Skip to main content

Build your own SciFi: 3D

For the last few decades, one of the major players in the graphics/3D modeling/rendering/animation arena has been Caligari Truespace. Their all-in-one 3D software suite sold for $600 and required nothing else to take you from start to finish on creating your own models, movies, animations and commercials. You can download it here for free, and you can see the full specification list to get an idea of just how powerful this tool set is.

While not completely free (you have to buy the magazine), you can get Realsoft 3D 5.1 on the disk that comes with this months 3D World Magazine. Another industrial grade software suite, this one normally sells for $750, and again covers every aspect of the 3D modeling and animation process from beginning to end.

Both of these are professional fully featured animation packages, actually used to create things you have seen online, on TV, and in the theaters. If I had to choose between them I would go with Truespace, but that is probably because I have used it for the last decade or so and was always impressed with the results it gave. I don’t have the same hands-on experience with Realsoft, so I have no basis of comparison so far. Thanks to Vesa (a name, not a credit card) in their Tech Support group, who helped solve my registration issues, I now have the chance to find out, and will report back here about it.

Caligari’s Truespace was bought about a year ago by Microsoft, who changed the price to free. The idea was to make this the core tool for creating content for their Virtual Earth project in their ongoing battle with Google. The economy train wreck means Microsoft has pulled back support for the product a few weeks ago, so you should download all the software, plugins, and training materials for your archives now, as at least some of them may be going away.

With Realsoft 3D, they have released version 6 for the full money amount, and are offering an upgrade deal (just under $400) for those who install 5.1 from the magazine. Basically a variation on Trialware without actually crippling the software before making it available; it is only missing the new bug fixes and features of the more recent version. The June issue of 3D World actually leaves the stands on June 24th, so you still have 2 weeks to go out and find a copy; after that it will be gone.

Torchwood/Who/Human dates announced, SciFi Sims contest

Thanks to this Underwire article we finally have the dates for this years Torchwood: Children of Earth run, as well as the airing of the first Doctor Who special: July 20th. That is the day BBC America goes HD, and they are going to max out the Sci-Fi to celebrate. Torchwood runs Monday through Friday of that week, airing each episode just a few hours after it shows for the first time in the UK. Then on Saturday the 25th they will show the season 3 finale of Primeval, followed by the series premier of Being Human. They finish up their first week as a Hi-Def channel on Sunday with the Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead special. I just may have to rewire my TV to use the HD input for this one. IO9 are running a SciFi Sims Contest which looks like fun but seems just a bit recursive to me. Create your best science fiction still image, scene, or movie using the Sims software environment and submit them by June 9th. The winner gets a copy of The Sims 3 package and $250 online cash equivalent.

Build your own SciFi: 3D

If you want to create your own 3D SciFi images and animations, you will need software suitable for the job, and there are some free resources to help you. DAZ Studio is one of the best, although I recommend scrolling down the page to the stable version rather than grabbing the Beta. If you are really adventurous, DAZ 3D 3.0 Beta version is now available. There are tons of free 3D models to use within that enviro online as well. Another world-class software package is Blender, which just released its new stable version yesterday; and again, lots of free models are available. Then there is POV Raytracer, like Blender a Linux freeware program that has now made its port into the Windoze and MAC environments. There are a lot of online tutorials for Point Of View you might want to check out. For building 3D landscapes to allow your animations to have a place to happen, they have released Bryce 5.5 as freeware, as well as programs like Anim8or and Dogwaffle to create animations from your source files with.

Build your own SciFi: 3D

If you like working with 3D animation or scenes, you should stop by the NASA 3D Resources site. They have a number of 3D models there free for public downloading and use, including the Shuttle, the ISS, and the Hubble Space Telescope. Another good resource is SciFi Meshes, where a community of model builders upload and share their work. 3D Total has a number of free models and textures, as well as a series of tutorials for creating your own.

Build your own SciFi: Animation

Fox is usually the last network on the planet I would recommend to people as a place to get their product distributed, but there are signs recently that it might be improving. With its renewal of Dollhouse, it has finally proved it understands there are gains to be made beyond the current weeks ratings. Part of that new understanding has to have been caused by another Joss Whedan property, Firefly, which sold 440,000 copies in its first week of release as a DVD, even though Fox had canceled the show. Now they are running a competition to add to their animation lineup, and YOU could be that animator! The contest entry point is at Aniboom, and they are looking for a 2 to 4 minute animation segment showcasing why your concept should be picked up by the network and produced into a weekly series. If you ever wanted to build your own sci-fi, this is a perfect opportunity to get started.

SF Online World Building, Singing

Building and singing… the world does both. Here are two excellent examples.

Scalzi, Hayden, and Bucknell took part in a panel, recorded and now online, called A Study in Online Community Building, all about how to create the future of publishing in an online world. I expect you will enjoy this, but I hope you will learn from it as well. I certainly learned a bit, and thanks to Brenda Cooper for the link. And then the Stand By Me World Cover, courtesy of Zadi and by way of Gizmodo. Thanks, gang!


Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me” from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.