Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

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RAYMAN
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Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by RAYMAN »

I ve been using Blender for some time now..just like I still use TS sometimes!
Blender is awsome software..but..the people make one big mistake..this realy is a vital problem and issue!
Learning Blender...the whole program and doing everything inside it takes a very very long time!!!! To long! Since this is the case ..many people dont get a lot done..for a reason...and start to frustrate and give up on it...! Thats actually unnecessary and realy sad!
DONT force yourself to do everything inside Blender!
Second....:
If you want to get a lot done.... you have to work on your workflow!
Dont! Realy dont..hop from one render engine to the next!
Dont start everything from scratch!
Those are NOT my pieces of wisedom..I collected..those ideas from the pros who realy work in the business!
Build up big..realy big libraries of stuff..of textures..of materials..of objects.....!
Do a lot of Kitbashing.....! Keep your workflow constant..easy and dont think your gaining something if you render in tons of solutions..with tons of shaders....etc!
Index your libraries...and set up an image bank in which you can find your stuff in seconds..by using descriptions!
If you run into hardware limits..try to simplify! Use billboards...!
Only render parts of your scenes..then comp them together in post! Use backgrounds..ie ones that you prerendered....!
Use mattepaintings a lot!
Thats just a short a short overview of possible things you can do..even in TS!
I could carry on for hours about what I've learned the past few years...from some of those that need to make money in the business!
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Draise
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by Draise »

It's good advice. Making my personal library and style for that library is my next big project after my publicity character Trinny and a sales animation with him.
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RAYMAN
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by RAYMAN »

Second part:
Many of you might know that paralell to Truespace Lightwave was a very affordable..mighty tool that had lots of followers! Just like Ts ..Lightwave came to a point were the community expected changes and a rewrite! Lightwave core project was born!
Just like the Rosetta rewrite of TS with workspace..bridge and legacy modelside the project got bonkers!
I remember prople like Andy Kay left TS at that time..and lots of followers of Lightwave also started to see the dark clouds!

To the legacy of Lightwave....!
Lightwave started out long ago..and there were even versions for Sun spark..and Amiga on the other side of the spectrum!
The software had a very good reputation because it was hardware effective..and...it was divided into 2 parts!!! Modeler and Layout!
That was much more effective because the whole app didnt have to be loaded into the rams...! The apps only had limited access due to 32 bit architecture! Same as TS! But TS always hat modeler and renderer in one!
The old Lightwavers never realy liked Core! And so the project somewhat didnt work out the way it was planned..and a year ago the head of Newtek ...well left! The new chef a woman was very eager to excuse the inconvenience..amd promised that things would improve!
Well why am I talking about that?
Reasoning is.. that in the past the applications were split because of low end hardware... then became one app style software and in the past few months and years..there is a bias towards splitting between modeler and layout again....just look at content managing renderers like Clarisse!!! The nice thing is that in Clarisse your not loading files your loading proxies of the files !
Benefit...very low footprint ...plus the models can be updated outside..and the proxy gets updated automatically! No need to reload! On big and very big projects that can take lots of time!
Well here is why I am talking about all that!
First of all.. Truespace...! Its getting old! What part of it is getting old? So very necessary model tools on model side..ie edge extrude.. some parts on WS side are not yet implemented!
But realy old?
The so called renderer and what one calls Layout in LW is old in TS...there is practically no help there!
Blender: Has awesome tools....awsome and many free addons..realy affordable... has a good cycles render engine...apart from the noise thing that will be improved...lots of good deformer stuff....! All in all a good package...except for one thing..stageing isnt nice! When you load a file from outside..you need to convert to cycles..then to prorender etc! Materials and shaders arent drag and drop easily..etc!
Same as parts..and parts libraries!
A very good render solution works best when it has a very low hardware footprint.... has libraries for both materials and objects..and scene setups..and lighting setups..!
Something that allows for Kitbashing..reusing parts...and automation of instancing and placement like Ecosystems inVue!
That makes workflow very fast and effective!!!
What modeler the items come from..what sculpturer what texture engine..nurbs ..cad or poly..or ie a treegenerator etc is secondary!
Its the stager thats important!!😏
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by daviz84 »

Hello Rayman
Great points to consider.

In conclusion:
Question 1: is there a 3d software that resembles that kind of workflow? (that allows for kitbashing, reusing, automation, instancing).

I am one of those that started in 3d (2004) using Truespace 3.2. Once I got the basics I looked into 3ds Max but somehow it didn´t quite click for me (even though I realised it was very powerful but at the cost of complexity). So when I had to create illustrations for my commercial projects I used TS 3.2. Fourteen years since I discovered 3d I have only used it for 15 illustrations/projects, all of them with TS 3.2.
So really there was no urgent reason to look for another software, I mean I was aware of the free version of TS 7.6 but I couldn´t understand the new UI. So I sticked to what I knew.
But now IT IS time to find something else. I am already promoting myself as an illustrator full time and I need to create models and references faste.

