This is a list of titles available in the 3D modelling softwre market.
3D Studio Max
3D Studio Max is a full fetured 3D graphics application developed by autodesk. 3DS Max runs on win32 and win64, to date it is in its 1oth version, caled 3DS Max 2008. It has strong modelling capabilites and a flexible plugin architexture. It is mostly used by video game developers, TV commercial and architectual visiual studions.
Cost $3,495.00
Blender
Blender is a free 3D animaion program. It can be used for modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, skinning, animating, rendering, particle and other simulaing,non-linear editing and creating interactive 3D applications. Blender has a Feature set similar to other high-end programs like Maya and 3DS Max. Blender was used in the making of Spider Man 2 to make animatics for the story board department.
Cost $0.00
Rhino 3D
Rhinoceros 3D is a stand alone, Commercial NURBS based modelling tool originally developed as a plugin for Auto CAD. The Software is mostly used Industrial design, marine design, architecture, jewerley design, automoive design, multimeda and graphic design. There are several plugins avaliable including Flmingo, Bongo and Penguin which is also avaliable for CAD.
Cost $1,000.00
Bryce 3D
Bryce 3D is and animation, modeling and rendering program which specializes in fractal landscapes. Bryce Now in it’s 6th verion was originall made for macs but when the second verison was released it was ported to Windows. The Latest version now supports HDRi.
Cost $99.99
Vue
Vue Infinate is a professional level of E-on software’s Vue 3D which is a modeling program that aims to create realistic enviroments and landscapes. Vue Infinite which is now in its 6th version is used by the BBC, Walt Disney and boeing.
Cost $695
Cinema 4D
Cinema 4D, made by Maxon, is a high end cross platform 3D graphics application capable of procedural and polygon sub-division modeling, animating, lighting, texturing, and rendering. Cinema 4D is noted as being very easy to use and user friendly. The film Polar Express uses Cinema 4D and the ody paint feature.
Cost £1,200.00
Lightwave
Lightwave is a computer graphics program for 3d modelling, animating and rendering. The original program was ported to the AmigaOS, but in the mid 1990’s it was prorted to MAC and Windows. Lightwave was one of the first high profile industry standard 3D packages with a built in radiosity render engine. The program was utilized in 300, Sin City and Star Wars.
Cost $995.00
Shake
Shake is an image compositing program used in the post-production industry. Shake is produced by Apple and ported to MAC OS X and Linux. Shake produces visiual effects and digital compositing for film. It enables complex image processing sequencs made to be designed through the connection of effects “nodes” in a graphical interface. IN earlier versions shake was (v2) Shake was ported to Windows and Irix and cost around $10,000 per license. The newer version (4.1) was re-branded as a companion for FInal cut pro and subsequently the price dropped to $500. Shake has been used in ‘The lord of the Rings’ trilogy, ‘KIng Kong’ and war of the worlds. It has also been used in the Citeron adverts.
Swift 3D
Swift 3D is a tool used for making 3D vector and raster graphics. It intigrates with Adobe Flash. Swift 3D has been ported to Macintosh and Windows it is developed Electric rain and is in its 5th Version. Swift 3D costs around $30. Examples of work using swift 3D are ‘Tokyo plastic’s’ ‘Drum Machine’.
Houdini
Houdini is a high end 3D animation package developed by Side Effects Software. The diference between this and many other high end 3D packages is it has been designed as a procedural environment.
- Modelling
- Animation
- Particles
- Dynamics
- Lighting
- Rendering
- Volumetric’s
- Compositing
- Plugin Development
Similar to May, Houdini uses the popular Tcl/TK language and toolkit. Houdini also has it’s own CShell-like script language, HScript. Since version 9 Houdini offers Python script support. Houdini is bundled with its own production class renderer, Mantra, similar to Render-man in its application and scope. The bridge scene in X-Men 3 was done in Houdini 8. For the full Package of Houdini 9 (latest ver.) it would cost between $8000 and $10,000.
Modo
Modo, developed by Luxology, is an advanced polygon, modeling, animation, sculpting, 3D painting and rendering package. The program is ported to Windows and Mac’s and incorporates advanced features such as n-gons, 3D painting and edge waiting. For the latest package of Modo it will cost you around $1000.
MilkShape 3D
Milkshape 3D is a low-poly 3D modeling program. It is used primarily by people making modes for the game ‘Half-Life’. Due to efforts from its creator and community it is now able to be used to make models for a much larger amount of games, on the condition that there is an exporter available for the required file type. In total it has over 70 pre-set file formats. The package is open source and is available only for windows.
Carrara
Carrara is a general purpose modeling, animation and rendering package which is now owned and developed by DAZ 3D. Carrara is notable for its compatibility with other DAZ 3D programs like poser. It is also notable for it’s landscape generation tools and modelling features. The latest version costs around $600
TrueSpace
Truespace is a modeling, animation, render package. It features a plug-in architecture that allows the user to create tools to enhance the package. The latest version (7.5) features a real time renderer and costs around $600.
