Bryce or Poser: 3D computer artists, please help me.

[Blax12]

 
I am curious about the chance of purchasing (cough, or pirating, cough) a software to make 3D graphics.

For the few web pages I have seen in the last days, it seems to me like there are two major chances: bryce and poser.

These seem to be the best softwares for 3D graphics.
I wouldn't like to spend a lot of money and then discovering I am not able to use'em.

So I have this couple of question:

- Which is the best software (bryce, poser or someone else)?
- Is 3D graphics, in your experience, something that takes a lot of time to learn and which can be performed - with good results - only by people who are professional artists?
(I know this question is a little tricky: obviously you can learn everything if you spend time and passion; and you can learn something bad or good. But I mean: let's take astrophysic as an example. Is 3D like astrophysics, which can be studied, but it takes years and years to allow you understand a good level of this science?)

So the ultimate question is: I'd like to learn some 3D graphics, what do you suggest?

Thank you in advance

Blax12
   

[prinz]

If your interested in doing pin-up ,fantasy artwork  ..Id start with Poser.. You can pick up poser 4.03 proably for not alot of money.. Bryce is a better render engine than poser4.03 or 5.0 for that matter but doesnt do people like poser.. I wouldnt go the pirate route as you cant get program fixes from the manufature or help if you need it... Poser is an inexpensive program with alot of free stuff out there for it..Id start with Poser if I were you.. Every 3D program has a learning curve but posers isnt that bad....cheers PE    

[Blax12]

  Thank you very much.

I'll let you know if I'll join the community of 3D artists

Blax12  

[mindspat]

ok;

Quote:
 ...(cough, or pirating, cough) a software to make 3D graphics.

Kazaa is the best resource for locating those -trial- versions of the best programs out there.
http://doa2.host.sk/

Quote:

...two ...: bryce and poser.

er, niether!?!? What do you intend to do? You mentioned

Quote:
...few web pages I have seen in the last days...

.
Check out Swift3D. It's GREAT for web page animations and even alows the creation of transparent desktop type screensavers. <are you listening Imaginos?>

It's EF'N SWEET! You can import Flash and 3D Studio Max files with ease.

Quote:
I wouldn't like to spend a lot of money and then discovering I am not able to use'em.

Quote:


See link above and look for some of the trial versions. They are usuall fully functional except that you get a small water mark on your image designating that it was used on a demo version. Then buy what you like.

Quote:
- Which is the best software (bryce, poser or someone else)?

...have both, use neither.

Quote:
- Is 3D graphics, in your experience, something that takes a lot of time to learn

-yes-

Quote:
 and which can be performed - with good results - only by people who are professional artists?

no.

Quote:
...let's take astrophysic as an example. Is 3D like astrophysics, which can be studied, but it takes years and years to allow you understand a good level of this science?)

Wow, you nailed both of my loves. Um, can you recall how many times it took before you learned to tie your shoes? I remember being estatic when I learned. Practice, practice, practice, that's it, just spend some time doing what you love. I believe 2-3 hours a day is a healthy amount of time to spend on a hobby. If you don't plan on taking a good course in the software you're playing with then I would advise to go down to your local library and get a few books.

Quote:
...let's take astrophysic as an example.

And while you're there;
Easy reading:
   Brief History of Time - by, Stephen Hawking
   Space Warps and the 10th Dimension - <I hope that's the  title> - by, Michio Kaku
   Lucifer's Legacy - sorry, can't remember the author. It really hits on symetry and world lines. GREAT BOOK!
   Don't forget relativity, general and special. Einstein.

You might need a masters in mathmatics to get through this next one:
   Flat and Curved Space Time - by, ............? This book really opened up my thought process; Had a great conversation with a test piliot from Lake Tonapah while on a five hour bus ride from Nevada.
<Back to reality now.>

I wanted to comment about this next reply:

Quote:
If your interested in doing pin-up ,fantasy artwork ..Id start with Poser.. You can pick up poser 4.03 proably for not alot of money.. Bryce is a better render engine than poser4.03 or 5.0 for that matter but doesnt do people like poser.. I wouldnt go the pirate route as you cant get program fixes from the manufature or help if you need it... Poser is an inexpensive program with alot of free stuff out there for it..Id start with Poser if I were you.. Every 3D program has a learning curve but posers isnt that bad....cheers PE

Ahoy there Mattie! Who yer be call'n 'eh pirate!?!?!
Hehe...I've seen some nice stuff w/ Bryce but Poser, that program is a nemesis to the productivity of animations.
An' yer bett'r list'n up 'cs if ye use th' prog'm an' if ye like it, th'n ye bett'r BUY IT!        

