Hi again!
Just wondering what 3D modelling tool(s) you use for game development.
I heard that Blender might be a good choice for baking lighting into levels.
Anyway, what software do you use for object design and/or level creation?
What 3D modelling software (do you use)?
https://www.google.com/search?q=3D+modelling+tool+site%3Agamedev.net
About 4,840 results 
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That's better: https://www.google.com/search?q=%223D+%28modelling|editing%29+tool%22+site%3Agamedev.net&btnG=Search&gbv=1
What i like is
free
Blender3D http://www.blender.org/download/
art of ilussion http://www.artofillusion.org/
sketchup http://www.sketchup.com/
paid
3dsmax
http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-3ds-max/overview
This is what i know and i use it for my project.
At work, the artists use a mixture of Maya and Max (actually I don't know which is better for what task).
The rest of us coders use Blender, Wings3D or (my personal favorite) a slightly tweaked GtkRadiant to knock up quick test models or placeholders.
The rest of us coders use Blender, Wings3D or (my personal favorite) a slightly tweaked GtkRadiant to knock up quick test models or placeholders.
Another software I use regularly is Modo. Modo is commercial, although significantly cheaper than Max and Maya. I like it because it give me the power and support of commercial software without costing the same as a car.
I used Blender for years before I got Modo though, and if you are on a tight budget theres nothing much that competes with Blender. Fantastic toolset with a very lively and helpful community. Also updates are released every couple of months, making for a nice and refreshing release cycle.
I just found something called "Misfit Model 3D":http://www.misfitcode.com/misfitmodel3d . Never used it, but it looks cool, and the features seem useful.
I don't do much modeling, but I'm always looking for simple tools like this... Anim8or is the last tool I modeled something in, and I found it quite easy to use.
I also created a simple BSP map in GtkRadiant once. Blender, Max, Maya and other such tools are way too advanced for my purpose and I always thought of them as bloatware.
Anyway, the question of what tools to use is irrelevant... You have to know what features you need.
At work I use (the rarely mentioned) Cinema 4D. It's in a similar class as Max or Maya, but tends to be used more for motion graphics. The main advantage to it is it has an awesome learning curve and intuitive controls... But it can be expensive, but there may be a basic free version, I'll need to look that up.
We use Softimage (also known as XSI) on my current project, but at all my previous jobs the main tool has either been Maya or Max.
Blender has gotten a lot better in recent years, so it's just as valid of a choice, plus it's free!
Strange thing is Autodesk now produce 3DS Max, Maya and Softimage! It's a shame they can't produce decent documentation though :(
Beside other programs cited here, i love Amapi 3D. I know, this program is old, and have a few minor ui bugs sometimes, but damn, it's the best tool i ever used for modeling.
Take a like while to get used to, but compared to studio max, it's just waaaaaaaay faster to do stuffs with it (i swear!). Basically, you can do everything from the various icons
in the editor, the mouse, and the spacebar, so you don't need to scroll to a menu each time you want to do something simple.
For example, want to align that sphere perfectly centered to another mesh, let say, a cube, easy! You just click the snap tool, click in the middle of the spere, then click in the middle of the square, done! Want to align only some vertice to another vertice, it's easy as pie.
But that's it, modeling is it's strong force, the rest (rendering, texturing, lighting ect) could be better imo, and i dont think it's been updated since 10 years or so...
Another downside is the .3ds export is kinda broken, but not the .dxf exporter, so it's best to export in .dxf and reimport in 3ds this way.
Still don't beleive me? Take a look a those, it's a complete model of my drum kit in 3d. I would NEVER been able to do this with 3ds max, not even close.
(Everything is modeled down to the bolts and nuts!! ...all i used was a simple ruler!)
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