US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

http://www.3dsoftware.cz/3dportal/clanek.aspx?id=1219

Cinema 4D
http://www.maxon.net/en/products/cinema ... se-it.html

Free Demo Version (800 x 600 pixels)
http://www.maxon.net/en/products/demo-v ... -form.html

Rick,

That's a beautiful rendering! I wonder how easy that software is to use?

A quick testimonial about Cinema 4D:

I've been a software engineer for 30 years, and specializing in 3D for about the last twenty. Over that time I've a fair bit of 3D modelling, using just about every 3D modelling package under the sun: 3D Studio Max, Blender, Modo, and a lot of older packages that have fallen by the wayside over the years.

I've been using C4D for the last couple of years and I can thoroughly recommend it, particularly for any one starting out in 3D modelling. 3D Studio Max is still probably the world leader in professional-level 3D modelling (used by most studios around the world), but it's a relatively old product, and (IMO) its interface has become bloated and quite convoluted over the years (or as we say in the software industry: "feature-f**ked", a skill that has been taken to perfection by Microsoft in particular).

I've also struggled with Blender but found its interface to be rather non-standard. Although every modelling package has its own approach to the rather complex problem of 3D rendering, there are a number of elements of 3D user interface design that have become more-or-less 'standard' over the years. But Blender seems to go its own way entirely with the result that its user interface is rather difficult to learn, particularly if you've used other 3D modelling packages.

I started using C4D a couple of years ago. I think its strength is a very clean user interface that is a delight to learn. Its UI is based on a few well thought out design principles that makes it respond consistently to experimentation and simple blundering about (something you'll do a lot of when you learn 3D modelling). It's certainly the quickest to learn of any of the 3D modelling packages that I've used, by quite a margin in fact. There is also a very good support site, http://www.c4dcafe.com, that provides a large number of video tutorials that have been created by the modelling community. The ones by a New Zealand guy (his tag is "3DKiwi") are particularly thorough and easy to follow. C4D's own documentation is also very professional and well crafted.

BTW, I'm not affiliated with C4D in any way (although it may sound like it ), it's just that I know first-hand the level of effort that's required to become competent in 3D modelling, so it's important to use something that's both functional and intuitive.

Free pass

http://app.streamsend.com/private/oEQB/ ... e/24434619

First look at Cinema 4D Release 17
http://www.cineversity.com/learn/R17

AirNut wrote:I've also struggled with Blender but found its interface to be rather non-standard. Although every modelling package has its own approach to the rather complex problem of 3D rendering, there are a number of elements of 3D user interface design that have become more-or-less 'standard' over the years. But Blender seems to go its own way entirely with the result that its user interface is rather difficult to learn, particularly if you've used other 3D modelling packages.

That has been a continuing complaint about Blender, and there have been some heated debates about changing it.

I use Blender nearly every day at work for the simulation modeling that we're doing. We use the Python programming API built into it to show the results of our simulations in three dimensions over time. I've been thinking about using it as the basis for an on-line hang gliding training manual, and I've built a few primitive hang gliders and animations. It would be great to get some collaboration on that project if possible!!

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http://www.c4dlive.com/

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