Software for Scuplties

It looks like there are many softwares for the scuplities. Which one is the best? Which one is the easiest? Who has the comparison list? Thanks.

It's entirely a matter of preference. I prefer modeling in Cinema 4D (sticking to lofts and lathes with deformers, keeping my shapes simple) and then moving it as a .obj into Maya for export. Cinema 4D is probably the easiest nurbs modeler on the market to use so it's a good solution.

The surface-shader export trick for C4D rarely works well though, so Cinema 4D isn't a total solution on its own.

You could try the rokuro/tokoroten series from http://kanae.net/secondlife/

The simplest ones are free to download and very easy to use. I've had some pretty good results making everything from chess pieces to stairs & girders. No idea on the more sophisticated versions; I haven't used them yet.

SculptyPaint, http://www.xs4all.nl/~elout/sculptpaint/ , definitely deserves mention. Very easy to get started with some useful shapes for SL, and quite powerful once you dig into it.

If you need more freeform mesh modeling, the ones typically mentioned are Blender and Wings3D, but those are full 3D modelling programs, with quite a learning curve. (Though Wings is gentler than most such programs).
Of course, there's also Maya, which is pretty much the one to beat when it comes to 3D programs, but then things are getting expensive.

Whether you want to learn a full 3D modeling program just to make sculpts, or can get by with, say, the full 3D lathing in SculptyPaint depends on your need and your dedication.

Actually the best compromise comes from the Rokuro serie, for instance: "Tatara", that is commercial, and combines all the available tools. It's not advanced as a 3D modeling software (3DStudio.. Maya... they are 10000 time ahead, and much complicate as well) but it's expressed designed to being used on Second Life, so you have a ready model to be exported and imported into SL without any other steps.
If you have a chance look at my models, i actually use other modeling softwares too (including those advanced ones) but 90% of my work is made with "Tatara" (ex Rokuro Pro), it's not for autopromotional purposes.. ...it's just to give you an idea of the possibilities that it offers (that are far ahead of what you may think initially).

I've used Rokuro and Tokoroten to good effect. They are easy to use but have limitations. Rokuro is basically a lathe tool that alters the profile of a cylinder, while Tokoroten extrudes a shape.

I've been playing with Scupltypaint too, which is more versatile but so far I've only made a boulder.

Yuppo, that's why i've talked about "Tatara", that combines them all. It's not anymore an extruder/ or solid on rotation. Now you can rotate around the projection point.

Interesting workflow!

I also like Cinema 4D, but there's a much easier and more powerful nurbs modeler called MoI. http://moi3d.com/

Although MoI probably isn't ideal for sculpties because there isn't really an easy way to set the slices and sections of your objects.

I'm going to dare mention something not free, and say I've been thrilled with DAZ 3D's Hexagon program this week.

It lists at about 75 USD, but I got a 'first time DAZ buyer' discount code and it came to about 52 or so.

Best part about it: the edit tools are designed much like SL's own edit interface - you can move vertexes, faces, whatever you got selected with essentially similar controls. Learning curve is about as easy as it gets for a 3D editor. It's similar to wings 3d, but waaay easier in my opinion.

I hear there is a demo coming out soon that will let people trial it.

There is a demo, but it's buried in the site.

http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/support/downloads/-/?product=hexagon&_m=d

And this question would have been addressed better in the Building Tips forum.

It seems everyone has their own favorite. Did you compare the results, such as appearance, texture application, complication of shape and so on? Which software is the idealest?

I sure tried. Of the freebie stuff, for 'rapid entry' into what sculpties can do, Sculptypaint is the way to go. Other cute ones with little learning curve: Rokuro, PloppSL. But they don't do much.

A bit more advanced, for those wanting design freedom from vaselike-only objects - Wings3d. Blender can and will do everything, but you will need a blackbelt from the Shaolin Monastery of Ridiculous, Obscure and Pointless User Interfaces in order to use it.

I've heard great stuff about a few other inexpensive programs (less than 100 dollar range) and I'd daresay, Daz3d won the 'learning curve' battle as far as I was concerned.

I'm a former autocad guy (for work) if that's a point of reference.

