metaBALLS!
grand marshal polycounter
Hi all
I've been looking around for a freeware metaball modelling program. I know it sounds silly since a/apps like Max, Maya, XSI and even Zbrush have tools for this and b/metaballs don't have much use outside of fluid effects and clouds, but still - there is something I wish to try with them.
So far I came accross this:
http://www.personal.uni-jena.de/~p6sepa/software.htm
Stable and nicely oldschool, but hardly useable...
I have sweet memories of another metaball modeller that I came accross years ago on the cover CD from a french CG magazine. I can't recall the name of the app at all but clearly remember that it had ball primitives but also capsules, toruses, bloodcells-like shapes aso, all funkily colored. The example models where a tanned muscular body and some kind of Aztec face. Anyone knows the name of that program by any chance?
I also downloaded the free edition of trueSpace3. I know I did metaball models in it ears ago but I find its camera and editing controls extremely weird now, esp since it's tablet support is quite wonky.
Thanks for the help and suggestions!
I've been looking around for a freeware metaball modelling program. I know it sounds silly since a/apps like Max, Maya, XSI and even Zbrush have tools for this and b/metaballs don't have much use outside of fluid effects and clouds, but still - there is something I wish to try with them.
So far I came accross this:
http://www.personal.uni-jena.de/~p6sepa/software.htm
Stable and nicely oldschool, but hardly useable...
I have sweet memories of another metaball modeller that I came accross years ago on the cover CD from a french CG magazine. I can't recall the name of the app at all but clearly remember that it had ball primitives but also capsules, toruses, bloodcells-like shapes aso, all funkily colored. The example models where a tanned muscular body and some kind of Aztec face. Anyone knows the name of that program by any chance?
I also downloaded the free edition of trueSpace3. I know I did metaball models in it ears ago but I find its camera and editing controls extremely weird now, esp since it's tablet support is quite wonky.
Thanks for the help and suggestions!
Replies
http://www.blender.org/documentation/htmlI/c3572.html
http://www.coolfun.com/
Here's a screen shot and some stuff some guy made, maybe the interface looks familar?
http://www.shaders.co.uk/graphics_factory/organica.htm
3dsmax has a metaball object in it called blobmesh but I don't know if it suits your purpose.
You can download it there but you have to register. Wow I just downloaded this and installed it out of curiosity, I remember using this on my mac and seeing it chug, but it flies on my dual core laptop. I'd email you the install but it's 13 megs zipped and my cap is 10 meg attachments.
It quick and easy to download though, you get a login confirmation pretty quickly. Looking forward to you experiments.
Link to clay studio pro overview:
http://www.digimation.com/home/?Content=%2FV2%2FSoftwareDetail.aspx&ProductCode=SD318
I just registered on the website, waiting for the confirmation now.
As for Metareyes, well it's also a save-disabled demo but this is limited to the dynamic metaball objects only. You can very well create a model over a single session, convert it to editpoly and save it normally. Awesome! Works in Max8 also.
This is coming along great. If someone knows of any other app pleast post.
Yum, balls!
Sorry, had to say that
That Organica version is definately full and free, awesome. Well obviously it does not generate clean quad meshes but with a bit of retopo it's all good.
A bit of a bumbpy workflow for sure but it's kinda fun, and a nice rememberance of noobish 3d apps messaround just like in the old days
Organibird woo!
edit... cool birdie, love those pecs.
Here's another that looks pretty easy to use. DXF export shows up fine in Silo.
Yup Erik that's the big plus about Zspheres. I'll have to make a few comparisons, so far I like the organica workflow a bit better but yeah the output is a mess.
Bird! Overdone!