3D modeling/landscaping program for X?
Ok here's the scoop. For my senior project I am designing a realistic golf course. I planned on using the new course architect in Links 2002 Championship Edition (newest verrsion of popular golf sim) because it would be the ONLY course architect program in a Mac. There is no Tiger Woods 2002 or PGA Championship Golf for me to run on a Mac, so this game is it for me. Although it is a game the course architect is capable of turning out courses that are awesome. I had been following closely the progress of Bold as soon as they announced the popular title would be heading to the Macintosh platform. Bold Games first claimed that this game would be shipping shortly after the PC version was out. They claimed October, then November, then December, then January, then Febuary, now I heard it will not ship until April. I need the ability to design a realistic course right now because if the game doesn't show till April or may, I would risk not passing. I wasn't to expect this at all, as Bold has constantly pushed the release date back. What if they push it back another month, and another month? Then I will be totally out of the blue! What I want to know is can I get a program that will let me render a golf course in 3D i.e. landscaping that I can design grass fairways, greens, do elevation changes, plant trees, make water, and create objects to place on the course? can I somehow model a golf course using a 3D app? This is extremely important. My last result is buying the game cheap and running under Virtual PC, which is a hastle and will slow down my progress. This is the one game I have to have, and Bold can't get the f*cker out after over a year of work probably. I see on TV during golf tourneys they have very sophisticated hole models computer generated. Would anyone know what they could be using?
[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: TigerWoods99 ]</p>
[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: TigerWoods99 ]</p>
Comments
Here's the icon for the relief tool in Cinema 4D.
I'll make a quick relief and post it in a minute. I get the feeling, though, that you aren't really interested in a full-blown 3D software package... maybe you could find a "warezed" program for just this project? *cough* *cough*
It doesn't work well with those high detail images
[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]</p>
from this map:
I made this:
<strong>The relief can sometimes be a bitch</strong><hr></blockquote>Agreed.
review- <a href="http://www.cgchannel.com/"; target="_blank">cgchannel</a>
developer- <a href="http://www.e-onsoftware.com/"; target="_blank">e-onsoftware</a>
I've never used it, but it sure looks purty...
But this thing's rendering is shit slow
anyway....vue'd sprite or whatever is awesome...it has a really good renderer and makes some really realistic scenes...Maya is helluva expensive so I don't know if thats in your range or not.
personally I like Starfleets Idea with the bump map.....you could use bryce or Cinema 4d(or jusut about any good 3-d program) to make the bump map...and if your good with texturing you can make it look REALLY good even if your using bryce.
one thing I never mastered in bryce was sloping textures....that area of bryce I used to always jstu shoot blanks and hope it turned out well.
bryce 5 is a vast improvement over 4....the program could use a renderer overhaul, but I feel that since Corel owns bryce now(I used to be mad at metacreations...but now I see its a good change)I'd wager bryce will get more frequent updates....better support and will only get better over time.
though the I did kind of prefer the bryce 4 interface on a number of levels over the bryce 5 one....but the intograted tree editor is nice.
summary: I would go with Bryce or cinema 4-d(or even strata...if you have it) bryce cause its helluva easy, and cinema 4-d makes better looking scenes for hte most part.
It's free, and the program just continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
Anyway. For your need Bryce is okay if you can stand it's super slow rendering speed
As for Cinema. If you are a student you can get it for $299 US. Not a bad deal :cool:
[ 02-23-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]</p>
I have seen some impressive work there.
<a href="http://www.3dnature.com/"; target="_blank">3D Nature Homepage</a>
I might try the free version of Maya when it's out.
I believe I've seen that 3D Nature stuff before. trouble is I don't know if it's for mac OS yet alone OS X. I want something for Mac OS X. Believe me that thing looks sooooooo ideal for me. Thanks for bringing that link up again for me.
What about Lightwave 3d? Seems like a good high-end 3D program that might just work. Vector Works/Render Works is something I want anywayz and might be useful (especially for the clubhouse of this course).
The only thing that would suck is if I developed a wonderful course using all these extensive programs but nobody could actually play it. That's a really good advantage about a course architect in Links, and it is still pretty damn good for a $50 game.
I really would love to use the real-deal stuff the good architects use. that would be very impressive. On the TV glf broadcasts they go through the course with their virtual stuff and looks awesome, I just wish I knew what the heck they were using.
Bryce 5 - Good for beginner epsecially to those who only are interested doing landscape. Problem is its rendering speed - One of the f*cking slowest renderer in the market
Vue 4 - Does the similar thing to Bryce. But don't know much about speed, sorry.
Cinema 4D 7.3 - Reasonablely user friendly and decent render speed. Reasonably powerful. Good price for student
Lightwave 7 - Very expensive even for the academic version ($1299 US I believe). Rendering is one of the fastest in the market. However the learning curve is very steep (I can tell ya, it's even worse than Maya and MAX, to me). The 'break up' of modelling and animation / assembly environment is very bothersome to some users (me at least).....Also this stupid dongle thing....I never am a fan of LW no matter how powerful people say
EIectric Image Universe 4 - Forget about this thing.
[ 02-23-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]</p>
But usually for people to really learn and try to use something they have never touched software pircay via Limewire, Carracho, Hotline is the best bet.
Once you are used to the app and need it to generate income you will eventually buy it anyway.
Me....I can claim myself a big software pirater but also a big supporter / user. I always download apps from HL or else and 'evaluate' them. When I have full confidence with the app I will pay for it.
Cinema 4D, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, etc etc etc.....I always download them from the net and do a test drive. And then later I really pay for them.
The survey to the pro graphic people is very interesting. Around 90% of people who work in the effects/animation/graphic industry DO pirate software for evaluation and learning. They all do say they really buy them when they are out to make money.
[ 02-23-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]</p>
Amazon.com shows Links 2002 Championship as March 7th release date. I checked another site that had March 5th but they seemed to be wrong. But I doubt Amazon.com would have this wrong, right? Please please please please let it be March 7th...I am so frickin psyched for this thing.