, schools tend to teach outdated methods and have instructors that just graduated. I've heard otherwise from some people, but it's a LOT of money to spend on a big maybe.
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Probably a day or two for a high poly modeland another day to make the low and unwrap. After that it goes into photoshop for texturing.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
My first models because I was still learning the toolset. Now modeling is the easiest and most boring part of the creation process for me. It's just making shapes, what a bore! Other than that, the hardest technically was an M14 I modeled recently that had a lot of very complex shapes, and it took me far too long to model it.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
Some little shotgun model. I think it took me a few days to make, but I don't have pictures of it anymore.
Bumping this up again :P
What modeling application do you use?
Mainly 3DSMax 2010, I do have limited experience with Maya 2010, but since I'm more familiar with Max I'll answer questions based on it.
What pluses and minuses does it have?
Pluses: You can see changes made on your model live on your computer as you make them and scrub through values instead of guessing what numbers you want to input for the values of different actions.
Minuses: It is extremely expensive to license on your own, and menus can be difficult to find if you don't have someone show you where they are
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
I learned on 3DSMax, and was trained on Maya later. Personally, I think both programs have their benefits, though I honestly much prefer Max (mainly because that's the program I learned on, and am much more comfortable in). I think that one of the things that makes Max more beginner friendly, is again the ability to see changes done to your model live as you scrub through values to see what looks best, whereas in Maya you kind of just guess values and hope for the best.
How easy is it for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
Well, any of these are going to be difficult programs to learn on your own, a good mentor is key to becoming familiar with a program. And Polycount is the fountain of all knowledge that is game art related, this place rocks when you're looking for answers, other places to go for help are GameArtisans, CGTalk, and Autodesk even has forums you could go to for assistance.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
I'm not sure I understand this question....
Is modeling useful anywhere else than in games?
Definitely! Even though I got into modeling to work in games, I currently do military and commercial contract work at a small company. Other paths modeling can lead you down include VFX, architecture, and advertisement.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
My current profession is linked with it, and I hope my future ones are as well.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at?
There's plenty of places to learn at, unfortunately some are under scrutiny at this moment in time. It really all comes down to you and your work ethic, because there are plenty of places to familiarize yourself with it. There are the Art Institutes, which are all over the USA, Vancouver Film School, some traditional art schools even teach the programs now.
How much time, on average, do you spend on one model?
It depends on the complexity of the model, and if you're including unwrapping/texturing/rigging into this equation. For just modeling, I can finish a simple model in less than 10 minutes, a more complex one could take a couple hours. If it's a character, for me, it takes a few days of continuous work.
Which was the hardest model you have made until now?
For me, personally, I have to model a lot of radio equipment, some are easy, some have some very interesting shapes that I have to spend quite a bit of time figuring out how to go about modeling, though what I speak of is strictly hard surface modeling, which I am most familiar with. Some of the absolute most difficult models one will ever have to make are anatomically correct characters.
What was your first model? How long did it take to make?
Oh boy....my first model was an attempt to create a double-decker bus out of standard primitives in Max.... It was my first 3D assignment in school, and I think we were given a few days to work on it. Gladly, to save myself from embarrassment, I do not have a render, but I can assure you, it was baaaaaaaad.
It's... its like I'm writing a paper... for you.
What modeling application do you use?
maya, zbrush, 3dcoat
What pluses and minuses does it have?
maya: +better interface and easier to find things than max, -not as much stuff ready out of the box as max
zbrush: +runs better than mud, zspheres, etc -some cryptic interface workflows
3dcoat: +awesome retopo tool, pretty good paint tool, -voxels are still slower than zbrush
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
use what you will be using if you get a job, pretty simple
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
took me a while for all of them, but anatomy/2d takes longer to learn, and is more important, i think just good tutorials help, whether those tuts are from the community or companys doesnt matter
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
not that big, halo odst and fallout 3 have some disgusting looking models and they sold really well, its often the gameplay, controls, and whole package that people care about more than just the models.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
movies, cad, toys, 2d artists that suck (me)
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
want to be a game designer, so hopefully i can use my 3d skills to get ideas across/ make animatics/ rough levels
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
nope, especially that are accredited
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
few days then i give up
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
dont know
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
sphere in blender when i was like 8
Softimage XSI
What pluses and minuses does it have?
