Help! 3D Software advice needed

[danblanshard]

Hi, I'm relatively new to 3D and have very basic needs for it. I use Andromeda 3D through Photoshop in Mac OS9 to create 3D looking labels for use on a tin template (very exciting, I know!).

Shortly I'll be working on a G5 which won't boot up in OS9 and need some new software (Andromeda doesn't work in OSX). It needs to be freeware, or fairly cheap, and simple to use. I am running CS3, but don't have Photoshop Extended.

Any ideas are much appreciated!

[Antisthenes]

http://irhino3d.com/

[chadowens]

dude, forget rhino, that's like using a sledghammer to kill a mosquito.
Check out google sketchup, you can download a limited version for free, and it's awesome.
After you download it, search for sketchup online video tutorials, you will find them for version 5, and though v. 6 is what you can get now, the commands and learning are all the same. Their tutorials are excellent, very easy to understand, and you'll be making 3d shapes in no time flat.

[Antisthenes]

there is allot to be said for simplicity and power at once.

google sketchup is just simplicity. y not aim big especially if it is easy, the support is there and it would enable you not to be restrained in the future is my thinking.

[chadowens]

the original post said the needs were basic. Sketchup isn't as simple as a lot of people think, you'd ba amazed to see some of the complex cityscapes I've built, including complex nurbs shapes, transparent objects, etc.
The limitations of sketchup are basically with lighting and reflections. You get the sun as your light source, and though you can move it and adjust the intensity, and add fog, that's about it.
You can create a very elaborate scene very quickly in sketchup, then import it directly (as a skp file) into vectorworks, then add lights and chrome textures or whatever you want.
You can also export in a variety of 3D formats from sketchup, and then import the file into any 3d program you want.
Since it's free, why not check out sketchup first, what have you got to lose? and then if you need more you can go to rhino or 3d studio max.

[F700ES]

Hard to beat SU for it's ease of use and lack of price. If you need to render there are plenty of opensource rendering engines with SU plugins all ready available. That's cool that VW will import a SKP file. Good idea to embrace it.