List of 3D animation software

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The following is a list of 3D animation software that have articles in Wikipedia.

TitleLicenseReleasedDevelopment
3D Movie Maker MIT License 1995March 18, 1995
Akeytsu Commercial proprietary software
Aladdin4D Commercial proprietary software ongoing
Anim8or Freeware
Autodesk 3ds Max Trialware April 1996ongoing
Autodesk Maya Trialware February 1, 1998ongoing
Autodesk MotionBuilder Trialware
Autodesk Softimage Discontinued (Trialware)20002015
Blender GPL v2 or laterJanuary 2, 1994ongoing
Bryce Discontinued (Trialware)1994December 23, 2010
Carrara Commercial proprietary software
Cheetah3D Trialware
Cinema 4D Proprietary
Clara.io Proprietary
Daz Studio Freemium 2005ongoing
Electric Image Animation System Demoware
Houdini Trialware
iClone Trialware
LightWave 3D Trialware
Messiah Proprietary
MikuMikuDance Freeware
Modo Trialware
Moviestorm Trialware
Muvizu Trialware
Oculus Quill Proprietary
Presto Proprietary
Poser Commercial proprietary software 1995February 2021
Shade 3D Trialware
Source Filmmaker Freeware
trueSpace Discontinued
ZBrush Commercial proprietary software

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer animation</span> Art of creating moving images using computers

Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating moving images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both still images and moving images, while computer animation only refers to moving images. Modern computer animation usually uses 3D computer graphics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided design</span> Constructing a product by means of computer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vector graphics editor</span> Type of application software

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autodesk Maya</span> 3D computer graphics software

Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya, is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for interactive 3D applications, animated films, TV series, and visual effects.

This comparison of free software for audio lists notable free and open source software for use by sound engineers, audio producers, and those involved in sound recording and reproduction.

Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities and a flexible plugin architecture and must be used on the Microsoft Windows platform. It is frequently used by video game developers, many TV commercial studios, and architectural visualization studios. It is also used for movie effects and movie pre-visualization. 3ds Max features shaders, dynamic simulation, particle systems, radiosity, normal map creation and rendering, global illumination, a customizable user interface, and its own scripting language.

The Computer Animation Production System (CAPS) was a proprietary collection of software, scanning camera systems, servers, networked computer workstations, and custom desks developed by The Walt Disney Company and Pixar in the late 1980s. Although outmoded by the mid-2000s, it succeeded in reducing labor costs for ink and paint and post-production processes of traditionally animated feature films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS). It also provided an entirely new palette of digital tools to the animation filmmakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real-time computer graphics</span> Sub-field of computer graphics

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In computer graphics, graphics software refers to a program or collection of programs that enable a person to manipulate images or models visually on a computer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graphic art software</span> Subclass of application software

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3D rendering</span> Process of converting 3D scenes into 2D images

3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of converting 3D models into 2D images on a computer. 3D renders may include photorealistic effects or non-photorealistic styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motion graphics</span> Digital footage or animation which create the illusion of motion or rotation

Motion graphics are pieces of animation or digital footage that create the illusion of motion or rotation, and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects. Motion graphics are usually displayed via electronic media technology, but may also be displayed via manual powered technology. The term distinguishes static graphics from those with a transforming appearance over time, without over-specifying the form. While any form of experimental or abstract animation can be called motion graphics, the term typically more explicitly refers to the commercial application of animation and effects to video, film, TV, and interactive applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3D computer graphics</span> Graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data

3D computer graphics, sometimes called CGI, 3-D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics, are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering digital images, usually 2D images but sometimes 3D images. The resulting images may be stored for viewing later or displayed in real time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer graphics</span> Graphics created using computers

Computer graphics deals with generating images and art with the aid of computers. Computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, digital art, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. A great deal of specialized hardware and software has been developed, with the displays of most devices being driven by computer graphics hardware. It is a vast and recently developed area of computer science. The phrase was coined in 1960 by computer graphics researchers Verne Hudson and William Fetter of Boeing. It is often abbreviated as CG, or typically in the context of film as computer generated imagery (CGI). The non-artistic aspects of computer graphics are the subject of computer science research.

The history of computer animation began as early as the 1940s and 1950s, when people began to experiment with computer graphics – most notably by John Whitney. It was only by the early 1960s when digital computers had become widely established, that new avenues for innovative computer graphics blossomed. Initially, uses were mainly for scientific, engineering and other research purposes, but artistic experimentation began to make its appearance by the mid-1960s – most notably by Dr. Thomas Calvert. By the mid-1970s, many such efforts were beginning to enter into public media. Much computer graphics at this time involved 2-D imagery, though increasingly as computer power improved, efforts to achieve 3-D realism became the emphasis. By the late 1980s, photo-realistic 3-D was beginning to appear in film movies, and by mid-1990s had developed to the point where 3-D animation could be used for entire feature film production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3D modeling</span> Form of computer-aided engineering

In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of a surface of an object in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, and polygons in a simulated 3D space.

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