Set Universal Manipulator as default.

pming

Hiya.

Carrara 8.5 Pro ; So...I want the "default" object manipulator to be the Universal one. When I create a cube, lets say, in Assemble, I want the manipulator to be Universal and not Move. After moving something and clicking on another object, I want the manipulator to be Universal, not Move (or Rotate or Scale). Likewise, if I deselect everything, then click on an object, I want...you guessed it....the selector to be Universal.

Is there any way to have "Universal Manipulator" be the default 'picking manipulator'? I didn't see anything in the Preferences. Maybe editing some config file or something?

^_^

Paul L. Ming

Dartanbeck

If you have "Hotkeys are Sticky" checked in your preferences, simply type u to get the universal manipulator. The only time this switches back to the translate tool is when you leave the room and come back - but it does that for most things. Just type u again to get it back.

u = Universal Manipulator

t = Translate

r = Rotate

s = Scale

0 (zero) = zoom to selected from the current angle

pming

Hiya.

Thanks, that's definitely better. Still not quite what I'm looking for (a.k.a., pretty much same manipulation as Hexagon, really), but better. :) I'd really like to be able to do all my modeling in Carrara, but from the looks of things so far...probably better for me to just stick with Hexagon, ZBrush, Lightwave and Softimage XSI and import. *shrug*

^_^

Paul L. Ming

pming

Hiya.

I like a lot of things about Carrara. I can see HUGE potential in it. There are some definite problems, however. As for being told to go use a "real" program; they are all real. Some work better than others, and everyone has a preference. For me, Softimage. I've been a Softimage owner/user since it was just "Softimage3D" (version...3.5 when MS bought it...1996?). Anyway, I just LOVED the interface and workflow (yeah, crazy, I know ;). When XSI came out, I waited until somewhere around v2 to upgrade.

I bought Carrara back at version 7 I think (maybe 8.0, not sure). I bought Hexagon from "Eovia" and instantly fell in love with it's modeling workflow. It's pretty much been my go-to app for modeling. Sometimes I bring stuff into Softimage or Lightwave for specific functions, but Hex is still the most comfortable and free-flowing modeling app I've ever used. At any rate, I was *hoping* (and still hoping!) that DAZ figures out a way to merge all of Hexagon's modelling features and capabilities into Carrara's.

I understand that the "3d-paper-doll stuff" is where they really make their $$$, but I can't believe they don't understand what an absolute goldmine they have with Carrara, as far as potential goes. If (when?) they start to focus on Carrara as a major 3d app unto itself, I think they'd make a killing. But that's for another thread...

Suffice it to say. No, I'm not going to "drop" or otherwise "give up" on Carrara. I really do like the ease of use for a lot of things, and it's renderer is simple, relatively fast, and great for quickly laying out a scene. I'll not likely use it for many "final" renders or animations, but for easy pre-vis stuff? Hells yeah I will! :)

PS: I've been forced to use Maya since version 2...I'm not happy about that. Maya's workflow is almost counter-intuitive to my preferred workflow and some things aren't what they seem or what you think they should do/be. Don't even get me started on the fuster cluck that "hypershade" is! *shudder*; Carrara's material editor is FAR superior to Mayas, as far as I'm conserned. And Blender? I've kept an eye on it and tried using it from it's NaN days (1998 or so?). Love Blender's power and potential...but it is about as non-intuitive as it gets for a 3D program based on Windows OS. Yes...blender GUI, I'm looking at you!

^_^

Paul L. Ming

Dartanbeck

Yeah, I know. I guess there are folks that think that stuff is totally sour just because they don't like it - and it seems to me that a lot of those opinions come from those whom might not have spent some good, solid hours getting used to the difference in workflow.

I believe that the developers feel that most of Hexagon features and functions are represented, in one way or another, in Carrara already - albeit under a different way of accessing it. I wouldn't know. I started my modeling in max, but bought Carrara before I got too advanced. For me, Carrara is the perfect fit, but it did take quite some time to get accustomed to.

