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I am currently making a map using Zero Editor for Battlefront 2, but i want to make my own units, I just dont know how to import meshes and animations. In fact, i dont know what the best free program for 3D modeling is, can somebody please guide me? Also, how do I make new textures for buildings and other props from Zero Edit?

The best 3D modeling program is probably XSI Mod Tool 7.5, you can easily find it here in this forum. There are several good tutorials to use in the 3D Modeling FAQ for you to get started.

Ok Thanks a lot!

wait if you are completly new to modeling i recommend using maya (or max, maybe blender too) because it is supported by almost all modable games. so if u want to mod something else u dont have to learn everything from scrqtch.

Max is the slowest buggiest program out there and Blenders interface is just terrible, this game was built around Softimage, best to use that.

Softimage supports all the major game engines as far as export, why would you say it isn't a good choice noMatt?

+1 to Max not being very good. It's maybe the most popular one though (in the west). And definitely has support for the most formats.

Softimage doesn't have an exporter for CE3, or an up-to-date exporter for Source. .FBX engines are fine, but you'll still run into some Softimage specific problems (sometimes).

For Zero Engine/SWBF it's the best choice however.

i hate max too but maya is good and blender has the biggest comunity. i do some work in ce3 and it is horrible because i use softimage. the exporter is ok, really good for someone who dont have any code acces but if ur model has degenerate faces u can put it in the trash or use blender plus cry blend to detect them

If you were trying to get a job, learn Maya otherwise use whatever you want.

If you just want to mod this game plus a few others I'd use Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 with ANDE's addon.

ICE, FACE ROBOT, MOTOR, GATOR, Ultimapper plus a huge chunk of Softimage's animation tools make using Blender pointless for anything IMO unless you wanted to Diet Dr. Pepper it out for it's large file format support.

Softimage can be used as a professional as well as maya. Maya is not better then softimage, the navigation and all that stuff is more complex and not so good done like in softimage. But since autodesk is mainly focused on Maya, maya get bigger updates on the new versions so its more up to date. Since Autodesk bought maya, maya is the Industry Standard so i completly agree to you minilogoguy, its best to learn this, if u would like to get a job in this, or pray that autodesk sells softimage to another company (And cinema 4d is good too since you can sculpt there... but theres no student version)

Yeah, I'm hoping for the same thing, Softimage and maybe even 3ds max gets sold, Softimage when owned by Avid was crushing Autodesk products. They got bought out because Autodesk had no other way to keep up and with the bad economy it was the perfect timing to snatch it up.

I hate this little monopoly they have going on, it's just hindering the development of the software.

What's funny about that is that Blender's interface makes a lot of sense to me, while Softimage's does not. Which is why I've been happily using Blender for three years and still can't get into Softimage. *shrugs* Guess my brain is weird that way.

I hate max because its UI icon based while softimage is text based .
So for me the ui is well done in softimage but blenders is even better (but blender does not have that many features that softimage has so it is maybe more easier to create a good ui for less functions )