Blender 2.46

Publisher's description of Blender

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Blender is the open-source software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback. It is available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.Mostly a bug-fixing release, but it also adds a few new features like subsurface scattering (SSS) support and two new composite nodes. Version 2.46 includes cloth and fur simulation, physics caching and baking, shading, glossy reflection and refraction, raytraced soft shadows, improved rendering features, and more.

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Editor's review of Blender

If you've ever thought about making professional-quality animations but decided not to because of the cost of the software, your excuse just got up and walked out the door. Blender is a free, open-source 3D rendering program that puts the power of the medium back into the hands of the artist.

Blender features a laundry list of animation essentials that can be broken down into categories: Interface, Modeling, Rigging, Rendering, Animation, UV Unwrapping, Shading, Physics and Particles, Imaging and Compositing, and Real Time 3D/Game Creation. The interface, though loaded with complicated tools, is remarkable for neither obscuring nor interfering with the image being worked on. A brief sampling of tools and functions includes 3D paint for vertex weighing, polygon meshes, 2D and 3D procedural brushes, edge rendering, textures, collision simulation, and support for around two dozen 2D and 3D file formats. Extras can be added with Python scripting, and since it's open source, many scripts can be easily found for download in the user forums.

Blender is not for the faint of heart. Learning to use it is time-consuming and best done by following the detailed tutorials available on the Blender Web site. There is also an extensive online Blender community, making familiarization with the app less painful--if not pain-free. However, none of these detracts from the overall experience or usefulness of the program, and we strongly recommend it for advanced users.

User reviews of Blender

• Average user rating: out of 107 votes
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  Blender

  good

  by: saleh_duwahi on 23-May-2008 06:48:01 AM

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  Blender

  Amazing software!!!

  by: amerninja2 on 15-Jun-2008 07:48:50 PM

  Pros: With the 3d animation, amazing water, cloth, psysics engine, particle simulation, 3d game engine, and many other things, blender is an amazing peice of software and i'd definentally recommend it. But make sure you look at tutorials on youtube.

  Cons: nothing really...just hard to learn, youtube tutorials help.

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  Blender

  Excellent 3D program.

  by: Calego on 10-Jun-2008 07:53:47 AM

  Pros: A very powerful 3D rendering program with plenty of tutorials to get you started. Is capable of things like Pixar and Dreamworks have done, if you have patience and passion. Works fast of my computer with only 512 MB of RAM, but I managed to overload it once by accident. Has lots of useful shortcut features but it still takes patience.

  Cons: Complex processes. Not for the faint of heart.

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  Blender

  Great if you know how to use it.

  by: Mr.Infomer on 05-Jul-2008 07:05:14 AM

  Pros: Very great and capable of doing whatever you put your mind into. Some tutorial on youtude for people who doesnt know how to use this program, including myself. Has everything you need and wanted. Takes time to work with, but doesnt disappoint you. Free program and better than many programs that you have to pay for after the trial. Only reason why it's free because they dont provide decent tutorials, which youtude and other sites kicks in. After you get the info you want, you can create anything!! Just have to be patient <_<;;

  Cons: Uhhh.....For some OS 2000/XP computers, one file is missing...and restalling wont help it. So I offer you to use dll-files.com to search the files that the warning box says. These dlls files work for a lot of other free downloads in Cnet, including gaming online downloads. Bookmark it. :D

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  Blender

  Among the best

  by: nbonaparte1 on 08-Aug-2008 02:57:12 AM

  Pros: Blender is a remarkable program. I have not been able to find a free program that can produce higher quality work. This is easily as powerful as Maya. With some time and energy, you can create 3d shorts that rival Pixar and Dreamworks. Before long, you will be trying to do things in other programs that you can do in Blender, and them not working! It can become completely natural to you, despite its complexity.

  Cons: Highly complex. Blender is nigh on impossible to learn by simply messing around with everything. You absolutely must find a good set of tutorials. I found blender 3 years back, but opened it once and couldn't do anything, and closed it down. While surfing youtube, I found 22 tutorials by super3boy, and learned Blender. Check out those tutorials, they're great.

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