Picking a program

[Paradisio Adasia]

I have quite a history with 3d Design... not on any professional level, but I'm tempted to try it with Second Life. I've used most of the mainstream software out there such as 3ds max and maya in college, but I'm curious, is there any program that shines above the rest?

I hear a lot of recommendations for blender regardless of budget, and wonder how much truth there is to them for making mesh.

 

Thanks!

[Luc Starsider]

If you know some of the alternatives out there, and the cost is not an issue, then pick whichever program you feel the most comfortable with and which fits your way of working best. The one you like the best, in short.

Blender - which I use myself - is good. It has a lot of tools available at no cost. If it is better or worse than other programs, I don't know. It's probably more up to the designer than the software what result you get out of it. The interface may be unfamiliar and hard to learn if you're used to other programs. If you are new to these types of programs - like I was - then they ALL are hard to learn. Blender had the right price for me, so I started using it.

In short. Pick the program that give you the result you're after, and that is best for you.

- Luc -

[Shnurui Troughton]

blender is the easiest to use (5.2 and higher) and freely documented.

[Toysoldier Thor]

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Shnurui Troughton wrote:

blender is the easiest to use (5.2 and higher) and freely documented.

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OK I have to respond to this posting and call BS on this statement.

For anyone to openly post with a straight face that a 3D program that has a long standing reputation as having one of the most difficult and confusing U.I.s in the 3D tool industry is the "easiest to use" is either not familiar with any other 3D modeling tool or has a huge bias for Blender.

Blender is the first 3D modeling tool I unfortunately cut my noob teeth on.  It has one of the most steep learning curves in the industry.  The UI was developed by a bunch of unix geeks that had no concept of proper intuitive UI designs.  If does not conform to most well known and understood UIs.

After a year of using Blender, I finally was convinced to switch to other 3D modeling tools and I am happy I did.  I switched to Zbrush and although it was no cakewalk either (because of the developer's stupid use of terminology that made it hard to grasp a concept), it wa far more intuitive than Blender.  I have also played with a few others and Blender still ranks as the WORSE and MOST COMPLEX and UNFRIENDLY UIs I have ever seen.

So please to believe anyone that tells you that Blender is the EASIEST tool to use.  It might be fully endorsed by LL and it surely is a very powerful 3D tool and it's price cant be beat.

BUT IT IS FAR FROM THE EASIEST !  ITS THE MOST COMPLEX.

[Alisha Matova]

As you have experience with Max and maya, if you can justify the expense, I'd go with either or. I think you'll need some kind of FBX converter to export to SL correctly. (not an autodesk user myself)

 

On the other hand, blender is free and has a gianormous web community of helpful people and tutorials. I believe the latest blender UI even has a setting to make it feel more Autodesk like, although I haven't tryed it yet.

 

It's not so much which software, it's more about felling comfy using it. Once comfy, production of niftiness can begin.

[Alisha Matova]

I'm biased too! *waves!

 

After 6 years using blender, the Max UI baffles me. Lol

But yes, you're tottaly correct in that Blender has steep learning curve. This is because Blender can do sooo much stuff(animations, textures, modeling, heck whole movies and games). It doesn't have to be hard to learn, though. The trick is ignoring entire sections of the UI as ya learn the parts you do need. Only coming back to those sections once comfy with the basics.

With a little hand holding and perhaps some screen sharing, I can get an attentive blender learnerer up and running in a couple hours. From setting up blender, to ready to export to sl. (this used to take 5 hours or more! Thank you Gaia and Jazz2 for taking the frustrating Python install hours out of the lesson!!)

One of the concepts I push the hardest are Hotkeys. Once you memorize the common Hotkeys(there are even blender hotkey stickers you can stick on your keyboard) Blenders UI doesn't really matter. This is true for any software, really. No one can be productive mousing thru menus and dropdowns, no mater how shiny the UI.

 

(Not intended to derail and cause some kind of my modeler is better thread explosion! I'm just doing my morning ramblieness.)

