Looking for a good low-poly modelling tool...
I'm dabbling with a Nintendo DS homebrew project, and I'm wanting to take a stab at some concept art, in 3D model format. I'm trying to find a decent modelling program; the problem is that basically every guide I come across on the Internet is geared towards professional all-purpose 3D software like Maya or Blender. This is major overkill for my purposes, and Blender was pretty overwhelming last time I tried it (though that was quite a while ago;) never tried Maya. I'm not looking for something that does every single thing a professional 3D artist could ever want, I'm just looking for a simple mesh editor/model-building tool that I can use to get some ideas down quick and easy.
Milkshape would be perfect, if it supported quads, but it doesn't (the DS supports 'em in hardware, may as well take advantage of that.) I'd prefer something Windows-native, or that at least has a decent UI, and ideally something free (though I'd be willing to drop a moderate shareware fee on a good program.) Animation tools would also be nice, but aren't strictly necessary.
Does anyone have any recommendations for such a program?
Milkshape would be perfect, if it supported quads, but it doesn't (the DS supports 'em in hardware, may as well take advantage of that.) I'd prefer something Windows-native, or that at least has a decent UI, and ideally something free (though I'd be willing to drop a moderate shareware fee on a good program.) Animation tools would also be nice, but aren't strictly necessary.
Does anyone have any recommendations for such a program?
Replies
Silo has been dead in the water, development-wise, for years, but I still use it daily, and workflow and tools are fast fast fast, so that could be an option. Alternately there's VoidWorld, which also boasts quite a fast workflow.
EDIT:That is if you don't want to learn a heavier modelling software, liek maya,blender, modo and 3ds Max etc.
3DS Max might actually be usable, I remember it being fairly well-geared for simple mesh editing when I tried it. I'd have to get an old copy on the cheap, though.
Eh? Sketchup is a standalone.
For a pure [free] modeller, I would lean towards recommending VoidWorld, but that's primarily because I [personally] don't much like Blender's modelling toolset (love the rest of the package, though).