Paint Shop Pro 9 or Photoshop for 3D model textures?

[]V[]essenjah · Post by **[]V[]essenjah** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 5:48 pm

Ok I was wondering, what is better for 3D art? PSP or Photoshop?

I need it to create some web-based graphics and really nice textures for 3D models. Anyway, I don't really want to do any Photo Editing or use it for anything other than creating textures for levels and 3D models.

Anyway, some help on this subject would be grand.

Nitrofox125 · Post by **Nitrofox125** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:39 pm

I've never used Paint Shop Pro, but I'm abso-fackin-loutly in love with Photoshop. I would almost go with PS because it's the industry standard. But I mean as far as 3d...? It's good for making textures but bevel/emboss, drop shadow, and 3d lighting are about as far as it can take that. I take it that from "3D art" you mean for textures, and you're creating the 3d object in another program. In this case, I use Photoshop, and it owns. It's also pretty easy to create some simple textures (two colors of brown->smear->blur==wood; monocromatic noise==granite, etc.)

[]V[]essenjah · Post by **[]V[]essenjah** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 8:33 pm

Yeah but $500-$600 is pretty tough to drop on one program especially when a 3D art program is $2000-$4000. :
So I'm wondering how it compares for the job I need it to perform.

Also I need to consider that I need probably $2000 before I move out and head for college.

BUBBALOU · Post by **BUBBALOU** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 8:38 pm

Photoshop Elements 3 is 100x's better than Paint Shop Pro. It is a nueterd version of Photoshop CS

Darkside Heartless · Post by **Darkside Heartless** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 11:42 pm

I use PSP 7 for textures, Photoshop is better for most applications, but the tools needed for textures are easier to find in PSP 7.
That and it's quite a bit cheaper

roid · Post by **roid** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 1:43 am

an alternate free route (open source even) to take would be "gimp".

[]V[]essenjah · Post by **[]V[]essenjah** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:42 am

Actually I've been using a combination of GIMP, Dogwaffle, and MS Paint (for drawing out objects) up until now. I just need something a little better and a little easier to use. I want to be able to draw inside the program itself and produce the images themselves rather than just editing an image that is allready finished.

[]V[]essenjah · Post by **[]V[]essenjah** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:49 am

Basically, if I can legally use the Non Commercial version of 3DS Max and this version of Photoshop, for constructing mods/level sets (since I won't be making any money off from these models by using them in mods/level sets), it would really give me a foothold on current projects and allow me to perform my tasks much faster and easier.

TCO-Orion · Post by **TCO-Orion** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 3:27 am

n00bs...

Okay just kidding, but I've been doing 3d graphics for sometime now, and I tell you Adobe's software is the absolute best for it. Mix it up with 3D Studio Max 7 for the actualy 3d work, and use combos of procedural texturing and Max's built in texture generation ability (the lovely Material Editor) and its possible to create amazingly life like textures. Here, allow me to demonstrate...

Sorry bout the size but thats an vid post of a ship I modelled for a game, ST: Bridge Commander. I later increased the mesh detail and added some video-post lighting effects (the phasers were actually simple, narrow, 50% transparent cylinders, with 2 Lens Effect Glows tacked on to make em look real, lol). All texturing was done in Photoshop 8 (CS). Not only is Photoshop simply awesome, it is capable of interacting with other Adobe products, like Illustrator, which come in the CS package. Illustrator can be used to make wonderfully realistic-looking Star Trek ship hull Aztecing (the little varying shades of gray you see on the saucer and such).

[]V[]essenjah · Post by **[]V[]essenjah** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:47 am

Well in the end, I'm planning to go to college next Fall or Spring. Can we say... student discounts?

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 7:48 am

I have used Photoshop ever since v1.0 on the Macintosh. There is simply no program around that has such a complete set of texturing tools. Combine that with the huge array of plugins available and its far superior layering and selection tools and it cannot be touched.

It's not a matter of which program is better ... it is a matter of how much money you are willing to spend. If you can come up with the PS price and get on the inexpensive upgrade bandwagon ($200 or less every few years) you will get a huge benefit from using PS over anything else out there. Five years from now when you look back you will be pleased that you chose PS.

Nitrofox125 · Post by **Nitrofox125** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:31 pm

BTW messenger... www.creationengine.com

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 12:27 am

Paint Shop Pro has been on the downhill slope since version 8, which was very buggy, crashy and soured me on the line. They also ask about $20-$30 more for version 9 than any previous ones, so it's no longer the value it used to be.

Now, granted, I don't understand Photoshop. It's the standard at work and I have a licensed copy of Photoshop 7, but I have no idea how to really use it without creating dozens of layers.

For that reason, I've basically stood by Paint Shop Pro 7 until something better comes along. It does all I want it to do, I'm very used to it, and I don't care for how Gimp/Photoshop/PSP9 handle the Pen Tool that I use so frequently.

The Gimp is a program I really want to like, since it's free and all, but it has many shortcomings (mostly from a very basic UI standpoint that sparks religious war by zealots whenever it's criticized).

I would say that if you can get an educational discount, absolutely buy Photoshop. The savings off the normal MSRP are substantial. For example, Creation Engine offers the complete Adobe package - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Pagemaker, GoLive, and Acrobat - for just $379. This is definitely a comparable, if not better value, than Paint Shop Pro.

forwardtothepast · Post by **forwardtothepast** » Tue May 17, 2005 10:45 pm

PS7 > my own grandmother
or, if your really l33t, MSpaint

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Wed May 18, 2005 12:07 am

Or Paint.NET. This is a program by the University of Washington sponsored by Microsoft to create a more robust and feature-rich edition of Paint. It's pretty interesting.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Wed May 18, 2005 12:52 am

Sol: what's the matter with creating dozens of layers? That's the beauty of it. True power comes when you're able to use layer effects and multiple layers to acheive results that can easily be modified, rather than having to recreate things because you don't like the way a filter you ran three days ago is affecting the image you're working on today.

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Sun May 22, 2005 12:01 am

umm mob-messenger if money is an issue try to get a student version. I'm going to school in september and buying Maya Complete from a reseller for $800cdn and we all know how bloody expensive maya compete is. All they need for you to buy the student version is proof that your actually going to school and need it for that.

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:55 am

DCrazy wrote:Sol: what's the matter with creating dozens of layers?

I don't need a new layer for each line of text I insert into the image.

Obviously, I'm using it wrong.