Customer Reviews

The Official Luxology modo Guide, Version 301

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since I'm currently considering the purchase Modo version 5 when it is relased, I wanted to download the v4 trial of Modo and see if it was an application that I could really get some use out of, making the expense of purchasing a license worth it for me.

Also being a new Kindle user, I still find myself buying physical books because
1) a lot of the technical books I read aren't in the Kindle format and

2) a lot of those technical book are graphical in nature (color) and I'd prefer to not view them on a B&W device.

Please Amazon, come out with a color eInk Kindle ASAP!!!

I have found however it helps if I open the book using Kindle for PC, on a 2nd monitor so I can at least view the color images that way.


In this case, I overlooked my pretty sound reasoning of buying a physical book for the immediacy of a Kindle download so I could get straight to reading and learning.

Having followed Dan's teachings from all the "Inside Lightwave" series of books, I knew that this Modo training would be GOOD and allow me to make an informed decision if I want to spend nearly $1K on a new software package.


First I'd like to say the training IS very good; the beginning chapters get you up to speed with the Modo interface and how to work your way around the program.

Granted Modo is currently at v4 and this book is about v3 but for the most part, things are pretty similar, and there is an option in the program to make it "act like" v3 for when 1 or 2 menu items don't show up as mentioned in the training.


However at this point I will say that when you get to the more advanced training, this is where having the Kindle version becomes a LIABILITY!

The DVD included with the physical book IS NOT AVAILABLE with the Kindle version (and currently there is not a way to download this additional material) and a LOT of the advance tutorials DEPEND on the assets contained on the DVD!

As an example, one of the earlier lessons teaches you how to texture a door key - the book asks you to load the provided scene (which you don't have!)

I took it upon myself to treat that as a challenge to model the key myself since I'm supposed to be learning the software! (Which came out really nice actually.)

The follow lesson again referred to DVD assets asking you to load a martini glass scene.

At this point I became frustrated because sure, I could model that too, but I wanted to just follow what the training was trying to teach!

The breaking point for me however was when the lesson ended >referring me to "further training" contained within MOVIES on the disc!<

So far every other tutorial I've read afterwards follows suit; half the training in the text the remainder on the DVD...


A lot of books are doing this now, give you some training within the text but include additional and/or advanced training on the included disc(s).

I don't have a problem with this, in fact I feel it's great, but in this case it a COLD LIABILITY to what I've purchased and my training is cut short!

I've contacted the author in the hopes that one day he'll make the DVD contents available as a download from his website, but until / if then, I'm at the point now where I feel let down by the providers of this Kindle version (author and Amazon), especially since the book breaks a lot of its latter training between text and DVD and a download was never made available.

It is certainly obvious to the author that the training is split like this for sure...

All of the previous reviews here are based on the physical book, so I felt it was necessary to WARN Kindle readers what will be lacking if they decide to buy it.

After my experience with this book and knowing how most technical books DEPEND on the disc content (rather than simple providing the discussed assets for completeness), I will NEVER buy a Kindle version of a book that comes with a DVD again unless I can clearly see that some DOWNLOADABLE content is also available for the Kindle or for the book in general.

This book really covers the fundamentals of Modo 301/302. With this book and about 2 weeks I was able to take care of most things.. helps that Modo as an application is very well thought out - but having this book really helped me learn Modo.

Dan Ablan continues his excellent training series on Luxology's modo with a new book on version 301 and updates included for 302. Bottomline is you won't find better training than this. Although this book is intended for beginning users, artists of any level will benefit from Dan's training. The reason being that while applications of this sort can be approached in similar ways by many teachers, Dan provides you with a powerful workflow that only can come from his years of experience with 3D applications; which include professional apps like Lightwave. Being a happy owner of other training by Dan Ablan and this book, I felt it deserves the 5 stars I gave it. Oh, and don't forget the hours of additional video training on the DVD that comes with the book.

Modo 302, the 3d application from Luxology, is a fresh breath into an industry that is all around us.

The philosophy behind the software is very refreshing and this book is the perfect companion.

Dan Ablan's book is as much about getting to know Modo 302, as it is getting into the spirit of Modo. The examples are fun and motivating. The subject is never dry and boring. You really want to fire up Modo when you start to browse this book.

The dvd that is included is easy to follow and makes the process in learning the software easier. !

Excellent !

You so need this book if you are getting started with modo. Wether it be v3 or v4, this book still applies. Also the included material on the dvd alone is worth the price of the book.

It is some time ago that I ordered Dan Ablan's book. But it has been around me as a steady companion ever since.

In general Luxology Modo 301/302 is surrounded by good tutorial material and examples, but when you dive freshly into its world, The Official Luxology Modo Guide 301/302 is vital.

Dan Ablan's book makes it very easy to pick a task and learn about it. Text and images are well-balanced, so that you immediately see what he is setting out to do. From the simplest manipulations to the more complex tasks, everything is clearly described step by step. Occasionally he goes back to the principles, explaining why things are what they are, and showing you how to make best use of them.

Dan's book leads the reader from the basics of Modo via easy to follow modeling and sculpting projects, to the more advanced features of rendering and lighting in slightly more complex projects.

The accompanying DVD is excellent and complementary to the work of Modo's in-house tutorial-author Andy Brown.

The appended lists with material properties is really helpful to get to a level of higher realism.

I am very new to the vast and complex world of 3D modeling. A friend recommended that I try out modo to see if I even like 3D software. I downloaded a free trial of modo and I subsequently bought this book. This book is excellent. Dan Ablan is a thorough tutor; his examples are relevant to real-world modeling. He gives step-by-step instructions and he incorporates a bit of humor throughout. The best part about this book is that Ablan assumes that his readers are intelligent human beings; this makes a world of difference! In short, I highly recommend this book for those who are curious about modo and who are new to 3D modeling.

This is the best book on Modo I've seen so far. (Then again I couldn't find another book on Modo 302 so it really doesn't have any competition)

What's nice is that it isn't just a bunch of tutorials where you just follow the instructions without gaining any understanding of the program. It's laid out in a way where you learn in an incremental way that increases your understanding of various tools and aspects of Modo so that you understand what you're doing and why so you can apply what you've learned directly to your own projects. It also makes for a great reference book to come back to even after you've gone thru all the chapters. Key concepts are explained and illustrated nicely throughout.
Although I found the Modo interface a little confusing at first after going thru the first few chapters it quickly made more and more sense and the logic behind the controls became much more intuitive.
In short, this book has helped turn Modo into my main 3D app for design and animation work.

In my many years of working with computer graphics I've read a lot of application related guide books. The Official Luxology Modo 301/302 Guide thus far has in my humble opinion been the best. The writing is clear and concise yet personable making the learning process enjoyable. It is an effective guide, perfect for those new to using Luxology Modo as well as the realm of 3D modeling.

I have really learned from this book and it has been a great help for me. I would recommend this book.