With the advent of James Cameron's blockbuster movie Avatar, 3D multimedia graphic development is in the forefront for design in 2010. MacTribe gives the budding 3D designer an overview of the best tools available with releases from Smith Micro, Luxology, Daz3D, Toon Boom and BeLight.
Toon Boom Animate and Animate Pro
Not all 3D is long-torsoed blue aliens--in fact some of our favorite movies are done in 3D animation. And just because the characters aren't always human doesn't mean that any less work goes in to crafting them realistically. Toon Boom's Animate gets the job done, and well, with plenty of options integrated into their unique Paperless Work Flow. Well laid out, easy to use and hiding lots of power behind its user friendly interface, Animate not only lets you work in any animation style--it also offers "customized kick-start programs" and multi-language support dubbed the best in the industry.
Some features include multi-layer vector engines, 3D multi-plane camera, special effects (fifteen in Animate, forty in Animate Pro) and high resolution bitmap support; all that means is you'll have everything you need to complete your newest master work in short order.
Whether you're upgrading to Animate or Animate Pro, you're buying a complete animation suite. The list of features with Pro is practically endless but neither program is capable of disappointing; from pencils to painting tools and playback to rendering, Toon Boom's programs make sure that your job is quick, easy and fun. Isn't that what we're all looking for in our work?
www.toonboom.com | Price: $699.99 for Animate, $1,999.99 for Pro
Luxology Modo 401
The latest version of Luxology's modo was made to deliver, and indeed it does. The original modo was created to maximize workflow and provide an easy to use intuitive interface for consumers, giving them the newest technology and great features without cluttering the menus or making the program hard to use. Engineers at Luxology say it's been a challenge to keep adding the goodies while keeping the UI simple, but modo 401 does just that.
One of the coolest new additions to this version is the Fur application--by applying a texture map and using a few simple commands, you can grow and arrange fibers to look like hair, tinsel, grass and control, sculpt and animate the attributes when you're finished. The end result looks so lifelike you'll be hard pressed to remember you created it. Volumetric lighting creates some unbelievable effects as well...if you've ever wanted to replicate a "cloud that is lit from behind by the sun at dusk" or the light diffused though museum windows at noon this feature will leave you breathless. The realism, again, floored us. Add those to the Instance Replicator, which allows you to render billions more polygons at a time, and you've got a serious program on your hands.
Artists and designer of all bents are sure to love the host of filters, features and just plain fun stuff that comes in modo 401. Not only that, but the company has a unique set of rules that come with the license of your software--you can use it on both Mac and PC because they license modo to you, not your computer. Also, if you find yourself without modo but with an internet connection and an intense desire to create, you can download modo and enter your license...just delete it when you're done. And "slave" mode lets you run the program on up to fifty machines in a network to get those super high-res images up and running fast.
www.luxology.com | Price: $995.00
Smith Micro: Poser Pro
Poser Pro is Smith Micro's advanced 3D program designed to save you time and effort without sacrificing image quality. It works with a variety of host programs (like Maxon's CINEMA 4D) and allows you to quickly create characters from its stores of thousands of pre-rigged and textured models. And in addition to being usable within lots of different programs, Poser Pro uses the industry standard COLLADA data exchange program to maximize the versatility of its 30,000 3D models.
A few features really make Poser Pro stand out; first of all, its 64 bit render engine means you'll never have to wait for your animations to be processed, nor compromise image quality for quick rendering. Your images will look even more realistic, too, thanks to the High Dynamic Range Image feature which supports Image Based Lighting and textures. And with Normal Map you can make any mesh 3D, even if you only have a low or medium poly model.
What does all this mean? Poser Pro is in the business of doing the painstaking work usually involved in 3D animation for you, so you can concentrate on getting to the finished product quickly and easily. The program even helps you get the most out of your hardware and render queue so you can render your massive battle scenes without taking out the network and lets you create animations by layering multiple strands of actions. It's powerful, it's flexible and it will save you time...and as we all know, time is money.
www.smithmicro.com | Price: $499.99
BeLight Software Live Interior 3D
Every technology needs a niche market and BeLight software has the 3D home design market on lockdown. With standard and pro editions of this award-winning software, everyone can get in on creating their dream home--or get the most out of the home they've got.
With 2D and 3D views as well as floor plans, lighting filters and exterior views, Live Interior 3D lets you walk through a place of your design, import objects and preview fabrics and colors before you shell out serious cash to paint your kitchen; after all, shouldn't you know what puce looks like before you agree to it?
With a wide variety of styles represented and a lot of ways to get your creations off your Mac and into your home (or your client's living rooms), professional designers and DIYers alike will appreciate the benefits of this easy to learn software.
www.belightsoft.com | Price: $49.95 for Standard, $129.95 for Pro
DAZ 3D DAZ Studio Advanced
Built to create, import and export your designs into COLLADA, DAZ 3D's DAZ Studio Advanced version is the perfect program for dipping your toes into 3D animation: not too heavy, not too light...Studio Advanced is just right. The best thing about the program is the control it gives to the artist in regard to rendering, allowing you to choose how, what are where you render. The latest version includes new advanced shaders and effects like Image Based Lighting, Global Illuminatin and Ambient Occlusion and well as great velvert, skin and hair surfaces. An advanced materila editor and figure mixer let you customize the pre-loaded shader bricks and shapes into anything you could possibly need to animate, and they're quick and easy thanks to the Studio's compatability with the 3Delight Render engine. If you want to get started but can't drop a month's rent on your software, check out Studio Advanced...or even better, the DAZ Studio 3 for free. Fewer options? Yes. But loads of free starting bundles make it an excellent way explore.
www.daz3d.com | Price: $149.95
