Introduction

This article is for anyone interested in choosing 3D art or animation software. Whether you're working in game development, creating animations, or producing 3D renders, this guide will help you make an informed decision.

If you're considering using 3D software for a hobby or work, be prepared to invest time. Learning the skills needed for 3D art can take at least 30 hours, and that’s just the beginning. You’ll spend many more hours making 3D models, sculpting, animating, or rendering.

For those already familiar with 3D art, you can skip to the tables below. However, if you’re new to this field, I recommend reading through the entire article for a solid introduction.

At the end of the article, I’ve included links to helpful resources for learning 3D techniques. Feel free to leave comments about anything I might have missed or areas where I could improve. Your feedback will help me improve future articles.

Lastly, I used a mix of AI tools, including Copilot and ChatGPT, to improve my writing because, although I have a lot of knowledge, I find writing challenging. But thankfully, AI helped fix that problem for me.😊

Enjoy reading! - Vash000

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Table of contents

• The order of creating 3D models

• About 3D models

• The different kinds of 3D art creation (Modeling, Sculpting, Photogrammetry)

• Rigging

• Simulation

• Animation

• Rendering

• Compositing / composition

• The types of applications and what they are used for

• For game-devs

• Filetypes

• Program comparison (Free/Paid, Filetype support, Use case(s))

• popular software combinations / bundles

• 3D suite combinations

• My conclusion about the software

• Things to take away

• Links and references

• recomended Free tutorials

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The order of creating 3D models

The process behind the creation of 3D models, art and/or animations is usually pretty similar. You usually first start with a concept (usually a drawing or a storyboard). Then you start either blocking out a individual model or an entire scene. After that you are going to polish and finalize all the models. Then you start animating (expecting that you've already made a 3D model, textured it and rigged it). Then you add lightning (adding lights can also be done earlier this just depends on your own personal preferences). And after that you can do camera placement, rendering, and compositing/post-processing.

Here is the same information in the form of a list (by AI my helpful assistent):

• Concept: The process usually starts with a concept, which can be a drawing, a storyboard, or a written description. This stage involves brainstorming and planning the overall look and feel of the project.

• Blocking Out: Next, you begin blocking out an individual model or an entire scene. This involves creating basic shapes and structures to establish the composition and layout.

• Modeling and Polishing: After blocking out, you move on to modeling and polishing the models. This step involves adding details, refining shapes, and ensuring that the models are accurate and visually appealing.

• Texturing: Once the models are finalized, you apply textures to add color, patterns, and surface details. This step enhances the realism and visual interest of the models.

• Rigging: If the models need to be animated, you create a rig by adding bones and controls. This allows you to manipulate the models and create realistic movements.

• Animation: With the rigged models, you can start animating. This involves creating keyframes and adjusting the movements to bring the models to life.

• Lighting: Adding lighting to the scene is crucial for setting the mood and enhancing the visual quality. Lighting can be added at various stages, depending on personal preferences and project requirements.

• Camera Placement: Positioning the camera is essential for framing the shots and guiding the viewer’s attention. This step involves setting up camera angles, movements, and focal points.

• Rendering: Once everything is set up, you render the scene to generate the final images or animations. This step involves calculating the effects of lighting, shading, and textures to produce high-quality visuals.

• Compositing/Post-Processing: The final step is compositing and post-processing. This involves combining multiple elements, adjusting colors, adding effects, and enhancing the overall visual quality.

In this article, I will try to explain 3D models, what components they consist of, and the major steps within the workflow of creating 3D models/art/animation. (Sorry for my poor writing skills I tired...)

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About 3D models

Basics of a 3D model

A 3D model, even without color information, is made up of three key components:

• Vertices (points in 3D space (X, Y, Z))
• Edges (Lines between the points (V1, V2))
• Faces (In-fill between the edges and vertices (V1, V2, V3))

These three elements (vertices, edges, and faces) are the building blocks of all 3D models. Without them, 3D models as we know them wouldn’t exist.

There’s a debate in the 3D community about whether to use triangles (tris) or quadrilaterals (quads). While tris are more compatible across different software (since most applications convert everything into triangles), quads are easier to work with when modeling. Ultimately, it’s a matter of preference.

