3D modeler?

Does anyone know of any Nova-compatable 3D modelers that use a point-based (like MasterCAM/AutoCAD) interface? I've decided to at least try to learn how to make graphics, but I'm having problems with freehand. Or am I just incredibly dense?

Mr. The Kid

Nova-compatable? Huh?

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Nova doesn't take 3d Models. You render every 10 degrees and make the set of pictures into a sprite useing Pict2Sprite.

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"...In the future, new tyrannies will arise. Wars will happen again. There will never be true peace as long as the human race endures."

Allow me to rephrase that: Any 3D modelers that can be easily converted into Nova? Hey, gimme a break here, I have no clue what I'm doing.

Mr. The Kid

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"I need two men."

Pretty much any 3D program. Render at every so many degrees, convert to a sprite, then convert to a shรคn (for ships and stuff like that).

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From Mechanisto to Maya... as long as it has animation capabilities.

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Actually, I made a sprite with photoshop once (using the rotate canvas and croping tools). Of course it sucked but...

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Quote

Originally posted by mrxak:
**Actually, I made a sprite with photoshop once (using the rotate canvas and croping tools). Of course it sucked but...

**

I can beat you on that. I once made a sprite using ClarisWorks (you know, AppleWorks before it was bought by Apple), and it did suck, but hey, it's a sprite, isn't it? Yea, but any 3D software package will probably work, no matter if it does animations or not. Rendering into animations makes it easier to make sprites, but it's not the only way. Choose your package on these criteria: capabilites, ease of use (for you), and price. That should do it for you. If you have more specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Matrix

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"Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool."

Did anyone actually read the original post?

Mr. The Kid

Quote

Originally posted by Mr_The_Kid:
**Did anyone actually read the original post?

Mr. The Kid**

Yea, but no one was really clear. Kid, Nova doesn't directly use 3D models from any programs. What you have to do is render your model (render means that it outputs the 3D information into a 2D picture, or set of pictures) as it rotates, and then use several third-party software packages by w00tware to convert your rendered pictures into sprites (2D images) that Nova/Override/EV can use. So to answer your original question, almost any 3D software package can work for making sprites. Your best bet would be to try a package that lots of people use around here: Infini-D, Carrara, Strata 3D, Bryce, Cinema 4D, Amapi, or POVRay. There are plenty others that I haven't mentioned: ATMOS uses Lightwave, but its retail price is around $1300. The other programs that I mentioned range from being free to probably around $300 at most. I wish you the best of luck in your graphics endeavors, and I hope that I didn't disappoint you too much by giving you such an ambiguous answer.

Matrix

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"Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool."

I'm not sure, but I think one of the means by which you can edit objects in Strata3D is by a point cloud -- I don't know if that's anything like MasterCAM or AutoCAD at all, and I've never used it (I always convert to Bezier curves and edit in wireframe if I can help it, since I'm an Illustrator jockey). Since I've never worked with or even seen AutoCAD or MasterCAM or any other of those high-end architechtural rendering programs, I can't say if any of the other programs mentioned have interfaces like them either.

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Quote

Originally posted by UncleTwitchy:
**I'm not sure, but I think one of the means by which you can edit objects in Strata3D is by a point cloud -- I don't know if that's anything like MasterCAM or AutoCAD at all, and I've never used it (I always convert to Bezier curves and edit in wireframe if I can help it, since I'm an Illustrator jockey). Since I've never worked with or even seen AutoCAD or MasterCAM or any other of those high-end architechtural rendering programs, I can't say if any of the other programs mentioned have interfaces like them either.

**

Yea, Kid, what did you mean by "point based"? I was assuming that you meant something with a GUI and the ability to manipulate points/polygons to create models. Generally, most modeling programs have similar interfaces (similar as in the features are there, but usually they're laid out differently, and the hotkeys are different, etc... I don't know what I'm saying).

Matrix

Matrix

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"Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool."

Quote

Originally posted by what_is_the_matrix:
Yea, Kid, what did you mean by "point based"? I was assuming that you meant something with a GUI and the ability to manipulate points/polygons to create models. Generally, most modeling programs have similar interfaces (similar as in the features are there, but usually they're laid out differently, and the hotkeys are different, etc... I don't know what I'm saying).

I think I understand what he means, as I am quite familiar with AutoCAD. Unfortunately, I know of no 3D modelling programs like that--however, this is not because there aren't any, just because I am not familiar with a wide variety of modelling programs. I've only ever used Strata3Dbase, Mechanisto, and Bryce 3D/4/5.

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Kalos.
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Quote

Originally posted by Mr_The_Kid:
**Did anyone actually read the original post?
**

Yes. All we are saying, is let there be- um, I mean all we are saying is that you can use whatever "point-based" 3D program you want.

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OK, to clarify, by point-based I mean that you can type in coordinates to create objects; ie make a line from (5,6,7) to (3,4,5) or a circle of radius 6 centered at (4,5). That sort of thing. I really don't do well with using mice, so I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of a program that could do that. Thanks, people.

Mr. The Kid

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"I need two men."

Quote

Originally posted by Mr_The_Kid:
**OK, to clarify, by point-based I mean that you can type in coordinates to create objects; ie make a line from (5,6,7) to (3,4,5) or a circle of radius 6 centered at (4,5). That sort of thing. I really don't do well with using mice, so I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of a program that could do that. Thanks, people.

Mr. The Kid

**

Infini-D has something similar-ish. Just create an object and use the Info window (Windows>Information or command+1) to define it's atributes, than hit return for them to take effect. It should be noted, however, that primitives can only go so far - Eventually you'll want to get into the spline modeler. Fortunately, it's quite easy to get the hang of...

If you want a real point-poly based app, you can check out (url="http://"http://codenautics.com/meshwork/")meshwork(/url), but you should really use an actual 3D modeler, as Meshwork has no renderer, and it's texturing is mediocre at best. You could use an actual 3D app to texture/render, as Meshwork has DXF, 3DMF, and 3DS export, but doing it that way is quite inefficient.

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Quote

Originally posted by MadFax7:
**If you want a real point-poly based app, you can check out meshwork, but you should really use an actual 3D modeler, as Meshwork has no renderer, and it's texturing is mediocre at best. You could use an actual 3D app to texture/render, as Meshwork has DXF, 3DMF, and 3DS export, but doing it that way is quite inefficient.
**

Meshworks is a great program. I just downloaded it and already it is helping my work! Fantastic, simple program ๐Ÿ˜„

ewan

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may contain nuts

You can't forget Bryce either. I only have Bryce 2.1 but it works great for landscape graphics. They have Bryce 5 now I'm told...

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The Flash>>>>>

Quote

Originally posted by The Flash:
**They have Bryce 5 now I'm told...
**

You're told the truth. ๐Ÿ˜„

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Kalos.
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Quote

Originally posted by The Flash:
You can't forget Bryce either. I only have Bryce 2.1 but it works great for landscape graphics. They have Bryce 5 now I'm told...

Bryce 5 Kicks the friggin' **** out of Bryce 4... I'd hate to see what it does to Bryce 2.1. ๐Ÿ˜‰

FYI, you can (url="http://"ftp://ftp.corel.com/pub/esd/Try/Bryce5/mac/Bryce5_Trial_Version.bin")try Bryce 5 for 30 days(/url). No options are disabled, either. You can save scenes, and render to your hearts content. ๐Ÿ™‚

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