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[fromsoysauce]

My brother and I were having a talk about why we've been using this freeware program for a decade.
We've always found Anim8or to the program we use the most. Even considering the fact that when we make our games we do everything from modeling, music, to programming without help.

The only other 3D program I use is Maya, but I don't model in it, I just use it for animation because it is very easy to run it's FBX animations in Unity. But my models are always made straight out of Anim8or.

My brother added that the maya forums have an unusual feeling to them, since he would ask about if Maya had a tool, basically he tried to describe An8's cut edge tool. The reaction he got from the people there was basically : "Why would you ever want to do something like that?" Without actually addressing the question to solve it as a problem.

From what I understand, people who primarily use Maya treat 3D modeling as digitally sculpting things. Where as, at least for my brothers and I, Anim8or let's us make models by what feels more similar to making a drawing but in 3D (a-la our collectively most used tool "add-edge") or otherwise a digital form of origami, a-la cut-edge tool (our second most used tool).

Maya on the other hand, as far as 3D modeling, seems to require some rudimentary understanding of sculptural principles.

Besides how much I appreciate how An8 simulates 3D drawing + Origami, here are some other reasons I love it personally.

1) It's a tiny file, that can be installed like nothing.
2) It loads up pretty much instantaneously, even on lower-end computers.
3) The Arc-Rotate tool. It can do everything you need a camera to do and is easy and intuitive to maneuver.

What about y'all? Why do you love anim8or?

[Steve]

Thanks, fromsoysauce

[ENSONIQ5]

I do all my modeling with Anim8or, transferring models to Carrara for rigging, animating and rendering.  While it's not the most advanced modeler (Booleans would be a cool addition) I appreciate the ultra-clean, uncluttered workspace and simple but effective tools.  Frankly, it leaves Cararra's very weird modeler for dead!  I'm not much of an organic modeler, most of my work leans towards the mechanical/technical/science fiction genre, with lathe and extrude being my most used tools.

The recent updates to Anim8or, embodied in the much-anticipated Version 1, have brought Anim8or much closer to a 'complete' package.  The IK function is excellent, particularly the ability to lock IK terminators to the 'world' to allow skate-free walk cycles (genius!).  The main reason I don't work in Anim8or alone is the render speed which is significantly slower than Carrara, mainly due to Carrara's multi-thread enabled renderer.  I do prefer the quality of Anim8or's renders though, the ART renderer is capable of some truly stunning output if you're prepared to wait for it.

The other thing I LOVE about Anim8or is the workflow, separating out Objects, Figures, Sequences and Scenes, with unlimited numbers of each.  This simple separation of functions allows for a modular approach to production, and is conspicuously missing from Carrara with its single cluttered workspace.  It's basic features like this that have been in place since the beginning that make Anim8or stand out, along with its tiny impact on resources, shallow learning curve, and of course the fact that it's free .

EDIT: I should also add that Anim8or has NEVER crashed on me...ever.  I'm looking at you, Carrara....

[thecolclough]

i can second pretty much all of the points you guys just made there 

[ronaldefarmer]

The best thing about Anim8or is that it is easy to use for beginners. I would never have stayed with it long enough to learn anything useful if I had started out with Blender or Maya. I tried several other modeling  programs before I found Anim8or. All were awkward and confusing. Then I downloaded Anim8or. Within fifteen minutes or so, I was able to render a cool picture of some cubes and spheres. The immediate gratification encouraged me to continue. After a while, I learned to use some of Anim8or's more advanced features. And it never seemed like work--just having fun.  I think that's likely the case for a lot Anim8or users.

Also, I have enjoyed knowing that Anim8or is a work in progress. I always look forward to the improvements and new features that the next version will bring. I appreciate that the the author strives to make improvements and include features that are important to Anim8or's users. That's pretty cool. Thanks Steve.

[davdud101]

1) It's INCREDIBLY easy-to-use. I'll admit, I didn't quite get it back in 2004 when I was an 8-year old, and so I messed around more with a kids' app called "Cosmic Blobs", but after coming back aged 11 or 12 and reading in the manual just a *bit*, I learned a LOT. Super easy software.