Watch out for N-gons (polygons with more than four sides). They can cause problems in 3D modeling and are generally avoided. It’s best to stay avoid them whenever possible.

For more detailed information about polygon meshes, you can visit this wikipedia page.

Faces, Materials and Textures

Faces

Faces form the surface of a 3D model. Each face has a normal vector that indicates which direction the face is pointing. If the normals are incorrect, they can cause issues, like the surface appearing invisible. Thankfully, this is a common problem with easy fixes, and most 3D software has tutorials you could use to help you solve this issue.

Materials

In 3D modeling, materials control how an object interacts with light. They determine properties such as color, shininess, and transparency. Materials can also use multiple textures, like a diffuse texture for color or a bump map for surface details.

While materials can be tricky to explain, they will start to make more sense as you are working on your own projects.

Here is an example image of a material in Blender.

Textures

Textures are images (usually in formats like JPG or PNG) applied to the surface of a 3D model to add details such as color, patterns, and surface variations. They simulate the appearance of different materials.

There are several methods for applying textures to a 3D model, including:

• Generative/Procedural Textures These are generated algorithmically, creating patterns or surface details without using pre-made images.

• Photoscanned Textures: These are textures created by scanning real-world objects to capture detailed surface characteristics.

• Triplanar Mapping This method projects textures onto a model from three directions, making it useful for objects with complex surfaces.

• Vertex Colors Vertex colors allow you to paint colors directly onto a 3D model without needing a texture map.

In game development and animation, you'll often come across different texture maps, like Normal Maps, Roughness Maps, Specular Maps, and Ambient Occlusion Maps. Each of these adds a different layer of detail or effect to your model.

One of the most interesting maps is the Normal Map. It creates the illusion of depth and complexity by converting a flat image into a 3D-like surface without increasing the number of polygons. This is commonly used in game development to reduce memory usage.

If you are serious about 3D texturing, you might want to try Substance Painter. Substance Painter, is a popular (though paid) tool for creating and applying textures. While it can be expensive, it’s a powerful tool used by many professionals in the industry.

I’ve only ever used a demo version of Substance Painter(probably pirated it) 🏴‍☠️. But I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in 3D art, animation, or game-dev. But don't be like me and use a legal, paid, or free trial version.

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The different kinds of 3D art creation

There are many ways to create 3D art, including:

• Modeling

• (Digital) Sculpting

• Photogrammetry

Photogrammetry and laser scanning can produce realistic models, but traditional techniques like sculpting, modeling, and procedural generation can also achieve highly realistic results. There are many different styles of 3D art, and this article will focus on the various tools and their uses.

Modelling and its different forms

Modeling is the process of creating 3D objects, often used to design buildings, props, and other assets.

Some common modeling techniques include:

• Box modeling: Starting with a basic shape (like a cube) and refining it by adding more detail (adding more geometry).
  

• Boolean modeling: Using operations like union or subtraction to combine (simple) shapes into more complex forms.

• Subdivision modeling: Dividing polygons into smaller parts to create smoother, more detailed surfaces.

• Surface modeling: Creating smooth, complex surfaces, often used in product or automotive design.

• Modular modeling: Building reusable components (or "modules") that can be used in larger scenes.

• Kitbashing: Combining pre-made models to quickly create new designs, often used in concept art.

• Procedural modeling: Using algorithms to generate complex structures, like cities or natural landscapes.

• Spline/NURBS modeling: Using curves to define surfaces, often for smooth, mathematically precise objects.

Each of these methods offers unique strengths, depending on the task at hand. As you experiment with 3D modeling software, like Blender, Autodesk Maya, or 3ds Max, you’ll discover which techniques work best for you.

(Digital) Sculpting

Digital sculpting, or 3D sculpting, is a popular way to create 3D models, especially when you want to achieve highly detailed and organic shapes. It is similar to traditional clay sculpting, where you mold and shape the object. Some well-known software used for this technique includes ZBrush, Mudbox, and Blender.

Digital sculpting is great for creating natural forms like characters, creatures, and even landscapes. It’s also perfect for adding fine details like surface textures, scratches, wrinkles, or other elements that make 3D models look more realistic.

