Autodesk Inventor vs. Solidworks for Gun Modeling

[GShocked]

Which would you recommend for modelling guns from 2D reference images?

[halam]

Guns.. Right.. Did you consisder Autodesk momentum or whatever it's called now. Modelling based on a series of photos

[GShocked]

Guns.. Right.. Did you consisder Autodesk momentum or whatever it's called now. Modelling based on a series of photos

 

I'm looking to model from 2d reference images, like blueprints. I don't have guns in hand to take hundreds of photos of to reconstruct using that software.

[halam]

Then i think it doesn't have to be Solidworks or Inventor in the first place. Why don't you just use AutoCAD? That works great for image overlay (in 3d) for different parts (referenced)..

[ReMark]

How about we back up here a minute.

 

You want to model guns using 2D images as your references which would suggest that 100% accuracy isn't exactly your goal here. Is that correct?

 

What is the end purpose of the 3D model?

[GShocked]

How about we back up here a minute.

 

You want to model guns using 2D images as your references which would suggest that 100% accuracy isn't exactly your goal here. Is that correct?

 

What is the end purpose of the 3D model?

 

I would like to incorporate real documented dimensions, but I understand many guns have classified or unreleased manufacturing dimensions.

 

This is for game development, so 100% accuracy isn't necessary.

[Cad64]

This is for game development, so 100% accuracy isn't necessary.

 

If this is modeling for games then I would recommend 3D Studio Max or Maya.

[GShocked]

If this is modeling for games then I would recommend 3D Studio Max or Maya.

 

If this is modeling for games then I would recommend 3D Studio Max or Maya.

 

I just felt that a cad software would be more attuned to hard surface modeling than other modeling softwares like Max, Maya, Blender, etc.

 

I do want to keep some accuracy. For best interchangeability of accessories and parts within the game's loadout customization tool, the dimensions of Picatinny rails, gun barrel dimensions, buttstock mounting dimensions, handle mounting dimensions, receiver mounting dimensions, etc. should be fairly accurate. This is to make things look seamless when interchanging parts and accessories on the guns.

 

Based on what I've found for YouTube speed modeling and tutorials, it seems like Solidworks is a better fit. I was asking on this thread to see if it would be worth taking a CAD class that uses Inventor 2015 as an elective for my next year in high school. I might consider Maya too though.

 

This is the level of detail I'm going for:

http://i.imgur.com/1JRZ23b.png

[Cad64]

I just felt that a cad software would be more attuned to hard surface modeling than other modeling softwares like Max, Maya, Blender, etc.

 

You do realize that all the big game studios use Max or Maya as their software for creating models, right? Also, game models have to be low poly. Detail is usually faked using Normal maps. The typical workflow would be to create a high poly model and a low poly model and then bake the high poly detail to a Normal map which can then be applied to the low poly model for the game engine.

 

You could create the high and low poly models in Solidworks or Inventor, I suppose, but as far as I know, you won't be able to create the Normal map in those programs. You would have to export your models to .obj or .fbx format and then load them into a program called XNormal to bake the Normal map.

 

As for accuracy, I created the two handguns below in Studio Max and the 50 cal. machine gun in Modo. They are all dimensionally accurate, based on photo reference. They are high poly models though, not suitable for gaming.

 

If you're looking at possibly pursuing a career in the gaming industry, you will need to know either Max or Maya, so if I were you, I would focus my attention on one of those programs.

[SLW210]

I second what Cad64 stated. Best learn to use the industry standard if that's your goal.