Cheetah3D 5.x for Beginners - Video tutorials

Thanks

Hi Yosh,
Sorry Particles and effectors didn't make it into the current version. I did a VERY quick video (see the links, below, in my signature) which looked at particles amongst some of the features that have been introduced since 5 was released. I'm no expert in particles but if I can help, I will.

Thank you, I will check them out.
 
I ended up buying the Tutorials last week, since I figured that Cheetah was such a good deal for a 3D package, its still way cheaper, even with the tutorials.

They are great, if a little basic. I learned a decent amount of hints and tips and it introduced me to some tools I wasn't using (Cover being one I dunno how I got by without).

I do wish the UV one had been a little better prepped, in terms of using those tools a little more effectively.

Overall a decent compliment to the manual.
 
I totally agree

I have spent the weekend working through all the video tutorials of Cheetah3D 5.x for Beginners, and feel really disappointed.

First of all, most of the resource for tutorial are not well prepared. They look either ugly or not like something we will ever create for our work. You have to be very experienced in 3D software to be able to understand why we should use the tool that made that ugly mesh.

Second, most of the training materials are just walking through all the tools in Cheetah3D, too few of them are explained with example. I'm wondering why should I pay 29 dollars just to hear some description of the tools in a software? Those basic description should be IMPLEMENTED IN HELP already! Instead, most of the time you can only get the location of a certain tool in the software, without any explanation. Although for a lot of cases, it is more than enough to just leave an one-sentence description there.

Third, I have watched a lot of video tutorials for different kinds of software. If it's some free tutorials on youtube, it really doesn't matter how systematic or fluent in language. But speak of priced video tutorial, it demands not only clear expression, no or very few error in recording, but also funny language and very effective operation. You should teach users to achieve a goal with the most effective method, but not showing yourself trying something out in your software somehow.

Conclusion: the video tutorial looks like made in a single take, without a well designed run-down or necessary drills. (for example there's a few duplicated tool explanation.)

And to be honest, the author really should spend the time to improve help menu instead of making crappy video tutorials for quick money.

Sorry for speaking harshly. I'm a Cheetah3D beginner and already fell in love with the package. It's a great software for the value but the video tutorial is absolutely another story.
You have said what i have been trying to say to Martin and Frank ever since I bought Cheetah 3d. I find them helpful up to a point and then I feel something is just glossed over and really not explained well.
Glad I am not alone.
 
Glad I am not alone.
Sorry if this sounds rude - no offending is intended at any time - but you and just 3 or 4 more in 6 years have issues to get a grasp to the complexity of the virtually 3d world at the very beginning to this extent here as far as I can remember - believe me it´s not Cheetah3d it is "3d" in general you encounter difficulties with. A brilliant book about drawing won´t make a draughtsman out of you.
When I started 3d I simply played with this cat; open - close - save - load a "parametric" object - made editable - tested the rightmousebutton-click - just sit there and play - best way to learn - believe me.
All the best.
 
Just my input......
Frank is right and take no offense to what he is saying. (However, I will take some offense if he's including me in those 3 or 4 people;))

But, as far as the tutorials go, they are just a means to get a handle on Cheetah's interface and what the tools can do. For the price of Cheetah and the rate at which it is upgraded, it is pretty much the general consensus here that we would rather have Martin focus on the software than the help menu. This forum is your best help menu really--full of knowledgeable and VERY helpful and patient people.
I am still very much a junior here in the knowledge scale here in this forum but I know from experience that what seems impossible now will be easy later. Just keep plugging away and use this forum to your advantage. If you are really new to 3D then dig around in the old posts and on the web so you can get a basic understanding before you get too frustrated.

Erin
 
Sorry if this sounds rude - no offending is intended at any time - but you and just 3 or 4 more in 6 years have issues to get a grasp to the complexity of the virtually 3d world at the very beginning to this extent here as far as I can remember - believe me it´s not Cheetah3d it is "3d" in general you encounter difficulties with. A brilliant book about drawing won´t make a draughtsman out of you.
When I started 3d I simply played with this cat; open - close - save - load a "parametric" object - made editable - tested the rightmousebutton-click - just sit there and play - best way to learn - believe me.
All the best.
I hear what you are saying and normally I would. That is how I learned Photoshop. But there is a lot more to learn here and I know things of changed since software packages sent manuals along with the software. Then I had something right in front of me so I could follow along. I know they are expensive but so are printing out a huge document or guide on my own paper.
I am practicing on my own trying to figure things out and I know it will take time. But as long as you don't mind my bugging you when what I read in the tutorials or guide don't make sense to me then a pest I will be.
I'm an artist. I think from the right side of my brain not the left like I feel many logical people think. That is just the way I am. I want things spelled out clearly and I just feel the tutorials are not clear enough.
 
Im trying to re-download this package.
I buyed it when i got cheetah3D, but since a reinstall...

Can you sent me download link ? thx
 
I actually agree with the sentiments being expressed on both sides. I don know much about the videos aside from a couple (e.g. The walking alien tutorial) that have at various stages been made freely available. I found them to be useful but very unpolished.

I find it very discouraging when tutorial materials look like crap. On the other hand, you do want them to be simple enough not to become a conceptual problem for the beginner. And worse yet, I don't care for tutorials where the sample work is incredibly good, better than someone doing the tutorial has any hope of achieving after completing the tutorial. (it's ok if it's a gnomon master class)

So it's a fine line to walk, and it's definitely something I am conscious of.
 