Once a model has been sculpted, artists usually perform retopology. Retopology is the process of simplifying a model’s polygon count to make it easier to use in games, animations, or real-time applications. Lowering the number of polygons helps reduce file sizes and improves performance, whether in games or during rendering.

Though there are automatic retopology tools, manually adjusting the polygons is often needed to get the best results. In manual retopology, the artist carefully traces over the sculpted model to create a more efficient and cleaner version. For models meant for animation, a well-planned edge flow (how the lines or edges are arranged) is crucial to make sure they move properly.

After retopology, artists often "bake" a normal map, which captures the fine details from the high-resolution model and applies them to the lower-poly version. This way, the model looks detailed without being too heavy for computers to process.

Retopology is vital for game development because it ensures smooth performance, but in movies, high-resolution models are sometimes used without optimization, as performance isn’t as much of a concern.

Photogrammetry

Photogrammetry is a technique used to create highly detailed 3D models by taking multiple photos of an object or environment from different angles. Specialized software like Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture, or Meshroom stitches (joins) these images together to form a detailed 3D mesh, complete with textures.

To achieve full coverage of an object, you can either place it on a rotating platform or move around it, capturing as many angles as possible. The goal is to collect all visual data necessary to produce a highly accurate model.

In game development, a well-known company, Quixel, uses photogrammetry to build the Megascans library. These assets are integrated into Unreal Engine 5, allowing developers to use high-resolution models directly in real-time applications thanks to a technology called Nanite. Nanite efficiently handles detailed photogrammetry models without requiring manual optimization.

However, in game engines that don’t support Nanite, retopology may still be necessary to lower the polygon count for real-time use. This ensures that the models run smoothly without affecting game performance.

Photogrammetry is widely used across industries like game development, animation, architecture, archaeology, and virtual tourism. It is especially helpful for creating realistic environments and objects that require lifelike detail.

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Rigging

Rigging is an essential process in 3D modeling that allows artists to create the skeleton or structure that will move a model. This involves grouping certain points (or vertices) of the model and attaching them to invisible objects called “bones,” which control their movement. This technique makes it possible to animate the model later.

In blender and other 3D applications, a bone typically looks like this:

While the default bone is simple, you can modify its appearance and even color it for easier identification. Larger studios often create reusable rigs, ensuring efficiency when rigging new models.

In complex animations, bones can be connected and limited, meaning one bone's movement may affect another. This simplifies the animation process, making movements more natural.

The rigging process typically includes the following steps:

• Inserting bones Adding bones to the model to create a skeleton.

• Weightpainting (Automatic or manually) This process assigns influence to bones over specific parts of the model. Weight painting can be done automatically, but manual adjustments are often necessary to ensure precision.

For a more in-depth guide on rigging, check out this article at CG Wire.

Rigging can be a delicate process, and any errors will become apparent during animation. For instance, if weights are misassigned, parts of the model may not move as expected.

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Simulation

In 3D animation and game development, simulations are used to replicate real-world physics and behaviors, adding a dynamic and realistic quality to virtual scenes. Here are common types of simulations used:

• Gravity & Collisions: These simulate how objects fall and interact with one another in terms of physical forces. For example, objects falling, colliding, or bouncing in a realistic manner is vital for creating immersive experiences.

• Particles: These are used to simulate tiny, discrete elements like fire, smoke, rain, and even bugs. Particle systems are critical for creating environmental effects that enhance the visual quality of games and animations.

• Bodies of water (rivers, oceans): Water simulation goes beyond basic fluid dynamics to capture the complex behavior of oceans, rivers, and lakes. These simulations make water feel more alive, showing realistic waves, ripples, and interactions with other objects.

Here is a link to a youtube video talking about simulated rivers.

• Cloth and Fur/hair: Cloth simulation replicates how fabrics and materials move, while fur and hair simulation focuses on natural movements for characters. These systems help create more realistic animations for clothes, fur, or hair interacting with the environment and other objects.

• Growth of vegitation: This type of simulation models the natural growth of plants and trees. It is often used to create evolving, dynamic environments, making a scene feel more alive.

Simulations are made possible through advanced features in software, such as:

• Physics Engines: These handle the interactions between objects (3D models) based on physical properties like mass, velocity, and friction.