Great, intuitive modeling package that is unbeatable with the right hotkeys set
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
Its ease. Pit against a program like Lightwave or Maya, its the best modeling package. Not sure how it compares to 3DS max though.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
No professional modeling package is easy to learn! Takes time and practice and a good eye
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
Hmmm, this question is worded weird! Well, modeling must happen in order to create the 3D aspect of any game
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Heck yes, in film, VFX, simulations, lots of stuff
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Yes it will be, I am currently in school training to be an environment modeler
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
**Please, do not go to a university to learn 3D. Please. It is a HUGE waste of money for a mediocre learning experience. Go to a smaller school where professional people from the industry teach, like the Dave school (Florida), Gnomon (California), or Think Tank (Vancouver).
I moved from Alaska to Vancouver to go to Think Tank Training Centre because it provides an intensive and well put together course, all the instructors are current industry professionals, there are only 12 students per semester so as to learn better, and it is less expensive than most other schools! (and gives a lot more bang for your buck!)
http://tttc.ca/ This is the link to the website. Please check it out, I highly recommend going to a school like this versus teaching yourself 3D if you hope to someday be employed.
I have written more about my school and experiences there at my blog http://taylorpelto.com/ (my first post, either at the bottom of the page or on the page before it).
Seriously, if you want to ever be employed, I wouldn't recommend a university.
Consider this amazing school as a small investment to a really awesome career (as long as you work hard
If you have any more questions about it or some other schools in the states or Canada, you can message me.
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Depends on the model! Anywhere from a few hours making a base mesh and sculpting, to spending weeks on something.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
Up until now, probably a huge robot zoid mech, and it was only hard because it had so many little pieces
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
Ahaha, I made an elephant as my first assignment at Think Tank Training Centre. It was hilarious, maybe I'll snap a pic once I get to school tomorrow.
Seriously, message me if you have more questions
Maya now, but I'll talk about Max because that's what I have experience in. I just switched to Maya recently.
What pluses and minuses does it have?
Pluses: Modifiers, plugins, interface makes sense to me.
Minuses: They always add some feature each version that doesn't really work, for the cost of the app that kind of blows.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
I don't really know a reason for 1 app to be better than another for a beginner, either way there are gonna be weeks of just massive failure (hitting a button on accident then not knowing what happened etc)
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
Above answer applies.. As far as big helping communities, the best way to go is just tutorials, google and the help files. Max has a LOT of tutorials.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
o.O
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
yep
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Will be.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
pelto pretty much answered this.
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Depends on the model and what you need it for etc.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
Each one is harder than the last, so I guess my latest one.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!
This isn't my FIRST model, because my first one was a bunch of boxes that matched the outline of a BMW from the front view. But when I was 13/14 I was making this stuff:
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/2479/bmwm5vr4.jpg
http://forums.3dtotal.com/showthread.php?t=48778
3dsmax
What pluses and minuses does it have?
I know it really well, a lot of great features, most things are straight forward and those that aren't can normally be scripted so they are.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
The help file documentation made it fairly easy to learn, along with a lot of online tutorials and active forums.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn?
It depends on them and how they learn. In general the tutorials included within 3dsmax are beginner friendly and very helpful.
Does it have a big community that helps?
Yes there are several arge community that will answer questions.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
well... considering most things you see on screen where modeled in one way or another... probably pretty huge. I really don't know how you can make games without modeling, but programers are hard at work finding new ways to make artists redundant all the time... so maybe not so much so in the future.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Yep, arch/vis, simulations, medical, TV, film... err that's all I can think of now.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Already linked to it, although my title is Lead Character Animator I still do a good chunk of modeling.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
Self taught so I can't help you here too much. I get the sense that there are a lot of game art programs out there but only a handful are going to actually teach what people need to learn. The good ones seem to have the balls to deny admittance to underpreforming students.
The good schools that come to mind.
Full Sail, Guild Hall, Vancoover Film School, Gnomon, Savannah College of the Arts.
And at the other end of the spectrum you have Art Institutes and ITT-tech type schools that rubber stamp anyone with a pile of cash.
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Depends on the complexity of the model, on average 16-24hrs for a fairly detailed environment prop, 80-120hrs for a character, but it ranges widely. I can get more specific if you show me some ref and give me some specs.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
A banshee, with cloth sim, hair sim and particle
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice!)
I made this, for a Half-Life1 mod, it took me about a month I was learning just about everything.
Who/what is the research for?
This research is for my assignment in school, that i will have to present to people. Survey is only a part of the whole research, which will feature few interviews from experienced modelers who are working in game industry, also a short description why you should use one or another modeling application.
If you're interested in the results you should probably leave or pm your email, so i can send it to you when it's done. The deadline for this research is in January, so results will be available in mid-December .
Luxology modo 401 (and XSI).
