Looking for 3d modeling program

[thehankinator]

Art isn't something I enjoy spending a lot of time on and I really like using Leadwerks' map editor to create a "model" out of CSG and call it a day. The problem I have with doing this is that if I make something like a simple airplane I end up having a group of like 6-8 CSG objects that I have to put a script (usually blank) on every single CSG just to get the stupid thing to move as one piece. I've tried Blender(way too fancy, learning curve), Sketchup(so so awkward) and Milkshape3d(seems like a glorified file converter). I couldn't get any of those to do what I want. Does anyone know of a 3d modeling program that would be as simple and easy as Leadwerks' editor that could dump out an FBX (or something that could be converted to FBX)? There was a suggestion post that Leadwerks include an option to save CSG to an MDL but it didn't happen.

[Thirsty Panther]

Some suggestions

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/14113-programs-to-use-for-model-making/

[cassius]

ac3d is the easiest 3d app I ever came across. Its cheap , but does not do animations.

EDIT: its well known for designing aircraft.

[josk]

I did a similar post some while ago and settled for Silo2 off steam in a sale.

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/12243-recommend-a-simple-model-program/

[cassius]

Yeah. Silo 2 is good too.

[Brutile]

I've been using Blender for a while and had the same problem at first. I started to look for something else, but in the end I always found myself going back to Blender. Everytime it got easier and easier to use. I'd suggest sticking with Blender.

[nick.ace]

Lol I think it's funny how everyone on this thread was on one of those posted threads giving the same advice!

 

In all seriousness, I actually thought Sketchup was very intuitive! I through everyone for a loop with this suggestion though. Anim8or is a pretty decent free program for fine-tune modelling. Despite it's age, it's still great for creating low-poly objects. I've used many other 3D modelling programs though.

[thehankinator]

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm still looking at all of these. I think I'll have to buckle down and spend time learning one after games of winter. For the time being I wrote a program to convert a prefab to obj format. Works pretty well but it looks like a couple axis get swapped when Blender exports to .mdl(hmm fbx looks fine though, weird) but gets me by for the games of winter.

[SlipperyBrick]

I would suggest sticking with Blender, like anything in this world there is a learning curve. The thing that makes Blender so tedious and scary is the insane amount of keyboard shortcuts, as Brutile said though the more you use it the easier it will get, you just need to break down that barrier of discomfort.

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/14215-blender-leadwerks/

 

Here is a thread I started, I've made a Blender scene which is the exact measurements and grid size as Leadwerks. If you download that and follow the instructions in my post to make it your 'Start up file' then everything you model in Blender will always be the correct orientation and scale for Leadwerks (no models come in backwards or upside down or to small or large).

 

If you are looking for something even easier for modelling (and not animation) you might wanna check out Wings3D. It is fairly old but unbelievably easy to use, it doesn't have subdivision in there so you will have to do all that manually with edge loops but it is as easy and as straight forward as the Leadwerks level editor.

 

Silo 2 is another one which I saw was suggested in here, very minimal UI, easy to use and fast. That has subdivision and UV'ing as well but no animation capabilities.

 

Personally as suggested before, stick it out with Blender its the whole package and its free, the more time you spend in there the more comfortable you will be, you will pick up the hot keys as you go along as well. Combine that with the Leadwerks Exporter and you will have awesome models in Leadwerks real fast