• Particle Systems: These manage and simulate vast numbers of particles to create effects like smoke or fire. Particle systems are controlled "particles" that are controlled by their physical properties like mass, velocity, and friction. In some 3D editors particles are also effected by wind and other factors.

• Fluid Dynamics: Used to simulate liquids and gases, fluid dynamics replicate how these substances move and behave in different environments.

• Soft Body Dynamics: This simulates objects that can deform, such as skin, fabric, or even jelly-like materials.

• Procedural Generation: This creates complex environments or structures through algorithms, often used for landscapes or large-scale environments.

Uses of Simulation in Game Development and 3D Animation

Simulations are used in a wide range of applications within game development and 3D animation, including:

• Environmental Effects: Creating realistic weather, smoke, fire, and water effects.

• Character Animation: Enhancing the realism of character movements, including clothing and hair dynamics.

• Gameplay Mechanics: Simulating physical interactions and behaviors to create engaging and believable gameplay experiences.

• Visual Storytelling: Using simulations to create dynamic and immersive scenes that enhance the narrative.

Simulations are widely used in game development and 3D animation to create lifelike environments, enhance character animations, and add depth to gameplay mechanics. They provide an essential tool for building dynamic and immersive experiences in digital media.

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Animation

Animation is the process of creating the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of images, or frames, one after the other. In game development and 3D animation, it plays a crucial role in making characters, environments, and objects come to life. Here are some key techniques and features of animation:

Types of Animation

• Keyframe Animation: In this widely used technique, animators set "key" poses at specific points, and the software interpolates (fills in) the frames between those poses. This is a fundamental method for creating smooth movements in character animation and complex actions.

• Motion Capture (MoCap): Motion capture records real-world movements using sensors or cameras and translates them into digital animations. This method is commonly used in high-budget games and films to create lifelike character movements.

• Procedural Animation: This technique uses algorithms to generate real-time animations, often based on physics or other dynamic systems. It's especially useful for creating responsive, natural movements without the need for manual keyframing.

• Blend Shapes: This technique involves creating multiple shapes or expressions for a model and blending between them to produce smooth transitions. It's widely used for facial animations, allowing characters to convey a range of emotions.

Animation tools often come with various features to simplify the animation process, such as:

• Timeline and Keyframes: These tools allow animators to set and manipulate keyframes along a timeline, controlling when and how a motion occurs.

• Graph Editor: This tool provides a visual interface to fine-tune motion curves, offering precise control over transitions between keyframes for smoother animations.

• Inverse Kinematics (IK): This powerful technique simplifies the animation of characters by allowing animators to control interconnected bones easily, particularly for limbs and joints.

• Rigging Tools: These tools are used to create and manage the skeleton (or "rig") of a model, defining how it moves and interacts with other parts of the character or object.

• Physics Simulation: Some animation software integrates physics engines to simulate realistic physical movements, like falling objects or cloth behavior.

Uses of Animation in Game Development and 3D Art

Animation plays a vital role in multiple areas of game development and 3D art, including:

• Character Animation: Bringing characters to life with realistic movements, expressions, and interactions. High-quality character animation is crucial for creating an emotional connection with players.

• Environmental Animation: Bringing characters to life with realistic movements, expressions, and interactions. High-quality character animation is crucial for creating an emotional connection with players.

• Special Effects: Creating dynamic, eye-catching effects like explosions, magical spells, or particle systems (e.g., sparks, dust, fire).

• Cinematics: Producing pre-rendered cutscenes or story sequences that help drive the narrative forward, enriching the overall player experience.

How Animation is created

The process of animating in game development typically follows these steps:

• Conceptualization and Planning: Developing storyboards or animation sequences and planning the key actions.

• Modeling and Rigging: Creating the 3D models and rigs that will be animated.

• Animating: Using techniques like keyframe animation, MoCap, or procedural methods to bring the models to life.

• Refining and Polishing: Fine-tuning the animation for smooth transitions, realistic movements, and expressive motions.

• Rendering and Integration: Rendering the final animation and integrating it into the game or animation project.

Examples of Successful Animation in Games

Games like "The Last of Us Part II", "God of War", and "Red Dead Redemption 2" have set industry standards for animation quality. These titles showcase highly detailed character animations, lifelike facial expressions, and intricate environmental movements that draw players deeper into the story and gameplay.

