(last update date: May 14, 2007)
Product name and version information |
Main Product Strengths |
Price information |
Comments |
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CATEGORY: Full packages (3D Modeling, Rendering and Animation) |
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trueSpace version 7 |
Modeling, Rendering, Animation and Game Development. Excellent training materials and perhaps the very best in the industry. |
$600 list |
Version 1 is 20 years old. |
Vue Infinite version 5 (version 6 due 2006)
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Limited modeling, excellent scenery generation, terrains, atmosphere, lighting, animation. Vue has a technology called Solid Growth which randomly generates realistic trees, flowers, shrubs, etc. The randomness can be user controlled. You can generate a whole forest of individual looking tress in a few clicks. |
$600 list |
Vue, Poser and Anime Studio (formerly Manga Studio) were independent companies that cooperated closely and eventually came under the eFrontier umbrella. |
Poser version 6 (version 7 due 2006) |
Create life-like, photorealistic models of people, animals, other living things. Figure modeling, general modeling, rendering and animation. |
$250 list |
Excellent choices of rendering engines, very nice high quality. Has a facility to take a photograph of a person and let your put it on a figure’s face so that you could easily make a 3D model of your favorite person or enemy. Many animal models are made for Poser, and this includes birds, livestock, dinosaurs, fish, dogs and cats. |
Anime Studio |
Successor to Manga Studio. 2D and 3D anime and modeling, animation. Stock figures, create your own, purchase others from vendors. |
$200 list |
“Anime Studio 5 is your complete 2D animation program for creating movies, cartoons, anime or cut out animations. Create your own desktop animated shorts in the style of SouthParkStudios.com and JibJab.com, or use Anime Studio to produce full-length animation for film, video or streaming over the web. Anime Studio allows digital enthusiasts at home and professionals in the studio bring their imagination to life!” |
Maya version 8 (2006 release) |
Modeling, Rendering, Animation |
Maya 8, list $2000 |
Without a doubt the most professional of all the packages here, but not always the best. It makes sense to learn Maya, but it is not the best starting package. It is something to learn after you have built basic skills. That said, the 2D paint program built into the system is remarkable and well worth having. |
3ds Max version 8 (2006 release) |
Modeling, Rendering, Animation |
$3495 list |
Liked by engineers, but used heavily in all modeling. Many artists develop using other products, but use 3ds Max for final rendering. |
Autocad 2007 |
Drafting and Rendering |
$3995 list |
Preferred by architects and engineers |
Carrara Pro verion 5 |
Modeling, Rendering, Animation |
$400 list |
Good generator of scenery, excellent tree models. DAZ Productions has lowered the cost ownership on a large number of products which it bought and re-released at major discount: Bryce, Hexagon, Carrara, Mimic |
Houdini version 8.1 |
Modeling, Rendering, |
Houdini Master $17,000 |
Professional product used by production studios |
Lightwave 3D version 9 |
Modeling, Rendering, Animation |
$1600 list |
One of the industry standard formats. Good particles, hair, fur (all of which are difficult to do in 3D) |
Bryce 5.5 |
Previously owned by Corel, it is coming into new life with the DAZ pricing. Modeling, Rendering, Animation |
$100 list |
Good tree generation, over 150 types. Scenery generation, atmosphere. |
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Other Packages |
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Adobe Photoshop CS2 |
The graphics standard. |
$600 list |
Filters and plug-ins can add another $1,000 per copy, but should be considered. They greatly extend the usefulness of this product. |
Deep Exploration version 4 |
3d object browser: can allow user to view numerous object types, convert from one type to another, edit materials used, and see detailed specifications of the object |
$450 list |
A browser which helps to organize your objects. Even if you use only one 3D software product, you typically will have ten or more different object types. Opens objects quickly, whereas 3D programs take to start. Right Hemisphere may be the engine that allows 3D in Adobe Acrobat 3D. |
Adobe Premier |
Video editing, excellent all-around package |
$1130 Studio Premium list |
Good, all-around package with many extras: plug-ins, video filters and effects |
Sound Forge version 8 |
Digital audio editing |
$70 list |
Industry standard |
Adobe Acrobat 3D |
Incorporate 150 3D model types in PDFs for collaborative work |
$1200 list |
We have two copies and are testing suitability. This product should drop in price closer to Adobe Acrobat Professional. Uses Right Hemisphere browser technology. |
Painter version IX.5 |
Brushes for painting and drawing designed by traditional artists. This product has a look and fee that is not found in Adobe products or others. Support layers, used Adobe style filters and add-ons. Worth every penny. |
$250 list |
A highly useful tool to have in addition to Photoshop. Also supports animation. Excellent for creating unique textures. One example: they support the industry standard for a computerized loom, so that you can give weaving instructions to one of the interfaces, and it will ‘weave” the cloth pattern you specify. Off interest to textile design folks. |
Mimic Pro |
Take a text file of your choice and a character model you prefer, and it will animate the figure giving it a voice of your choosing, speaking your text. |
$200 list |
Playful, easy, quite good. |
Virtual Fashion basic version 1.1 |
Easy clothing design for Poser figures. These figures, with clothing, can be imported in all the 3D products listed here. |
$99 list (released 2006) |
“Using Virtual Fashion for Poser you can quickly create any garment you choose, including skirts, dresses, jackets, pants, capes, and even shoes! Virtual Fashion's intuitive interface is easy-to-learn and makes clothing design fun!” |
