Newbie needing some help on the software to create ambience scenes

Discussion started by cgt12

Hi,

I watch a lot of ambience videos on YouTube. Videos with scenes like the following:
--Scenes of 17th century cottage room with a log fire flickering away and raining hitting the window, of course with sound effects from the fire and rain.
or
--In the middle of a forest with tree leaves blowing in the wind and rain falling down hitting a lake, again with the wind and rain sound affects.

I would like to have a go and create a scene myself but I would like your advice on the software(s) to create such a scene.

I've dabbled with Blender, creating the famous 'doughnut' visual, however I find Blender quite complex, I guess it would be due to it being industrial software. I wonder if there is software that is better suited to my particular aim and much easier to learn. I imagine Blender is, to me, as complicated as it is due to the sheer volume of capability it has, but I only want to create a static scene with rain/wind/fire sound/movements.

This would be a hobby and I'm not looking to enter the 3D employment world - hence seeking software that quick/easier but meets my needs. It's just a bit of fun.

I do aim to upload it to YouTube myself and seek feedback and to know if it was enjoyed. Who knows, if this takes off I may get monetized.

I would prefer to not have to create, from scratch, the trees, leaves, chairs, windows, colourings, textures, etc... I guess I'm looking for software(s) where all the objects have already been created, a vast selection of them anyway, and I just bring them in, position them, resize them, recolour them, to create my scene.

Please can you recommend suitable software(s), maybe I need one piece of software to create the scene but other software to create the movement/sound effects?

Free for commercial use would be a plus (to protect me if the videos get monetized) but if there is easier, suitable software that does cost a little (so it's fairly cheap still) but the reduced effort of that software outweighs the free but more complex Blender software then this would be fine.

If anyone has suggestions or can point me to a particular video that shows how to do create my scenes, with the suggested software, it will be much appreciated?? I've been watching Udemy videos on Blender to date, but I feel alternative software would be more enjoyable.
Thanks in advance.

Answers

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Posted over 2 years ago
0

I would recommend you to focus purely on Unreal engine 5 (currently in beta, full version early 2022)

Why? Unreal engine is free and you may use created results commercially, they gonna ask you a 5% commission when you exceed a million dollars (getting there is unlikely for most users).

Unreal engine is capable to deliver most photo-real results in “real-time”. As an Unreal user you also get free access to complete Megascans library from Quixel (https://quixel.com/megascans) after installing (https://quixel.com/bridge), also free.

Note however, Unreal engine has an overwhelming set of tools and features but don't let it scare you. Just go with simple beginner tutorials and the basic tools for populating a scene (plenty of them on YouTube) and your up in no time building your own environments. Over time you will naturally puck up more advanced tools and features and gradually become a more advanced user.

Make sure to check the Unreal marketplace (https://unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/store), where you can find plenty of pre-made 3D assets, materials and effects like rain, fire, clouds, waterfalls, etc. that import directly to your local Unreal asset library to be used and build your scenes/sets.

There is a very high chance you will always going to find a 3D asset to your like (after visiting the popular online repositories).

Unreal engine has great tools for building up scenes and see final result right there in your viewport “in real-time” (no need for long and complex offline rendering tasks). It has a build in content browser where you put all the assets that you import and then drag and drop in the scene, etc.

Note; Unreal engine is not made to produce 3D assets, its made to use 3D assets.

If you consider making your own custom 3D models/assets then know it will involve some difficult stages you need to master. 3D asset creation is going to involve modeling or sculpting, then applying texture coordinates in order to be used in a 3D texturing painting program to give the model its texture/details, etc. (non of this is done in Unreal engine)

If you want to go this direction then definitely go for Blender, its free (also for commercial use) and works very well together with Unreal engine. Blender offers a good set of modeling tools, it even has some sculpting capabilities and also provide tools to build texture coordinates, etc. For final texturing I would recommend (https://quixel.com/mixer) also free and also works well together with Unreal engine and the Megascans library (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2rVJa3RDAk)

But to begin just stick with Unreal engine and use the stuff that is available (lots of it for free).
Start with simple YouTube tutorials, don't try focusing building own assets jet or learn everything at ones, it will get overwhelming and probably turn you off. Just enjoy using the basic tools of Unreal engine and tings will gradually take of from there at your own pace.

cgt12 wrote
Thanks the for the post.
Posted over 2 years ago
0

Thank you both. Much appreciated.

Posted over 2 years ago
0

Hi again,
I've been investigating some more into what I'd like to create and I'm still confused. It seems the more I read into it the more I'm lost.
What I'm looking to find is a course (video course rather than textual) to teach me, from scratch, how to create the type of ambient videos I've linked in the earlier post. I've mentioned I find Blender too complicated for my hobbyist use, however it seems a lot of the ambient content makers use Blender to create the architecture, and some often use Blender to create the objects too (i.e. chairs, clocks, etc.. - I think the professional term is 'models' and 'assets'). Some use Unreal to use pre-made objects and some use Unity. The use of PhotoShop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro is used too (why are these used)?
I've looked into Daz 3D, Sketchup, VRAY, Lumion, etc... I'm utterly confused.

The software has to be free for commercial use as I would like to upload my work to YT and if I'm monetized, somehow, I don't want to be in trouble for using software in a commercial manner.
I appreciate I may need to use a 3D modelling tool to build the architecture and even some models but it would be nice to use models pre-made as they'll save me a lot of time (and stress).
I would like the fire and rain animated - can this be done in Blender and/or Unreal, for example.

