Polygon Modeler Recommendations?

[br3ttman]

I've been modeling in ProE and Solidworks parametric modelers to develop products for many years now; great for molded plastics and metals, machined metal, fabricated sheet goods, and even some transportation design, but tedious for organic and soft forms.  I'd like to start exploring polygon modelers and would really appreciate the KeyShot Community's recommendations of fast, powerful tools, both for soft good products as well as creating props to show off hard goods. 

Optimally, I'm looking for a modelers with fast learning curves, yet a robust tool set.  I'm also eager to hear how any of you might be pairing parametric and polygon modelers in your work flow.

[quigley]

Simple answer. Modo.

You could argue it competes with Keyshot, but the reality is that they do slightly different tasks. We have both apps, I tend to use Keyshot, my colleague tends to use Modo. For pure modelling Modo is probably one of the best polygonal systems around. Relatively easy to learn (and there are a lot of high quality learning tools available).

[Josh3D]

I prefer modo or Zbrush for polygonal modeling. Blender is a free one, but slightly steeper learning curve, imo.

[jeffw]

Regarding Modo, I don't think there is a demo available. There site has a 'Try Modo' page but it is to purchase the software.
I guess they think try and buy are the same thing.

[guest84672]

I think it is $25.00 to try it. And that will applied to the purchase price.

[Speedster]

Actually, Modo also has a 10 day free trial evaluation.  I'm still working on a full eval, but I will say the learning curve is brutal, at least for this 10 year SolidWorker!  However, Modo is at a reasonable price-point, they just released Modo 601 with a lot of neat features, and I think, as with any serious app, it's basically learning the tools.  I remember when I almost gave up on SW, but of course I had no CAD background.  It's harder if you do.  I do plan to purchase Modo and just tough it out.
Bill G

[guest84672]

... but I will say the learning curve is brutal ...

... and that's why Modo is not a really a competitor ...

[br3ttman]

Thank you gentlemen, I really appreciate the input!  A few years back we designed a Cruzer Gator USB drive for SanDisk. We ended up using Solidworks for everything except the crocodile surface texture which a former co-worker was able to add with Maya.  I tried getting into Maya myself, but the demand for it in our product development is so rare, and I just couldn't make the time to master the learning curve.  Now I find myself wanting to create organic props to stage or enhance our KeyShot renderings:  rocks, hands, cloth, etc. 

Thanks for the Modo suggestion.  I've been reviewing Z-brush and Mud Box YouTube videos, and was going to download trials of those to investigate.  Any Mud Box users in our community?

[Speedster]

I'm looking at Modo only for the modeling, and the soon to be available export from Modo back into SolidWorks.  To be honest, Modo has nice render capability, but keyShot runs rings around it, as it does all the others.  But hey, we already know that!
Bill G

[PhilippeV8]

At my work, they're talking about buying software for better looking animations than the ones I can produce now.  They tend to talk of nothing else than 3D max ... (which I've used in the past in school).
Recently I've been checking out SketchUp ... it can have the v-ray plugin too and is free to download (not v-ray).  However, getting my parts from Inventor to SketchUp doesn't work so well and the program is rather slowish, but has a ton of free plugins to play with.
Obviously KS Animation "plugin" is a good option 2.  Haven't had the chance to give that a try, but I know what KS can do and I trust that the animation system they've come up with is as intuitive as all the rest of the program.
Then there is 3D max indeed, but I feel that max can do much much more (bones etc) and might be more into character animation.  Plus it's pricy !

I just hope they'll realise that getting me Max for a couple 1000$ will get me/them nowhere without decent render hardware.  My new pc is great for rendering static images (3 to 4 times faster than what I had) but still nowhere near fast enough to render animations.