 

[Coby Foden]

I used Google Sketchup (the free version) to make a plan of my RL apartment; I modelled also all my furniture with it. Then I went on to place all the furniture in the plan. Now I can try out different furniture arrangements without actually having to go on arranging the physical furniture in the real apartment.

Sketchup is very easy to learn, there are lots of tutorials to learn the essentials. It's very suitable for making houses and furniture. For more complex organic forms one would want to use something else.

I was interested to see how Sketchup works with SL. So I went and exported one of my chairs as collada file. Then I imported this file into SL. To my pleasant surprise I saw the chair coming into SL perfectly. The scale was exactly as designed and it included also the textures what I had put on it in Sketchup.

[Kwakkelde Kwak]

I am familiar with 3ds max and it certainly does the job. There are a couple of small yet nasty problems with it though:

Since I suspect you need to buy 3ds max, you'd be using the 2012 version, which doesn't have the correct dae exporter. You need to export to fbx then convert to dae in a standalone program.

3ds max doesn't save unused bones, so you need to manually add the bones to the dae text file.

3ds max doesn't export textures into the dae file, so you need to upload them seperately.

On the other hand, there are some excellent modelling and weighting options in 3ds max. For most clothing you hardly need to do any weight painting (which can take almost forever when done from scratch), since you can simply use the avatar weighting for your creations by using the skin wrap modifier then adjust the result a little by hand. There are also plenty of tutorials available for the program.

 

I'd recommend Blender for starters (if SL is the only platform you'll be modelling for). 3ds max or Maya will cost you close to a million lindens. If your sales support such an investment, you can always switch to another program.

[Masami Kuramoto]

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

OK I have to respond to this posting and call BS on this statement.

For anyone to openly post with a straight face that a 3D program that has a long standing reputation as having one of the most difficult and confusing U.I.s in the 3D tool industry is the "easiest to use" is either not familiar with any other 3D modeling tool or has a huge bias for Blender.

Blender is the first 3D modeling tool I unfortunately cut my noob teeth on.  It has one of the most steep learning curves in the industry.  The UI was developed by a bunch of unix geeks that had no concept of proper intuitive UI designs.  If does not conform to most well known and understood UIs.

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Blender is open source. If its UI design is that bad, why has no one forked it? Why are there dozens of third-party SL viewers but no third-party Blender?

I think I know the answer: It's because your point of view is a minority opinion. Blender is developed, maintained and funded by those who use it. The idea that a community of that size would agree on anything but the most efficient UI is preposterous. Zbrush is good at what it does, but what it does is not enough to get the job done. You can sculpt in Blender, but you can't do subdivision modeling, simulate cloth physics, retopo, unwrap, bake, rig, and weight-paint in Zbrush. Blender is the entire production pipeline; Zbrush is a one-trick pony. Blender has tons of support resources online; Zbrush can't even fill a page in the SL mesh wiki.

[Toysoldier Thor]

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Masami Kuramoto wrote:

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

OK I have to respond to this posting and call BS on this statement.

For anyone to openly post with a straight face that a 3D program that has a long standing reputation as having one of the most difficult and confusing U.I.s in the 3D tool industry is the "easiest to use" is either not familiar with any other 3D modeling tool or has a huge bias for Blender.

Blender is the first 3D modeling tool I unfortunately cut my noob teeth on.  It has one of the most steep learning curves in the industry.  The UI was developed by a bunch of unix geeks that had no concept of proper intuitive UI designs.  If does not conform to most well known and understood UIs.

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Blender is open source. If its UI design is that bad, why has no one forked it? Why are there dozens of third-party SL viewers but no third-party Blender?

I think I know the answer: It's because your point of view is a minority opinion. Blender is developed, maintained and funded by those who use it. The idea that a community of that size would agree on anything but the most efficient UI is preposterous. Zbrush is good at what it does, but what it does is not enough to get the job done. You can sculpt in Blender, but you can't do subdivision modeling, simulate cloth physics, retopo, unwrap, bake, rig, and weight-paint in Zbrush. Blender is the entire production pipeline; Zbrush is a one-trick pony. Blender has tons of support resources online; Zbrush can't even fill a page in the SL mesh wiki.

