XNA Game Studio 3D model editor suggestions

Question

I want to create basic low-poly 3D models to use in XNA Game Studio games. What cheap/free tools do people recommend?

And does anyone have any links or snippets of code that show how to load 3D models of some sort into XNA and then draw them on the screen?

Answer 1

Blender is a free 3D modeling tool. Here is an article covering from installation of blender, exporting, to the importing of a model made in Blender into the XNA enviroment:

Getting started with Blender 3D and XNA

Answer 2

Take a look at trueSpace also, its just become free - but as Evil Activity stated; Blender is also a good sugestion i just never really got use to its interface and how to do stuff. trueSpace is a little more easy in that way, but i think that blender is more powerful.

I guess you know http://creators.xna.com/, there is a 3D tutorial you can look at here: http://creators.xna.com/en-US/education/gettingstarted

Answer 3

Ill second Blender.

You can find some handy tutorials linking XNA and Blender here;
http://www.stromcode.com/

Answer 4

Having worked a modeler and texture artist for over 3 years, I have tried the majority of modeling tools and keep coming back to Nevercenter's Silo. It's the most elegant, well designed sub-d polygonal modeling application I have ever had the pleasure of using. Once you've used Silo, you'll wonder why anyone uses anything else.

Answer 5

Houdini. It have too a free tool, Apprentice.