Animation isn’t just about visuals. It’s a core element of storytelling, gameplay design, and player engagement in modern games.

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Rendering

Rendering is the process of generating a final image or sequence of images from a 3D model using computer software. It calculates how light interacts with objects, how textures appear on surfaces, and how shadows and reflections behave. Rendering can produce either highly realistic images or more stylized ones, depending on the desired effect.

Types of Rendering

• Real-Time Rendering: Typically used in video games, this type of rendering processes images at speeds of 30 to 60 frames per second, allowing for smooth, interactive visuals.

• Offline Rendering: Common in films and high-end animation, offline rendering focuses on producing the highest image quality, even if it takes hours or days to render a single frame.

• Ray Tracing: A rendering technique that simulates how light interacts with objects to create highly realistic reflections, refractions, and shadows.

• Rasterization: A faster rendering method used in real-time applications, rasterization converts 3D objects into 2D images, altough it may lack the realism of ray tracing.

Features of rendering software

Rendering software provides various tools and options, such as:

• Lighting and Shading: Tools to simulate different lighting conditions and apply shaders to surfaces for realistic or artistic effects.

• Texture Mapping: Applying textures to 3D models to add surface detail and realism.

• Anti-Aliasing: Techniques to smooth out jagged edges and improve image quality.

• Global Illumination: Simulating how light bounces off surfaces for more realistic lighting and shadow effects.

• Render Passes: Breaking down the rendering process into multiple layers (e.g., diffuse, specular, shadow) for greater control during post-processing.

Uses of rendering in game-dev and animation

Rendering is used in various aspects of game development and animation, including:

• Cutscenes and Cinematics: Creating high-quality, pre-rendered sequences that enhance storytelling.

• In-Game Graphics: Generating real-time visuals that players interact with during gameplay.

• Visual Effects: Producing detailed effects such as explosions, fire, and smoke.

• Architectural Visualization: Creating photorealistic images of buildings and interiors for design or marketing purposes.

How rendering works

The rendering process typically follows these steps:

• Scene Setup: Arranging models, lights, and cameras within the scene.

• Material and Texture Application: Adding materials and textures to models for realistic surface detail.

• Lighting Setup: Configuring the lighting for the desired atmosphere and effects.

• Rendering: Using software to calculate and generate the final image or sequence.

• Post-Processing: Enhancing the final output with effects and adjustments, like color grading or depth of field.

Mastering animation and rendering techniques is vital in game development and 3D art, as these processes significantly impact the overall quality and experience of digital content.

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Compositing / composition

Compositing is the process of combining multiple visual elements into a single image or sequence of images. It involves layering, blending, and adjusting different elements to create a cohesive final product. Here are some key aspects of compositing:

Types of Compositing

• Layer-Based Compositing: Using layers to stack and blend different elements. Each layer can be adjusted independently.

• Node-Based Compositing: Using nodes to represent different operations and effects. This method provides greater flexibility and control over the compositing process.

• 3D Compositing: Combining 3D elements with 2D footage to create integrated scenes. This is often used in visual effects for movies and TV shows.

Compositing features and functions

Compositing software typically includes features such as:

• Layering and Blending: Combining multiple layers of visual elements and adjusting their blending modes.

• Color Correction: Adjusting the color balance, contrast, and saturation of the elements.

• Masking and Rotoscoping: Isolating specific parts of an image for targeted adjustments.

• Keying: Removing backgrounds (e.g., green screen) to integrate different elements seamlessly.

• Motion Tracking: Matching the movement of elements to create realistic interactions.

Different uses of compositing in game-dev and Animation

Compositing is used in various aspects of game development and 3D animation, including:

• Visual Effects (VFX): Integrating CGI elements with live-action footage or other CGI elements.

• Cutscenes and Cinematics: Enhancing pre-rendered sequences with additional effects and adjustments.

• Environment Creation: Combining different elements to create complex and detailed environments.

• Title Sequences and Motion Graphics: Creating dynamic and engaging title sequences and motion graphics.

How Compositing is Used

The process of compositing typically involves the following steps:

• Layering: Arranging the different visual elements in layers.