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LOL You are kidding me right?

In the 3 years I have been involved in SL and sculpty creating and talking to several fellow sculpty creators in the community - if there was one common agreed message.... BLENDERS UI SUCKS & BLENDER HAS ONE OF THE STEEPEST LEARNING CURVES KNOWN.

You are trying to say that because no one has spun off an initiative and decided to spend 1000's of hours to create a new friendly UI for Blender and receive nothing in financial compensation for their efforts.... that this somehow means that everyone likes the current one?  REALLY??

So tell me... lets suppose that you absolutely hated Blender's UI and you were to agree with most that I know that Blender's UI is one of the worst.....  would you be inspired to create a completely new UI for Blender?

Also, even if some team decided to finally spin off and create a more friendly untuitive UI for Blender.... and they complete it and out it out FREE for all to use.  Who do you think will migrate to it / adopt it when 99.9% of all the tutorials, literature, training, and even the Blender org site would have all their documentation based on the current ugly UI?

I would be one of the first to jump on to this new friendly UI BUT then I would quickly give up because there would be no one around to support me or explain to me how a task or function would work for this new UI.   Adoption would be very slow - only because there would be no support for it.

Your argument and reasoning on your post holds no water.  That was a simplistic response that is invalid.

 

As for what Zbrush can do vs Blender... although you are not correct on all the limitations of Zbrush, no one was arguing that Blender was not powerful.  Maybe take another few minutes are re-read my posting.  Did I not say that Blender was very powerful?

You my friend are getting FRIENDLY and POWERFUL mixed up.   Because Blender is powerful - that surely does not make it EASIEST!  Which it is not.  THE UI SUCKS!

[Coby Foden]

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

 

. . . Blender is powerful - that surely does not make it EASIEST!  Which it is not.  THE UI SUCKS!

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I would love to learn more of Blender because it's so powerful.  So far I know just some basics.  I watch some tutorials, everything seem to be very smooth and easy.  Then when I try to do the same thing as in the tutorial, because of the terribIe alien UI, I have forgotten half of the commands and mouse movements where to get something to work.  After a while I get this terrible frustration and stop, once again. Arghhh...

 

I have used many design programs and I have had no difficulties nor pain in learning them.  But in trying to learn Blender I'm struggling a lot.  Maybe one day, when I have calmed down,  I will try again to learn something more.. 

[Masami Kuramoto]

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

You are trying to say that because no one has spun off an initiative and decided to spend 1000's of hours to create a new friendly UI for Blender and receive nothing in financial compensation for their efforts.... that this somehow means that everyone likes the current one?  REALLY??

---

 

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. Blender 2.57, released in April 2011, had its UI rewritten from scratch, with plenty of community participation (including donations) during the entire process. In other words, the 1000s of hours were indeed spent, and Blender now looks exactly the way its users want it.

If you think they're all wrong, go ahead and initiate a crowdfunding project for a better Blender UI. Share your vision and see how many people get into your boat. I think you're in for a big surprise.

[Toysoldier Thor]

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Masami Kuramoto wrote:

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

You are trying to say that because no one has spun off an initiative and decided to spend 1000's of hours to create a new friendly UI for Blender and receive nothing in financial compensation for their efforts.... that this somehow means that everyone likes the current one?  REALLY??

---

 

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. Blender 2.57, released in April 2011, had its UI rewritten from scratch, with plenty of community participation (including donations) during the entire process. In other words, the 1000s of hours were indeed spent, and Blender now looks exactly the way its users want it.

If you think they're all wrong, go ahead and initiate a crowdfunding project for a better Blender UI. Share your vision and see how many people get into your boat. I think you're in for a big surprise.

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I installed the latest blender this year.  It is not better - it is more complex and worse.

But clearly you are biased and a lover of Blender.  There will not be any way of changing your mind.  I know from my own personal experience and from comments from several fellow 3D builders that Blender is Ogre of 3D UI.  Its horridly over complex and non-intuitive.  But if it works for geekoids like you - GREAT!  Just dont deceive others by telling them its EASIEST.

