Interested in programming and 3D Modeling, need help, advice?

[Armos]

I know most of you guys here are progammers, 3D Modelers, etc. As I am getting into programming my self and 3D Modeling, But my lack of skill and my learning disorder, I don't think I could get things done correctly. I have a hard time focusing and all that crap, etc. And I don't know if I could do it or not. Or if I'm wasting my time trying to learn it, I am wondering. Should I give programming a try? I've done it before but I gave up, I've tried Java, C#, Visual Basic, Python, etc. And I don't know what to go with for a beginner. My math isn't that great that much.

 

And I am into 3D Modeling as well, I've tried to mess around with Blender 3D, But most of the stuff seems complicated. I need to focus allot due to lack of noise in the house. I hardly have time to get on the PC because we have to share one and we only have one in the house. Make it two but the other computer lags like crazy. Well I was just wondering if its possible for me to program, etc Please don't make any mean comments.

 

I'm curious because I've been interested in it for awhile now. And I'm having some issues trying to get some stuff down. Right now I'm trying to learn Python but I'm not making any progress. Are there any tips or any information that anyone would like to share? I would appreciate the help. Thanks. And if this is in the wrong section of the forum could anyone move it? Thanks! The reason I asked is because I know most of you guys are friendly people here. So I was curious. Hope I can get some info. And help. And is there stuff I need to know before doing all of this? Thanks.

[SanguinettiMods]

I hope you accept advice from a twelve-year-old.

 

As far as 3D Modeling goes, I started out with Google SketchUp when I was nine or ten years of age. It's always seemed the easiest to use and provided something to do to pass time when I was bored. I suggest you try it out. If you happen to get Google SketchUp 8, I can provide a means of getting it Pro if you PM me. You can always import it into another 3D modeling program later on to fix it up.

 

I've tried programming, as well. I started out learning Visual Basic .NET and that seems to be the easiest for me, but I also program in C. I have a .pdf file called "C for Dummies 2nd Edition" that I can provide you a looksie, if you PM me.

 

I hope this helped.

[Secant]

Basically what Sanguinetti said. C is probably a much better choice for starting out than C++/C#, as they are basically the same language but with considerably more complexity to allow for more features. Python's also a solid language to use, as I've heard. While Java is practical if you want to write neat little apps and sell your soul to the Android market to make tons of money, I don't recommend it as an entry language to programming. Visual Basic, while easy to pick up, often results in terribly buggy programs and, again, to me, would not be the best choice for a first language.

 

I'll second Google SketchUp any day of the week because it's drastically simpler than other 3D modeling programs (and it's my preferred medium, anyway). True, it lacks many advanced features such as rigging and a proper texture mapping tool, but the point of SketchUp is to make relatively simple architectural builds quickly and efficiently--meaning it works great for constructing maps to be imported into older 3D games for the N64. It does have some specific features that help at least compensate for its shortcomings in that particular field when compared to more powerful software such as Blender or 3DS Max--like projecting textures, for example, or the smoove tool. Plus, there are plenty of tutorials for SketchUp and many of the plugins for it as well, so I doubt you'll have much trouble picking it up. I recommend starting with Google's own guides on SketchUp's home page.

 

That, of course, is not to say it isn't worth it to try to pick up Blender or 3DS Max. Of the two, I would probably recommend Blender to learn the ropes with because of the vast community driving its development; thanks to the thousands of people at least somewhat familiar with the raw code that makes up Blender, it's not hard to find someone that can help you with just about any aspect you could imagine. They also have a wiki and extensive documentation for your perusal; moreso, perhaps, than any other 3D modeling program. While it does have a rather staggering learning curve, it is very much worth your time to learn Blender, as it competes very well with 3DS Max (and is free, which is only a concern if you're not a student and can't get a special license for the latter). The good news with learning Blender or 3DS Max is that many of the principles of one are similar to the other; processes such as building via prims or vertex by vertex are largely similar, with the only major difference being between the controls in the process. So, really, choosing between the two is pretty much up to you.

[Arcaith]

For 3D modelling, if you're going to use it at all, my honest recommendation is to use SketchUp for blocking out your geometry and then importing it into Max or Blender to fix up UV mapping and scaling. It depends on how you work, I suppose.

[Clio]

It depends if you feel more artistic or more mathematical People usually swing one way or the other.

3D software is very creative-based and coding from what I can tell is a lot of maths and problem solving.

I can't give any advice on the coding side of things, but if you are thinking of having another crack at 3D modelling, though it looks complicated try to think of it as just another interface, like another game HUD. As soon as you learn what all the basics do, that is all you'll need to progress =]

 

There are also hundreds and thousands of tutorials covering all aspects of 3D modelling for every program. When in doubt, google is your friend =]

 

-Clio