A couple of months ago I started with Foundry Modo v.11, just fooling around with it I realised it was far from intuitive. Then I tried Bforartists, it was considerably friendlier but again something was not right. I decided to give TS 7.6 another chance.

After some research and trials I have settled for the Standalone version (Workspace only) and I feel comfortable using it without watching tutorials yet.

I firmly believe that it is an application that will allow me to quickly develop ideas, concepts and rendered images.

Question 2:
I am right?

Thanks

David Ramirez
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RAYMAN
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by RAYMAN »

Hi David!
Yes there are I found a workflow that I very much like and it is the most intuitive I can think of!!!
But its not that ..one thing works thing!
So...
I would give you a hint on some how to s that work realy well and are hands down the most intuitive!
Try to keep Truespace biut only use it for modeling and texturing!
I like both sides..WsAnd MS!
As a main modeling program I have chosen Moi 3d! That is hands down the most effective piece of software around but it comes with one problem..its a nurbs program! What makes it so easy to use and use for kitbash is some of its greatest drawbacks..its..it doesnt export nice topo for rigging or for sds! But here comes Blender into play! Import and decimate and automatic or manual retopo does a very good job!
For architecture I use Sketchup..because you can kitbash with components. and components are instances! Low footprint!
I also use fusion 360! Its hands down the best conversion tool from poly to nurbs because its t spline..and for personal use its free!
Renderings out of all those I do with Vue! Its the easiest piece of software to use for that and it reads TS cob directly! It has everything in libraries..! Materials models objects parts...everything! Skies.....mountains...Treelibraries!! I use Vue stream and have a yearly sibscription! Works out for me for around 300$ per year!
For charakter animation Daz stustudio.free and awsome!
For Rendering with gpu I use Thea render! Its fastest with nicest looking results!
Also have a look at C4d! Its probably more to your liking its hypernurbs..so partly nurbs partly poly!
Blender is awsome for so many things but you need not do everything there from start to finish! It could be one day but the full transition to user friendly isnt there yet! Greetings Peter
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by daviz84 »

Thanks for sharing Peter!
Never thought of using Vue just for rendering...great way of thinking in a "modular" way, if you will.
The whole concept of "using the tools you need to get the job done" applies for my daily work.
Moai3D--I remember watching tutorials and looked amazing. What scared me was using nurbs but I suppose that at some point I will have to use them so better learn sooner.
Sketchup--I played with it and it was fun to make shapes. Will look more into it.
Fusion360--I thought of it as an enterprise solution..great tip!
C4D--It is supposed to be the ideal tool for an illustrator/designer, it is at the top of my list.
Vue--A few years ago I couldn´t resist and tried it even though I knew I wouldn´t use it because it looked more like a tool for movie productions or matte painting...seems like magic with just a few clicks you have an ocean or mountains. Never thought of it as a renderer for imported models! Will try again.

I am intrigued, what kind of designs/models do you make?

David Ramirez
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by Krowbarh »

Personally rather NOT ever use blender...I'm getting too old I guess, simplicity matters.

Hey, I had a question. I tried the 7.61 Workspace-Modelside 2.1 but found it to be laggy & heavy especially VS regular 6.6. Are there any of the 'just workspace 7.6s' that are more spritely? Responsive? I really don't need the modelside as I have 6.6 anyways

I know there are several versions...Isn't there a 7.6 beta8 or something? I'd like to learn 7.6 but without major heaviness.

As far as modelers I find Nichimen Mirai, Nendo & Wings3D some of the best but like trueSpace not for polygon by polygon.

Cinema 4D easiest to use, very stable. Old versions (XL 7) best integration of Bodypaint & you can sculpt HyperNURBs on a low poly cage kinda like having Zbrush capability...No viewport chugging.

For actual high polys in viewport without chugging but NOT a sculptor it's XSI...You can have major poly counts in XSI viewport without chugging...Almost like Zbrush that way.

3DS Max honorable mention for viewport chugging...Never much liked using Max, Never got what all the 'Hype' was about. I think it's always been layed out crappy unlike C4D.

Modo has been weird for some time...best version 203-204...serious!

Hexagon is VERY GOOD...BUTT! NOT THE DAZ VERSIONS! They messed up the code somehow & high polys are very difficult...Too bad they junked it. The old EOVIA 2.0 or 2.1 Hexagons you can really ramp up the polys...Serious.

Anyways, if anybody has any input on the 7.6 versions worspace only I'd appreciate....
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Re: Using Blender in a workflow! My take..

Post by trueBlue »

trueSpace 7.61 Standalone @ the bottom of the post
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=4247
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