I guess I've been thinking a lot about this stuff as soon as I discovered the 'lack of modeling tools' drawback of Poser. My 3ds tutor bought P5 for me in thanks for making textures and UV Maps for him.

All I wanted to do was to animate and make CG movies from them. But I wanted to be able to create models and add morphs to existing ones. 3D Content artists used max, LW, etc., in their creation/morph process, and then used Poser to make the stuff work in Poser. A workflow that seems like it worked really well. I've used some of the tools for turning objs into conforming CR2s, and got fairly in depth with turning objs into dynamic items.

While I still had the opportunity to use his computer and mess with 3ds, I really liked it. At first, especially when he told me to start with a single, six faced cube, I had no patience to learn to model in 3d. That, of course, disappears quickly once you start extruding and shaping... what a freaking blast!

I tried using the good ol' search engine to find a software that was a 3d modeler, but had the ability to not just load in Poser-style figures (Vicky 2&3, in particular, at that time), but to also allow for the conforming of clothing and hair, etc.,

I couldn't find such a thing. I found conversations regarding total PITA workflows for trying to do it in LW, but that was the closest thing. I'm no savvy internet search fellow, though. I was in a hospital waiting room when I first saw Carrara 5 Pro in action. He was messing around with a scene that had a very familiar figure involved - Victoria 3 - I couldn't believe my eyes!

Eovia? Cool!

Wow. Great software... now I just need to get a LOT more money! It was expensive, but not as much as some others.

My kids in their teens, there was no saving that kind of dough.

Some people wonder why I am so defensive about DAZ 3D. Well it was DAZ 3D that brought my whole vision to light. Give me the tools and I'll make it happen.

It doesn't bother me that Carrara doesn't have the latest and greatest technological advances. It does what I needed most! By the time I finally owned Carrara, I had already read many thoughts about its shortcomings - especially in the 3d modeling department. I used it to edit the mesh on clothing for my new action figure, V4, but not much else.

In order to really use Carrara for shooting film, I had to figure out why V4 is so blue. There was a tutorial on the DAZ site that explained the whole thing. Now with my head wrapped around the intensity of the shader room, Carrara was really starting to shine! Because of the forums, I still had a common knowledge that Carrara was no 3d modeler, even though it has modelers in it.

By the time I finally just started making simple scene helper props and texturing them for renders, I started losing faith in everything that the forum had taught me about Carrara and modeling. So I made a post to that regard. 3dage and McGuyver are two who really come to mind as folks that got in on that and told me how much they love to model in Carrara. With a whole new enthusiasm, I began modeling in Carrara. Not sure of some of the tools, I picked up "Essential Carrara 5 Training" by Jack Whitney through Amazon, but it's sold through Lynda.com
Jack took me through each tool, patiently explaining the various modelers, their functions, and really dug deep into what can be done in Carrara. A couple years later, I bought Advanced Carrara Training through this store, taught by Phil Wilkes, even though, by that time, I was already feeling fairly advanced, but I do like a good tutorial video. Good is an understatement. Phil is a fun and imaginative teacher, so I hope he continues to make more on some perhaps even more advanced topics. He dives in and shows how to model this way. We did it that way last time, so this time, we'll use this... UV Mapping, Shader exploration, figure creation, various methods of making custom clothing... the course has a lot to offer. The working files alone contains more than twice the price of the course in content value alone!

So I've had Carrara since C8 Pro beta in 2010 and I've had the time in between to get used to how it works and how I can make it tick. With the enthusiastic inspiration of those already mentioned, plus Cripeman and many others, I have come to face the reality that there really shouldn't be a CG task that Carrara cannot handle. It has a lot more going for it that what the pros had long ago, and they've had to pull off some very impressive stunts with what they didn't have.

Anyways... that's my story - or... the short version :)

So, thank you kindly for defending Carrara. Some people just don't understand that the weakest link in the chain is our own imaginative ability to make happen what we need to make happen, and disregard the rest ;)

For the price, and in other ways, there really is nothing on the market quite like Carrara!