Hexagon Carrara

Hi

Can anybody tell me if Hexagon or Carrara are good for using with Unity.

I want to create and animate characters (like humans, animals) and use them in Unity. Please tell me which of these softwares are the best one and which one is good for what purpose.
My only 3DApps now are Cheetah3D and Poser6.

By

 

Carrara is your best bet, as it has FBX exporting and animation/bone system. It's modeling tools are very robust, as is it's texturing tools. I don't think you could go too wrong with it. However, I haven't used it much, and I can't speak for it's FBX exporting for use in Unity.

Hexagon is more of a dedicated modeling tool. You would use it in conjunction with another dedicated animation/rendering app. In my case Maya. But Silo3D, Modo, Wings3D all do similar things. But Hexagon2 seems to be a hybrid app that combines a very robust modeler with 3D paint and displacement modeling (similar to ZBrush).

Have you looked at Cinema4D XL? Not the studio version but the base package. Also I'm an old Lightwave user and I can recommend that as well, and it's very cost effective these days.

Cheers.

 

Hi

Does anyone have Hexagon Trail so that he can tell me the Serialnumber for the Demo. I have downloaded it but I never got a Serialnumber.

By

 

Hi

I have found the serial now.

But what I wanted to know is if you can export the complete scene in Carrara 5 Pro with all textures bones objects in the full version (doesn't functionate in the demo version).

By

 

Hi

I wanted to know if you can use the terrains and trees and clouds (and all this stuff) can be exported for Unity.

I mean is Carrara 5 Pro a good choice when you want to use it for Unity.

By

 

As Far As I know, Carrara 5 Pro can export FBX format except the bone animation or any animation. That's why I am holding to upgrading to the pro version.

I have carrara 5 standard and pre ordered Hexagon 2.
I use cheetah 3d to do my texturing and import to unity.

Cheetah is on version 3.0 and can do lots of things. I still haven't upgraded to the latest version of Cheetah3D. I am Still learning Cheetah3D. I think Cheetah3D will be coming out with animation. Right now I believe it has frame base anim.

Ray

 

Hi

What can you all do with Carrara 5 Pro.

- Can you export all models with bones, textures and bumpmaps.

- Can you export complete scences (with several objects, terrains, trees and so on)

- Can you export characters with bones and animations.

Please give me a detailed answer because I want to decide if I buy Carrara 5 Pro in the Bundle with Hexagon (I definitly buy Hexagon 2 because of its great Bumpmap and BodyPaint).

By

 

models yes, bones no
textures and bumpmaps, you still need to drag it into the object inside unity.

yes

characters yes, bone animation no

Carrara 5 Pro can import/ export fbx format.
You can not import the animation or bones. This was the answer from carrara forum.

Textures in carrara does not import automatically. Some textures are messed up. Maybe it's just me.
Below is a screenshot, objects are from carrara landscape scene saved as a .3ds file(Pro version can save as fbx).

the 3ds file was textured in cheetah 3d and saved as fbx and into Unity.

 

I don't think that second pic is the texture screwing up at all, it's the normals. You need to make sure the mesh normals are facing the right way, and maybe smooth them.

-Jeremy

 

Hi

I need a software to create bones and animations and export them to Unity.

(I think I will buy Carrara 5 Pro with Hexagon 2. I allready have Cheetah3D, Shade 7 designer LE, Poser 6, Blender and Dim3 Inspire)

Who can recommend a good and cheap animation software. (especially for character animation with bones).

By

 

http://www.animanium.com/product.htm is a great tool for animations but you'll have to define the bones elsewhere and it's pc only.

Regards,

taumel

 

Tested a bit around and i think i like modo, the tool and their philosophy!

 

I have been researching this same question about using Carrara with Unity. (I have read that Carrara's FBX export option will not bring the bones along with the export so animation data will be lost.) I haven't tried this yet, but, supposedly the free (daz3d.com) Daz Studio (with the FBX plugin $) can export bones and animation data for use in Unity. So you should be able to create and rig in Carrara, then take your models into Daz Studio for export to Unity. Hoping I have time this weekend to try this workflow. I'll post results.

The FBX plugin for DS is $70 (for Daz Platinum Club members), or $99 for non-members. So it's not a free solution, but if it works it seems worth it. We'll see.

 

@Mike3D,

If you are interested, i have a Hexagon2 license that i would like to sell.
I switched to Modo a few days ago, so i don't need it anymore. So if you are
interessted in it, we can talk about it.

The only thing i don't know is how to transfer the license to you, but maybe Daz3d can help with that.

And i also have a Bryce 6 and a Silo 2 license which i want to sell, since i have
Modo 301 and Vue 6 Infinite now, so that i also don't need them anymore. And for Silo i also have the 3 Tutorial DVDs from Kurv Studios.

And you get them cheaper than the original price of course.

And since you also live in Germany, handling shipment and payment should be easier.

It's just an idea, because the software is installed on my Mac and i don't use it anymore. So if you or anybody else is interested, just tell me.

cheers,
Mike

 

This topic has come up on the Daz forums a couple times and AFAIK software licenses are -not- transferable (this is a change since when Eovia owned the software, back then you -could- transfer ownership).

I've been using Carrara since 4.x and heres a few bits of info regarding using it with Unity:

Carrara 5 Pro and earlier had .FBX export, but only meshes no animations as posted earlier in this thread.

Carrara 6 Pro exports meshes and animations, but -not- UV's. I've bugged the Daz devs a couple times on this and it's on their radar for future inclusion, but no timeline yet.

I loved using Hex on my Windows box but never got it to work properly on my iMac. From what I've seen on the Daz forums and bug reporter I'm sorry to say it appears to be a dead product. I'd wait for the next time it's available for $1.99 to buy it if you really must have it. Otherwise I'd save up for Modo or give Blender a try.

 

Hhmm, i didn't know that.

Hexagon seems to be a good program, but like you said under Mac OS is does not run good and stable. And under Leopard many functions just don't work.
I realized that a short while after i bought it. Looking through the daz forums
i found out that many people had problems with that. And there was no solution in sight. Daz just doesn't seem to care to fix these mac problems or care what their users think. It really seems to me that DAZ is not handling things professionally. That's just my opinion.

I am glad that i didn't buy Carrara when DAZ had that offer to get it cheaper last year. I am glad i paid the $25 for the Modo 301 trial and the eight tutorial videos instead. I never regret it.

So the only 3D Packages i really need and use is Modo 301 , Vue 6 Infinite and Cheetah3D.

@Mike3D
So it seems that it doesn't work to transfer the license. It's a pitty. And it probably will be the same with Silo. So forget about the offer i made.
It's probably to much hassle than it's worth.

So my tip is, before you decide to buy a 3D software, really try them out. Don't get deceived by their looks and their price. Make sure they work for you. I made the mistake with Silo, Hexagon and Bryce, and now i regret it. Had i not bought them i could've bought Modo and Vue earlier.
Just my two cents...

regards,
Mike

 

FWIW you can get Carrara 5 Pro for free, it's included on a disk with this months issue of 3D World magazine.

Yeah, it's a shame what's happened to Hex after Daz took over and I'm not particularly pleased with the way Carrara is going either.

 

I'm able to get bones in from Carrara fbx export, but no animation.