The Blender Megathread

[Reg]

[url=www.blender.org][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/blender-socket-1.png[/img]
[quote=blender.org]Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.[/quote][/url]

Blender is the best free Open-Source modelling toolkit. It has a lot of useful features which take it at the level of professional software. Its interface is cleverly designed to simplify access to the most important tools.
Being an Open-Source software keeps it in constant development, with the addition of new features every release. The current stable release is version 2.49. The next will be version 2.60.
The current development version, [b][u]Blender 2.50 alpha 2[/b][/u] [url=http://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-250/](downloadable from the site)[/url] includes a complete redesign and reorganisation of all tools and features (the old interface was 10 years old). While still in development, version 2.50 already has a lot of significant new features, like smoke simulation, volume rendering, particle-based fluids, indirect lighting, and many more. To help this development, the Blender Foundation is working on an Open-Source short (all files will be released at the end of the work and will be free to download), which aims at taking the new interface at the top of usability and speed.
Two other shorts have already been made with Blender:
[url=http://www.elephantsdream.org/][img_thumb]http://orange.blender.org/wp-content/themes/orange/images/media/logo_elephantsdream_lg.png[/img_thumb][/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff8pYTBGAo8]Watch Elephants Dream on YouTube (HD 1080p)[/url]
[url=http://www.bigbuckbunny.org/][img_thumb]http://www.martinfrindt.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/logo_medium.jpg[/img_thumb][/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff8pYTBGAo8]Watch on YouTube (HD 1080p)[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSGBVzeBUbk]Watch Big Buck Bunny on YouTube (HD 1080p)[/url]
While Blender 2.50 is still in development, you can still download daily builds from [url=www.graphicall.org]GraphicAll.org[/url], which hosts the main development of new versions of Blender.

Blender is also compatible with a lot of rendering solutions. The best are:
-[url=http://www.yafaray.org/]YafaRay[/url], a free open-source raytracing engine. [url=http://www.yafaray.org/gallery?g2_itemId=39]Visit the Gallery[/url]
-[url=http://www.luxrender.net/]LuxRender[/url], a physically based and unbiased rendering engine. [url=http://www.luxrender.net/forum/gallery2.php]Visit the Gallery[/url]
-[url=http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/index.html]Vray[/url], a professional rendering engine used in studios. [url=http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/galleries.html]Visit the Gallery[/url]
-[url=https://renderman.pixar.com/]RenderMan[/url], the renderer used to render feature films like Ratatouille, Toy Story, and even Avatar or King Kong. [url=https://renderman.pixar.com/products/whats_renderman/features.html]Visit the Features Gallery[/url]

[highlight][url=http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/gallery/art-gallery/]Visit Blender's Gallery[/url][/highlight]

[highlight][url=http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/features/]Blender's features (Click here for more)[/url][/highlight]

[b]Modeling[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/d7fb80c032.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/a71045d81e.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/83ffc78aba.jpg[/img_thumb]
-A range of 3D object types including polygon meshes, NURBS surfaces, bezier and B-spline curves, metaballs, vector fonts (TrueType, PostScript, OpenType)
-Full multiresolution sculpting capabilities with 2D bitmap/3D procedural brushes (Paint, Smooth, Pinch, Inflate, Grab) supporting symmetry
-Modifier stack deformers such as Lattice, Curve, Armature or Displace
-Non destructive real time Boolean and Array modifiers
-Smooth soft selection editing tools for organic modeling
-Python scripting access for custom tools

[b]Rendering[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/75e30033e2.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/9d19f53ae3.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/60ed507214.jpg[/img_thumb]
-Very fast inbuilt raytracer
-Oversampling, motion blur, post-production effects, fields, non-square pixels
-Tile-based and fully threaded
-Render layers and passes
-Render baking to UV maps and object to object baking (full render, ambient occlusion, normals, textures)
-Render engine tightly integrated with the node compositor
-Halo, lens flares and fog effects
-Realistic defocus (DOF) post-process effect (using node compositor)

