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Wanted to ammend that I think to use the beta you need to have a Hexagon 2.5 license but Hexagon 2.5 is free so "buy" that first, then you can install the 64bit beta.
I'm using Hexagon. I've made a few items with it, and I'm working on a few others. I did drop it for Blender, but my needs changed and I went back to Hexagon.
Silo 2 on Steam was on sale about a two weeks ago, but I wasn't in the position to buy it. Then again, I didn't want to spend £30+ on something that I'm going to be rubbish at using (I have the same thought process with some video games).
I live in hope (and slight delusion) that the Perpetual License for Marvelous Designer will come down in price one day (to $50 or less - lol). Until then, it's Hexagon all the way. I know it's (Marvelous Designer) avalible on Steam too, but it's not updated like the standalone version apparently (it also lacks some other things too, but I couldn't find much info about it).
Agree with you mostly here. I keep trying Hexagon since the beta updates but it is still a bit unstable so, for now, I export to Blender. I do like the fact that Hex has a bridge because so many of my requirements are for a quick adjustment morph which is made so much quicker with a bridge rather than exporting .obj files.
As for MD - I had it for a month on trial and was very impressed which made dForce all the more disappointing with its inevitable explosions. Like you, I hope the price comes down or that DAZ somehow finds a way to make dForce a credible alternative for draping, at least. I am really suspicious of Steam so I avoid it even if the prices seem lower. I have similar misgivings about subscription payments so avoid Photoshop and similar schemes.
This is a fair assessment. Ive used both Silo and Hex (silo being my current main, and more recently modo) and they are similar in function in a lot of ways. But neither of them will assist with painting. Silo is modelling light, actually... while it can do a lot of stuff, higher end modellers are better/faster.
As someone who has done this for 15 yrs, if u are able... I would go with something that can do everything (ie: modo, maya, etc) Its a real pain to have a frakensteined workflow (which I have lol) tho it might be how u end up anyway. Just depends on what works the best for you.
If ur wanting a proj painter... SP is decent, but it doesnt actually do seams like a projection painter does (just is pretty good at making the stuff u make in there seamless... but not always even then) There is bodypaint which is another one I use, but most people ugh at spending the 1k. Same goes for Mari or mudbox... very expensive when ur first starting out. 3DCoat is prolly your best bet (next to maybe blacksmith... tho Im not a big fan, a lot of folks are)
As for UV's, I use uvlayout, so not using any modeller to do that. Unfold3D looks really interesting too, and I may pick that up.
Best thing to do: take em all for a test drive
So to Update, we went with Substance Painter. Watching tutorial videos now. Thanks. Still reading about the other apps....that are mentioned here.
...yikes, Unfold 3D is expensive even at subscription let alone for the perpetual licence when you take the Euro to USD exchange rate into consideration.
theres no 64 bit version of Hexagon
last beta version is still 32
...interesting I have the 64 bit beta installed to the normal Programme Files folder (not Programme files x86). There is also a 64 bit version in the updates section of my DIM.
a beta version ? my dim only shows update for 32 bit
I have acquired alot of modeling software over the years.
Silo 2.1,an old MODO 401,Maxon Cinema4D with bodypaint3D
all on the Mac platform.
On windows, I have Lightwave3D 2015,Blender for artists
and Hexagon.
I actually used the "Silo man primitive" to create My universal
development mesh that is the basis for all of my clothing models
for Genesis 1,2,3
I tend to use MODO only for sculpting custom face morphs
and Maxon C4D to build out My custom outfits from my base mesh.
My typical time from base mesh to completed outfit ready for the Daz transfer utility, is about four hours.
( see picture attached)
I personally find Hexgon tools way too primitive and clunky for creating anything worthwhile, I open the program and immediately feel like I am tossed back to the year 2002
As I only create clothing for my personal usage I dont bother with UV's at all, only simple material zone assignments as I use C4D procedural shaders in animations and the amazing principled Shader for high quality stills in Blender.
I am planning on at least partially replacing my aging C4D with
Lightwave2015 as the render engine in my animation VFX pipeline.
So I may eventually end up doing most of my modeling in lightwaves time tested Modeling app.
It is hard to beat Hexagon as a pure simple modeler (and of course its price is unbeatable).
Ultimate Unwrap Pro is good for UVs but I often use it in combination with 3d Coat which is very good at UVs and retopologizing.
Substance Painter and Substance Designer and Bitmap2material are hard to beat for texturing. It is a huge plus that they use the Iray engine for test renders while texturing.
I just purchased Carrara (based on the work and passion of Carrara users in the forums) and I am interested in checking out its capabilities but I have a lot to learn.