But Daz it is a suit of tools. I believe you mean Hexagon. You may watch a nice tutorial here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESPjJr_WFJ8

See this page for some comparisons:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Sculpted_Prims:_3d_Software_Guide

I use AC3D, also not free, but like the program Desmond mentioned it's inexpensive (I think around $60 or so) and very easy to use and learn. I've been *VERY* happy with the results.

Here's a pic of a sword I made in sculpted prims using AC3D : http://images.daikonforge.com/taketori.png


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That looks like an excellent program, and I've been meaning to check out it's 3D paint ability. Other programs allowing you to do painting in 3D are tremendously expensive, so even if it's not absolutely fantastic it could be pretty nice to have.

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I picked up hexagon, but have been facing more bugs than success. Seems to be a hasty addition to the release.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of bugs?

I had a few - well, I think they were corrupted UV mappings or something, but when I didn't get too crazy with the mesh I've done pretty well with it so far.

There has been an update to Hexagon since I purchased it. Make sure you are on 2.5.05 by downloading the new demo and installing it.

yep, downloaded it. some may not be bugs but just 'improperly-documented misuses' and ive filed bugs for the other's

i get inversed maps with some tools, even thos the doc's say its ok to use those tools. however since i been studying it a lot today, usage of some of these tools dont seem to make much sense when seen in practice so im making my own toolset out of experience (and there isnt much at this point)

I also get dropped functionality on the mac/leopard client. i have a tiger-based laptop that im going to try and install on. I have been using hex on XP in the meantime, but since all my other tools are on OSX that makes it require a few steps extra per iteration .

what i'd really love to find out how to do is what almost seems like a trade secret, and thats razor-sharp edges. displacement mapping seems to be more of an art than a skill

Which is the best ? from my own experiance Maya ( I have used lightwave Softimage and 3DSM in the past ) and they are all dinosaurs.
Search what film labs are using which to get a focused oppinion.

Easiest? . I guess Rokuro et al. paint a 2d picture and have a foil balloon sculptie.

Had you asked "Hardest" I would say again Maya . big learning curve but your education will if needed far outstrip the needs of SL.

I think much comes down to the age old question "How much do you care to pay, and how much time do you care to invest?"

If you want to make easy lathed shapes, get Rokuro for free. You will be making them in fifteen minutes.

If you want a bit more power, but still don't want to spend more than an evening or two studying it, get Sculpty Paint.

BTW, both of the above programs are free, but the makers do accept donations

If you want to be able to make pretty much any shape, but not with all those fun painting tools, Wings3D is terrific. It's free.

I haven't used Hexagon, but I understand it's about on level with Wings, but with painting. It also costs money, but not too awfully much.



After that, you are looking mostly at programs that will cost hundreds of dollars or more (with the exception of Blender, but be prepared to pay for the freewareness of it with a good amount of study). Blender aside, all these programs such as Zbrush, Lightwave, Modo and Maya will also require you to spend a good amount of time learning them.

I've had Zbrush for about two months now, use it near daily, read and watch tutorials (do see the Shiny Life tutorials by Vlad Bjornson if you get it). The ability to sculpt and paint is breathtaking, and I'm quite addicted to it. But even after two months, I doubt I'm using 20% of the capability of the program. I fully expect to spend at least as much time learning it as I did (am still do!) with Photoshop.

On the other hand, there are usually demos--Zbrush has a thirty day. But, be warned, you may find it hard to give up at the end of the month (which I suppose was the idea )

Have fun!

I haven't had those issues, but I'm on a wintel box, so... who knows.

As for razor sharp edges, do you mean the kind you get when you just put a few more vertices to the edge? Like say, even two rows of vertices instead of one does wonders for an edge.

thanks! that makes a lot of sense--basically preventing any condition where it could stray off... im going to stay up really late tonight and try that.

While trying to recreate the inversion that I was getting in hexagon, i found it was created when using the 'smooth' tool. There is a wiki at artzone that said it "should" be ok to use after remapping, and i suppose that "should" means you have to go in photoshop and inverse the map after exporting.

Regarding the other bug on the mac, i think thats a leopard/openGL issue thats affecting more than just one application (second life included, but steadily improving). I have a mac laptop still on the older OS that supposedly should run fine.