3D Modeling

[... copied and pasted from an earlier page on my old teaching site, but still largely unedited and unformatted. Please bear with me]

3D file formats

RWX (RenderWare), COB, 3DS (3D Studio), OBJ (Wavefront Object Files ), 3DMF (QuickDraw 3D MetaFile Format), 3DML (Flatland), DXF (Autodesk’s AutoCAD), SVR (Superscape Virtual Reality), … VRML and X3D are covered separately in the “Web 3D” tutorials.

Readings:
Rule, K. (1996). 3D Graphics File Formats: A Programmer’s Reference. Addison-Wesley Pub Co.

Reference:

Graphic file formats (from University of Hanover)
» http://www.tnt.uni-hannover.de/soft/compgraph/fileformats/
[Link updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

The Graphics File Formats Page
» http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/mxr/gfx/3d-hi.html
[Link updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

3D Object File Formats
» http://cmp.felk.cvut.cz/~pajdla/Doc/3D.formats.html
[Link updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

3D File Translators / file format conversion software

the Web3D Repository (a directory of 3D file translators)

» http://www.web3d.org/applications/tools/utilities_and_translators/
[Link updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

Crossroads 3D

» http://home.europa.com/%7Ekeithr/Crossroads/index.html

Modeling software

Blender
Exports VRML 2.0; X3D export available separately. (Open source; Linux, Solaris, Irix, Mac, PPCLinux, FreeBSD, BeOS, Win95/98/2000/NT/XP)
» http://www.blender3d.org
» http://www.blender.org
[Links updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

See text tutorials at:

» http://www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html
» http://www.blender3d.org/_media/education/quickstart/ Blender_User_Interface.html
» http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro

and video tutorials at:
» http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Video_Tutorials.396.0.html
[Links verified and viewed 2 March 2005]

Also see online tutorial and gallery at ElYsiun:
» http://www.elysiun.com/tutorials.php
[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

Wings 3D
» http://www.wings3d.com
See tutorials at:
» http://www.wings3d.com/tutorials.php
» http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Category:Wings_3D
and the tutorial listings at 3D Valley:
» http://www.3dvalley.com/phplinks/index.php? …
For tutorials specifically related to sculpting objects to be imported into Second Life, Read:
» http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Wings_3D
You’ll also need the Sculpty exporter for Wings 3D, downloadable (with instructions) from:
» http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?…
Second Life Sculpted Prim Tutorial

Modeling in Wings 3D

There are a number of other useful Wings 3D tutorials on YouTube. Search with terms ‘wings 3d’ and ‘wings 3d tutorial’ to find more.
[Links verified and viewed 20 Feb 2008]

trueSpaceDownload free full version 3.0 from:
» http://forms.caligari.com/forms/ts3all_free.html
[Link updated and viewed 2 March 2005]

EQUINOX-3D3D modeler with fully integrated ray-tracer
» http://www.equinox3d.comDocumentation (PDFs) and help at:
» http://www.equinox3d.com/Help.html
[Links updated and viewed 1 March 2006]

Cult 3Dinteractive 3D animations for the web; browser plug-in + authoring kit; exports objects or scenes from 3D Studio MAX 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0
» http://www.cult3d.com
[Link updated and viewed 23 Feb 2005]Tutorials at:
» http://www.cult3d.com/designers/tutorials.html

RenderWareAuthoring software:
Modeler 1.2.1.5 (RWX modeller for ActiveWorlds)
» http://www.rwmodeler.com
[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

3D Canvas
Not to be confused with the Apple <canvas> element. The free version of the programme exports to .obj, .raw, .nff. The inexpensive Pro version exports to additional formats, including .wrl» http://www.amabilis.com/products.htm
[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

Meshwork
3D triangle-mesh modeling program for Mac, designed especially for making compact, efficient objects for use in 3D games or on the web. Imports and exports several file formats, including DXF and optimized 3DMF. It can also be used to produce VRML for the web, models for POV-Ray, sprites, models for OpenGL applications, and more. Download:
» http://www.codenautics.com/meshwork/index.html
[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

Flatland
3DML (3D Markup Language) file format.» http://www.flatland.comTutorials at:
» http://www.flatland.net/blog/?page_id=48[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]

K-3D”a complete free-as-in-freedom 3D modeling, animation and rendering system. K-3D features a robust, object oriented plugin architecture, designed to scale to the needs of professional artists. It is designed from the ground up to generate motion picture quality animation using RenderMan compliant render engines. “
» http://www.k-3d.org
[Link verified and viewed 28 Feb 2006]

SharpConstruct
“SharpConstruct is a 3D modeling program designed to paint depth on to polygon models in real-time. Unlike traditional modeling programs, SharpConstruct makes it easy to model organic shapes. There is no need to even look at a wireframe (unless you want to). Instead, the model is manipulated much like clay — push or pull an area, smooth it, make a hollow or a hill. The entire process is both simple and organic; you won’t need years of modeling experience to create detailed models in SharpConstruct”. Download:
» http://sharp3d.sourceforge.net
[Link verified and viewed 28 Jan 2006]

Strata 3D
See online tutorial at works.3d.com:
» http://works.3d.com/onlinemanuals/

Superscape / ViscapeAuthoring software:
DO 3D (allows export and import as VRML, although saves in the Superscape .SVR file format)
» http://www.do3d.com3D Webmaster
» http://www.3dwebmaster.com/Examples:
» The Liceu, Barcelona» Die Virtuelle Stadt, with subway link to … » CyberBerlin» Examples worlds from Superscape» Examples worlds from Alicante Virtual» Examples worlds from VRServices
Downloads:
» 3D Webmaster download» Do 3D download» Viscape download» Paraworld download and examples

Games and the broader application of game technologiesThe Games Alliance Source
» http://www.ga-source.com/Half-Life / Worldcraft
» http://halflife.gamedesign.net
[Link verified and viewed 23 Feb 2005]Epic MegaGames
» http://www.epicgames.comUnreal
» http://www.unreal.com
and
» http://www.unreal.co.ukThe Unreal Editing Engine (with tutorials) can be downloaded from:» http://www.planetunreal.com/unrealed/Unrealty (the Unreal technology used for real estate; see white paper and demo)
» http://www.unrealty.netDigital (http://www.digitalo.com) and the VRND Project
» http://www.vrndproject.comResources
NuoviMundi — network multiplayer gaming guide and game demos» http://www.reference.it/Nuovimondi

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