3D Modeling Programs

3D Modeling Software is mostly used for making props and charectors, but can also be used for generating textures.

With Half-life:Source model exporter

• 3D Studio Max a high end suite for animation, modeling and rendering. one of the industry's best. Has a large support network and many plugins. Valve used 3Ds MAX for the original half-life (hench the name of studiomdl.exe and .smd) there for exporters exists for all versions from 3 to 9, importers for .smd also exists for most versions as well as a .vta exporter and .vtf importer.
• Blender a high end free, open-source, suite for animation, modeling and rendering. Exportres for Blender currently only support static prop exporting.
• Cinima 4D a popular modeling program, especially in TV media. It is a powerful toolbox. It's exporter currently only support static prop exporting.
• Fragmotion a low end modeling and animation suite, but it has tight intergration with the structure of half-life models and supports waitghted vertexes. Fragmotion comes with .smd importer and importer as well as .vtf importer.
• GMax a discontinued free version of 3D Studio Max currently distributed by Turbo Squid. Both .smd exporter and importere exists for GMax.
• Maya a high end suite for animation, modeling and rendering. An advanced smd and .vta exporter exists as well as a limited smd importer.
• Milkshape a low end, popular and simple to use 3D modeling program. Comes with smd exporter and importer.
• Lightwave an excellent mid range modeling and animation suite. Currently the exporter for Lightwave only supports static props.
• XSI an excellent mid to high end modeling, animation and rendering suite, Valve used XSI for most models in Half-life:Source, the XSI Mod Tool exporter can be used with a little modification.
• XSI Mod Tool a free version of XSI with limited capabitlitys compared to the full version of XSI. Valve developed the exporter for XSI Mod Tool together Softimage (the creators of XSI), and as a result it has full support for importing and exporting .smd and exporting of .vta.

With out Half-life:Source model exporter

• Wings3D a Free, open source Nendo-alike natural modeling IDE.