THE FREE Software list: major image warning.
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 1:18 pm
I thought i'd post the list here, since this is the new home for many, hope it will be stickied
Also added some stuff exclusively here.
Here we go:
3d modeling apps:
-blender: http://www.blender.org
Pros:One of the most powerful free 3d apps with a big community.
Cons: A really daunting interface.
-wings 3d: http://www.wings3d.com
Pros: a great subdivision modeling tool.
cons: no animation included.
-anim8tor: http://www.anim8or.com
Pros: great animating and modeling package, relatively easy to use.
Cons: The community seems a bit inactive... just an impression.
-Deled: http://www.delgine.com
Pros: A very simple and effective solution to make static objects (buildings..)
Cons: The lite (free) version is a bit too basic compared to other packages.
-3D canvas: http://www.amabilis.com
pros: a great modeling and animation tool.
cons: once again, it seems that you are a castaway using the free version.
-XSI mod tool: http://www.softimage.com/products/modtool/
pros: get a renown software for free.
cons: can be a bit scary at first!
-GameSpace light: http://www.caligari.com/gamespace/gsl/gsl.asp
pros: the light (free) version have all the same tools that exist in the paying version!
cons: restricted polygon usage and limited exporting capabilities
-Gmax: http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax
pros: based on the popular (And expensive) 3Ds max so its relatively powerful and especialy built for game content
cons: It also inherits the dreadful UI from it's bigger brother
-K3d: http://www.k-3d.org/wiki/Main_Page
pros: a powerful modeling/animating open source tool
cons: it requires basic knowlege of programming (i don't know a single line of code )
-Misfit model 3d: http://www.misfitcode.com/misfitmodel3d/main.html
pros: open source modeling tool with support for skeletal animation
cons: the supported formats are a bit limited
-4D Blue: http://www.4dblue.com/home.html
pros: great modeling and animating tool
cons: it seems like the development on it has stopped (correct me if i'm wrong)
-truespace 7.6: http://cart1.caligari.com/web/Truespacemainreg.aspx
pros:A commercial package released for free and all it's professional tools are now ours!
cons: It currently has limited exporting capabilities.
-CBmodelPro: http://www.cbmodelpro.com
pros: Great sculpting tool an free alternative to zbrush
cons: models can get pretty high poly and inapt to put in games
-Moonlight 3d: http://www.moonlight3d.eu
pros: very active development (nightly builds). If you can run java on your machine you can run moonlite3D.
cons: Hard learning curve. Need some programming knowledge.
-http://sketchup.google.com
pros: extremely easy to use good for rapid prototyping
cons: lacks the power and exporting capabilities of it's competitors
Map bakers:
-Nvidia Melody: http://developer.nvidia.com/object/melody_home.html
A great tool that bakes normal maps from high res models, with some other functions too.
-xnormal: http://www.xnormal.net/Default.aspx
xNormal is an application to generate normal / ambient occlusion / parallax displacement and relief maps. It can also project the texture of the highpoly model into the lowpoly mesh ( complete texture transfer, even with different topologies ) IT"S GREAT.
- Light Map Maker: http://www.awingsoft.com/LightMapMaker/ ... pmaker.htm
This tool bakes light maps and export them, adding great effects to your game.
AMD GPU MeshMapper: http://developer.amd.com/gpu/MeshMapper ... fault.aspx
Amd's counterpart for Nvidia's Melody. Use it for displacement and Normal map baking.
Miscellaneous applications:
-Make human: http://www.dedalo-3d.com
A GREAT tool to make customized characters for your games saving you loads of time and money.
-faceworx: http://www.looxis.com/en/k75.Downloads_ ... wnload.htm
a great tool that allows you to model a face from just two photos!!
-3D Object Converter: http://web.t-online.hu/karpo/
A 3d object converter (DUH!) with 524 supported formats!
-LithUnwrap: http://www.geocities.com/lithunwrap/?200814
unwraps a model to a bitmap so a texture could be painted later on.
-sprite forge: http://www.d-grafix.com/?page=spriteforge
A very useful app that converts 3d models into animated sprites!