• Blending and Adjusting: Adjusting the blending modes, opacity, and other properties of each layer.

• Color Correction and Effects: Applying color correction and additional effects to enhance the final image.

• Rendering: Generating the final composite image or sequence of images.

Compositing is a crucial step in the production pipeline, allowing artists to create polished and cohesive visuals by combining multiple elements seamlessly.

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The types of applications and what they are used for

For each step you could use a different application. Most indie devs (induvidual developers) use blender. Blender is a so called: "3D creation suite" which means that the application does all the steps individual applications and algorythms used to do. Since blender is free and open source it is the no.1 choise for people who are just starting out and/or trying to get into 3D-art / game-dev.

I myself learned how to 3D-model using Boolean modeling on Tinkercad when I was pretty youngh because blender was stil version ~1.8 and I found it too hard to learn. I started learning blender after update 2.5 something. I have to say that blender's Interface has increased in user-friendliness rapidly over the past few years.

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For game-devs

In game development, the techniques mentioned earlier can be used for various purposes, such as creating animations (walking, running, jumping, breathing, swimming, emotes, etc.), cinematics, splash screens, loading screens, and even cover art. Essentially, any visual component in a game can be developed using these methods.

Props and assets

One of the most common tasks for game developers using 3D software is creating props and assets. These include objects like furniture, weapons, vehicles, trees, and other elements that populate the game environment. Since games often require numerous assets, mastering the creation of 3D models for props is essential. Characters, though often more complex, are another common focus for 3D modeling in game development.

Generally, assets far outnumber characters in a typical game. Some developers, however, opt to buy assets from online marketplaces or asset stores and create characters themselves, depending on the specific needs of the project.

Essential skills for game-dev

When diving into 3D art for game development, it's critical to master the basics. Some of the key skills include:

• Basic 3D Modeling: Understanding how to shape objects using tools like extrusion, scaling, and rotation is the foundation of creating any game asset.

• Materials & Textures: Learning how materials work and how to apply textures to models is crucial. Textures give your models surface detail, such as wood grain or metallic shine.

• UV Mapping: UV mapping is essential for applying textures accurately. It’s the process of unwrapping a 3D model into a 2D space so textures can be applied seamlessly. Understanding sharp and seam edges is also important for controlling how UV maps are divided and how textures align. Here’s a link to an youtube explanation video about sharp and seam edges for further learning about Sharp and Seam edges.

By mastering these foundational techniques, you'll be able to build up your 3D modeling skills and expand into more complex areas of game development.

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Filetypes

Another critical aspect of working in 3D software is understanding the various file types used in the process. Different file formats store different kinds of information, such as the 3D scene layout, individual objects, simulations, lighting, and more. Some formats can even store multiple scenes or layouts in one file.

Most 3D applications are capable of opening and working with a wide range of file types, making it easier to collaborate across different software platforms or import projects from others.

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There are several types of 3D file formats, each serving a specific purpose in the pipeline. Here are the major ones:

• 3D Scene Files: Store entire scenes, including multiple objects, lighting setups, and sometimes animations.

• Object Files: Contain individual 3D models or parts that can be used in larger scenes.

• Material Files: Store material information like textures, shaders, and surface properties.

• 3D Data & Positioning Logs: Typically meta files used for tracking object positions, scale, and other data across different scenes or projects.

Here is a list of common 3D-scene file formats:

• .blend Native file format for Blender, used to store full 3D scenes.

• .fbx A highly versatile format widely used in both games and films. It stores scenes with multiple objects and animations.

• .obj Another commonly used format that stores object geometry. It’s supported by almost all 3D software and game engines.

• .dae COLLADA format, often used for transferring assets between different software.

• .usd /.usdz Universal Scene Description formats, increasingly used for complex scenes, especially in animation pipelines.

• .gltf A lightweight format optimized for use in web-based applications, but it also works in game engines.

• .3ds An older format associated with 3D Studio, but still widely used.

• .x3d and .wrl Formats designed for use in virtual reality and web-based 3D environments.

Here is a list of common 3D-file / part formats:

• .stl A widely-used format in 3D printing that stores the surface geometry of a model.

