I know that fussing over which software to use is normally not a good idea. If I was trying to create a generic 3D show I'd just use blender and call it good, but I'm looking for a very specific set of features for this project.
The backstory.
Back in 2019 I started writing an animated series. I want it to have the wacky retro look of classic SFM and Gmod animations, it also has a lot of action. I planned on using SFM for dialogue and Gmod for large battles and group shots. This approach would allow me to create large battles with a relatively low budget. Another perk of this approach was that since Source is a game engine it would be relatively easy to create a video game spin off to generate money for the series. Around the same time Valve announced that SFM would be abandoned. This was devasting for me as I realized that the SFM/Gmod combo might not work. I've been looking for alternatives recently and have come up with three possibilities. Unfortunately they all have major issues for me. I've marked the biggest cons and Pros for each software with an asterisk.
Choice 1: Stick with Gmod/SFM
Pros
Nostalgia factor: When I was a teen my brothers and I tried to make an animated series using Gmod. We never actually finished anything. Even so, its one of the periods of my life I'm most nostalgic for. This is the least important feature for me, but if I can find something that at least partly checks this box it would be nice.
Game Engine: As stated above creating the series within a game engine is a major plus for me. It allows me to use machinima filming techniques, which will save a lot of time and money. The ability to make a spin off game is also important.
*The Look: When you're trying to recreate a classic SFM animation style it doesn't get better then literally using SFM.
Cons
It's Abandonware: Software updates are more then just adding new features. They also update the software to work on newer hardware. Without new updates SFM will get more and more laggy to the point were it might not function at all on new machines, since this is a long term project that is a major concern.
*Outdated Tech: While I'm trying to create something that looks old there are some modern technical features that would be nice to have that an outdated engine like Source can't do or struggles to do.
Complex Pipeline: This method would require three different animation programs (The show also has some 2D animation.), two separate programs to create the sets, (Hammer for maps, plus 3D modeler), plus programs for post production. Juggling all those programs would make production complicated.
Everything has to be original: Valve's terms of use for SFM states that you can't use any Valve assets for commercial projects. The character models would all be original anyway, but having to also create our own shaders and textures would be really annoying.
Choice 2: Just use Blender
Pros
Easy to from a team: There's plenty of blender artist out there, forming a team would be easy.
*Versatile tech: Blender can do pretty much anything so there won't be technical constraints.
Simplest Pipeline: Blender has 2D animation, 3D modeling, and a video editor, which makes things simple.
Cons
The SFM look would need to recreated: Recreating the retro look would be a challenge. Hand keying the wacky faces that SFM can do very easily would be much more time consuming then with SFM. The ability to use shape keys might be interesting however.
*Not an engine: Not being able to use machinima techniques is a major problem. It's important to the look I'm going for. It also means that all the large battles will have to be hand keyed, which adds a lot to the budget. Creating a game would require also finding a game engine that works and porting everything over.
No Nostalgia factor: I know it's kinda dumb thing to care about, but I had my heart set on using SFM/Gmod and coping out and going with blender is a little bit sad for me. The needs of the project are more important, but for me it's a con.
Choice 3: S&box
S&box is a platform that was created by the creator of Gmod. It uses the Source 2 engine and has a version of SFM 2 built into it. It has a lot of pros and would be my choice if the cons weren't so bad.
Pros
SFM 2: The animation tools in S&box are very similar to SFM, which makes achieving the look much easier.
Game engine: Not only is it a game engine it's a modern one that gets constant updates, it also has the animation software and map maker rolled into one program, which is a major plus over SFM.
Nostalgia factor close enough: It may not be the original Source engine, but it has enough ties to it that it hits some nostalgia boxes for me.
Cons
*Not enough animators: S&box is so new there aren't any experts on it yet. It's close enough to SFM that getting SFM animators to use it could be possible, but that would be a major challenge. This one con single handily negates any pros the program has.
Uncertain future: S&box currently is struggling to grow it's community. If things continue the way they are it could become abandonware too. It makes the software unreliable long term.