-citygen: http://citygen.net/
it is still in the beta phase, but it is still useful to procedurally generate cityscape
-grenfish relief map generator: http://greenfish.extra.hu/downloads.php
Another amazingly useful application to randomly generate relief maps
-Alchemy: http://al.chemy.org
An ingenious innovating art tool that uses sound to make images. once fully mastered incredible art can be done with it!
Animation:
-DAZ studio: http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/studio/-/?
state of the art features with good animation tools and renderer
-synfig : http://www.synfig.org/Main_Page
A very powerful 2d vector based animation software
-Fragmotion: http://www.fragmosoft.com/
A powerful animation tool with modeling capabilities
Video
-Wax: http://www.debugmode.com/wax/
An amazing free video editing software, a must have for any studio toolset.
-virtual dub : http://www.virtualdub.org/
Easy and good for personal use but not so powerful.
Audio
-Audacity : http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Web
-Wink: http://www.debugmode.com/wink/
A good software to make flash walk throughs and tutorials
-Synthasite : http://www.synthasite.com
An amazing free web builder very easy to use recommend for beginner web masters.
-kompozer: http://kompozer.net
A great open source wysiwyg editor.
Landscape generators:
-terragen: http://www.planetside.co.uk
A great terrain generator with the version 2 beta released.
-Earth sculptor: http://www.earthsculptor.com/
another good terrain modeling solution.
-bryce 5.5: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/06/16 ... -for-free/
A great versatile and professional approach to landscape modeling. It also has GREAT material possibilities.
-landscape studio: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Science-CA ... udio.shtml
Another landscape generator.
-L3dt: http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/
Great potential but sadly, the free version is limited. commonly used for rts mods.
-HemaHema: http://reinerstileset.4players.de/hemahemaE.html
In my opinion, the best landscape generation tool around, free without any limitations!
-Nem's terrain generator: http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=8
A great tool for making megaterrains.
Texture and Procedural generators:
-MaPZone: http://www.mapzoneeditor.com
the GREATEST material tool.
-Shader Designer: http://www.typhoonlabs.com/
A good tool but unfortunately the development on it stopped
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
- http://www.imageafter.com
A great free collection of commercial use textures.
-masonry designer: http://www.trinity3d.com/free3dtools/
this tool provides brick texture generation.
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
-paver designer: http://www.trinity3d.com/free3dtools/
this tool generates pavement textures
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
-bricks'n'tiles: http://www.3d-rekonstruktionen.de/bricksntiles/
A tool that makes seamless brick texture from virtually any source image
-wood workshop: http://www.spiralgraphics.biz/ww_overview.htm
A tool that generates tons of seamless wood textures.
2d editors:
-The Gimp: http://www.gimp.org
A great image manipulating tool could be used to make custom textures
-inkscape: http://www.inkscape.org
another great free 2d editor
-paint.net: http://www.getpaint.net
A simple yet very powerful tool with layer system capabilities
-Artweaver: http://www.artweaver.de/index.php?en_version
Aiming at a more artistic crowd, this editor is still capable of fast texture making.
-Pencil: http://www.les-stooges.org/pascal/penci ... hp?id=Home
A simple 2d paint and animation software.
Trees and plants generators:
-Dryad: http://dryad.stanford.edu/
A great tree generator.
-ivy generator: http://graphics.uni-konstanz.de/%7Eluft/ivy_generator/
like it's name says.. it's an ivy generator. And a great one!
-ngPlant: http://ngplant.sourceforge.net/
another plant generator.
-Tree generator 1.2: http://www.treegenerator.com/download.htm
an older free version of a commercial tree generator
-Plant studio: http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com/PlantStudio/
A good plant generator.
-Tree[d]: http://www.frecle.net/forum/viewtopic.p ... light=tree.
THE tree generator to have!
world editors:
-Gile[s]: http://www.frecle.net/giles
Specializes in light mapping.
-LiquidLight: http://liquidlight.edgesoftware.uni.cc
A terrain editor made for game maker but can be used for other software.
-pnp terrain: http://www.pnp-terraincreator.com/
A community supported world editor
-Irredit: http://www.ambiera.com/irredit/
world editor for irrlicht but is worth checking out for all sorts of projects.
................................................................................................................................................................................
