Hi,

I'm using the MoI trial version . I knew a little about MoI before from some youtube videos (e.g. by Chipp Walters https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD8n2Q9V7vdJsXYzoRJ_AsA).

I do polygon modelling from time to time since ~5 years. I have always tried to become a good hard-surface modeller. Well,... you really have be an expert in how to fix vertices/edge/face stuff to avoid pinching etc. You must know a lot tricks to get the stuff done. All of those things I'm not really interested in. I want a cool looking rendered model!



Here is my work (modelling time: ~ 6h):





That's why I love MoI!!!

Hi Sven, I'm glad that you like MoI!

There are some tips here for people coming from a poly modeling background. The overall modeling strategy for NURBS modeling is very different from polygon modeling:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=4865.2

- Michael

Hi,

in mean-time I have also tried the trial version of Rhino. Of course I don't know all the features Rhino offers (and MoI), but at this point of investigation I can say the following:

1. Rhino has no temporary construction lines. A feature that is really shiny in MoI. Can't imagine how to quickly construct shapes without those lines. Always drawing a line as a helper is really annoying.
2. The MoI UI is really cleaned up. Focusing on the importing things while constructing. Well done! Rhino is a lot more overloaded.
3. Object selection and sub-object selection is really comfortable in MoI. Maybe I don't know how to do it better in Rhino. But this make MoI even better, because in MoI you are not facing this problem. The "always in add selection"-mode is very handy in MoI.
4. There is no visual feedback (as far as I know) in Rhino about the result you are getting when e.g. filleting or offsetting.

So far,
Sven

Thanks Sven, I'm glad that those areas of MoI are helpful for you!

I'm also the original author of Rhino as well, so I was very aware of the problematic areas of Rhino since I'm the one that caused many of them.

With MoI I tried to focus on many of the things you mention above to improve the very basic actions of drawing, snapping, and selecting.

Rhino was designed with a different focus which was trying to make things feel comfortable for AutoCAD users. So if you have spent a lot of time working with AutoCAD, Rhino can feel very natural. But if you do not have any previous AutoCAD experience the same things tend to feel rather archaic and weird.

With MoI I wanted to try something different and try to make a CAD tool that was friendly to artists who did not have any mechanical engineering background.

- Michael

<< make a CAD tool that was friendly to artists who did not have any mechanical engineering background!

Excellent! (or any people - children to oldies )

It really is an awesome approach Michael...

I am using Moi for tons of hard surface modeling for VFX and games...its just much faster then SubD modeling.

I do miss some more sophisticated scene organization tools like parenting, layering etc etc.

Hi 2byts, I'm glad that MoI is useful for your hard surface modeling!

I definitely want to improve the object organization tools, you can use Styles currently as a similar mechanism as layers, but in the future I want to add other methods that will allow hierarchical structures with groups and instances.

It will be a while yet before I'll be able to work on that, I'm still in the middle of a major rewrite to get a 64-bit version first.

- Michael

FYI, spent a good amount of time re-reading some old threads here then going to see how others solve similar problems.

I do *know* that mastering PolyFlow with SubD is quite the acquired skill. Took me months and I still don't consider myself anything of a master. An older thread mentioned this design and how it was probably better challenged using SubDs (click to enlarge):



While I know that design was done in Zbrush, I really don't think it could be accomplished easily in SubDs. Probably a basic cage is all that's doable, with a few details, but then you'd have to FREEZE and **THEN** the fun begins trying to do real booleans in a polymodeler ;-)

It appears more and more concept designers are going to solid modelers to try and create these sci-fi products. Based upon several Zbrush tutes I've watched, I believe the above design could be realized faster in MoI than in Zbrush. The actual form is fairly geometric and I believe could be carved out quickly.

Also, the parting lines look very "Zbrush" -- they are soft and too wide. In fact Zbrush models are typically recognizable for their 'clay-like' appearances, though I've seen a few which are better...like this one which seems pretty tight:



It's all to say how much I, too, really like working in MoI!

@chippwalters: Funny you mention ZBrush and hard-surface modelling. Some days ago I found a video from Zbrush Summit. The guys from Red Storm Enterprises show a little bit of their workflow (https://youtu.be/Fg6QPJ7XirE?t=1187). They show how they doing box modelling in Max to get base shape and shapes for boolean operations which they do in ZBrush via DynaMesh.
When I saw that, I was just wondering why they do not Solid modelling only. Would be much faster....

ZBrush has now a terrific Low Poly modeler - ZModeler ;) (a curious Interface - maybe radial menu will better who knows)
An another way to modelize - a sensitive mood! :)

By Mahlikus the Black

I'm on my 2nd day of the trial version.

I managed to mock a camera mounting plate to the point of ready to 3D print in 15 minutes within installing MOI without any previous experience. The same project I spent 4 hours in Sketchup and still couldn't get to work properly.

Now I just need to save up the money to buy MOI as it's a little pricey for a hobbyist.

Hi Teddy,

> I managed to mock a camera mounting plate to the point of ready to 3D print
> in 15 minutes within installing MOI without any previous experience. The same
> project I spent 4 hours in Sketchup and still couldn't get to work properly.

I'm glad that you're able to get stuff done so quickly!

I hope MoI will continue to be useful for you.

Thanks, - Michael

I love MoI too <3, bought it for 3D modeling, but now use it even for vector graphics. Great software.