Simple UDK-ready 3D models

[Eraserhead2416]

I'm just learning UDK, and am trying to find some decent 3d models to use in some scene setups.
Sketchup's 3D warehouse has a handful of decent things, the rest is junk.
Turbosquid would be nice, except for the prices.

Is there some place I could get simple things, like a street light, or a park bench? I'm building various "scenes" to get the hang of things, maybe eventually show off my skills when they are adequate. No commercial projects.

With that in mind, perhaps there's a good game that the models could be extracted from to toy with? It'd be nice if all unreal games' assets could be imported, but as I've read time and again, there's no way to properly do that. Baffling...

So, any suggestions? I feel capped out on my learning quota. Only so much the brain can handle, Maya and 3DSMax would give me a stroke.
Thanks in advance!

[wektis]

There are many sites out there if you wade through google, I like www.sharecg.com

[JasonX]

Show off your skills using other's people work? So what are your skills, exactly?

[Eraserhead2416]

Imagination. Game design. An eye for lighting and composition (I'm really looking forward to digging into Matinee)

The skills that I have no qualms about saying I don't have are mathmatics and learning new syntax. I'm also terrible at foreign language, and scripting is like a mathmatical foreign language.

The only reason I'm looking for 3D models is so I can learn and experiment with UDK, to know what it's capable of, and what I'm capable of with it. THEN I start a real project, and find people to work with who can model and/or texture- do the things I'm just not talented at.

Now, if I could export from Zbrush to UDK with no middleman, I wouldn't have as much trouble. Maybe someday they'll code a damned plugin for that.

[Eraserhead2416]

Oh, and thanks for the link, Wektis, I'm digging into that now.

[JohNLA]

Turbosquid has a ton of free models

[neai]

You can get best prices by buing them in packs, or even whole bundles of packs. However, you get what you pay for. Finding a place that has a lot of models you need, and in acceptable quality, can be tricky.

As far as the whole UDK-ready thing goes, don't count on it. You'll need to learn how to export them from one of the formats/apps in which they're provided. They may have to be edited too. It'd be easiest to outsource this to someone else, but it's a valuable skill whether you're a programmer or artist.

[feanix]

Imagination. Game design. An eye for lighting and composition (I'm really looking forward to digging into Matinee)

Maybe try design something using simple shapes (spheres, cubes) to prove that you an awesome designer with great talent for lighting and composition and you don't need pretty models to make something that looks and plays great.

Self proclaimed "talented" game-designers who have no other skills and sit around waiting for people to help them fulfill their vision are ten a penny.

[jorewe]

A couple of pretty high horses in here, imho.

[Eraserhead2416]

I found some good tutorials on 3DS Max- actually very difficult because knowing the program doesn't make you a good teacher. Hell, in the official videos from Autodesk I've seen, the guy instructing starts every sentence with 'basically' , and chews gum the whole time.

Then I found the Digital Tutors series, which was very well put together, the VO is clear, the video quality is great. It's no replacement for an actual, physical teacher (none of those in Iowa, it seems) but I'm starting to understand just what the hell is going on in 3DStudio Max.

Thanks to those who provided assistance, I'll be sure to share anything I make that's of acceptable quality.

[geodav]

as they say keep it simple, start with the basics then try something a bit more compilcated

[slimer]

And listen to Geodav!

When you mod you need to learn a little about everything. But yeah... small steps. Volunteer on a larger project, get your skill sets up and then branch out to do your own thing.

[ovinet]

Is there some place I could get simple things, like a street light, or a park bench? I'm building various "scenes" to get the hang of things, maybe eventually show off my skills when they are adequate. No commercial projects.

So, any suggestions? I feel capped out on my learning quota. Only so much the brain can handle, Maya and 3DSMax would give me a stroke.
Thanks in advance!

Try Free Game Assets by 3D-Source (http://www.3d-source.com/) :)

Free high-quality professional game assets, currently there are not many, but more are to come.
Registration with an e-mail address is required for downloading, nothing more.

[mikesdk]

For 3ds tutorials of incredible quality I would suggest you have a peek at the Free video tutorial section of http://www.3dbuzz.com. I have learned so much from watching those, and incidently they're starring Zak Parrish - the same guy that made the UDK tutorial videos. I find that his way of explaining things, goofing up at times and then explaining exactly where he went wrong is so much more educational than the usual "do this, then this, then type in this" etc. tutorials out there

[shuriken88]

Try searching for some 3D design blogs, bulletin boards, you can find nearly anything you want, whether its characters, props, buildings, vehicles. I know theres a set of streetlamps, because I've downloaded a pack myself, and the best thing about these sites, EVERYTHING is FREE, even the highest quality models, like hi-poly interiors, next-gen game characters.

Just remember that if you try to release something made with these models, you MAY be in a lot of legal trouble, Im not certain on the usage laws, but free non-commercial use SHOULD be fine.

[24_Ripjaw]

Maybe try design something using simple shapes (spheres, cubes) to prove that you an awesome designer with great talent for lighting and composition and you don't need pretty models to make something that looks and plays great.

Self proclaimed "talented" game-designers who have no other skills and sit around waiting for people to help them fulfill their vision are ten a penny.

maybe he builds maps and not models, you should think before you speak.

[tant]

Feanix, why the *&^% do you think level designers exsist?? they use media created for them, they put it together and add terrains and make good models, a GREAT game...So please dont go jabbering at others like that