And get real.  I have no intention in investing anything in Blender.  I already told you that I have moved on from blender.

[Da5id Weatherwax]

Coby, Masami and Toysoldier are all correct.

The blender UI is somewhat opaque to new users (a little less so for somebody coming into it with the new UI when they havent tried to learn the older one, but thats beside the point) but it IS as powerful as folks say, and it's open source which makes a big diff to folks that cant justify the cost of a maya or 3ds license and wont go all piratebay to rip 'em.

While it's orders of magnitude more visible because of the greater complexity of the program, the difference is somewhat akin to the differences in UI between photoshop and gimp. You can learn whatever UI you can afford at the speed you can cope with and it's all good.

[Masami Kuramoto]

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

I installed the latest blender this year.  It is not better - it is more complex and worse.

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The world is run by those who show up. Apparently you were not around when the developers asked for input.

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But clearly you are biased and a lover of Blender.  There will not be any way of changing your mind.  I know from my own personal experience and from comments from several fellow 3D builders that Blender is Ogre of 3D UI.  Its horridly over complex and non-intuitive.  But if it works for geekoids like you - GREAT!  Just dont deceive others by telling them its EASIEST.

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You deceive people by telling them that Zbrush is all they need to create mesh content for Second Life.

Blender's UI is the easiest until someone comes up with an easier one without dropping features. Dumbing down is not an option if it keeps us from getting the job done.

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And get real.  I have no intention in investing anything in Blender.

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Crowdfunding is all about getting others to invest in your idea. But then again, you don't really have an idea how to make Blender's UI easier. All you have is a sense of entitlement: "If I don't grok this, then those who do must be geekoids."

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I already told you that I have moved on from blender.

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Yes, you have moved on from rigged mesh to static mesh.

What will you do if Zbrush gets more powerful? Move on to prims?

[Toysoldier Thor]

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Masami Kuramoto wrote:

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Toysoldier Thor wrote:

I installed the latest blender this year.  It is not better - it is more complex and worse.

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The world is run by those who show up. Apparently you were not around when the developers asked for input.

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But clearly you are biased and a lover of Blender.  There will not be any way of changing your mind.  I know from my own personal experience and from comments from several fellow 3D builders that Blender is Ogre of 3D UI.  Its horridly over complex and non-intuitive.  But if it works for geekoids like you - GREAT!  Just dont deceive others by telling them its EASIEST.

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You deceive people by telling them that Zbrush is all they need to create mesh content for Second Life.

Blender's UI is the easiest until someone comes up with an easier one without dropping features. Dumbing down is not an option if it keeps us from getting the job done.

---

And get real.  I have no intention in investing anything in Blender.

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Crowdfunding is all about getting others to invest in your idea. But then again, you don't really have an idea how to make Blender's UI easier. All you have is a sense of entitlement: "If I don't grok this, then those who do must be geekoids."

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I already told you that I have moved on from blender.

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Yes, you have moved on from rigged mesh to static mesh.

What will you do if Zbrush gets more powerful? Move on to prims?

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Well at least your posts are entertaining if not on target and are putting words in my mouth.

 

1. No you are right Masami, unlike you that must be one of the Blender open source developer (hence your deep defensive posture on Blender and your skewed promotion of Blender as the "easiest" program), I am not 3D industry guru or professional 3D modeller where anyone would ask for my input... I can safely safe nor would 99% of any other users of 3D modeling tools - even Blender.  You are one of the Blessed ones of Blender.. Yeah for you.
2. As for me deceiving everyone about Zbrush....  lets put your money where you mouth is Masami.... show me any one of my posts ANYWHERE that I stated in any way that Zbrush had all the functions of Blender or that Zbrush was the tool all SecondLife user should use?  You wont find it - because it was only created in your head.
3. It is a very well known fact and belief among most SL Sculpty creators and now mesh creators that Blender has the worse and most steep learning curve.  I have heard countless times from fellow sculpty creators over the years that "blender is free but it has a horrid UI and steep painful learning curve".  You can say this is not true but you are just fooling yourself as most SL scuplty creators know the truth.
4. As for Zbrush's limits for SL mesh development.  No one would argue that Zbrush does not have all the functions that Blender has to take advantage of ALL the mesh solutions within SL....   but you also forget that most Sculpty and now mesh developers for SecondLife dont need most of Blender's capabilities.  Except for the extreme Mesh Geeks, I would safely say that most SecondLife Mesh creators are the previous generation Sculpty creators what only had / used static models.... and now only have a desire to create static Mesh models.

