Modo Steam Edition brings powerful modelling tools to Source engine games

Modo, the powerful 3D modelling, painting and rendering tool, has a special Steam Edition launching later today that aims to empower creative DOTA 2 players.

Created by CG software house The Foundry, Modo Steam Edition is a streamlined, purpose-built version of the award-winning Modo program, which is used by game makers, such as Gearbox Studios, and visual effects film studios.

The Foundry has wasted no time in putting its tool to use either. From today, Modo Steam Edition will enable DOTA 2 players to design custom weapons to use in-game. Instead of the complex method involved in custom-item creation, players can now model, manipulate, texture and paint just about any crazy piece of gear that they can imagine, like the menacing hooded scythe (above) created by the Foundry team.

The modelling app has been designed specifically for Valve’s Source engine, and is compatible with other Source engine games. The Foundry promises “quick and flexible integration” with DOTA 2 and other Valve titles, such Team Fortress 2 and Left for Dead.

Modo has been used for making characters and scenery in titles such as Borderlands 2 and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, while in the film industry it has been used to create alien weaponry and vehicles for blockbuster sci-fi films like District 9 and Star Trek: Into Darkness.

MODO Steam Edition’s features include:

• Highly technical 3D modelling
• Dynamic sculpting tools for expert tinkering
• UV Editing tools to make texturing objects in 3D a breeze
• Texture baking lets users package everything quickly for export
• Materials setup and painting for artistic flexibility
• Easy export to DOTA 2 and FBX output to other Source Engine games
• Save and load from Steam Cloud

MODO Steam Edition is available at 9pm (1pm PST) for PC on Steam priced $149 (£90). A Mac version is planned for the future. Find out more on its Steam page.

Develop spoke to the Foundry about why it decided to create a dedicated version of its modelling tool for Steam and what it means for the sale of game middleware.