trueSpace 7.6 now FREE

[spudmonkey]

Originally Posted by JeffrySG

I didn't even look yet, but are they offering a Mac version?

Only the Windows kit is available for download at this time

[backstept]

Originally Posted by spudmonkey

Only the Windows kit is available for download at this time

that's a bummer

[spudmonkey]

Originally Posted by backstept

that's a bummer

Bootcamp?

[backstept]

Originally Posted by spudmonkey

Bootcamp?

drop and give me 20 Maggot!

[chrono]

Ok people who downloaded the free version. What are your impressions and your reactions to TS7.6?

[japme]

The last version I used was 4, I think... But after a brief look and finally finding the modeling area, instead of the workspace, it looks like it should be easy to jump back in. I would say it is just as easy, if not easier to learn then Carrara.

And $600 worth of 3D power for free is a bargain no matter what.

[Falin]

as usual, i opened it, jumped to modeling view played around in V7.6 and saw no real differences between it and 7.5, still have not found the new "edge sweeps" they tout on the main page though, just face sweeps.

[backstept]

I haven't had much time to look at it yet, but I have vacation next week, so hopefully I'll have some time then

[Lizzy777]

I started with 2.5 and have been using tS 6.6 for some time now. Tried tS7 demo a while back but wasn't all that impressed. It was basically tS6 with some extra crap. I couldn't afford 7.5 which touted new features so I wasn't sure exactly what was going on there.

So... trueSpace 7.6 - First Impressions:

First of all, this program takes longer to start up clean than v6.6 does with a number of extra plugins installed.

It looks like two programs in one. 7.6 is built on top of v6.6 and you can switch between the two with a tab on the top of the window. The tabs being Workspace (7.6) and Model (6.6).

There are some changes to how primitives are loaded. Before you clicked a little icon and the program loaded a cube or whatever at coordinates 0,0,1. With v7.6 clicking a primitive object turns the mouse cursor into an object loader (for lack of a better term). You left-click around the screen and create any number of which ever primitive you've selected. This is how it works in both v6 and v7 modes.

It seems that the basic materials used in 6.6 mode don't always translate over to 7.6 mode. I tested it with my current shuttle scene and noticed the transparency I added to the windows didn't translate between settings.

That brings me to the material editor in 7.6. Honestly, I have little idea how to use this. Browsing through the tabbed settings for the material editor reminded me a bit of using materials in 3DS. I'll have to play with it further to see exactly how it works.

I'm not exactly certain but I think the render engine is slower. I know this program has two engines built into it, and you can switch between them. But what v7.6 adds (which v7 lacked and was added to 7.5) is Global Illumination/HDRI render option. However it isn't in the render settings! You activate it with the light panel. The same panel used to load lights into a scene (works the same way as primitives) has a GI/HDRI icon. Select this icon, left-click to activate. Right-click to access the settings menu. I thought it was an odd place to add this icon. I couldn't find it at first because I figured the option would have been added to the render settings toolbar.

I wanted to render my test scene in the 7.6/Workspace mode and got an error message pop-up, "No offline renderer installed. To get offline renderer, visit 3D Modeling Software - trueSpace or contact our technical support." Other than that little hiccup, there are some new tools in Workspace mode of the program. A hair length tool, some selection tools and some other fun (or possibly frustrating...Dunno yet) stuff to play with. I've seen some preview renders done with tS7.6 and it looks like this app is starting to catch up with other software packages like Maya or Lightwave.

[backstept]

Originally Posted by Lizzy777

There are some changes to how primitives are loaded. Before you clicked a little icon and the program loaded a cube or whatever at coordinates 0,0,1. With v7.6 clicking a primitive object turns the mouse cursor into an object loader (for lack of a better term). You left-click around the screen and create any number of which ever primitive you've selected. This is how it works in both v6 and v7 modes.

I think you can change this in Preferences. Personally I don't like the magic ring, and its so much more convenient to have things pop up at 0,0,1

the big thing I'm hoping for in 7.6 that I haven't tried out yet is importing 5.0 and 6.6 object libraries. that'll pretty much be the thing that decides whether I'll fully make the switchover