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you like the list. Any software suggestions appreciated.
Also added some stuff exclusively here.
Here we go:
3d modeling apps:
-blender: http://www.blender.org
Pros:One of the most powerful free 3d apps with a big community.
Cons: A really daunting interface.
-wings 3d: http://www.wings3d.com
Pros: a great subdivision modeling tool.
cons: no animation included.
-anim8tor: http://www.anim8or.com
Pros: great animating and modeling package, relatively easy to use.
Cons: The community seems a bit inactive... just an impression.
-Deled: http://www.delgine.com
Pros: A very simple and effective solution to make static objects (buildings..)
Cons: The lite (free) version is a bit too basic compared to other packages.
-3D canvas: http://www.amabilis.com
pros: a great modeling and animation tool.
cons: once again, it seems that you are a castaway using the free version.
-XSI mod tool: http://www.softimage.com/products/modtool/
pros: get a renown software for free.
cons: can be a bit scary at first!
-GameSpace light: http://www.caligari.com/gamespace/gsl/gsl.asp
pros: the light (free) version have all the same tools that exist in the paying version!
cons: restricted polygon usage and limited exporting capabilities
-Gmax: http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax
pros: based on the popular (And expensive) 3Ds max so its relatively powerful and especialy built for game content
cons: It also inherits the dreadful UI from it's bigger brother
-K3d: http://www.k-3d.org/wiki/Main_Page
pros: a powerful modeling/animating open source tool
cons: it requires basic knowlege of programming (i don't know a single line of code )
-Misfit model 3d: http://www.misfitcode.com/misfitmodel3d/main.html
pros: open source modeling tool with support for skeletal animation
cons: the supported formats are a bit limited
-4D Blue: http://www.4dblue.com/home.html
pros: great modeling and animating tool
cons: it seems like the development on it has stopped (correct me if i'm wrong)
-truespace 7.6: http://cart1.caligari.com/web/Truespacemainreg.aspx
pros:A commercial package released for free and all it's professional tools are now ours!
cons: It currently has limited exporting capabilities.
-CBmodelPro: http://www.cbmodelpro.com
pros: Great sculpting tool an free alternative to zbrush
cons: models can get pretty high poly and inapt to put in games
-Moonlight 3d: http://www.moonlight3d.eu
pros: very active development (nightly builds). If you can run java on your machine you can run moonlite3D.
cons: Hard learning curve. Need some programming knowledge.
-http://sketchup.google.com
pros: extremely easy to use good for rapid prototyping
cons: lacks the power and exporting capabilities of it's competitors
Map bakers:
-Nvidia Melody: http://developer.nvidia.com/object/melody_home.html
A great tool that bakes normal maps from high res models, with some other functions too.
-xnormal: http://www.xnormal.net/Default.aspx
xNormal is an application to generate normal / ambient occlusion / parallax displacement and relief maps. It can also project the texture of the highpoly model into the lowpoly mesh ( complete texture transfer, even with different topologies ) IT"S GREAT.
- Light Map Maker: http://www.awingsoft.com/LightMapMaker/ ... pmaker.htm
This tool bakes light maps and export them, adding great effects to your game.
AMD GPU MeshMapper: http://developer.amd.com/gpu/MeshMapper ... fault.aspx
Amd's counterpart for Nvidia's Melody. Use it for displacement and Normal map baking.
Miscellaneous applications:
-Make human: http://www.dedalo-3d.com
A GREAT tool to make customized characters for your games saving you loads of time and money.
-faceworx: http://www.looxis.com/en/k75.Downloads_ ... wnload.htm
a great tool that allows you to model a face from just two photos!!
-3D Object Converter: http://web.t-online.hu/karpo/
A 3d object converter (DUH!) with 524 supported formats!
-LithUnwrap: http://www.geocities.com/lithunwrap/?200814
unwraps a model to a bitmap so a texture could be painted later on.
-sprite forge: http://www.d-grafix.com/?page=spriteforge
A very useful app that converts 3d models into animated sprites!
