Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => Arts & Talents => Topic started by: Bob-san on November 01, 2007, 05:41:02 pm
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What do you guys think? I've been working in AutoCAD since September now, but I've been taking my time actually learning how to use the program. Will there be any problems? I can imagine a few possible, but has anyone else tried?
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I use it almost everyday on my course and I think is alright. Easyish to pick up, and pretty intuitive. The only problems ive had with it is when i cant find a function.(everything is in the help file) If your not getting taught, get one of those AutoCAD for beginners books, they're really helpful.
Hope that helps dude.
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I have a school cource--since public school is so boring, I decided to make sure my tax dollars, my mom's tax dollars, and everyone else's (in the land of cold and high taxes) tax dollars. $1000 licenses would hurt my pocket too much to buy it.
Anyways--have you tried modeling FreeSpace stuff in AutoCAD? Any success (or failure) in importing those 3D drawings into TrueSpace?
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Soz for the lateness of reply - im pretty snowed under with uni at the mo. Its worth getting, although, a bootleg copy is easy enough to pick up. I havnt tried any Freespace designs on it yet, I really only have time to use it for work - although I did do a pretty good copy of a Saturn V the other day hehe.
Not sure whether itll import into truespace, its a pretty complex program, and generally you're only drawing 2D. You could probably do model meshes quite happily.
Sorry I couldnt be more help dude
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Actually it is full 3D--I would know because I've been using it as I said before. Anyways--I'll be trying my import into TrueSpace or Blender (or both).
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Apologies if the last comment/s came across abit snooty (its been a long month :) and i guess i didnt read your post right.
Lol, 3d in AutoCad is annoyingly hard, for me at any rate, and is one of the things I havnt been able to master in this program (not for lack of trying hehe). I generally work with 2d schematic drawings, someone else handles the 3d, cos mine are abismal :)
Do you have any tips lol:)
Give me a shout if the importing goes well, it'll be good to know if you can.
Good luck :)
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Tom, I'd suggest Sketch Up. Looks like you can easily import files made with that program(if I remember well). Sketch Up seems easy to use.
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I'm really liking AutoCAD. Currently, my secret is to figure out how it all works. I had some interesting "adventures" trying to make the wedge tool work--for me, it doesn't. Anyways--when you don't know what to do do next, geometric drawing is what I do. I don't know exactly what to do about many "problems" but I've not added all that much detail yet. Last time, I was adding heavy armor to the ship. The point is you have to learn how the program works in 3D--my latest discovery was that the explode tool doesn't work well in 3D... the problem becomes that the 3D object is now separated into individual faces. Some other interesting stuff is getting used to layers--I have to turn off specific layers to be able to manipulate sub-objects, or rotation and move won't work correctly (as the points anchor the "unusable" axis--specifically to the closest face of another 3D object). Some other odd stuff--such as when you copy and paste objects, I have to turn off anything covering my view of 0,0,0 or the object will insert funny--then I have the hassle of trying to position it correctly. Anyways--once you get used to not being able to use all three relative coordinates, I find it becomes intuitive. Anyways--it's a hard program to conquer... mostly because courses start out slow (2D... blech! at least I can do whatever I want on it) and full licenses cost $1000+. I finally get to use those tax-dollars.