3D Graphics

Blender is the first, and only, fully integrated 3D graphics creation suite allowing modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, realtime interactive 3D and game creation and playback with cross-platform compatibility - all in one tidy, downloadable package. Source code is available as a separate download.

If your images, and web animations have a tendency to look a little flat then you'll be amazed by what 3DPlus 2 can do. This easy to use software allows you to produce stunning logos, dramatic headlines, and awsome web animations. Packed full of resources and handy templates and wizards, 3DPlus 2 enables anyone to create fantastic 3D scenes and effects in seconds. No experience is required! You're in total control. It's easy to direct the lighting, positioning, texture and size of your objects to achieve the result you want. Real Time Editing allows you to see how your work will look during design. NOTE: this is an older version of Serif's commercial program. It is FREE so follow their links to the download *carefully*! You are *required* to register it, read the program installation tips here. We think it's worth it for a program of this quality but we recommend using a throw-away email address

Forget your button maker! This software for creating 3D-looking elements for websites and software interfaces is much more flexible. Easily paint raised or lowered shapes such as buttons, rings, boxes, or add those effects to existing graphics. Color/texture selection, adjustable extrusion depth, gloss and other effects.

AnaBuilder is a freeware program for the creation of stereoscopic photographs (anaglyph, parallel, crossed,- anaglyphs are viewed through Red/Cyan glasses), the program makes it possible to readjust the two views manually or fully automatically. AnaBuilder provides integration with the 3D modeler Art Of Illusion. It enables a 'live' stereo adjustment of a virtual pair of cameras in the 3D scene (with anaglyph glasses) before running the (heavy) final render. Then, the final pair may be reloaded in AnaBuilder to make anaglyph color corrections or to be used with other means of stereo viewing. It is also possible to use AoI to make 3D stereo brushes, and to paint with them in AnaBuilder.

Autodesk FBX is a free platform-independent 3D authoring and interchange format that provides access to 3D content from most 3D vendors and platforms. The FBX file format supports all major 3D data elements, as well as 2D, audio, and video media elements. Registration (Bronze Membership is free) is REQUIRED to access the download. Program is NOT SUITABLE for inexperienced users.

Autodesk Maya Personal Learning Edition is a special version of Maya® software, which provides free access to Maya for non-commercial use. It gives 3D graphics and animation students, industry professionals, and those interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics (CG) an opportunity to explore all aspects of the award-winning Maya Complete software in a non-commercial capacity. The Maya Personal Learning Edition restricts users to non-commercial applications through the display of a watermark on images as well as through the use of a special non-commercial file format. In all other respects it is exactly the same as the commercial version. Registration (Bronze Membership is free) is REQUIRED to access the download. NOT SUITABLE for inexperienced users, experience with other graphics programs (Adobe,PSP, etc.) recommended! Note: Some may not regard this as true freeware but *we* think it is a wonderful opportunity to use the Academy Award® winning Maya® software. This is the world's most powerfully integrated 3D modeling, animation, effects, and rendering solution used by the 'greats', IL&M, Pixar, Disney, Sega, Nintendo, etc.

A "stereogram" is a picture where you normally see only a pattern, but when you squint or look at it from a distance, you will see another image appear in 3 Dimensions. Bigle 3D is a stereogram generator or SIS (Single Image Stereogram) to create your own stereograms. The wizard interface guides you through choosing a background and the grayed image that will appear in 3D. You can save your stereograms as one of the main image formats (bmp, png, jpg, tiff) and open even more types of images to create them.

Gauss displays lines and surfaces defined algebraically in 3D space in many forms, including z=f(x,y), cylindrical polar coordinates, and parametric definitions with one (giving a line) and two (surface) parameters. View controls move the viewpoint through 3D space, using keyboard and mouse. There are options to display a surface, a mesh or a combination. The number of 'steps' on each edge (level of detail) can be controlled. The defining expressions include a very wide range of forms: polynomials, trig, hyperbolic exponential and logarithmic, rational expressions and series sums and products.

K3DSurf is a program to visualize and manipulate Mathematical models in three, four and five dimensions. These Mathematical Objects, described with implicit/explicit parametric equations, can be either surfaces or curves. It's also a "Modeler" for POV-Ray in the area of parametric surfaces. Features: 3D, 4D, 5D and 6D HyperObjects visualization; Full support of all functions (like C language); Support of mouse event in the drawing area (Left:Rotate, Right:scale and Midle: translate); Animation and Morph effect; Povscript and Mesh file generation (and Run if PovRay is installed); VRML2 and OBJ files also supported.

Light Map Maker is a power software tool that helps you to create compelling lighting effects. LMM is an independent program not a plug-in, it's a tool for real-time 3D developers (not only game but also web3d, product display, etc.). LMM's main feature is the addition of realistic lighting to real-time 3D scenes. LMM now supports importing/exporting of some popular 3D formats; so it's compatible with most game development software and 3D designer (e.g. 3D Studio Max, Maya, Lightwave, etc). You will need a 3-D accelerator card and be sure DirectX 8.1 or later is installed.