2) With a little pushin' and a little shovin', the software can, in many areas, do just what higher-end software can do, just as good as they can. Huge plus for someone looking to get into animation while skipping a HUGE learning curve. Sure, that comes at the expense of a few "super-special' features, but generally everything that needs to be done can, in some way or another, be done!

3) It's admittedly got a charm about it. It might not be as flashy as MAYA or Blender, but then Steve is making it for fun in his retirement and isn't necessarily trying to sell it as the 'next best alternative to professional modelling and animation packages', for example. Then he can also cater more directly to the specific needs of his small community.

Here's to building a bigger, active community for the future, and many, many years of Anim8or to come! Huzzah!

[Trevor]

I love an8 because it was one of the first modelers I used.
I was at school when I wanted to model and tried finding free software. Choice wasn't huge, not to mention I was using win9x and some like blender have discontinued support.

As mentioned by everyone else, the learning curve was not big, and I soon started making basic images.

Now of course, it fits very well with N64 modeling and my techniques have vastly improved.

There are some technical features Id like (HDR + Tone Mapping, More CAD, Diffuse inter-reflection, vertex colour bake), and as others have mentioned, a multi-threaded renderer would be excellent.

Trev

[lppena]

Anim8or is an excellent modeling tool for everyone and even though I mostly use another free modeling tool I will always highly recommend Anim8or as a very sound choice for 3d modeling hobbyists. The UI is very simple yet flexible. The work space is easy to navigate and encourages people to express their own creativity quite freely. Kudos to Steve! Leroy. 

[exile]

As a newbie coming from 2D animation software (Anime Studio / Moho) I'm impressed with the features of Anim8or so far. Moho has come of age, although there are plenty of halfway accomplished new features to work out, for example with the drawing tools. It's become more powerful and is used by some professionals, but the rigs are more complicated, too. On Facebook and in the Lost Marble forum, advanced users are wowing each other with head and body turns that look like - you guessed it - 3D.

I've tested a lot of software in the past months but missed Anim8or, now I'd like to make up for lost time.

I can't wait to get past the first stages and get advanced enough to give some of my 2D characters a new life in 3D, and hopefully find solutions to the old project-killing problems. Attached are two poses of a "funny man drawn on a hairpin" inspired by an example from Jack Hamm's book on Cartooning. I'm hoping that with a little more knowledge and practice he will be doable in 3D.

[Pixie3D]

I love Anim8or for how easy it is to run, no installation is required and no long loading time either. It also has some great tools that allows you to be very creative. Some people love the workflow in Anim8or, separating out objects, figures, sequences and scenes etc. I am not a big fan of this concept but I appreciate different opinions, also never got much out of the renderer before Steve implemented Art. The Art renderer has improved it the software a lot. It is might not be as flashy as the commercial software but that is fine - big respect to Steve for developing single-handedly in the first place. I do also love the support and loyal community Anim8or has created over the years. But all in all Anima8or to me is a great solid modelling software.

[tralfaz]

I'm in my 60's now (yes, an old dude), but learned 3D modeling in Anim8or years ago.  Loved the simplicity and stability of the software.  Kudos to Steve for creating an amazing piece of software.  I graduated to a commercial 3D software package a few years back, but still fire up Anim8or every now and then to play around with it.  If I had one wish for Anim8or, that would be to move a vertex or control point along an edge.  I use that tool in Cinema 4D so much and find it almost impossible to live without.

Keep up the great work everyone.

[nemyax]

If I had one wish for Anim8or, that would be to move a vertex or control point along an edge.

Shift+S.

[tralfaz]

If I had one wish for Anim8or, that would be to move a vertex or control point along an edge.

Shift+S.

SWEET!!!!

[BlueDalek]

What about y'all? Why do you love anim8or?

Anim8or is user friendly. The simpler 'scene mode' allows you to quickly make movies.
Blender is great, but has a steeper learning curve and I have yet to make a movie with it.
I use Blender to create more accurate object files and import them into Anim8or .

I do hate Anim8or's tendency to mash up faces. Pain in the butt to have to reverse faces on objects so you don't get that dull surface sheen  after rendering.


I love looking at people's crude, raw cgi works of Anim8or...puts me in another world....You focus on the story rather than how good the CGI is.

[mrbeaver.07]

Because it is really simple program  where you can do many things. Yeah, it doesn't have many things, that other 3D programs possibly have, but that's enough for me