    

   As such, most of us would find much easier to use tools like Zbrush more that capable to meet all their needs for SL mesh development since most are not creating mesh avatars etc.  Most of us just want to create better static 3D mesh models which sculpties limited us in the past.  I am surely one of them and I know there are a lot more of us that will find Zbrush and 3DCoat and other similar 3D tool more than acceptable while at the same time avoiding Blender's horrendous UI and steep learning curve.

But Masami - I am glad you are happy with Blender and promoting your tool that you seem to have a bias for.

Lets agree that we wont agree.

[CaptainCrazy]

Been using 3DS Max for over 10 years now.. I have considered moving to Maya but the way i look at it is why spend all that time learning another program when you could spend it making things in the program you are comfortable with?  I tried Blender more than once and i really hate it, yes 3DS Max and Maya are complex but complex from a design and artistic standpoint.

 

Go with the one that you feel most comfortable with, the one that you can think "Okay hit a problem not sure how to fix it.. Maybe if i try this..." and not the one where you're stuck fullstop and have no idea what to do unless looking on Google.

 

I do like the modern look of Maya but personaly i think i'll be learning it as a side project.  However i'mnot too comfortable with UVW unwrapping organic looking objects in 3DS Max so i am tempted to try Maya in that respect.

 

So all in all i'd suggest 3DS Max but that is just because i've been using it for a very long time and can model things pretty damn fast on it.

[Masami Kuramoto]

Over several decades, computer keyboards have evolved towards the modern standard 104-key US layout. This layout is not ideal for every language on the planet, so there are variations. European layouts have 105 keys, some Asian layouts have even more. Some keys have been renamed or shuffled (QWERTY/QWERTZ) etc. There were attempts to make keyboards more ergonomic by splitting them in the middle, tilting them etc.

But none of these changes has reduced the keyboard's complexity.

Proposing Zbrush as an alternative to Blender is like proposing a numeric keypad as an alternative to a full keyboard. Yes, getting rid of those character and function keys greatly reduces the keyboard's complexity and the steepness of its learning curve.

Writing a novel on such a keyboard should be a lot easier, right?

The computer keyboard is a perfect example of a user interface that does not benefit from reduced complexity. The key to efficient use of a keyboard is to ignore the keys you don't need.

A friend of mine once said: "If Zbrush is all you have, everything starts looking like clay." He was referring to the fact that works created with Zbrush often have a distinctive clay-like look. Even if you ignore rigging and focus on static mesh only, there are modeling challenges for which Zbrush is useless, for example in architecture.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/8955/snapshot006d.png

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8642/snapshot007l.png

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4273/snapshot008z.png

Blender's complexity makes these things easy to build. Zbrush's simplicity makes them difficult. Your claim that "complex" and "easy" are mutually exclusive is just plain wrong and easily refuted. Blender's UI is the easiest because even if sculpting is the only technique you're interested in, Blender can do that too. Just ignore all the other stuff, and you'll do fine.

Another piece of advice: Coming into this thread and accusing people of talking "BS", deceiving newbies, being "geekoids" etc. just because they don't share your opinion is not exactly boosting your credibility. It's true, there are a lot of people "biased" towards Blender, both here and elsewhere, and this is for perfectly valid reasons. It's because there is hardly another software project with a degree of user participation comparable to Blender's. If you follow the discussions at blenderartists.org or in the mailing lists, you'll see people debating over every aspect of the user interface, and the developers are listening carefully. Nothing is decided behind closed doors and then imposed on the users without their consent. Blender is a successful community-driven software project like few others, and throwing insults at that community will get you nowhere. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but if all you can do is disparage their work, no one will listen to you.

