Computer Graphics
See
Game Resources
for real-time and interactive 3D links.
Spiraloid hosts 3D tips and tutorials.
Siggraph is the premier gathering of graphics researchers, artists and engineers. National Association of Broadcasters is another show that features lots of hardware.
For a variety of research topics, see David Baraff for physically-based modelling, Jim Blinn, Paul Debevec.
Recommended reading includes Graphic Gems series. and books by Jim Blinn. See game development resources for reading on real-time graphics.
Open Source and Standards
Scene Graphs
OpenSceneGraph is descended somewhat from Fahrenheit while OpenSG is descended more from Performer
OpenGL
OpenGL is the cross-platform immediate-mode 3D API. Mesa is an open source OpenGL workalike. The Khronos Group promotes OpenGL ES for small platforms. Collada is an XML schema for 3D descriptions.
Java
For open source development in Java, you can use an OpenGL binding such as JOGL or a scene graph API such as Java3D or xith3d.org. java3d.org and j3d.org have more information on Java3D. The Looking Glass 3D desktop is implemented in Java3D.
Python
Similarly, for Python, there's PyOpenGL and a scene graph API Panda3D. Python 3D lists applications.
Image Libraries
Open source image format libraries include libpng, libtiff, libjpeg, and FreeImage. FreeType provides font support. OpenType is an open standard for font descriptions. Image Magick provides image manipulation, OpenEXR is a high dynamic range file format and library from Industrial Light and Magic.
Visualization
Osirix is a MacOSX package for medical imaging. Celestia is a nifty astronomy visualization package with add-ons available on the Celestia Mother Lode
Web 3D
The successor to VRML is
.
Open-source browsers include
XJ3D
and
FreeWRL
(which also supports VRML)
Web3D tools running on MacOSX are listed on MacWeb3D.
The game development page also lists game engines and Flash extensions that support browser-based game deployment.
CAD
| Open Cascade | |
|
Unofficial software library of Lego parts |
| Mac Brick CAD | Mac editor using LDRAW |
Image Tools
and a high-end derivative,
Cinepaint.
Inkscape
creates vector graphics, in particular
SVG
documents.
Modellers
Wings 3D implemented in Erlang, uses the winged edge data structure, a subdivision method that has some advantages over the half edge data structure. See course notes and original paper.
Create models with
,
Art of Illusion,
implemented in Java.
Renderers
Ray-tracing renderers include POV-Ray, Radiance and YAFRay.
Commercial Tools
3D Desktops
Universe generates starfield images.
Panoramas
Panotools hosts the panorama community and Pangea Software provides panorama tools and services.
Diard Software provides the Universe Image Creator.
Asset Management
3D
3DNA is a 3D desktop for Windows.
Alias and Discreet for content creation. Lower cost tools include those from Curious Labs, Ulead, Luxology, Pixologic, and Sketchup. Shareware offerings include Milkshape3D, a popular modeller for game mods, and Cheetah3D, written specifically for MacOSX.
Terragen and World Machine are used for terrain creation.
For Kids
Kid Pix is a long-standing illustration package for children. Cosmic Blobs offers a similarly slick package for 3D scene creation and animation.
Resources
3D Galleries
3D Cafe lists jobs, tutorials and models. Renderosity features renderings. WordsEye allows natural language creation of 3D scenes. 3D Buzz...
3D Models
TurboSquid and 3DModelWorks list free and for sale models. Military models.
Textures
CGTextures.com
has free 3D-ready textures.
Astronomy textures are available from
,
JPL Space Simulator
and
Bjorn Johnsson
Fonts
Web Page Publicity and Divide By Zero offer free fonts.