• .obj In addition to being a scene file, OBJ can also store individual models. It's favored for its simplicity and wide compatibility.

• .3mf A newer format designed to be more advanced than STL, especially for 3D printing.

• .ply Stores polygonal data and is often used for 3D scanning and point cloud data.

• .step/.stp and .iges/.igs Formats commonly used for CAD and engineering designs.

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For game developers, the most frequently used file formats are:

• .stl Mainly used for 3D printing, but occasionally used in game development for modeling.

• .fbx Favored for its ability to store complex data, including animations, and its compatibility with almost every game engine.

• .obj Widely used due to its simplicity and compatibility across software platforms.

These formats are supported by nearly all game engines and contain the necessary 3D data for development. However, a drawback of some formats like OBJ is that they may require exporting color maps, material metadata, and texture information separately, as they don't natively store these data types.

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Program comparison

pricing

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File-support

Part 1:

Part 2:

Use case(s)

3D creation suites vs Specialized software

As you can see from the comparison, both Blender and Autodesk Maya are versatile 3D applications that support a wide range of features. They are often used as complete 3D suites, which means they cover everything from modeling and texturing to animation and rendering. However, many 3D artists or studios often use multiple specialized software applications depending on the specific task.

For instance, a lot of people use ZBrush alongside other 3D software. This is because ZBrush is renowned for its digital sculpting capabilities, making it the go-to tool for creating highly detailed, organic models like characters or creatures. While Blender can perform sculpting tasks, ZBrush is often considered smoother and more intuitive for sculpting.

Similarly, Substance Painter is widely used in the industry for texturing and material creation. It excels in these areas because it offers a lot of control over how materials and textures are applied, including features like smart materials and real-time feedback. While Blender can handle texturing tasks, using Substance Painter often results in more detailed and polished textures.

Blender for Beginners

For those just starting in 3D modeling, I recommend trying to learn Blender first. It’s free, open-source, and includes all the tools you need to create 3D content, from modeling and sculpting to texturing and animation. Even though you may hear about more specialized tools like ZBrush and Substance Painter, Blender offers enough functionality for you to learn the basics and develop your skills without needing to invest in expensive software.

Once you understand the basics and want to continue in this field. I would recommend trying the other paid softwares trough trail licenses so you know how they feel and how to use them.

After that might want to invest in specialized software like ZBrush, Autodesk Maya, or Substance Painter. These tools might help you refine your workflow and achieve higher-quality results in specific areas like sculpting or texturing.

However, even if you (have to) stick with Blender, you can still produce professional-level work, as the software is extremely capable and continues to evolve with new features.

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popular software combinations / bundles

If you’re working on larger projects or want more specialized control over certain aspects of your workflow, many artists and studios use combinations of multiple software applications. Here are some popular combinations:

3D suite combinations

If you have the budget, you could create a pipeline that includes several different programs. For example:

• Blender / Autodesk Maya for general modeling and animation.

• ZBrush for high-detail sculpting.

• Substance Painter for texturing and material creation.

This combination would allow you to take advantage of each software's strengths. Alternatively, if you're looking for a "professional-grade bundle" (what they say it is), you could invest in a package from Adobe that includes software like Substance Painter along with other tools for texturing and materials.

animation and rendering

A popular combination for 3D animatiors is Autodesk Maya together with Redshift, a powerful rendering engine. Autodesk Maya is widely used for character animation, rigging, and scene development, while Redshift is known for its speed and high-quality renders, making it a common choice for large studios creating complex scenes and videos.

Another strong option is combining Cinema 4D with Otoy's Octane Renderer. This pairing is favored for its fast rendering times and real-time feedback, which is particularly useful for motion graphics and visual effects.

Besides these, there are many different combinations you could explore.

My conclusion about the software

There are many ways to approach 3D creation, depending on your budget, your needs, and the type of work you're producing. If you're just starting, Blender and Autodesk Maya are excellent all-in-one solutions that can take you a long way. However, as you progress, you may want to explore specialized tools like ZBrush, Substance Painter, or advanced renderers like Redshift.

Ultimately, whether you’re using a single program or a combination of software, what matters most is understanding how to use the tools effectively to bring your creative vision to life.

