can’t remember the first time I tried to get the hang of it.
1.x …
I was modelling with other things.
There was by then a manual, only i think a chapter example of the book. It has like a c-key license, can’t remember.
The chapter and the inet tuts weren’t enough for me as I didn’t get the UI philosophy, coming from blob modellers, and 3d Studio for dos, stuff like that.
And I either had the patience for it, to be true, also though it didn’t worth any important effort to just learn a 3d package. Same feel I had with max 1.0 when they made me that funny joke when KTX dropped 3ds UI once they passed to Windows.
After handling a load of 3d packages, and an era of understanding 3d at last, I landed here for seing that 2.28 was already easy to learn. Maybe UI improves, maybe my own experience in 3d…surely a mix of that. Yet haven’t had a serious look at the manual, though yep seing some details where I got stuck.
edit: Hmmm…Not true at all. 2.23 and 2.25 , I did grabbed them and already founnd the way… just that I think till 2.28 didn’t see dx8 export project
I remember trying Blender out since ver. 1.80,
but back then I ran screaming back to 3dstudio max as I
didn’t understand a thing of Blender (then).
Ended up purchasing a full commercial package of
3dstudio max ver. 4.0 with character studio, but
it kept getting crashes. Because of all the idiot-warez-dudes
that kept writing to me about getting a copy of Max
I decided to learn Blender to write them a tutorial
to prove that it wasn’t an expensive tool that would
make them great artist…but any useful 3d-tool if
they take the time to aquire the skills.
In that process of doing so…I tried to use my
3dstudio max package but it felt ackward after using
Blender for such a long time (learning it well
enough to write a tutorial) - so I ended up
using Blender for everything instead. My 3dstudio
max package was collecting dust…and 3 years
later when Blender became extremely powerful
with it’s all new render + yafray link…I managed
to sell 3dstudio max for half the price I paid for
it…saving some of the wasted money.
Blender didn’t crash as much as 3dstudio max
I was finished with the models I did in Blender
HALF the time that it took me in 3dstudio max
even with MANY years of “maxing”, Blender
was THAT much better. (Workflow).
Now I use it exclusively at work and make
a living from using it as a 3d-tool to create
mascots and products visualizations for the
company I work for…and it doesn’t dissappoint.
I just love a program I can work at all day
without crashing.
(PS: look at my “JOIN” date for an fairly
accurate date when I used Blender seriously)