A New 3d Modelling Tool

Business and Project Management Discussions
#1

Hi everyone,

I have been working with Java and Java3D since around 1999.

I am now a year out of university and have created my own 3d Modelling tool, as well as a small suite of tools that help me with texturing, animation, map editing, etc.

They are all built using Java and require the Java3D v1.4 libraries.

I have also built my own library which features Bones and Mesh-deformation, Collision detection and response, and various 2d and 3d utilities I use every day.

I am hoping to sell my products on-line and have set up a web site with a way for people to buy from me on-line.

Now comes my question
However, I am finding it difficult to find customers for my product as most people I reach seem to cringe at the word ‘Java’ as though it were a four-letter word (I work in the games industry myself, where we use C/C++ and C#).

Can you guys give me any advice (what to do?, where to go?, ppl to speak to?, etc).

Thanks for any helpful replies in advance.

#2

Make a web site
Put some good models on the site, not just test stuff
Put some good animations on the site, so you can demonstrate animation
Give the product a snappy name and logo
If you are going to sell it, the product should be better than free 3D programs
Make lots of importer / exporters to as many file types as you can.

Contact web sites and magazines that review 3D software, for a review and free publicity.
But it better be good or a bad review will kill it.

Notice how I didnt mention Java once up there, neither should you.
On a tech page on the web site feel free to talk about Java. Its not really a selling point to artists. They dont care about the tech they just want a good affordable tool. If you are saving models in a Java3D format certainly mention that.

#3

Also, if you can afford it, you can use Jet to make a Windows exe out of it. That way Java doesn’t have to be mentioned. Don’t know if Jet can grab Java3D libs though. Linux and Mac users will be amenable to Web started apps.

#4

“Java” is not a problem in the games industry, per se. It’s more that if there’s something wrong with your pitch, java becomes an easy issue for them to latch on to :).

If it is a problem, you’re probably talking to the wrong people to start with - aim at a different segment. Most games devs I talk to are interested in C# and java - it’s just most people don’t have the time to learn them, so are aware “there’s something good there” but are “not sure what it is”. The casual games industry is probably the easiest to break into, since most have given up on Flash because it is SO CRAP (I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that hte latest version of Flash (8) not only breaks backwards compatibility silently, making many websites fail silently, but also apparently (from multiple professional flash programmers) still isn’t able to render a game at high resolutions because its pipeline of logic through to blitting is too slow. I may be wrong on the latter - its hearsay - but the former I’ve seen repeatedly. Unbelievably incompetent, really) and are using proprietary C++ solutions but would be very willing to listen to a java or C# pitch.

#5

you could just natively compile it now using GCJ and hence the its “Java” argument becomes invalid.

#6

Hey, thanks for all your feedback guys. I really appreciate it. I never used to subscribe to forums before and just learned everything through trial and error (oh and books too).
I got JSmooth and wrapped my app in an EXE (Yay - 8)). Had to use the Console version as the Win one just hangs.

I’ve got a name (ModelSmith3d), a web site (http://www.modelsmith3d.com), and some cool (ish) models made by a friend of mine using my app (in the ‘User Art’ section).

If anyone is interested, I’ve put v2.4 up for free to those with the code: MS3D-VAN1 in the ‘Special Offer’ section) the full version v2.5 app is 5.85US$.

I’d appreciate any more feedback. This’ my first app for sale ;D.

#7

One other thing you might consider doing, if it’s at all an option, is improving the look of the site a bit. No offense, but I can honestly say that I don’t think I’d explore the site if I came across it just because it doesn’t look professional enough. At a minimum, lose the embedded scroller, fix the ‘special offer’ graphic (edges are cut off), and maybe do something with your navigation. Check out the website for this free modeling program: http://www.blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html - That may be a bit much to strive for, but that’s sort of the competition I think.

#8

Hey thanks for your advice and feedback.
I have looked at Blender’s site and have some new ideas from there.

I’m now working on re-desigining the content.

Any further advice would be great. :slight_smile:

#9

Sell your product to a reseller company and go working on Blender.

Great job.

#10

Hi everyone.

Well, I’ve changed the design of my website and tried to give it a more functional and professional look.

Also, I continuously work on new features for ModelSmith itself. I managed to get spline meshes to work the other day (wohoo! ;D) and decided to put them to a bit of a test.

It took me about an hour. Afterwards, I took two shots (Shot2 and Shot11). The shots are up in the new Screens section. I hope you like the new thumbnail sidebar.