What pluses and minuses does it have?
It's very fluent, modeling is pretty straightforward and effortless if you think the tools. Minuses, well the non-node based "shader tree" is a confusing in larger scenes, but you will get accustomed to it. It's not the perfect tool for game art, it lacks some features that 3ds Max and Maya have for example.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
Well, there's the 30-day full trial with save. The tutorials that come with it are pretty decent and will get you up and running quite fast. There's a lot of material for modo, but not as much as there is for 3ds Max or Maya.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
I would say easier than Maya or Blender, but not much easier than 3ds Max. It's pretty hard to compare them, but I think it is quite easy to learn. The basics that is. There's much more learning to do, last for a lifetime. But those aren't really application specific things.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
It's integral part in a way. To have games, you need the tools to make them. As for your average gamer, I don't think it has much meaning. Most just enjoy their games and leave the more technical side alone.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
It's a nice skill to have. I'm no way a professional, but it's my hobby. It has improved my skills in how I see the world around me. When I see something, I can straight away think how I could translate that to 3D. It's a mindset. Modeling is used in many areas these days, but usually those need you to know something besides 3D too.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Possibly in some way, but not yet. I doubt I will do it as my main thing, but surely knowing doesn't hurt at all. Nice skill to have.
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
I don't know exactly, since it really depends on the model. If I work on it on and off for few weeks, that will get me pretty far on most models. That doesn't include getting it textured and mapped for rendering. Again, depends on the complexity of the model.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
That would have to be Audi R10 - which is mostly finished, but not quite. Pretty nice shape, hardest parts are the details and getting them right.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make?
I think it was a robot of some sort, can't really remember. It took me bit longer, I learned as I went ahead with it. Nothing pretty, but I learned the basics.
An older version of 3DS Max, will be using Maya for school this year. Also worked with a bunch of other software but I'll be answering the questions from a 3DS Max perspective.
What pluses and minuses does it have?
+ Modifiers. They're kind of like photoshop layers/filters
+ It's really easy to get started with
+ It's widely used so there are lots of plugins and most other packages try to have some level of compatibility with it
+ It's a very expansive program (scripting, simulations, painting, etc) so you only need one package
- It's a very expansive program (scripting, simulations, painting, etc) so it can be overwhelming/excessive
- It can be a bit fidgety with some technical quirks, for instance baking normal maps is tricky
- It's pricey, very pricey.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
It's Easy to learn, and you'll be learning as-you-go. It's got a huge userbase, which means there are plenty of people to as questions, tutorials to read, videos to watch and forums to join.
It's also handy to have everything in one package, so you don't have to mess around with importing/exporting compatibility and such, and you can slowly explore one feature at a time.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn?
It's very easy to learn the fundamentals. You'll be off boxmodeling in no time, and simple texturing and animation are also quickly learnt. And then, as time goes by, you'll learn keyboard shortcuts, explore submenus and such.
You can literally learn how to:
-model a car
-give it a texture
-animate it's driving movements
in a day.
Does it have a big community that helps?
Definitely. Aside from the official forums, almost any 3D artist is at some level familiar with Max, so there's plenty of people to ask for help. And there are several billion tutorials for it. Maybe even more!
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
About 90% of PC/Console games and 70% of mobile devices use use 3D graphics, I think. And seeing as all those 3D graphics have to come from somewhere, modeling definitely is a large aspect of the industry.
What is interesting to note, though, is that the effort involved in it is disproportionaly much, in my opinion. When you look at the progress made during the past 10 years, graphics have skyrocketed, while AI and gameplay haven't evolved that much. Which is sad, because I enjoy playing a fun, ugly game more than a pretty, boring one.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
It's also used for architectural presentations, product design, advertisement, movie effects and even entire films such as Toy Story 3.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Likely, yeah. I'm doing a course on game design which focuses on gameplay, story, rules, concepting and such things rather than 3D production work. But in the future I hope to start a small indie company, which means I'll have to tackle a lot of the artwork and ingame assets too.
How many time, average, do you spend on one model?
This is very dependant on what I'm making, so I can't really answer. For instance I might make a crate in 1 hour and a human in 99, that would be an average of 50 hours but that number isn't very informative.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
Probably my phone although it wasn't difficult, really. I specifically chose a subject that wasn't too complex, so I could focus more on how to handle highpoly modeling, normal mapping, and how to create realistic materials by hand.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make?
A plane we had to model for class. We were supposed to just learn boxmodeling, but I figured out vertices, smoothing groups and simple colors as well. The class was about 90 minutes I think, and this is how it ended up:
Still quite pleased with it. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for a simple PSP/iPhone game.
