Some advice please? 3D rendering for 2d game-

[DarKPenguiN]

Hey, one thing I know I will get here at the codex is brutal honesty but im looking for some help-

Ive decided to create a game. I know fuck all about programming but believe it or not based on my postings I am a fairly proficient writer and story teller and I have a story (stories...) I want to tell and wouldnt mind trying to make a little extra spending cash for weed and hookers . weed and hookers dont buy themselves...

So- I am making a visual novel with basic scripting that I will actually be able to do without knowing what the hell i'm doing. I have a story, interesting ideas for real C and C and possibly a decent idea for a really engaging visual novel without anime or dress up simulation...

ive been buying software I need but I need to settle on a good 3d rendering program like Daz/Blender/maya/3Ds max etx and I am worried about finding the easiest program to pose my models in and make screenshots for still images. Im not really worried about cost here-But simple functionality for a retarded penguin to be able to use. An example of what I am doing..

Spoiler

KK these are 3d rendered people which I can take into a program and give them facial expressions as needed- These will be used for when a character speaks... These are just an example but I have a full range of emotions and facings

So this is what I want to be able to do with them without using photoshop to do it. I want to build "sets" and be able to just move my people wherever and however I need them and then screenshot it. If I have to use photoshop for every scene there is no way I can achieve this since im really looking at a massive book here to begin with and need lots of art.

I even downloaded unity because I figured I could buy premade assets for a city on the unity store and have an entire city to move my guys around in and screenshot it. It actually works well and I will be doing it in a few instances but overall its not giving me the quality (lack of a better word because the stuff is very good-it just doesnt 'fit') that I need.

-Below is what im aiming for but without doing most of it in photoshop (outside the touch ups)

I need to choose a 3d rendering program and fast since I'm to the point of wanting to get my art in order so I can do the fun stuff. The program has to be idiot proof and allow me to take my rigged models into the program with ease and pose them as needed. Also needs to have an asset store so I can buy some pre made stuff to use in what I eventually want to be a commercial game. I am totally new to 3d stuff but have learned how to texture and make some decent models however for a good majority of what I need (like cities) I want to buy already made to save a ton of time.


Advice?

 

[Tzaero]

Daz will probably be the easiest and quickest for you.
Its free but assets that arn't which encompasses models and poses.
They also look pretty generic.
You probably could make some placeholders in Daz, and then once the major stuff like coding and story is done and comeback to them.

Blender, Maya, 3DS are mostly for making models which I presume will be out of reach till after a few tutorials.

 

[DarKPenguiN]

Thanks man- I appreciate it. Good to know the free one will probably be the easiest . =)

And yeah- Im not really looking to learn to model everything but more want to focus on the story yet still have decent art without having to pay for 500 or so pics which is why I am going this route. Much appreciated.

 

[CreamyBlood]

I haven't played with Daz for a few years but I agree, probably the easiest way to go. Lot's of assets you can buy and as I recall it's easy to morph your models to give them your own unique stamp.

Learning Blender or Maya or whatever is a bitch. I don't have the patience for it, takes a lot of time just learning and even when you have a clue of what you're doing it still takes forever to get anything done. I finally realized that I'm never going to invest the time to become a modeler.

 

[DarKPenguiN]

I haven't played with Daz for a few years but I agree, probably the easiest way to go. Lot's of assets you can buy and as I recall it's easy to morph your models to give them your own unique stamp.

Learning Blender or Maya or whatever is a bitch. I don't have the patience for it, takes a lot of time just learning and even when you have a clue of what you're doing it still takes forever to get anything done. I finally realized that I'm never going to invest the time to become a modeler.

Ha , even with daz and using premade models I have found its probably more time consuming than doing what I was doing with photoshop and I still have to do the final fixes in photoshop anyhow lol.

My stuff is looking pretty good (if I do say so myself) but at this rate im looking at years of work.

Going to keep plugging away though- I figure things will speed along if/when I get used to Daz .

Regardless, Ive gotta say- As frustrating and time consuming as this is- Its fun.