[Blax12]

Thank you for your long and complete answer.

Yesterday I checked an italian site  www.tuttogratis.it  (tutto gratis in italian means everything for free)and I found this software called Strata3D. I am having problems while installing it.

I found also another software, but after having made a sphere, it wouldn't allow me do anything at all. So I erased it. I don't remember its name.

As it is selfevident, I am completly new to 3D graphics.
I was completly new to any kind of graphics when I started morphing tits last september. But in a few weeks I started to see some improvements and now I have some little good results while making morphs.
I hope I can do the same with 3D.
But everything is completly new, so...

Same situation for astrophysics. A couple of monthes ago I have seen a star treknext generation show, and I started wondering about the nature of time. Right that afternoon I heard about Einstein's theory of time as the movement of electrons (I hope it is the right word).
There is a friend of mine, whose father is a local policeman with two hobbies: knife-making and astrophysics.
I borrowed me "Brief history of time". Now I am reading another book about this subject (I don't remember exactly name and author to be honest: I suspended this lecture since 7 days).

Here I have the same situation i'm facing with3D graphics.
I am completly new to this subject. I always hated mathematics when I was at school. Now I am a little repenting, 'cause there is a lot of things I don't understand.

Btw thank you for precious directiuons.

Blax12  

[prinz]

Mindspat ,its true poser isnt the greatest program to animate with...I use it to do still images..it is a good tool for an artist to pose there subjects.. or use to make pin-up art.. I use poser 4.03, poser 5.0 and Vue 4.2 in most of my artwork then take the finished scene into photoshop to draw cloths and touch up work using a Wacom tablet.. As for making objects Vue has some capibiltys in this area but isnt as versitile as some other programs. I downloaded the free version of 3DS max  , G-max and Im slowly getting the hang of it.. I downloaded the trial version of Truespace last year and found it very confusing. With all the stuff out there for poser its a good first choice as an  intro program to 3D.. cheers PE  

[thatoneguy]

Continuing my mini GPL crusade, if you don't want to pirate, you could try blender. I have no idea how to use it, but from what I've heard it's as good as bryce for actuall modeling, but it has a much steeper learning curve.
A cheap version of poser is available (they might be out) from  future publishing. A british company that publishes several magazines. They have an issue of Computer Arts, that had poser 4 on the cover disk for free. You could back order that.

If that all fails for your needs, then there is always kazaa    

[mindspat]

Sorry for not posting this link earlier.

Check this out!

Get used to using 3D Studio Max.

http://www.discreet.com/products/gmax/  

[zuraklo]

3d max is more for low poly modeling now its good yeah but Maya is the way forward, i found it eaier to learn that max plus u can make some cool stuff just prac, the pic is of the 1st model i did for my 3D graphics cource im got a couple of concept picture i've been drawin for a big bust model im gonna make =D, but blax check out maya there is a learnin version for free check it out, there a annoying watermark on it but it will give u a feel, if ya ever need help or tips just msg me  

sorry the model in the pci aint finished it just that the only pic i got left of it coz my comp fcuked and i lost the model 2 so gutted

[3deroticer]

for $299 you can get Hash animation master
www.hash.com

for free you can get wings3d
www.wings3d.com
 

[zuraklo]

is Hash animation master anyg ood i've heard about it but aint seen it in action  

[The Warlock]

Quote:
3d max is more for low poly modeling now its good yeah but Maya is the way forward...

I beg to differ, sir.  3DSMAX can do everything Maya can do, although admittedly not natively.  And it's much, much cheaper.

I imagine you may be under the impression that MAX is more for low-poly modeling because it is the primary package used in the computer game industry, but it can do much, much more.  Besides, todays games using normal maps require a very high-poly version of the model to create the normal map from, and I've seen some upwards of two million polygons, made in MAX.  So sneer not.  

The Warlock  

[3deroticer]

this was done with animation master

http://russellmania3d.pair.com/images/dangergirltoon.avi