Blender the free CG Design Software!

[danizzil14]

Hello all,

I just wanted to inform anyone out there that there is a free, very very very very good 3D Computer Graphics program out there. And one of the main reasons I've gotten into python is because that program uses Python code to expand itself. (i.e: There is a python program that creates whole planets for you to use in space shots.)

One of the things that I really like about it is that it has a full fledged animation system. Armatures(bones), IPO(a graph displaying the movements of objects), and tweakable settings for the final animation.

It is maintained by the people who made the program and gets updated about every 2-5 months.

It is located at www.blender.org and\or www.blender3d.org(theyare remodeling.)

[Eku]

I've gone through the tutorial on Blender, and sheesh what a steep learning curve! I'm trained on AutoCAD, which I find to be intuitive at this point, if unfailingly goofy at times, and Blender is about as unlike ACAD as you can get. I'd love to use it at the office to do quick renderings and such, but translating from ACAD is rather cumbersome (.dxf files only)...but I'm just learning the program so perhaps there's hope?

What's the best (free!) forum for Blender and 3D programs in general?

[danizzil14]

Did you know that Blender has many, many tutorials and the getting started ones can be tough at times but keep pushing! Eventually you will get used to the Blender lingo and it should be smooth sailing from then on out. www.elYsiun.com is a free forum that covers everything from beggining blender all the way to python programming, displaying your finished work and even your W.I.P's

Hope I helped.

Oh and downloading Blender and playing around with it can help alot!

[Eku]

Thanks for da link! It looks like a good forum for noobs and non-noobs alike.

Let me just say that I really appreciate the fact that there are folks out there providing good programs for free download...lest my post above sound critical of Blender. My point is only that I'm so familiar with ACad, it's really tough for me to flail around in a new program. Once I get my rig set up for this 3D thing (my vid card recently bit the dust - new one on the way) I'll begin pluggin away at it again.

[jwenting]

Creators of 3D modelling software seem to be extremely excentric. I've seen (and to a degree used) several packages and each works completely different from all the others even in the core concepts used.

ACAD indeed isn't bad (though I've only limited experience with it and that with old DOS versions most of all).
Could be because I'm somewhat partial to using command lines to input data and ACAD allows that. Makes for more precise working.

[Eku]

Yup, command line is precise, and it's a good way to work. For the record, Blender does offer the option of entering coordinates. As I understand it (from the Forum mentioned above, not from experience...yet) the toughest thing is vertex snapping. My brief experience corroborates that, but perhaps I've missed it.

My issue isn't so much with how to use the program - I figure its like anything else, you learn by doing. My issue is the difficulty of converting an AutoCAD plan (which we use in the office exclusively) into a model for rendering. Not easy to do, and from the elysium forum, I can see a number of posts that address this. Get past this hurdle, and I'm in with both feet! :cheesy:

[jwenting]

Try GMax (from the makers of 3DS Max), I think it can import ACAD directly (or through a plugin).
I notice it's now also an Autodesk product...
While not a renderer itself you can use it to create models for several popular games which can act as a renderer for you.

[danizzil14]

I know Blender can import and export ACAD and i am positive that it can import/export dxf file too. I think it can do that with most of the major 3D files too.

[Eku]

Try GMax (from the makers of 3DS Max), I think it can import ACAD directly (or through a plugin).
I notice it's now also an Autodesk product...
While not a renderer itself you can use it to create models for several popular games which can act as a renderer for you.

Thanks! I downloaded gmax, but haven't yet installed it. When I went to the Autodesk website that features it, there was a testimonial by a guy who's doing exactly what I want to do - find a simple technology to present/create "walkthroughs" for architectural space. Perfect! I'll keep ya posted. :)

[Eku]

[sorry to post on an old thread, but it makes sense to do so]

So...I was able to import a .dxf into Blender, and though I didn't actually do any work on it, I could see how to work it into a model. (My previous efforts went wrong only because the plan imported into a far-reaching corner of the drawing I never saw...duh. :rolleyes: ) The renderer, especially with the yafray rendering program, is quite powerful. AND its free. So I'm going to see what I can do with it.

Also: I installed Gmax, and it is quite limited in the files one can import/export. Have not seen a plugin for further compatability...my google has failed me. But it is a very nice program, basically 3dMax 4 or so, and hey, I can do Quake III mods! :cheesy:

Thanks for the input, gents.