[TzunCet Xomotron]

You guys should know better than to have a software war, thats old =P

It all comes down to the individual, their needs, their tastes, their expectations.....

Personally, I too am not too crazy about Blender, but that doesn't mean anything. Blender has a HUGE following (like sheep following the shepard, JUST KIDDING, LOL)...

I've always been curious though, how huge that following would bve if it wasn't free. As a "full flavor" 3D program (meaning it models, renders, animates, particle systems, atmospheric effects) for free, you have to admit, that in itself rocks... I've seen more of what Blender can do commercially than the programs of my choice (I use Carrara, Hex, and 3D Coat mostly), so I am somewhat envious in that regards...

Hexagon is being offered free for a limited time... You can teach a monkey to model w/ it, but it's ONLY a modeler...

[Nacy Nightfire]

In reading this thread I get the uneasy feeling that Toysoldier is less interested in readers' input and opinions, then he/she is in telling the folks who offer their opinons re:the programs they prefer, that they are WRONG (and worse).  This is not a respectful response on his poster's part.

There's no point in Blender-bashing because no one will agree on the ideal program.  We are all different.  

I own Blender, MODO 601, 3d COAT, Zbrush and Mudbox (I'm probably forgetting one or 2).  What do I feel most comfortable using?  BLENDER. I love blender and I have access to an enormous community (including the kind and generous contributors on the SL Mesh forum) that produces tutorials for free.  I respect Modo, and I'd say most of it's advanced users love it, but its an advanced modeling system (now with nice animation features) and there's very little out there from a tutorial perspective that helps beginnners  and I've had a hard time with its UI.   I've had the same experience with 3d Coat which I purchased to compliment  Zbrush.

Zbrush is incomplete for my purposes. I love it and have used it extensively for both making both mesh and sculpty items,  but it lacks UV features I depend on.  It's gotten really complicated in the last few versions in ways that don't enhance my work, andI have to commit to relearning it's very tedious interface (which gets the same bashing as blender, btw, by much of the general public) with little advantage to me.

Edited because I confused the OP with Toysoldier Thor.  My apologies to the OP.  Correction to the content of my post has been made.

[Toysoldier Thor]

the thing you and mansani are both reading out of your own imaginations is that I have never promoted Zbrush in this thread.  Yes I like Zbrush and I totally think its a much easier interface UI than blender and completely meets my needs for SL Mesh development - as I am sure it would meet a large portion of other SL Sculpty creators that are considering Mesh development.  Why?  because ALL SL sculpty creators and most SL Mesh creators only plan to create static mesh models which Zbrush is good at doing.  But so is mudbox and so is 3DCoat and several others.  They all are great tool and most of them easily have a much more friendly and intuitive interface than Blender.

This thread debate between mansani and me was not about Zbrush or Blender.  It was to Mansani because he seems to think I was promoting Zbrush.  Totally went on a tangent.  This was about me telling Mansani that although Blender is a lot of good things.... for him to openly state that Blender is the "EASIEST" program is utterly false.  Its not !

Blender has a very strong reputation for being one of the most complex, unfriendly, and horrid UIs in the industry.  I have never ever ever said (and I have challenged Mansani and I will challenge you as well) that Blender is not a powerful program.  It is - i will say it again - it is.  And its alsot free which is a great plus.  So if you are new to SL Mesh development and have never used a 3D modeling tool, Blender is one of the worse programs to consider cutting your teeth on in learning SL Mesh development.  BUT... if you have a ton of patience and FREE is absolutely critical to you - then Blender is your best choice....

but surely not because its the EASIEST.

Nacy, you can come up with your own theories behind my postings.  Thats great, but I am not going to listen to somoene post to an OP questioner on picking a program to create 3D models and say say "Blender is the Easiest" when most SL sculpty creators have openly criticized Blender for being one of the hardest.  That is deception.

