[Gothch1ck]

I've always been interested in building a game, but I really haven't started.

I have worked with like Hammer (world craft) to build my own little levels and stuff, but nothing like a MMORPG style... which is what I want to do.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for making 3D models (similar to those in games like World of Warcraft, Lineage, Last Chaos and the like) for 'monsters' and player entities?

I want to get started making some and animating them with their attacks and movements, and eventually sound effects and such, to kinda keep myself occupied in between work and playing games.

Not just monsters, but props for the world as well, breakable barrels that could contain loot, items for inventory, and all that sort of thing.

I realize I might be branching into a few topics here, but any help would be wonderful. I plan to get some money together and go online for classes on these types of things for college, however I am not sure what they all fall under.

I would love to get a game started for testing purposes to the public by 2013.

[meat_helmet]

The two most widely used for game design are 3D Studio Max and Maya. They are also two of the biggest for film and other commercial use.

I personally use 3D Studio Max, and have for years, originally i started for modding games with a free version of it called "GMax" - look it up there still might be a version around.

Keep in mind they are quite expensive. Other fairly good ones include Rhino3D which is free, Cinema 4D, XSI Softimage, Zbrush. 3D Studio Max is a good one, its not easy to use cause none of them are, but its easier than maya and much more powerful than something like Rhino.

Considering you want if for games though you dont need the powerful rendering stuff that comes with some of the expensive products. The best thing to do is look at some modding forums of games you want to mod and find out what programs you can export from into the game.

Keep in mind, there are sometimes hundreds of people and thousands upon thousands of man hours that go into games these days. Start off 3D modelling and go from there. The best thing to do is get good at something, either modelling, skinning (2D skins), level design, animation etc. and then apply to mod teams that you like the sound of for a game. If the mod gets good enough it is sometimes possible to release it.

[yzmxer608]

A free program is Blender (blender.org - Home) I personally have never really spent enough time in the program to learn. It also has a game engine I think, so you can make games with it. I'm not exactly sure how powerful it is, since it's free. View the gallery for some examples, they look pretty good to me, but I'm not an expert on this .

[zedman3d]

Yeah Blender is pretty good for being free.

[guppyman]

Hi,

You might want to take a look at Carrara Pro 6.

This software is now free on Digital Arts magazine.

Carrara is one of the easier to use 3D program.

Have fun

[Baez]

Originally Posted by meat_helmet

The two most widely used for game design are 3D Studio Max and Maya. They are also two of the biggest for film and other commercial use.

3DSMax and Maya are the same thing meat . Both owned by Autodesk and have been fully combined in 3DS Design 2009.

If you said that 3 years ago you would be correct.

It's good to learn 3DSMax right from the start as it's the industry standard. The problem most beginners have is that it isn't very user friendly.

[meat_helmet]

Originally Posted by Baez

3DSMax and Maya are the same thing meat . Both owned by Autodesk and have been fully combined in 3DS Design 2009.

If you said that 3 years ago you would be correct.

It's good to learn 3DSMax right from the start as it's the industry standard. The problem most beginners have is that it isn't very user friendly.

Um actually, no they are two totally different programs.

Yes they both owned by autodesk, and both come with the same render engine (mental ray) but they are two different 3D programs mate. I dont know where you got that from.

3ds Max Design 2009 is basically the same program as 3ds Max 2009, just with a few tweaks and differences aim toward Architects and Designers. I know because I use both of these programs. And i also have experience with Maya which, while it can do similar things, has nothing to do with 3ds Max.

Autodesk - Autodesk 3ds Max

Autodesk - Autodesk Maya

[zedman3d]

Originally Posted by Baez

3DSMax and Maya are the same thing meat . Both owned by Autodesk and have been fully combined in 3DS Design 2009.

If you said that 3 years ago you would be correct.

It's good to learn 3DSMax right from the start as it's the industry standard. The problem most beginners have is that it isn't very user friendly.

Yeah they are indeed different like meat_helmet said. Most of the time though if you look at game creation jobs they are fine with you knowing one of the two.

But the industry standard is MAX.