[C4:AC] Graphics: Modeling Resources

[Blake]

Blender is a free, fully-featured 3D modeling, animation and rendering application.

https://www.Blender.org

It is available for all major operating systems and is a small download (~6mb).

For learning to use Blender, the Using Blender resource page is a good start, with links to tutorials and such:

http://www.blender.org/cms/Using_Blender.80.0.html

Freely downloadable Documentation:

http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Documentation.628.0.html

Many tutorials are available on the web. This one, hosted at Gamedev.net is directly applicable for [C4:AC] modeling purposes:
Using Blender to Make Game Models Part 1 (Basic modeling)
Using Blender to Make Game Models Part 2 (Texture mapping)
(For the blender newbie I reccomend following other introductory tutorials first, as they introduce the controls at an easier to learn pace).

[wgabrie]

Hmm, Blender looks difficult to learn. And by that I mean the controls. So many tiny buttons and menus to learn. I can hardly see at my young age.

I'm hoping to use my own 3D program, 3D Canvas from www.amabilis.com (I bought Professional for the advanced tools and export options), to create models and if need-be then export them to Blender in a 3D format Blender supports. Maybe so other people can view them there, or if Blender is required to export to Civ 4.

I am worried about texture mapping between the two programs though. I didn't see any textures when I loaded a model from 3D canvas into Blender using differant 3D formats. They did load when Importing them again into 3D canvas. I'm guessing these would all need to be mapped again in Blender.

[Blake]

Theres no particular need to use Blender, it's just that it's freely available and excellent.

Blender looks very daunting at first glance, but the thing is you don't need to use 98% of the buttons, most things are done with a few keys on the keyboard (altough it's essential to read a newbie guide or 2 to learn these keys). The clickable buttons are named or have tooltips (since Blender can do anything it does need all the buttons). Blender's interface is also on the most part designed with ergonomic principles in mind, for example menus nearly always open under the mouse cursor saving you moving the mouse. Basically the interface doesn't conform to any other application, but it is a good and internally-consistent interface.

3D studios, Lightwave etc will work just fine too. If anyone wants to post information for other such modelers they are more than welcome.

Looking at the 3D Canvas Pro information, it has an excellent range of exporters including 3ds. I expect that for Civ4 we'll use some intermediate format like 3ds and there will be an converting utility for whatever Gamebryo/Civ4 uses. (Gamebryo is the engine used by Civ4 and it basically use 3D Studios Max and/or Maya)