[b]Animation[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/c8179d6a30.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/b6f0eada81.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/2c0edb4cd5.jpg[/img_thumb]
-Armature (skeleton) deformation with forward/inverse kinematics with pole target support
-Auto IK allows posing FK chains easily
-Automated walkcycles along paths
-Vertex key framing for morphing, with controlling sliders
-Character animation pose editor
-Audio playback, mixing and editing support for sound synchronisation
-Timeline offers fast acces to many playback functions, autokey, help markers
-Python scripting access for custom and procedural animation effects

[b]Shading[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/e673bb7b9d.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/6ac461df6e.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/dc0a4bba64.jpg[/img_thumb]
-Diffuse shaders such as Lambert, Minnaert, Toon, Oren-Nayar, Lambert
-Specular shaders such as WardIso, Toon, Blinn, Phong, CookTorr
-Material previews rendered by main render engine
-Fast, realistic subsurface scattering
-Blurry reflections and refractions
-Versatile procedural textures system
-Normal, displacement and bump maps

[b]Physics and Particles[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/db2b0a7623.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/uploads/pics/gotanoblur.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/uploads/pics/hairstrandrendering.jpg[/img_thumb]
-Particle system can be atached to any mesh object. Control methods include weight painting, textures, curve guides, wind and vortex effects. Particles can be deflected by moving geometry
-Hair strands can be created by a static particle system, supporting all particle control methods
-Fluid simulator with fully animated inflow, outflow, obstacle and fluid objects. Gravity and viscosity settings can also be animated. Supports vector blur and is integrated with the particle system
-Realtime soft body solver integrated in mesh, lattice, curve and text objects. Supports collision detection and particle field effects like Wind or Vortex, soft bodys can also be baked for faster playback/rendering
-Game engine rigid body physics can be easily baked into animation curves

[b]Realtime 3D/Game Creation[/b]
[img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/1ea56233ec.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/d53528a361.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://www.blender.org/typo3temp/pics/a7fe548a69.jpg[/img_thumb]
-Graphical logic editor for defining interactive behavior without programming
-Collision detection and dynamics simulation now support Bullet Physics Library. Bullet is an open source collision detection and rigid body dynamics library developed for Play Station 3
-Discrete collision detection for RigidBody simulation
-Full support for vehicle dynamics, including spring reactions, stiffness, damping, tyre friction etc
-Python scripting API for sophisticated control and AI, fully defined advanced game logic
-Support all OpenGL lighting modes, including transparencies, Animated and reflection-mapped textures
-Playback of games and interactive 3D content without compiling or preprocessing

[highlight][url=http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/features/]There is a lot more to see, so please check the features page at blender.org![/url][/highlight]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/down.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#linuxi386][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/win32.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#c6306][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/win64.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#windows][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/mac.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#c4585][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/lin32.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#c4607][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/lin64.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/#c4581][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/DownloadBlender/solirix.png[/img][/url]

[b]----------------------------------------------------------------------[/b]

[highlight]Tutorials and help if you want to start using blender[/highlight]
-[url=http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:Manual]Official Blender Manual, has many languages [b]Start from here if you're new[/b][/url]
-[url=http://www.blender.org/education-help/tutorials/]Blender tutorials on blender.org[/url]
-[url=http://www.blender.org/education-help/manuals-books/]Manuals and books[/url]
-[url=http://www.blender.org/community/user-community/]User community sites[/url]
-[url=www.blendercookie.com]BlenderCookie.com, (almost) daily intermediate/advanced tutorials[/url]
-[url=wiki.blender.org]Blender Wiki[/url]
-[url=blenderartists.org]Blenderartists.org (main Blender artwork website, with helpful forum)[/url]
-[url=http://www.youtube.com/user/cganim8or]cganim8or's tuts[/url]

And finally:
-[url=http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?p=21094803#post21094803]How to make models for source (read about how to install scripts first)[/url]

[V]

You should add a few tutorials to the megathread to new blender'ers.

[Av7xrocker97]

Yay for blender! About time it got it's own thread.

