easy 3D animation programs

[Icey]

UH-hey every one.I was just thinking about downloading 3D program.but I just dont know were to find a easy one.I cant say what game I need it for but for one of my games I want it to look like an AGS game but ant some parts of the game I want to make the cut sceens in 3D instead not MSpaint pixels?

[Dualnames]

I've used Blender in the past, can't say I made wonders with it, but overall its friendly and quite easy to figure out without a help manual. Lots of people around here use Poser and Bryce3D, so perhaps those are a better alternative.

[Grim]

I'm using Maxon 4D Cinema. It seems scary at first but once you get to know it, it's a pusscat:)

[Crimson Wizard]

Sketchup?
Never used it myself, but I saw a very cool 3d sequence in an AGS game I beta tested recently; and I was told it's made in Sketchup.

[Mehrdad]

I'm using Lightwave 3D .its really excellent.but expensive.

http://www.newtek.com

[Ubel]

Anim8or is quite old and I think it's no longer in production but I found it an excellent way to learn modelling. The user interface is more awkward than the more mainstream ones, like Blender or Max, but it's a lot simpler so it's great for a beginner.

[veryweirdguy]

In my experience, most 3D programs are pretty similar - if you learn the basic principles for one, you should be able to get by. That is the tricky part though.

Don't use Blender though, it doesn't have zVerily.

[Anian]

Sketchup is sort of like, how you'd design something if you were building a house in 3d, Anim8tor (as far as I can tell) does all the basics (lighting, animation, modeling), Bryce and DAZ are not so much concentrated on modeling as on posing figures and making scenes.

Free:
For you, my recommendation - Anim8tor looks easy to start with (haven't tried it, just looked at tutorials and stuff). Has toon like renderer.

Bryce 5.5 is mostly for landscapes, might take some photoshoping to make it not look like it was made in Bryce though (you'll see what I mean if you try it).
Poser is for models (human, animals etc.). Poser is not directly for modeling either, it's more for...well posing.  It is not free, but there is a similar program which is called DAZ (they make Bryce) 3dstudio - http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/daz_studio3?_m=d

If you want a camera passing over a landscape and maybe some basic models (you can model in Bryce but it's not very optimised for it), there is for example a software called Wings3d - there you can model and then import it in Bryce.

Almost free:
Google Sketchup, although it isn't free (you can save models, but you can only export as jpg and png, any 3d formats are only in the paid version) but I suggest you use it with Kerythea which is a free renderer, now that might take some time to get to know (you can use it easily within a day if you used any 3d software in the past) - with Kerythea, you basically can avoid the restrictions of the free version of Sketchup.
If you want just backgrounds (.png picture), with easy modeling, then Sketchup is the way to go. You'll have to add some lighting effects later. It has a camera that can float around and turn it into a movie, haven't tried exporting it though.
(there's another renderer that might be eaiser to start with Art of Illusion, haven't tried it myself)

Also not free (but hey, that's what trial versions are for), there is Swift3d - it's basically a modeler and renderer that used for making Flash animations, but you can make any kind, among it's features it has cool cartoon style renderer (lets say cell shaded) which might be used for movies that look almost like made in pixel art (well sort of).

On Blender - tried Blender and while I'm just a beginner in 3dsMax, Blender felt totally different and clunky (not only for modeling, but menus and texturing seemed strange and unintuitive), I'm sure it was mostly my inexperience but I left it at there.

[Ali]

I use Blender a lot, it's very powerful but it does have a steep learning curve.

The next version (2.50) will have a redesigned interface which (hopefully!) will be less off-putting for newcomers. The beta is available, but if you've written Blender off in the past because of the UI, give it another try when it's released.

Don't use Blender though, it doesn't have zVerily.

What's zVerily?

[Gilbert]

What's zVerily?

It's the most awesome thing in 3-D modelling history but yet Blender never dares to support it.

[Dataflashsabot]

I did 3D modeling for a bit but I have never heard of zVerily and google isn't helping. Care to explain?

[Babar]

What's zVerily?

It's the most awesome thing in 3-D modelling history but yet Blender never dares to support it.

Where is shbazjenkins when you need him?

[Icey]

Wow that's a lot! Back when my cousin told me about ags he also gave me blender but it was to hard for me.As of now im gonna try 3Dmax,Now I know this is not the place to ask for help but I find it pointless to ask for help and stack it on top of other "needs" I jusst want to know if any one wants to do the 3D cutsceens for the game cause I already have someone helping me on the game.there is not a lot of sceens in 3d, there will only 3-4 3d cutsceens the rest paint.just PM me or gmail me at isiahsweeting@gmail.com but I still can read it though my gmail if you pm me.

[Ali]

What's zVerily?

It's the most awesome thing in 3-D modelling history but yet Blender never dares to support it.

More careful Googling reveals that Dataflashsabot and I have blundered into the middle of a forum in-joke...

[Virgil]

I don't think Blender has that much of a learning curve. I went to it from Maya and picked it up within a few hours of furious tool cross checking and key guides.

[Anian]

I don't think Blender has that much of a learning curve. I went to it from Maya and picked it up within a few hours of furious tool cross checking and key guides.

You do realise you basically said "if you know how to work in a 3d software already, then it's easy to learn it"? 

[Tramponline]

  Zounds! VERItabLe cheekY f*** bastards!

...yeah, icy never, ever use Blender....

[Virgil]

I don't think Blender has that much of a learning curve. I went to it from Maya and picked it up within a few hours of furious tool cross checking and key guides.

You do realise you basically said "if you know how to work in a 3d software already, then it's easy to learn it"? 

Truuuuuueeeee... 

But Blender won't make any difference if you have no 3d experience at all. Any program will have a steep learning curve. I still say use Blender.

[Ali]

I don't think Blender has that much of a learning curve. I went to it from Maya and picked it up within a few hours of furious tool cross checking and key guides.

Okay, but the fact that it uses right-click to select is enough to make many people throw their computer out of the window.

When I first tried Blender it didn't have a menu bar, and you had to bring the menu up with spacebar. I found that very off-putting even though I had some knowledge of 3d.

Of course now it has a menu bar, and I use it all the time!

[DoorKnobHandle]

Blender is famous for its user interface which 99% of all people (including me) find HORRIBLE and 1% actually appear to LOVE. I find Cinema4D to be the easiest 3d tool, followed by 3ds max, never used Maya but I assume it's similar. Blender I just never got used to.