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Things to take away

Now you should at least know one or two different things about 3D, 3D art, and 3D animation. If not it's probably my fault.

Long, big 3D animations are usually made in multiple different scenes and/or files to make it easier and more efficient to work with the different animations, objects and set-ups.

Choosing your software always is a risk. Starting out I recomend you go for free alternatives but if you have more than enough money I'd recommend trying out software's free licences and/or 1 month (or more) of... your selected software (bundle / combination).

You don't need to remember all these techniques as long as you learn how to use the basic techniques of each of them and find your own ways to make your 3D-models.

Most people start out with Blocking-out a 3D model by using Box modeling and / or boolean modeling methods. Ater that you can apply more detail or better shapes using any of the other methods.

This really depends on what you are making and the workflow you are using, want to use or are recomended / required to use by your company.

Note: most applications have a free trail period. Once you've

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Links and references

applications mentioned

Autodesk Maya: https://www.autodesk.com/nl/products/maya/overview
Autodesk Mudbox: https://www.autodesk.com/nl/products/mudbox/overview
Autodesk 3ds Max: https://www.autodesk.com/nl/products/3ds-max/overview
Blender: https://www.blender.org/
Cinema 4D: https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d
Daz 3D: https://www.daz3d.com/
Houdini: https://www.sidefx.com/products/houdini/
Substance painter: https://www.adobe.com/products/substance3d/apps/painter.html
Tinkercad: https://www.tinkercad.com/
ZBrush: https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush-digital-scultping-software / https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush

Agisoft Metashape: https://www.agisoft.com/
RealityCapture: https://www.capturingreality.com/
Meshroom: https://alicevision.org/

Quixel: https://quixel.com/
Megascans library: https://quixel.com/megascans
Epic Games: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/
Unreal Engine 5: https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/unreal-engine-5

Reminder: Don't forget to look for more (software) applications than just these there are more applications out there than just these few big well-known ones.

Other software and render engines mentioned

Maxon's Redshift: https://www.maxon.net/en/redshift

Ottoy's Octane Renderer: https://home.otoy.com/render/octane-render/

Software that was not mentioned but recomended to check out

Chaos (V-Ray, Enscape, Corona) (render engines and rendering software): https://www.chaos.com/

Quixel Mixer (texturing software): https://quixel.com/mixer

Other Article Sources

Retopology: https://people.wku.edu/joon.sung/edu/anim/3d/modeling/retopology/retopology.html

Articles from this series

none, this is the first article that is released. New articles will be found either here or in the comments. This article is more of a test if it its quality is good enough. If not I've got to change some thing(s). - Vash000

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recomended Free tutorials

I don't know much about paid tutorials so here are a few good free ones:

Blender:

• Over-all: Guru's Donut Tutorial, CG Fast track's Sword in Stone Tutorial, Blender Guru's Blender (Anvil) Intermediate Tutorial serie.

• Modeling: CBaileyFilem Beginner Moddeling Tutorial

• Sculpting: Keelan Jon Blender Sculpting Tutorial for Beginners, in2vert Blender Tutorial for beginners - creature sculpting.

• Texturing & Materials: Blender Guru Texturing tutorial for beginners, SouternShotty How pros texture, Ducky 3D How to make complex materials easily in blender.

• Rigging: Joey Carlino Rigging for impatient people, BlenderVitals Create a Rig in blender in 1 minute

• Animation: Ryan King Art Animation for beginners (blender tutorial), ProductionCreate First steps in blender animation - A Comprehensive tutorial

• Compositing: Ryan King Art Compositing in blender for beginners, Olav3D Tutorials Blender Beginner Tutorial: Compositing in 4 minutes.

Autodesk Maya:

Autodesk Maya has a youtube channel dedicated to learning you how to use their software.
It's called: Maya Learning Channel

Most of the other applications have either a build-in tutorial system in their website. If that is not the case you could probably find free tutorials online or you could look up for any paid courses / tutorials.

Have a good time learning 3D! 😉

Hopefully this article was helpful or educational. If not or if there is someting wrong with this article please leave a comment down below so I can change this article or take that information with me when making another article.

Also, sorry I did not write down all the links and I forgot to take all the links of the images from their original sources so I need to do that next time as well.