Blender 2.5x
What pluses and minuses does it have?
For modeling, it is extremely fast and flexible (modifiers really help). It also has an extremely unobtrusive interface, so most modeling can be done on a maximized view. I like this because it feels much more tactile than other programs I've used.
However, Blender has a very low industry penetration, and having the unobtrusive interface makes it difficult to migrate to from other packages because it's non-standard. However, people who are new to 3D generally have an easy time learning it.
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
Mostly because it's free. In addition to that, because it's so quirky, it makes other modeling packages very easy to learn.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
It is very easy to learn if the beginner has never modeled before. However, if someone is migrating from another package, it's fairly difficult since the interface is unlike most other programs.
The Blender community is very large and very helpful. There is an unfortunate streak of evangelism though that can be really unprofessional.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
It's really the cornerstone of the graphics in games, so it is very important.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
Film and Archviz use a lot of modeling as well. Film may use much more dense meshes, or solutions such as non-polygonal NURBS and subdivision surface modeling.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Absolutely.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
There seem to be plenty, though it definitely varies by location. I can only speak of the US. There's a lot on the west coast and Florida (Ringling, Full-Sail, various Art Institutes). I think some more traditional schools have programs as well, like the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Rhode Island School of design. Remembering back a few years to when I was searching, most of the programs were new, and pretty bare bones, often combining too many disciplines to really be of any use. Hopefully this has changed. I'm Currently in the northeast at Champlain College.
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
This varies completely on the model, and I tend to be a perfectionist, so it can take anywhere from 1-150 hours depending on what I'm doing.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73044
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make?
I don't even remember...I seem to recall trying to make a combat knife, and it took way too long.
What pluses and minuses does it have? Price
Why would you suggest it for a beginner? Cinema 4D is very easy to learn and the user interface is completely customizable and easy.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps? It is pretty easy, took me about 2 days to be completely comfortable with it. The community is a little lack luster as right now they are focused on architecture and motion graphics but hopefully this attitude will start turning around with indie games becoming more and more prevalent.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now? Uh, its pretty big. Doesn't have to be high or low poly. Any kind of 3 dimensional object creates a very unique feel to the game. Just look at something like 4 warriors of light for the DS and Mass Effect 2. Both are beautiful. Both have really amazing 3d models.
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games? Yes, modeling has such a huge world market that it can be expanded to any number of different industries. Pre-Vis for architecture and drafting, blocking out quick shapes for fashion, adding elements to graphic design, rearranging a room for interior design, it just goes on and on.
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it? Yes and yes.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great) There are plenty. The college I went to is dealing with a lot of trash right now, The Art Institute of CA - Los Angeles but it was totally worth it. There is a huge number of art schools out there. Just look!
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model? Depends, is it a model for myself? It is for work? Is it high poly or low poly? Is it important to the scene or not? I would say for myself, the time doesn't matter. I usually just play and see what comes up. For a project, I try to complete it as fast as possible. I tend to spend 30 minutes to an hour on whatever I am building.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now? Its something I am still working on, something I don't think will ever be finished. A 3d self portrait.
Which was your first model? A human head. That's how I found out I wanted to be an environment artist. LoL!
How long did it take to make? (A picture would be really nice! It took me a week working nonstop. No picture available because this was 10 years ago and I have since destroyed everything from that darkest of times.
Maya...and 3ds Max when I need to (work)
What pluses and minuses does it have?
compared to what? O.o
Why would you suggest it for a beginner?
Depending on the beginner in my opinion.
How easy it is for a beginner to learn? Does it have a big community that helps?
It was fine 10 years ago so I guess it's even better now.
How big effect on gaming does modeling leave right now?
If it's a 3D game as most of games we see nowadays...modeling is everywhere on the screen then u.u;
Is modeling useful anywhere else then in games?
It can be useful in any media : film, series, commercial, even print etc...make a preview before you move your furniture in your room xD
Will your future profession be linked with modeling? Or is it already linked with it?
Yes, already is.
If you have chosen modeling as your future profession is there enough universities to learn at? (One or two examples would be great)
No idea~
(If you havent made anything yet, its not a must to answer these)
How many time ,average, do you spend on one model?
Depending on the model.
Which was the hardest model you have made till now?
To be honest if there was one i don't remember it then...I have more difficulties in concepting rather than modeling.
Which was your first model? How long did it take to make?
A Castle facade!!!! (ugly one) in 2h? ...
!!!!! But it was in 1998!!
At least everyone feel that they can become environment artist now u.u