I actually agree with the sentiments being expressed on both sides. I don know much about the videos aside from a couple (e.g. The walking alien tutorial) that have at various stages been made freely available. I found them to be useful but very unpolished.

I find it very discouraging when tutorial materials look like crap. On the other hand, you do want them to be simple enough not to become a conceptual problem for the beginner. And worse yet, I don't care for tutorials where the sample work is incredibly good, better than someone doing the tutorial has any hope of achieving after completing the tutorial. (it's ok if it's a gnomon master class)

So it's a fine line to walk, and it's definitely something I am conscious of.

Having recently bought Cheetah3d and the tuts I feel I need to also have some thoughts brought up.
I think the tuts are good to a point. But with the character modelling and animation sections, I felt quite lost. I really wanted more granularity within both of these subjects. I went looking on youtube and have had to resort to a few videos's to get a better understanding on the process.

Considering most people are going to be both doing modeling and animation with Cheetah3d that a lot more focus should be applied to these sections and future tutorials.

BTW the help documents with the program are quite good.

My 2 cents as a Cheetah3d noobie...but not noobie to 3d.
 
The tutorials are not really great for someone new to 3D. It is basically listing the functionality of Cheetah 3D. Reminds me of those professors that would just read the textbook out loud during classes, I'm happy not all them were like that otherwise I would not have made it trough College :smile: From a tutoring point of view it could be much much better. I'm sure that when you are not new to 3D the tutorials will come in handy for sure.

I will first try to find some good Cheetah tutorials that are geared towards people new to 3D. Silo has some great ones, I'm sure there mustt be similar ones for Cheetah.

Just my 2 cents
 
I will first try to find some good Cheetah tutorials that are geared towards people new to 3D. Silo has some great ones, I'm sure there mustt be similar ones for Cheetah.

Just my 2 cents

I'm working on something along those lines.
 
I would like to post some comments on the content, but I'm having real trouble bringing the tutorials down to my machine in the first place. Is it usual to have low bandwidth from whoever is hosting the tutorials?

10 hours is a long time to have to wait for a gig and a bit.
 
I would like to post some comments on the content, but I'm having real trouble bringing the tutorials down to my machine in the first place. Is it usual to have low bandwidth from whoever is hosting the tutorials?

10 hours is a long time to have to wait for a gig and a bit.

Hi,
sorry for the problems. Please contact me via email ( martin@cheetah3d.de ) and I can offer you an alternative download link which hopefully works better.

Kind regards
Martin
 
Thanks Martin,

It managed to come down without too many problems when I put caffeine on and went to bed.
 
Jacob is right

The tutorials are not really great for someone new to 3D. It is basically listing the functionality of Cheetah 3D. Reminds me of those professors that would just read the textbook out loud during classes, I'm happy not all them were like that otherwise I would not have made it trough College :smile: From a tutoring point of view it could be much much better. I'm sure that when you are not new to 3D the tutorials will come in handy for sure.

I will first try to find some good Cheetah tutorials that are geared towards people new to 3D. Silo has some great ones, I'm sure there mustt be similar ones for Cheetah.

Just my 2 cents
I agree. Such a good product and no descent tutorial. Especially this one is good for when you have trouble sleeping. The way it is presented is so boring. I regret that I did not believe this post. What is that accent? Some kind of Scottish. The endings of every video is unexpected too. Very bad presentation by someone who was probably forced at gunpoint to make the tutorials. Would have been ok for YouTube, but to ask money for it..... I don't recommend it and I don't understand people in this forum who praise the tutorials.
 
I found writing a C3D book to be surprisingly successful.

Originally, I intended to use iBook Author to integrate videos with the text, but this would have meant splitting the book into pieces (there's a $14.99 price limit) and figuring out how to navigate Apple's iBook store (which is even more obscure than the App Store), so I ended up skipping the videos and shipping an ordinary ePub / iBook / Kindle / Nook book.

I still plan to do videos (warning: my accent is Australian, although somewhat softened by 10y in the US), but I can't figure out how to monetize them, so I'll just have to rely on people who like the videos to buy the book or make a donation.

You can find some of my old video tutorials here: http://loewald.com/c3dbook/Older-Tutorials/ for a rough idea of my qualities as a presenter. Note that these videos were not scripted (the videos for my book are scripted).
 
and I don't understand people in this forum who praise the tutorials.

Well, the tutorials (Version 4) helped me to go the first steps in 3D and to understand Cheetah 3D. It was VERY important that all was explained with Cheetah 3D and not any other Software. So I could track better the steps in the tutorial and try it myself.

By the way: What does this have to do with the accent?

Novus
 
What is that accent? Some kind of Scottish. The endings of every video is unexpected too. Very bad presentation by someone who was probably forced at gunpoint to make the tutorials. Would have been ok for YouTube, but to ask money for it.....

In respect of the accent.
 
Only 3 download attempts allowed, why?

I just purchased the video, but due to bad internet connections it failed to load. I then discovered that the link Kagi gave me is good for 3 attempts, which SpeedDownload must have automatically made.

So basically after spending $29 I have nothing. The "support" offered by Kagi is cagey, their auto transaction lookup timed out 4 times. I lost patience, another case of bad coding and no humans to be seen.

Then looking at the receipt it pointed me back to Martin's Kagi email address, so God knows when this will be sorted. Is Mise PO.

I bought Cheetah3D, the training video and the eBook by Leowald today and have nothing but problems.

Grrrrrrrrr
 
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