Wanting to learn

[Breea]

Hi,
I'm wanting to learn how to do CGI and would like all the help I can get. I do art but have never tried doing anything on a computer..Anyone out there willing to take on a interested student?
Breea

[gmd3d]

As a student myself Breea, You have the best help right here. I would suggest you down load the free Truespace3.2 to start with http://www.caligari.com/products/truespace/ts3/ it a full version and its free. you have to register.

It was the fist prog that I got but Lightwave is the one I always wanted really

[skyhawk223]

Welcome Breea. Try trueSpace. You can also try Pov-Ray and Moray. Both are free, at least as of a few years ago. That's what I started on.

[Red_ufo]

Not to mention G-Max & Blender both are free….Cheers

[Sitting Duck]

Hi Breea, you can also try the Maya Personal Learning Edition which is a free version of that top notch 3D software. You can get it at the official website http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/products-services/product_details.jsp?productId=1900003

Tutorials for it are found all over the internet.

[Breea]

Thanks for everybody's help...I feel like the blind leading the blind but nothing ventured nothing gained..LOL Hevan only knows what it's going to look like..
Breea

[skyhawk223]

It will take time. Heck, I've been at this since 1999 and still model mainly simple shapes.

[p.s. Cargile]

Red UFO mentioned G-max and Blender. I have G-max (like I was going to build a freaking plane for Microsoft Simulator--I'll need a damn class just to figure out the SDK!), but there is no renderer for it. Is Blender a renderer or another modeler?

[skyhawk223]

Blender can render. (sorry, I had to)

[p.s. Cargile]

Blender. I looked at it. Downloaded it. Fooled with it. Uninstalled it. I don't like its layout and its difficult to figure out how to do anything. Going to try Truespace.

[skyhawk223]

The free version of tS are ok, but the interface has changed completely since version 3 (which is I think the latest free version).

[Egypt]

I jumped in head first with Bryce 5.5 but soon realized that it is dificult to learn how to create stuff with it. Using the models others have made is great and all...but I really want to do my own stuff. Any suggestions on what program to use for creating my own meshes and the like?

[skyhawk223]

Get started in Pov Ray/Moray. Morya's interface is not too difficult and will teach you the concepts you need to learn.

[Egypt]

Thanks Skyhawk. I will goggle it and see what comes up. If I can't find it...expect to hear from me. :D

[p.s. Cargile]

The Moray/POV-Ray combo was my first as well. I can't get the updated versions to work with each other though so I rely on the old ones I have. I may have to do a complete uninstall and wipe the registry clean to get the newer versions to marry. A friend gave me is old version of Rhino which I use exclusively to model. I'm still learning how to use it. I got the free trueSpace, but find it difficult to use as well.

[CBSection31]

I started with trueSpace 3.2, as recommended by a few others. It took a little getting used to, but now that I've learned it, other programs seem easy! I enjoyed tackling a hard program to start, because it was downhill from there. :)

[Redgeneral]

Gmax can be downloaded (for free) from www.turbosquid.co.uk
The gmax forums and tutorial download is also there.

Although it is limited - no rendering and limited file formats (which you can increase with plugins), it is very easy to use and learn from. Gmax is only an older form of 3ds max, so your effectively learning the basics of that program without having to actually buy that program.

[Sept17th]

I’m another one who knows nothing about CGI. What is the downside of trying to get started with Lightwave?

[Redgeneral]

I have always found user interfaces of many 3d modelling programs to be unconfortable and unflexible

Lightwave is not too bad, but i prefer 3ds max or gmax as they seem easier to use for a beginer

[Semadar]

truespace this is a program, plugin? i m new only know 3dmax, somebody help of the dumm`s pit

[arrannen]

Personally, I started with the Lightwave discovery edition ( free, but limited to like 10,000 polygons) which is more than enough to learn with. Maya is another good one (and has a free edition) however I always found Maya to be extremely complicated.

Ask questions, poke around and dont be afraid to just sit down with the program for a couple hours a day! Thats how I got my start..granted I'm still learning, and will ALWAYS be learning!

[McAfee2000]

Don't forget about anim8tor. It does modeling and rendors, and the interface isn't that bad.

[marcuseurelius]

I use G-Max for TRS2004 object creation and it is a powerful toll with a learning curve that keeps going but rewards also.
On the Trainz forums I was sad to read that G-Max will no longer be availbale some time later this year.
TurboSquid site will have more info as they are the caretakersat the moment.
Trainz community are not high number users of G-Max, leave that to the MS Flight Simulator people..they even have a Magazine in the newsstands just for 3D planing.

[wollyka]

Wings3D is a good free modeler too...
I use LW BTW (started 1 year ago)

[Egypt]

I found a great place for Tutorials and content as well. It has a whole 'course' of tutorials for Bryce that don't show you really how to make specific things, it shows you how to use the program. It also has Lightwave tutorials and Photoshop Tutorials as well as a General 3D area. Check it out. I have found the place VERY helpful.

http://www.robinwood.com/index.html