Does model making cost $?

[weuser]

Like, can you get all the necessary programs free? How many are necessary? Which ones work/work best?

 

[weuser]

I found this: http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/3d-modeling-tutorials-282/model-editing-114210/

It says they're free. True?

 

[Raven0]

There are several free ones out there (I believe milkshape is free). But the best and easiest to use obviously aren't.

 

[Pharaoh_]

There are several free ones out there (I believe milkshape is free). But the best and easiest to use obviously aren't.

3ds max is not easier to handle than Milkshape

 

[Kitabatake]

Indeed the costly programs often have vast amounts of features that are completely unnecessary in wc3 model making and thus make the use and learning of the program complicated.


Anyway here's some free programs.

Latest version of War3ModelEditor:
http://home.magosx.com/index.php?topic=6.0
(for editing meshes, nodes, material layers, particle emitters, animation sequences etc)

Vertex Modifier:
http://www.oinkerwinkle.com/tools/download.html
(for creating/editing meshes and UV mapping textures on them)

Quick & easy tutorials for vertex modify:
http://www.oinkerwinkle.com/tools/tutorials.html
(Check the "Running the programs" tutorial first to get the editor working)

Some tutorial for War3ModelEditor:
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php?p=345492

English version of MdlVis:
http://xgm.ru/p/wc3/mdlvis-english/download
(for animating models, also for basic mesh editing)

 

[D4RK_G4ND4LF]

(I believe milkshape is free)

when I bought it it was not
you can use it without paying but you can't save
anyway milkshape is not thaaat great imho

 

[Mechanical Man]

3ds max is not easier to handle than Milkshape

Yes, it is!

 

[Dr Super Good]

There are 2 views which depend on your view on life.

Laid back / Child view
Model editing for WC3 can be done for free as there are tools avaiable for no cost that allow you to do it. It might take a long time to get good at modeling but if that is what you enjoy then who cares.

Business / Serious view
Model editing for WC3 has a seriously high cost. Ontop of potentially paying for programs, you have to pay for the maintence (electricity, parts) of the computer which runs the software as well as paying in terms of the huge amount of your time it consumes. Remember that your time can be worth atleast minimum wage per hour for atleast 12*5 hours a week and so you can compute a cost for each hour you devote to something. This view is how virtual commerce (like D2 items) get sold.

 

[Kitabatake]

Business / Serious view
Model editing for WC3 has a seriously high cost. Ontop of potentially paying for programs, you have to pay for the maintence (electricity, parts) of the computer which runs the software as well as paying in terms of the huge amount of your time it consumes. Remember that your time can be worth atleast minimum wage per hour for atleast 12*5 hours a week and so you can compute a cost for each hour you devote to something. This view is how virtual commerce (like D2 items) get sold.

You could apply all that to general computer gaming as well.

I don't really believe there are many people that edit/create models for wc3 with such a "serious business" attitude.

 

[Bribe]

How about the ones that turn over really amazing results like Tides of Blood?

 

[Kuhneghetz]

3ds max is not easier to handle than Milkshape

I find 3ds Max to be way easier than Milkshape. =3

How about the ones that turn over really amazing results like Tides of Blood?

The models in ToB were mostly done in 3DS Max, especially the animations. Why I know this is because Chriz. provided excellent animations for the characters and he mentions many times in Wc3campaigns that he uses 3DS Max 5.

 

[Graber]

Yes u can get all programs for free including 3ds max 5.
Dont tell me that the ppl from here that are using 3ds max they payd 3000$-5000$ for it.

 

[Nasrudin]

Firstly, I believe it's against the rules of this site to instigate people to piracy. Secondly 3ds max 5 didn't cost that much since years and thirdly, there are things like Student License discounts wich offer a considerable price drop.

@weuser, it is possible to do almost anything with just free tools. Modeling, animating, adding particles, attachment points, sounds and footprints, the downside is that sometimes you need 4 programs and 30 minutes to do something that 3ds max could handle in 10 minutes.
Then again, even if you were an exceptional learner, it would take you months to learn how to model and animate. Most of this community simply settled with modifying Blizzard models rather than creating something original from scratch.

My advice is to start using Oinkerwinkle tools, and do some model edit. Then when you'll be more experienced, if you ever feel they're too limited for you, get 3ds Max or Milkshape.

 

[-Peper-]

Milkshape3d got 30-days trial, then after it expires I bought it. Though it's not newbie-friendly.