HEXAGON (DazStudio) STAY AWAY!!! (CLOSED)
STAY AWAY FROM HEXAGON
Frustration after frustration.
Well.
I'm still in the learning curve of Blender (I seriously wish I'd never started in Hexagon) but I'm making progress having abandoned all hope in Hexagon and after trying it out again for a couple days, I'm still vastly disappointed and yet totally not surprised that Hexagon (Daz Studio) V:2.5.2.137 (current version), despite Daz's proclamations (BS) of it's great abilities, is still the most unreliable 3D design software I'v used thus far in my admittedly, limited experience.
If you're doing simple polies perhaps it's ok but if you have any interest in anything complex, stay far, far away from this software.
Hexagon is a toy. Not a professional design program and Daz shows no interest in changing that.
Their last update was June 13, 2018 and the changes were minor from the previous update of Feb 1 2018.
While it's relatively easy to learn there-in lies the trap.
Complex polies and vertices cause it to lock up and crash regularly so if you're doing large or high detail models, at some point after you've rebooted 6 or 12 times (no exaggeration on that either) you'll give it up and go looking for something else and if you learned 3D design on Hexagon, it'll be 4 times harder to learn it on any other, more professional software.
Boolean's, an extremely important tool and a nefarious task in any design software, are an even worse nightmare in Hexagon.
In addition to the standard, habit of adding hundreds of additional vertices (n-gons) regardless of the surfaces you're working with that most platforms also have, Hexagon is even worse in that it also simply makes one or both of the surfaces, disappear.
Again. I invite anyone to step in on the defense of this software.
I'm still far from anywhere near as proficient in Blender as I was in Hexagon but I'm getting there.
What intregues me about Blender, aside from it's professional abilities, is the ability to render in it.
I'm looking forward to the day (maybe a couple months now) that I can use it as easily as I use Hex and Daz.
Plus. I'm impressed with the online tutorials and assistance I've gotten.
Australia
@Handyman454
I gladly decline your invitation
You'll have Blender down-pat in no time. Also, while I encourage learning it as is, there's no need to prove a point to anyone - if you using Bools check out some of the great addons to speed up your workflow. They won't detract you from learning Blender.
If it were about 8 years ago, I would defend Hexagon. Hexagon used to be my go-to for working on fixing things from DAZ Studio, but it hasn't been supported for a while. Which is a shame, because it runs great in Linux in a WINE bottle.
The 2018 "update" really wasn't an update.
A sufficient replacement for it would be Wings3D. Great for quick poly modeling, especially for game assets. Its workflow and UI/UX beats pretty much anything for fast poly modeling.
Sure, you can use Blender. It's what I use for modeling. But that's like taking a Howitzer to a knife fight. Or in simpler terms:
The Pareto principle applies well to a tool like Blender. You will use 20% of its features to do 80% of the work.
Big-block, Ion & Pinspotter,
I agree with Ion that these days Blender is the program/application of preference; which in turn will drive its support/features way beyond anything DAZ, Autodesk, Smith-micro or any other commercial software producer can/could or will be able (economics) to viably match.
I also agree with Pinspotter (the Howitzer comment made me laugh - great) that for many things, it is using a sledge to crack a walnut.
Wings3D (free/open source) does seem - at the moment - to be one of the best packages around for creative base work. Delgine's "Deled-3d" might be more to your liking (slightly more complex/more features - but not overly so). It is worth a look (open source/free); however Delgine is French ... so make sure you put the cap on after 'opening the sauce', or the cooks will be after you.
I used to use AC3D for base work; however I think it might be extinct now and the last available version will not install/function under Win10x.
I am looking across the board at software/entry level programs - especially base polyography - with a view to helping new artist get started. Just done Wings 3d and Deled-3D, now moving to Pander ... which you might hate because the logo is hexagon based (design there-of).
I'll get back to this thread in a few days with additional options; however penultimately conclude by agreeing: Ion = Blender - main (foreseeable future); then something like Wings 3D or Deled-3D for base work (Pinspotter's recommendations).
Associated links:
... Which just leaves one unanswered item ...
When do we get to see your rendering of the 454, an what is it in?
Cheers,
Rick.