3-d programs

[Nacho]

Ok, sorry of this has been asked before (I am quite sure it' s been, but the "search" feature brings million of results) but...

Is there an easy 3-d program? I have tried with google Sketchup, and it' s great! The first minute you get it, you are doing something, it's great for doing sketches to trace over and make 2-d backgrounds... But it's too limited for making "cool looking" 3d backgrounds. I've tried some others, such as blender (I was not able to do a simple line) and true space (easier than blender, but still too difficult...). Is there something as easy as google sketchup... but better? There must be! Any silly 3-d game brings a "good" 3-d program, for example world builder with Company of heroes or the "whatever" (Creature, vehicles, buildings) creator in spore. I think it' s time to bring easy 3-d painting programs to silly people like me.

Thanks.

[MoodyBlues]

Hmm...  You could try Anim8or, but if Blender's too complicated for your purposes, then Anim8or will give you a headache.  (I know it gave me one!)

You might want to give Blender a second chance.  If you want "cool looking" backgrounds, then you might have to put up with complex programs.  I know there's a lot of good tutorials out there that can get you started.

[Ghost]

Cinema 4D isn't too complicated, as well as TrueSpace. Cin4D is more "technical", while TrueSpace can easily produce claymation-style results. I know for sure that both programs offer old versions for free, though with some limitations.

[LimpingFish]

Cinema 4D is a great all-round package, I highly recommend it. Z-Brush is great for tactile sculpting (at it's most basic, it's like sculpting with clay), but has a horrendously fiddly interface.

Free programs have their fans, sure, but personally I never took to any of them.

I've been using Cinema 4D for...six years? Seven? Never had a problem with it.

[InCreator]

Major leading  3d modelling software is four programs: 3ds Max, Maya, Lightwave(don't know if many still use it) and Cinema4D. With a cult-like following, and totally free - Blender too, though many hate it, including myself.
They are what all the 3D cartoons and maybe 90% of games are made.

Your pick is also based on what do you want. Just model stuff for a game or render complex scenes with good lights and shadows. For modelling, simple things work. For rendering, not so much.

Now, even though you want something simple, to jump into world of 3D, picking one of those I named will pay off well in a long run, Especially 3ds max. Of course, they cost hell and a bit extra. For modelling only, and really dumbed-down version of max, try GMax. It's free, but there's no complex rendering and lighting to speak of, unless you trick it with a plugin or something.

Picking something like Anim8or or similar will show you the basics in a simple interface, but there's nowhere to go after you "grow out" of the progam. Also, with most "simple" programs, interface and comfortability is actually under zero. While "elite" programs are really hard to get into, it pays off big time later and you realize that their user interface is actually the best thing for doing what you do.

Long story short, 3d? There's no easy way out. Trust me on this.

[Raider]

The thing about easy programs is that it allows you to do a whole lot less than the complicated ones. It really depends on the level of quality you are going for.
I use Modo 302 and that is extremely easy to use compared to some programs. However I do all my 3D art on a Mac and my 2D on the windows partition. I highly recommend it.

You can try it out first if you like. http://www.luxology.com/

PM me if you want video tutorials for it.

[Nacho]

Sounds good, Limp... I am downloading the demo, right now...   Also, Moody, Blender is free, looks cool, and has manual in Spanish... I might give it a second opportunity. Thanks for the advices. Looks that the "easy but veeeeeeery good" program I want does not exist yet, I will have to sit, have patience, and learn one of the complicate ones.  

P.S: Hey, a new reply by InC, and seems to have good advices too... I will take a look to GMax, as well... I will read a bit of all those programs you named before downloading something else. Thanks, anyway! (Will take a look to Raider' s election as well... thanks for all those names)

[Nacho]

I revive this thread to thank eveybody for the advises... I finally went to Blender, it was the "newest free" program I could find, from the list. I gave it a second opportunity and I must say that, whereas I am still a newbie, now I do something else than staring at the initial room doing nothing.

My first work! Yay!

[LGM]

Looking good so far, cowboy. be careful you don't make it look too much like and urn.

[SpacePaw]

In my opinion Cinema 4d is the easiest thing to learn (it's not a cheap thing to buy though...).
Blender is free but you have to spend like 1 year learning it's interface (it pays off when you do that though ).
The choice is your's to make anyway the preferences vary from person to person

[Anteater]

Anim8or is my personal favorite. The newest version has a raytracer as well.

[Layabout]

Blenders interface is controlled primarily by using shortcuts. It is hard to understand at first, but it all makes sense.

3DS MAX has been around for a long time and for me it was the easiest to learn interface wise. Maya has been around for ages and is supposedly better for animation (although that is subjective). Blender is a decent all round package, free and runs on any OS. Zbrush is a great sculpting tool (imagine your 3d models are clay and you can sculpt them in very very high detail), although the interface is kooky. Mudbox is apparantly easier to learn, but is buggy as buggery.

Blender is a good choice Nacho. It is very capable. Just look at the open source films that have been made using it.