sounds like you're in a rut similar to me. I've been focusing less on finishing games lately and trying to improve my art skills. its fun. its a different mind set then oh god I have this one sprite then a thousand others.

I like the screen but that skyline is depressingly dull, it really could benefit from some more detail (building architecture, scaffolding, water towers etc.)

Games will always be our first love.

Once we improve our skills, we can love her better.

Hah, I actually made that really quickly as a test background for parallax, and was planning on making it not ass.

I plan on starting to learn about modeling/rigging after this school semester is over. I was considering taking a class on it, but I learn better by figuring it out myself; Anything I'm not terrible at, I taught myself, for the most part.

So I'd love to hear any recommendations concerning modeling advice or programs for noobs.

That's pretty much a requirement for learning anything at all. You don't learn anything by just attending class. You have to take an interest and study. People are always less interested in classwork than independent work, which is why you don't learn as much.

Liking the screenshot

I recommend Modo.

Or Blender because of all the third party stuff that exists for it.

Actually, pretty soon I'm starting an invitation based program that provides members with learning materials for Film, Drawing, and CG. If you're interested, I can send you the details.

@Toast, yeah I get what you're saying, I guess I just have a hard time being interested in a class setting, even if it's a topic I'm interested in. It has to be on my own time.

@Juurian, …maybe?

@MMORPGguy, considering your recent rise of posting sarcastically sarcastic sarcasm, I'm not sure if you're being sincere. Also, there's so many spelling/grammar errors that most of those sentences are unintelligible. :/

If you're looking to get into modeling, I'd recommend familiarizing yourself with something like Blender or Wings 3D. The interfaces might not be the best, but it's easy to learn some basics with.

You could also start with Google Sketchup if you're not looking to design 'functional' geometry, and are instead looking to simply design, though I don't recommend it at all for organics. And for certain shapes, you'll need to find the right plug-ins, as some things aren't possible to build without them.

After you learn some basics, I highly recommend you progress yourself to an Autodesk program such as 3Ds MAX. The interface is really full of stuff, but it's easy to find what you need, and once you know your most common tool set, it'll make using advanced ones much easier.

I'd also recommend Maya, though I've never used it myself. It seems to be what most modelers use to animate though, and the interface seems pretty alright. Though I'm biased really, being a MAX user.

There's also SoftImage aka. XSI, but I don't really know much about how it works.

If you wanna look into organic modeling along with some hard surface modeling, you can start with the sculpting tool in Blender, and either go with that for a while, or progress to Zbrush, which I recommend. It's expensive, but I mean… most of us have 'means' of getting things on the internet.

You could also use Sculptris for organic sculpting, which is free, and has the best interface I've ever seen with any modeling program. But it's very limited in its use.

That happened one time. I think. Oh god and I wasn't even drunk this time, fuck, maybe diphenhydramine really does cause early-onset dementia.

LOL you're not going senile over benadryl MMORPGguy. i swear, the topics i find myself in.

i've given up trying to model stuff on my own personally, so good luck. you'll probably have a better hand at it.