[Reg]

[QUOTE=NessTea;21166690]You should add a few tutorials to the megathread to new blender'ers.[/QUOTE]

Added, thanks for the suggestion

[Reg]

Some artwork:
[img]http://blenderartists.org/forum/attachment.php?&attachmentid=84834[/img]
[img]http://blenderartists.org/forum/attachment.php?&attachmentid=69647[/img]
[img]http://blenderartists.org/forum/attachment.php?&attachmentid=81495[/img]
[img]http://blenderartists.org/forum/attachment.php?&attachmentid=86859[/img]

By me:
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/3d%20works/cgm%2Cer.jpg[/img]
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/3d%20works/lantern2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/3d%20works/LesPaul/NewImg/Lux2.jpg[/img]

[johanz]

Lol it goes like from top to bottom, from best to worst

[Reg]

Why thank you

[johanz]

Ah, that guitar's not made by you, is it? I know it was done by FPer, but dunno by who.

[Reg]

[QUOTE=johanz;21173168]Ah, that guitar's not made by you, is it? I know it was done by FPer, but dunno by who.[/QUOTE]

It was me, you have memory leaks

[johanz]

I know I do.
The guitar wouldn't be so bad if it was finished.

[Bletotum]

Guide on porting to source, please put link in OP:

[url]http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?p=21094803#post21094803[/url]

(Not my thread.) .

[Reg]

Thanks
why does this thread get so few replies? Post your art guys

[beat the zombie]

Sturmtiger, took me a week to make:

[img]http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6095/fixeda.png[/img]
[img]http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2821/topje.png[/img]

[Jimmg]

Why do we need this thread when we have the Digital 3D art thread.

[BmB]

The 2.5 UI sucks. :(

[Perfumly]

[QUOTE=Jimmg;21184411]Why do we need this thread when we have the Digital 3D art thread.[/QUOTE]

I don't think this thread, it'll give Digital Art noobs a place to start.

[Sigfig]

I actually love the 2.5 UI, especially the 3D window's sidebars.

[editline]10:14AM[/editline]

[QUOTE=Perfumly;21187425]I don't think this thread, it'll give Digital Art noobs a place to start.[/QUOTE]

avatar matches post

[Perfumly]

not rly

[johanz]

[QUOTE=Sigfig;21187450]
avatar matches post[/QUOTE]
How does japanese banana guy match his post?

[Suicide Requiem]

Love Blender, has been my program of choice for ages now.

[Eudoxia]

I downloaded it a while ago, trying to learn it now.

Thanks for the tutorials!

[hexpunK]

This thread caught my eye from the front page. I wish I was good enough in Blender to make some of the stuff posted. But I have trouble even making a simple handrailing for Source :v:

Even with tutorials, it seems modelling is not my thing. Though Blender does rival commercial applications.

[JoshuaC]

I rather enjoy it myself.

I've only been at actual modeling for a couple months now.

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/CALogo_Render.png[/img]

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/FlowerHat_WIP03.jpg[/img]

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/aviatorshelm_thumb.jpg[/img]

Animation and motion blur test.

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/StupidBall.gif[/img]

[Reg]

Ragdolls :D (by me)
[hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnskpIHYVhk[/hd]

Some fluid simulations done by me
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAiAIqLuYlA[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LSZf1hHcJg[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbc2kVvzp_s[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTSh7Xc8nbA[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BTpn3id4Go[/media]

And the best one:
[hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jIbT9Od144[/hd]

[Reg]

Some fun with 2.50
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/cubi.png[/img] 1000 cubes array
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2951174/3d%20works/disp.png[/img] vornoi displacement (1.7 milion polys)

[JoshuaC]

With a little work, you can actually make usable models out of the fluid simulation.

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/Crater_02.png[/img]

I created a fluid simulation of a sphere impacting a body of "water". Baked it out into an animation and found the frame I liked. I then converted the body of fluid into a mesh and then cleaned up all the unneeded polygons. I then unwrapped it and then baked AO.

I can now paint it up using textures for use in anything I need it.

Here's what it looked like before cleanup.

[IMG]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/Crater.png[/IMG]

[Reg]

looks neat

[JoshuaC]

Something a little different.

This is merely a proof of concept of an idea that popped up into my head and I wanted to see if I could achieve the effect I was visualizing.

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49917/models/Concept_01.png[/img]

Not sure if I'll do something using this style in the future, but I was happy with the final result.

[Reg]

the tree, grass and ball look cool, but the clouds and the sun don't fit with them because they are untextured
remembers me of littlebigplanet

[StratoSlug]

[QUOTE=Reg;21196896]Some fun with 2.50
[/QUOTE]

When I scrolled past the first one it felt like I was falling over. :haw: