3D Model Viewer

Argh!

I've been looking around, but I can't find a good, solid 3D Model viewer for windows that can handle a wide range of model formats. I don't care much about editing them; I just want to view them. There are so many different model formats out there (it seems every game company creates his own for example), to install a viewer for each format seperately...

Anyway, I just found this site with a lot of models of starships for downlaod; and I figure, "Cool, let's get me a viewer and view them..." I think you can imagine my reaction when I found none. One viewer can 'import' a load of different formats, but I must designate the format don't know what fromat it is, apart from the extension .MOD. Quite frankly, I don't want to 'import' models either, I just want to VIEW them? There are picture viewers that show every picture format out there; where's the equivalent model viewer?

Anyone know a good viewer/editer free or cheap that doesn't need to 'import' any model format, and can recognize them on its own and a URL? So I can view me some models?

[mean person]

http://www.righthemisphere.com/products/dexp/index.htm Deep Exploration

Uh, how is that free? How do I get it without having to sell them my soul aka my personal information?

[AlgorithMan]

149$...

[Awesoken]

If you're looking for a simple MD2 & MD3 viewer, try MDVIEW. This was my original test program before implementing the formats in "Polymost". I've been meaning to put this up for a while... your post finally convinced me to do it : )

Well, it's limited: I was looking for something that can view a lot more than md2/md3. I found this starship site that has models to download with .mod extension. And there are probably more things like that.

I don't understand it; there are legion picture viewers out there, but not a one good model viewer.

See a need, fill a need.

[TerminX]

3D Master said:
I don't understand it; there are legion picture viewers out there, but not a one good model viewer.

What's there to not understand about it? Most model formats are proprietary to one engine (and sometimes even just one game) whereas most image formats are open or at least standardized.

TerminX said:

What's there to not understand about it? Most model formats are proprietary to one engine (and sometimes even just one game) whereas most image formats are open or at least standardized.

There are many model formats that are not. There are plenty of artists that create pictures for people to look at; some pictures are created by creating a model and using the model and other artisitc skills to composite a picture. I'd say there have to be at least some who would like the model viewable as well. So, if there isn't a single standardized model format out there... why not?

And somehow I doubt game creators have got a problem with you viewing the model. If the viewer can't edit, just view, just a viewer... hell, Valve put lots of unused pictures and concept art in their book; the artists there obviously like it if people take peaks at them. (Have you ever heard of an artist that DOESN'T want people to look at their art? At least thosw who don't have an irriational fear they won't measure up?)

I wouldn't be surprised if they give permission to add their model to a viewer, if the viewer can do nothing but view them.

[Parkar]

There are not any real standard model formats most likly since diferent software uses diferent ways describe 3d models. even when you are talking about polygon models diferent formats have some diferences in how certain things are handled. Anyone who has imported models from one software to another knows that a lot of the times you have some repearing to do after importing it.

Images are a whole lot simplier and just contains a bunch of pixels that can hold a certain color store in some fashion.

Max 8 does have a certaion view fromat you can export to and a free viewer for that format. Unfortunatly it probably won't become a standard and it is made for viewing and probably is not very good for moving 3d models between applications. At least it makes it possible for artists using max to put up viewable models on there webpage that people can look at without owning costly software.

[Killd a ton]

I usualy use viewpoint or turntool when i want to display 3d on a web page, they have plug in and viewers for multiple platforms and programs.