What Shipbuilding Tools Should I Use?

I'm a PC user attempting to create my own plug-ins for EVN using EVNEW. However, I do not know what tools I should use for the design of my own ships for that plug-in, and I was wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions and guidelines to help.

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We brought nothing into this world, nor can we take anything out. So we shall be content with these necessary things.

(This message has been edited by MavHunterExtreme (edited 01-03-2004).)

Ships are made using 3d modeling applications. Common ones used are strata, lightwave, wings3d, and many others.
Changing colors and such on existing ships is often done using photoshop and even simpler programs.
-Az

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It is here. EVNEW Public Beta (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW")www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW(/url)
Stuffit is a piece of .sit.

Strata (at least for Macintosh users), Wings 3D, and Blender are availabe for free, as is OpenFX, a 3D program for Windows. The others range in price from $100 to $600+. Photoshop is around $600, and Photoshop Elements is about $100 or so.

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where can i download OpenFX?

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A master can shape the universe to suit himself.

Quote

Originally posted by Cunjo:
**where can i download OpenFX?

**

(url="http://"http://www.openfx.org/download/index.php")http://www.openfx.or...nload/index.php(/url)

EDIT: dang I was off by like 30 sec!!!!

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(This message has been edited by Dubes (edited 01-02-2004).)

(url="http://"http://www.openfx.org/news/index.php")OpenFX Internet Site(/url)

EDIT:

(url="http://"http://www.blender3d.com")Blender Internet Site(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.edu.uleth.ca/faculty/members/steed/3Dsplmnt/Strtlnks.html")You can get Strata Base 3.0.2 here(/url). Beware, if you're using Windows you probably won't be able to register it.
(url="http://"http://www.strata.com")Strata Internet Site(/url). They might have a (less-capable) free version here to DL.

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(This message has been edited by UE_Research & Development (edited 01-02-2004).)

thank you both.

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A warrior can shape himself to suit anything in the universe.
A master can shape the universe to suit himself.

Thanks everyone for your responses, they're greatly appreciated.

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We brought nothing into this world, nor can we take anything out. So we shall be content with these necessary things.

(This message has been edited by MavHunterExtreme (edited 01-03-2004).)

OK, I've downloaded both Blender and Strata in an attempt to find the best possible program, but I've run into another problem. Where can I go to find an effective tutorial or manual that even an idiot can understand?

OH, and is anyone aware of when 3D's registration website will be working again?

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We brought nothing into this world, nor can we take anything out. So we shall be content with these necessary things.

(This message has been edited by MavHunterExtreme (edited 01-04-2004).)

Wings 3D is nice, since even an 3D idiot like me can build meshs.

(url="http://"http://www.wings3d.com/")Wings 3D(/url) is available for mac os x and windows.

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(url="http://"http://en.wikipedia.org")En Wikipedia(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by MavHunterExtreme:
**OK, I've downloaded both Blender and Strata in an attempt to find the best possible program, but I've run into another problem. Where can I go to find an effective tutorial or manual that even an idiot can understand?

OH, and is anyone aware of when 3D's registration website will be working again?

**

I suppose you could google for a tutorial, I don't know any off hand, but in the great internet wars of 20X6, that website was invaded by opposing forces and was liberated from the Strata corporation. Unfortunately, they destroyed all of Strata's resources there, including the registration page, never again to be accessed by that application.

In short, it no longer exists. 😉 You may be able to find an old registration code for it, or perhaps a license file of sorts, but I have no idea where that information is stored on windows.

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Eat blazing electric death!

Quote

Originally posted by MavHunterExtreme:
**OK, I've downloaded both Blender and Strata in an attempt to find the best possible program, but I've run into another problem. Where can I go to find an effective tutorial or manual that even an idiot can understand?

OH, and is anyone aware of when 3D's registration website will be working again?

**

Search online. Better yet, see if your local community college has 3D animation classes and take those. Most importantly, no matter what program you use, you have to practice, practice, practice. Don't expect to turn out the next Toy Story, or even the next EV Nova on your first try. You'll have to keep with it, but in the end, you'll get better.

Matrix

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Agreed, searching Google is usually your best bet. Although there have been a number of significant changes, the online manual for Blender 2.0 can be found at (url="http://"http://download.blender.org/documentation/NaN_docs/Manual2.0/TOC2.html")http://download.blen...al2.0/TOC2.html(/url) as well as (url="http://"http://download.blender.org/documentation/html/")http://download.blen...mentation/html/(/url) which is a little more up to date.
Other helpful blender links are:
(url="http://"http://www.elysiun.com")http://www.elysiun.com(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.elysiun.com/support/browse.php")http://www.elysiun.c...port/browse.php(/url)
(url="http://"http://oldsite.blender3d.org/search_item.php?part=tutorial")http://oldsite.blend...p?part=tutorial(/url)
(url="http://"http://tutorgig.com/showurls.jsp?group=2747&index;=0")http://tutorgig.com/...up=2747&index=0(/url)

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(This message has been edited by Kame (edited 01-05-2004).)

Don't discount weaker programs in the hands of somebody who knows them well. Heck. Drawing them pixel by pixel in a simple painting program can eventually produce amazing graphics if you work on it for long enough. A nice cheap (or free) program is a great place to start and develop skills.

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Wings 3d is an excellent modeler, but unfortunately lacks rendering capability beyond very basic OpenGL based renders. Blender is supposed to have an excellent rendering engine, but it's confusing interface makes it incredibly difficult to use. Strata is fairly limited from what I remember. I personally use a combination of Wings 3d and Bryce 5 to make my images, but if you can afford Bryce (around $300 normally I think, may be less), you'd probably be better off getting a mid level graphics suite like Carrara Studio that can do modeling and rendering.

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(/mindless babble)

Thanks again everyone for your help. I have to admit, the Wings 3D has proven to be quite east for me, but it does lack the rendering capabilities of Blender. And thanks for letting myself and others know about the state of 3D's registration website. If I need anything else, I'll be sure to let everyone know.

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We brought nothing into this world, nor can we take anything out. So we shall be content with these necessary things.

(This message has been edited by MavHunterExtreme (edited 01-05-2004).)