-citygen: http://citygen.net/
it is still in the beta phase, but it is still useful to procedurally generate cityscape
-grenfish relief map generator: http://greenfish.extra.hu/downloads.php
Another amazingly useful application to randomly generate relief maps
-Alchemy: http://al.chemy.org
An ingenious innovating art tool that uses sound to make images. once fully mastered incredible art can be done with it!
Animation:
-DAZ studio: http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/studio/-/?
state of the art features with good animation tools and renderer
-synfig : http://www.synfig.org/Main_Page
A very powerful 2d vector based animation software
-Fragmotion: http://www.fragmosoft.com/
A powerful animation tool with modeling capabilities
Video
-Wax: http://www.debugmode.com/wax/
An amazing free video editing software, a must have for any studio toolset.
-virtual dub : http://www.virtualdub.org/
Easy and good for personal use but not so powerful.
Audio
-Audacity : http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Web
-Wink: http://www.debugmode.com/wink/
A good software to make flash walk throughs and tutorials
-Synthasite : http://www.synthasite.com
An amazing free web builder very easy to use recommend for beginner web masters.
-kompozer: http://kompozer.net
A great open source wysiwyg editor.
Landscape generators:
-terragen: http://www.planetside.co.uk
A great terrain generator with the version 2 beta released.
-Earth sculptor: http://www.earthsculptor.com/
another good terrain modeling solution.
-bryce 5.5: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/06/16 ... -for-free/
A great versatile and professional approach to landscape modeling. It also has GREAT material possibilities.
-landscape studio: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Science-CA ... udio.shtml
Another landscape generator.
-L3dt: http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/
Great potential but sadly, the free version is limited. commonly used for rts mods.
-HemaHema: http://reinerstileset.4players.de/hemahemaE.html
In my opinion, the best landscape generation tool around, free without any limitations!
-Nem's terrain generator: http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=8
A great tool for making megaterrains.
Texture and Procedural generators:
-MaPZone: http://www.mapzoneeditor.com
the GREATEST material tool.
-Shader Designer: http://www.typhoonlabs.com/
A good tool but unfortunately the development on it stopped
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
- http://www.imageafter.com
A great free collection of commercial use textures.
-masonry designer: http://www.trinity3d.com/free3dtools/
this tool provides brick texture generation.
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
-paver designer: http://www.trinity3d.com/free3dtools/
this tool generates pavement textures
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE (if you could provide any please pm me)
-bricks'n'tiles: http://www.3d-rekonstruktionen.de/bricksntiles/
A tool that makes seamless brick texture from virtually any source image
-wood workshop: http://www.spiralgraphics.biz/ww_overview.htm
A tool that generates tons of seamless wood textures.
2d editors:
-The Gimp: http://www.gimp.org
A great image manipulating tool could be used to make custom textures
-inkscape: http://www.inkscape.org
another great free 2d editor
-paint.net: http://www.getpaint.net
A simple yet very powerful tool with layer system capabilities
-Artweaver: http://www.artweaver.de/index.php?en_version
Aiming at a more artistic crowd, this editor is still capable of fast texture making.
-Pencil: http://www.les-stooges.org/pascal/penci ... hp?id=Home
A simple 2d paint and animation software.
Trees and plants generators:
-Dryad: http://dryad.stanford.edu/
A great tree generator.
-ivy generator: http://graphics.uni-konstanz.de/%7Eluft/ivy_generator/
like it's name says.. it's an ivy generator. And a great one!
-ngPlant: http://ngplant.sourceforge.net/
another plant generator.
-Tree generator 1.2: http://www.treegenerator.com/download.htm
an older free version of a commercial tree generator
-Plant studio: http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com/PlantStudio/
A good plant generator.
-Tree[d]: http://www.frecle.net/forum/viewtopic.p ... light=tree.
THE tree generator to have!
world editors:
-Gile[s]: http://www.frecle.net/giles
Specializes in light mapping.
-LiquidLight: http://liquidlight.edgesoftware.uni.cc
A terrain editor made for game maker but can be used for other software.
-pnp terrain: http://www.pnp-terraincreator.com/
A community supported world editor
-Irredit: http://www.ambiera.com/irredit/
world editor for irrlicht but is worth checking out for all sorts of projects.
................................................................................................................................................................................
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you like the list. Any software suggestions appreciated.