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Well, we all want to put characters into our games, unlike most l am new to this and wondering whats the best and easiest software to use that l can still get good results with? I was using Google Sketchup, Blender 3D and Character Shop (TGC) But l would like some new ideas on how all you people do it? Anyone willing to share their process on creating 3D characters and giving them movement?

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=154983&b=3

Everything depends on how much time money and effort your willing to invest. If your a university student you can get the autodesk, max/maya for free. Otherwise its significant investment. Milkshape 3D is a good cheap usable program that many people around here have picked up, epecially in the Fpsc boards. Wings 3d fragmotion and a few others all have good feedback and a few good members use them.

Texture wise, you can get the same painting done in photoshop as in gimp and paint.net.

Scour the webs for tutorials show some attempt at working on your own innicative and people will help you. Its never worth investing time in someone if there a lost casue or show and willingness to learn.

Modeling like any other skill takes time to master and i can say itll be a good while till you reach a reasonable level for in game use. Well that falls on your natural talent and free time aswell but it will take a while.

sure can =) however if you can get photoshop, get it. Much more widely used, has more support and, well you get my point, however if you cannot afford it, go for gimp, thats what i would do =) They both have pretty much the same tools yet totally different interfaces.

I was personally using Milkshape 3d as a intro for 3d and i think i managed to pull of some nice stuff in it, and it is just about 20-30 USD so definitly worth while, however Blender is free but doesnt have the typical standard interface, so if you ever wanna go from blender to say max or maya then that can be a big problem.

i recommend this guy's tutorials for MS3d, theyre awesome.
http://www.psionic3d.co.uk/
his tutorials are excellent for moving into ms3d, excellent i say, if it were not for him and this forum i would still be trying to make boxes in milkshape! if, just IF you are reading this psionic 3d, thank you. doubt he will tho, but it's the thought that counts right?

as for animating, MS3d is excellent for this! It is simpler than to... open a bottle of pepsi max.

if you need any help with anything i'll do my best to help!

Personally, I swear by Blender. It is an amazing piece of software and has taken care of all of my 3D needs. People often criticize Blender's interface, but personally, I think it's brilliantly structured. It just takes some people longer than others to get into it.

Blender's interface, although it takes some memorization, is streamlined for efficient production. It's good for all kinds of applications too: low poly, high poly, rendering, animations, physics simulations, game making (yup, it has a game engine built in), etc, etc.

Milkshape on the other hand, is strictly a low poly modeller/animator. It supports your basics: Mesh manipulation, and rigging. I've never used it, but every model I've seen come out of it (it does have a rather impressive list of file formats it can export to) seems to suggest that there is no support to facilitate good topology practices (which I suppose is expected when you deal in very low poly models).

@Quik: Are you still using Milkshape? The pics in your thread kinda look like they're from something else.
Edit: Just downloaded your base mesh and it has .max files in it. Good for you! Quite a step up from Milkshape!

yah using max now^^ Oh and I aint saying blenders interface necessarily is bad, just saying if you got a job as 3d artist and it requires max or maya or anything else like that it might become problematic. Blender is an excellent piece of software, however not if you already has used programs like, MS3d, AC3D, 3ds max, wings3d, since they all has similiar interfaces and blender is a combo breaker ^^

Thanks for all the help guys, Quik, you said if l needed a hand you would help, l just wanted to check with you, if l was modeling a character l would use front and side view with an image in each and would l use Vertex to create my vertices and then use Face to create the faces for these vertices? Then just drag them around and get them right? I am not sure if this isn't a common area or not but l searched you tube for a few video tutorials and couldn't find much at all....