Blender 2.8 Studio, Carrara 8.5 Studio, rambling while pooped and grumpy

Retro Lad

 

Well, both are mutli-purpose programs incorporating modeling, animation, rendering, etc. But I find Blender's interface look so boring that I find myself yawning like crazy when I use it. Carrara, and Bryce, both have very artful, stylish, interfaces that make creating CG art feel like "art creation" and not like engineering. But both are stagnating to death, while Blender is changing into a user friendly alternative option.

I really like the new Blender 2,8 user friendly changes, and it is now my favorite program for modeling. I do not use it's other features, just it's modeling section. I can't stand nodes. I don't feel like an artist with nodes but instead like an engineer or scientist. Forget it.

Daz Studio is moving ahead but it still has a boring interface and retains some kooky navigating methods. And all the hustling product hype. and PC, is annoying, and revolting.

Bryce, in my opinion, still has the most stylish interface of all and I feel like an artist using it, and not an engineer. It still has my favorite materials, and textures, options and menus and the deep texture editor was always fun. But Bryce will never be upgraded again. Very sad.

At the present time I am experimenting using Blender and Bforartists latest versions for modeling, Carrara for assembly of scenes, V4 M4 character posing, for rendering scenes, and reluctantly for texturing, and Bryce for landscaping. Daz Studio is used for posing various Genesis models, and for experiments with Iray.

Finally. Why are so many Blender users "hot" for a ravenish toned interfaces that look like they were designed for satanists? Creepy. If anyone can find me a colorful pastelish "theme" for Blender I would appreciate it. Bforartists has a modest collection of interface "themes" and one is a Hexagon look which is silvery and light grey, and that is the one I use at the present. But Blender 2.8 has only 2 interface themes, both "stinko" in my opinion. Halloween is once a year, not every day. 

 

 

 

WendyLuvsCatz

Unreal Engine 4 is worth a look

Epic Games are going strong

they keep adding features and its very robust indeed

the new sequencer cinematics makes it great for rendering animation 

I have been playing in there a lot lately using the physics

found out how to make a spring bone BluePrint too other day

I am slowly learning how to use the annoying node based BP system 

at this rate I might even create a game!

WendyLuvsCatz

Ironically Genesis 3 is the only DAZ figure since Michael and Victoria 4 I can get to work retargetting in UE4

so it does have some usefulness 

you would think 8 should then too as its in the A pose

but nup, weird weightmapping distortions 

I know others use it but I think they go via 3D studio Max and rerig it

it of course works fine as every FBX import will with its own imported animations

it would be moot of course once I master BPs

then I can use my own motions for the keyboard actions and not retarget anything 

andya_b341b7c5f5

Blender theme presets - https://blenderartists.org/search?q=theme%20category%3A50

Of course you can tweak just about anything theme-wise in the user Preferences.

3drendero

Heavily modified Blender 2.8 for a better UI: https://www.bforartists.de/

WendyLuvsCatz

Well there is now an experimental modelling and sculpting plugin for UE4.24

 

so if Blender not floating your boat it might be worth a look

3drendero

Flowscape is another option...

Retro Lad

Have any of you heard of the MOI (Moment of Inspiration) modeling program. I bumped into it by accident while body surfing the net. It is not free, but they allow you a one month free tryout.

There is an addon for Blender called "Blender Sensei" and it is supposed to make using Blender, for general modeling, a lot easier.

Have any of you tried it? 

I just checked the "Sensei" website and you have to pay for the add-on. Forget it

I am having enough trouble scrounging for money to buy winter clothes. I am part of that dying middle class in "booming" America. Hah

 

 

3drendero

Try the blender addons site. There is probably a free option for what you need. https://blender-addons.org/

Retro Lad

Call for Content: Themes
https://devtalk.blender.org/t/call-for-content-themes/3174

I found a website where users can upload their themes for Blender.

 

Retro Lad

oops. my last comment loaded twice, so I removed it from here. Hmm, what can I fill this comment with.   https://mcphee.com/

3drendero

Daz export/import plugin for Blender: http://diffeomorphic.blogspot.com/p/daz-importer-version-14.html?m=1

Retro Lad

3drendero

Thanks, but i will pass on that Daz plugin for Blender. Too much already cooking on my stove to add yet another headache maker. I like Blender version 2.8 now, but not that much. Daz Sudio 4,9 is a big improvement over prevoius versions of Daz, so I will stick with it, and just use Blender for modeling.

It's the evening before Veteran's Day here in California, and already strange noises are starting up. A big pack of coyotes were yipping and yapping across the street. The house lights were out and it sounded like the coyotes were attacking and feasting on the house owner's family. Then some guy has been roaming up and down the streets "yelling" something, and some blasting awful music started but was quickly silenced as if a mob lynched the noise makers. The dog next door has been going berserk barking his head off.

What all this has to do with celebrating Veteran's Day is beyond me. Hasn't anyone out here heard of Sousa? Geez, and I live a few miles from a big military base.

3drendero

No worries, see the Unreal Engine news in the freebie thread for even more stuff to your backlog.