I've found some Udemy courses and a YT video (linked below). Can you suggest one, or even point me to another training course somewhere, that would be useful to me. Maybe why I found Blender unappetising is because I was creating an object where as I would like to create cosy scenes.
Is one of the below spot on for me? Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzoY062kY1s

https://www.udemy.com/course/scene-creation-with-blender-and-substance-painter/

https://www.udemy.com/course/scene-creation-with-blender-and-substance-painter/

https://www.udemy.com/course/modern-interior-blender/

3DCargo wrote
3DCargo
"I've been investigating some more into what I'd like to create and I'm still confused. It seems the more I read into it the more I'm lost." Welcome to day 2 of 730. Feeling lost in 3D is quite normal as a beginner. In fact, it you may never feel like you get close to your goal as the years pass, this is normal if you are putting in a regular 8-10 hours per day for this period. "What I'm looking to find is a course (video course rather than textual) to teach me, from scratch, how to create the type of ambient videos I've linked in the earlier post." This is a very unique request, since most 3D artists specialize in either 1 field or so many that they don't remember the basics and haven't created tutorials for the specific subjects you are looking for. For example some people are amazing at animating (moving) characters, but cannot light a scene. Or lighting, Or VFX (light falling snow etc.). This goes back to our original conversation - too many musical instruments to master / or mastering so many that its difficult to relate to a beginner. "The use of PhotoShop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro is used too (why are these used)?" As a 3D artist you are used to using different software for different techniques. For example a professional Broadcast Compositor may only use Danvici Resolve for their work, it has lots of tools which takes years to learn, so they become proficient in their toolset because they understand how to manipulate 2D data with those tools. This is not the case in 3D, our toolsets have limitations which means we need to learn multiple toolsets - our main 3D application (3dsmax/maya/blender/etc.), zbrush/3dcoat for sculpting, marvelous for cloth, unity/unreal for real-time, substance for painting, after effects/premiere for edit/composite, photoshop for many things... this is the pipeline. "The software has to be free for commercial use as I would like to upload my work to YT and if I'm monetized, somehow, I don't want to be in trouble for using software in a commercial manner." We covered this earlier - Royalty Free models for purchase, Unreal, Unity, Blender and any software you purchase for commercial use. "I would like the fire and rain animated - can this be done in Blender and/or Unreal, for example." Yes it can be done with lots of experience/experimentation. You can also use packs of animated 2D fire in 3D which can look amazing. For example Andrew Kramer has an amazing pack called Action Essentials 2 which includes pre-animated fire, explosions, smoke etc. on alpha/black backgrounds for compositing into 3D scenes, or rendered in after effects/premiere as a secondary layer. This relates to our previous topic of Pipeline. https://www.videocopilot.net/products/action2/ "I've found some Udemy courses and a YT video (linked below). Can you suggest one, or even point me to another training course somewhere, that would be useful to me. Maybe why I found Blender unappetising is because I was creating an object where as I would like to create cosy scenes." as @jimplatt699 mentioned, there is no shortcuts. There is no specific course for your question. If there is hopefully someone else can chime in with a perfect answer for you. But after many, many years in this industry I can tell you 1) you are on your own 2) it takes time 3) you need to do the hard yards (learning lots of things which seem irrelevant). If you don't have what it takes then do something else because it takes seriously A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF EFFORT, and you will never get to the finish line.
JimPlatt wrote
JimPlatt
You could probably do what your suggesting with After Effects which used 2.5D which is a sort of fake 3D. It acts like placing postcards in 3D space and you can stack them and build you scene that way. AE has plenty of built in FX ready to use but you'll still need to learn how to use this software. Theres a guy called Malcolm Gladwell who wrote a book that reiterates the common idea that you need 10,000 hours of experience with something before you can become an expert in that field!
Posted over 2 years ago
1

Yup. Daz Studio. It's for people that want 3d experience without having to learn the whole package. Lots of resources. Go have a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDc1ZcoucsY

Posted over 2 years ago
0

Thanks for your replies. So to provide clarity, it's something like the below that I'd be interested in creating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA1W0AFcnwg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA1ItxM9yIE
I'm wondering if I have to create the windows, sofa/chairs, fireplace, or if there is a good resource to get these from pre-made.
The animation part I speak of is the the snow, rain, fire (and their noises) in the above videos.

Posted over 2 years ago
0

Daz Studio may work for you. It used to be free, probably still is. It doesn't come with much but there is plenty of free and for sale content including "aniblocks" for animating.

Posted over 2 years ago
2

What you are asking takes 3D professionals years to learn. Its kind of like saying you want to learn how to play a musical instrument so I guess ill start learning all instruments at the same time.

However the fastest possible way I can think of is to use Unreal or Unity engine (these are both free or cheap for individuals). The reason being is that its more of a platform to place ready made models, its real-time so the rendering is quick and easier to learn. I would keep learning Blender just so you can get the models rigged (animation ready) and then import them into Unreal for example, or simply buy pre-animated models.

Blender is one of the easiest 3D platforms to learn so if you are having difficulties with that then forget the others, they take a lot of dedication to learn for the things you are asking. Unreal Engine/Unity is also quite difficult to learn - but with enough dedication you can the foundation down within a year or 2 and start making some interesting things.

Posted over 2 years ago
4

The short answer is no! There are no shortcuts here. Every software program has a learning curve. I've been a 3ds Max user for 10 yrs plus and still learning things! There are plenty of blender or most 3D applications tutorials on the net to get you up and running. Blender is free and other 3D software can cost a lot of money if your just using it for a hobby! Unreal engine is free too but again has a learning curve associated with it. My advice to you is to start a project on here and pay someone to do it or search around the net for free model (there are plenty of free quality models out there) This would cut out the need for the modeling process and use Blender/Unreal to build your scene and then you would only need to learn how to animate!

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