So many great choices are out there. Good luck finding ones that work for your workflow.
Mac or Windows? The 64 bit version for Mac is still being prepared.
"I have acquired alot of modeling software over the years"
You and I both, wolf. I was reading the thread earlier and stumbled over frank0314's post where he mentioned that Silo had received recent updates, a fact that I was completely oblivious to. I had 2.3 and the current version is 2.5. The original release blurb said it was a free update for previous version 2 owners, so I downloaded the installer and ran it. It then basically updated my previous installation without even asking me to re-enter my licence code. So its up and running. Since you have 2.1, that should still qualify, so you might want to upgrade as well. I haven't had time to try it out (I just now completed the installation), so I can't comment on the updated features. A big thanks to Frank for shaking the cobwebs loose!
348$ is expensive? I mean, I guess it depends on your budget... but when you consider what Ive spent on modo (1800$) C4D (900$) ZBrush (700$ something) Its actually pretty down there in price lol I guess perspective is everything.
"a beta version ? my dim only shows update for 32 bit"
Mine was the same, Ruphuus. Here's what you need to do (from the Beta page in my Product Library):
"1. After checking out, open Daz Install Manager and check the box for Display Hidden on the Ready to Download page.
2. Next, click Download Filters and on the Downloads page check the box for “Public Build”.
3. Lastly, on the Ready To Download page, enter “"Hexagon * Public Build" in the filter field and then download and install the files displayed.(note: file names will vary depending what operating system you are using.)"
If you follow those instructions exactly, the 64 bit Beta version should show up. Note: where it says "after checking out" in step #1 that refers to buying the free version which presumably you have already done. Also, in step #3 do not enter any of the quotation marks - just enter Hexagon * Public Build.
Before you download and install, you may wish to read the thread on the public beta first, as some users have had issues with the most recent build.
I had this same thought process/discussion re: painting and UV unwrapping and while I know you took it off the table to start with, I did end up getting a holiday-discounted version of 3D-coat (it compared favorably to the Substance suite in price) after poking at a bunch of trials, and I don’t regret it. It seems to have a lot of features one usually pays a lot more for, and it’s surprisingly fun. I’m not entirely sure the devs are in it for the money.
...open the DIM, click on he little gear in the top right hand corner, then on the Downloads tab. That will give you a list of preferred downloads. Scroll down to the bottom and check the boxes for Private Build and Public Build then click refresh. The Beta downloads should then show up.
...I'm on Social Security, that's about 1/3 of my monthly benefit making it a pretty "big ticket" item, particularly since it is pretty much designed for only one task. Even Substance Designer on sale is a huge stretch.
Even when I was working, I was pretty much earning starvation wages in a city where living costs were high, so I never could afford any of the pro grade stuff.
...double post. Trying to fix something that went screwy with quoting the comment I responded to above.
We spend roughy $10,000+ a year in new software or upgrades. We pay more than that in updates on Modo or Substance Painter
...that's just a couple thousand under what I get a year on SS
The only way I could afford that kind of software budget is to match all 6 numbers on the Megabucks Lotto. However, I am not a PA or vendor, just someone who would still like to create good looking models with good looking materials.
Really hoping they beef up Hexagon's UV tools as part of the update/upgrade..
Yeah, I understand. Getting started with this gig is rough. When I first started, I couldnt afford the bigger stuff either (hence silo lol) til I started making good money with it. Now, I just make a pack to cover it, or put it on a CC and pay it off and then make a pack to cover it lol
I WAS a big fan of Unfold3D but as I was really getting used to the workflow and loving the results they went and changed the UI to the point where I feel I need to take step back and relearn it again, maybe then I'll understand why they did what they did. Many of us, on their forums, suggested they make the UI configurable but they said they were a very small team of, iirc, 3 guys, and that would require a complete rewrite of the code to allow that. SO instead they pissed some of us off instead! lol
There is always Ultimate Unwrap3D Pro which is my GO TO UV program. The guy is always updating it and will add in features if you request them and he deems them good. Like when I first started using the program he only allowed BMP and PS map saving options. Sorry, I don't need a 100 MB UV map exporing using BMP so he added in PNG and JPG at my request. He's also adding in straightening tools that SORT OF work but nothing like what I was able to get done in Unfold... I was so impressed with those tools, now I can't find them! lol
...oops got it confused with UVLayout which is 200$ for the hobbyist's version. 59$ is a lot more affordable.
There is no point (though no harm) in checking private build, unless you are on the Daz private beta team. The same applies to Publishing Build.