I 'am using POSER 7 as main animation software and I was searching for a while to find modeling software to combine with POSER 7 and create my stuff.
I saw a lot of 3D apps ( 3D Wings, Silo, Softimage, Maya, 3DsMax, Lightwawe...) and still MoI is my choice number one. But....I didn't know the difference (because I am just 5 months in 3D) between NURBS modeling apps (like MoI) and POLYGON / SUBDIVISON modeling apps ( such as Anim8or etc..). Now although MoI is best for modeling some non animating props such as sword, chair, car, watch..anything that don't have to be deformed, many people on the Official Poser 7 Forum told me that MoI isn't best option when it comes to adding bones to 3D mesh or animating mesh made in MoI, just because MoI is NURBS modeling software. They said that MoI is great but not for character modeling....This is where my disappointment starts....I am so familiar with MoI functions because I am using MoI for a few months now and I can't say that I saw better and friendlier software. I have quick and effective workflow with MoI and satisfying results. Now my question is : Should I start learning totally new Sub/Poly software just in purposes of character creation (and keep using MoI for props) or you think that there is no SUCH a big, BIG difference between how my 3D mesh will react on adding bones, no matter is that mesh from MoI or any other software. I asking this because I don't want other software if I don't HAVE to. I imported OBJ 3D mesh from MoI to Poser and add bones. I started to rotate , twist, bend mesh and here are pics. It doesn't look bad to ME.

What is your opinion about all this NURBS/POLY/SUBDIVISION subject and modeling characters and props ?


Thank to all of you. MoI is best !!!

Hi Pozero, there was also some recent discussion of this here: http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=1048.1 , so you might want to check out that thread as well.

I think it is true that a SubD program will generally work better for characters, but not really so much for the reason that you mention (adding bones) - more because it is easier in SubD to add details like small folds or wrinkles to very small areas of a model for shaping things like around eyes or a nose.

You can get better behavior of your MoI-generated model under later deformation if you divide up your output mesh into smaller polygons.

For example here is a shape that has some flat areas in it - normally these flat areas do not get a whole bunch of polygons in them, since they are not necessary for a regular rendering:



However those larger polygons are not good for deformation - there just aren't enough points in all the areas there to have enough detail. Once those points are moved around the larger polygons will connect between them with a more noticeable straight piece.


Here I have used the "Divide larger than" option in mesh export to force the creation of a much denser mesh with a lot more vertices in it:



When there are a lot more points, it gives a lot more detail available to the deformation process to work with.

So I think that would probably be the solution to your current problem.


But in general I think it is true that one single 3D software is not the perfect tool for every single kind of shape - SubD is generally more flexible and suitable for character work especially with organic details.

However, I wouldn't say that creating a complex character model is exactly "easy" in SubD either. It can take quite a bit of time and practice before it becomes very natural. But if you want to do character work it is probably the right area to look into.

- Michael

Cool. I saw thread abou NURBS and SubD and I understand now. Well ZBrush and MoI in one could be solution for all times :-)


Thanks Michael