 

[Nacy Nightfire]

By mentioning you happily use Zbrush means you are promoting Zbrush. And that's perfectly acceptable since this is a forum thread titled "Picking a Program" .  The theme is about stating one's opinions and experiences not aggressively defending one's position to the point of being impolite. 

I, and I'm sure the rest of the readers, do not find any fault with anyone promoting their favorite program.  However you are being disrespectful and you are attributing something to Masami that I don't see he/she wrote . In fact you are attributing something to my post - that I'm accuse you of promoting Zbrush - be assured that I was just sharing  my personal opinion about Zbrush it since it was mentioned.

A previous poster DID mention Blender is the easiest - not Masami -and also I'm pretty sure that no one will just accept this one person's opinion on the matter and will wait until others chime in to form an opinion. It is not necessariy to go off the rails with hyperbole about how much you distain Blender.  Meanwhile the attack-dog tone of your argument no doubt inhibits other's who may have some excellent contributions.  They may fail to contribute to this thread although they may wish to.

I caution you not to claim that Blender has a reputation of one sort or another.   Speak only for yourself, because for every claim make against its "reputation",  there are those, like myself, who happily use it an love it.  And hundreds of tutorials and tutorial websites support the idea that it's a great program.  The fact that I love it doesn't make you wrong and the fact that you hate it doesn't make me wrong.   But more importantly this isn't a platform for you to hijack the topic just argue your point , it's a thread written by someone who wants information.

 

Edit to correct typos

[Toysoldier Thor]

Nacy.....

This is not about LOVING or HATING a program... is has been about someone calling and defending Blender as being the "EASIEST" program. 

Are you going to stand there and post that in your opinion Blender is the EASIEST 3D program to use?  Have you been involved in the SL Sculpty creation community?  If you have then you and a couple other of you sure have been the completely silent minority or majority. 

In the 3+ years I have been in the SL sculpty community, I have not once run into a fellow Sculpty creator that has said.... "I love blender because it was soooo easy to use and simply to understand".  I have run into hmmm lets say.... 100% of any of my fellow sculpty creators in SL that have made statements like..... "Blender is painfully complicated" or "Blender has a steep learning curve" or "I gave up trying to figure it out.....".  Lots of SL Sculpty creators do use blender - but not because it is an EASY program to use... it was other factors like ITS FREE.

Again.... that doesnt mean Blender is not powerful.... let me repeat myself for about the 100th time.... BLENDER IS A VERY POWERFUL FULL FEATURED FREE PRODUCT.   What part of what I am saying is not getting through to you and others.

And as for Zbrush.... just because I like using it doesnt mean I am promoting it.  Prior to this debate in this thread, show me one of my posts that responded to the OP that "ZBRUSH IS THE BEST PROGRAM" or that  "I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT".

I like Zbrush but I get frustrated with a few of this features / terminologies.  I have spent a month trying 3DCoat and I almost invested in it but the only thing that held me back from investing in it was that the developer did not YET have a Collada export (they were working on it).  I like 3DCoat and Sculptris because of their unqique VOXEL Modeling that Blender and many other programs dont have.  And Voxel modeling is of huge interest in the type of SL Mesh development I am doing - i.e. artistic static models and some day in the future mesh landscapes (mesh landscapes are not yet feasible with the current LI penalties on them over scultpies). 

So... maybe that will get my points across. 

The person promoting a product here was not me because unlike the poster that called Blender the EASIEST and those that promote Blender to be the best are not correct.  The correct answer is the best product for you in creating 3D SL mesh models is the one that fits your needs and fits your comfort in the UI etc.  That product is different for everyone.

 

[Nacy Nightfire]

Not only have I been involved in sculpty creation, Blender is the only program I found that i could use to successfully make fractional sculpties and get the texturing results I needed via projection painting.  For sculpties, depending on the project, I used Zbrush, Modo and Blender.  I prefer Blender.  I found it easier.  And there is no easy 3d program, especially for a beginner, but personally, I took to Blender like a duck to water.