Blender 2.5

[jimson]

Blender is an amazing free program. I don't know if I will be using it for terrain objects, but there seems to be a ton of info and beginner tutorials so I am using it to learn 3D stuff in general.

This is the 2.56a version which is beta

http://www.blender.org/download/get-256-beta/

Here is a course for the 2.5 series. I wouldn't bother with learning the 2.4 versions as this new one is what they are obviously going to.

http://gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html

I've already made and animated the "yellow submarine"

[MachNix]

Thanks for posting.  I have used Gmax in the past and was not that interested in learning something else.  But after see some of the renderings on the Blender website, I will check it out.

[Ex-jazz]

I think the B2.5beta do not have a AC3D(.ac) format export script yet.


About the Blender capabilities
Demos on below are made (3d modeling, materials, texturing, rigging & gsls effect coding) with B2.49b and real-time played with build-in Blender Game Engine, BGE.

Demos by Martinsupitis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9JWYuUa2o&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8SZEmETxp0&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsV9Ln_TLa8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKyOM7rMN-k&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL


BTW
Sometime ago I made a tool, which allow the Blender modeler to view a  'LOD work' in BGE (real-time) to test & adjust the LOD objects min/max view distances while modeling.


(EDIT)
The B2.5+ is a major overhaul and it will improve the base of the code, performance and future possibilities greatly.

[ink]

ive used blender quit extensively, it is a very cool program, but a PITA, the time it takes to model something is insane, I had over a hundred hours into a Dragon I was modeling to put into Oblivion

then My hard drive crashed

[jimson]

ive used blender quit extensively, it is a very cool program, but a PITA, the time it takes to model something is insane, I had over a hundred hours into a Dragon I was modeling to put into Oblivion

then My hard drive crashed

Have you tried 2.5? seems like a major improvement over 2.4.

[ink]

no, I stopped playing Oblivion, so haven't bothered with the new version, Ive been thinking about getting back into it, Ill have to check it out.

[oakranger]

Would this help making houses, buildings, ship to add onto your map?

[Ex-jazz]

Back then it was possible a to batch export at once a OE multi-tile scene data with all included objects with Blender.

From my limited 3d modeling experience point of view, the Blender was/is much easier to use than AC3D.

[jimson]

Would this help making houses, buildings, ship to add onto your map?

As of right now I don't think so, but soon I believe.


You could export to .ac in version 2.4, so I'm sure at some point, this script will be added to 2.5.

[Knite]

I hated blender <2.4


Post 2.5 however? Absolutely love it. It exports formats compatible with a lot of other 3d programs, and there are plug ins out there capable of adding even more exportable abilities.

The interface is also not too too different from Lightwave now, and that's what I learned on, so to me, it feels like an old glove.

[Ex-jazz]

Tad off-topic

Maybe it's a time for the HTC to provide a OE compatible export-plugin for the AC3D and Blender, just to simplify the free time working AH content creators workflow.

Just an idea

[jimson]

Tad off-topic

Maybe it's a time for the HTC to provide a OE compatible export-plugin for the AC3D and Blender, just to simplify the free time working AH content creators workflow.

Just an idea

Good idea.

[Ex-jazz]

Hi

How about a simple(no gui) converter .exe, which accept a external parameter string?
This converter would do exactly same thing than current OE  .ac conversion tool.

Like this a different 3D application users could create a script / plugin, which is first saving/exporting the  .ac file to with specific name to specific path and then calling the convert.exe with this data.  


This is just an idea from somebody who has not build a AH terrain for  long long time.