Graphics Helpers - 3D Related

If it's 3D related, models, 3D simulation, CAD and similar, I'll have it listed here.  Be sure to check out my other Graphics Helpers pages listed under Resources on the menu above

 

Making Trees and Lightning

Tree Generator exports 3D trees in DXF format for use in many 3D applications.

Plant Studio from Kurtz-Fernhout Software - "PlantStudio Botanical Illustration Software is a tool for creating 3D plant models and 2D illustrations. PlantStudio simulates herbaceous (non-woody) plants like wildflowers and cut flowers, vegetables, weeds, grasses, and herbs using a parameter-driven simulation of plant growth and structure."  Download a demo.
 

Tree Designer from jHuber Software will create 3D trees for use in 3D modeling programs.  Download their cool demo.

From Hutchison Biographic Resources comes Tree Druid and Thor, a tree maker and lightning maker. You create your objects and save them as DXF files for importing into many programs.  Download non-saving, but cool working, demos of each.

CG Animation

DoGA does CG animation.  The first version is freeware.  They also have some other files of interest.

UV Map Utilities

LithUnwrap is a free, easy to use, UV coordinate editor for Windows.
Use it to edit UV coordinates, unwrap models, or export UV maps
to bitmaps for painting.

3D Viewers

Browz 3D, a 3D model viewer will display :

3D Model File Conversion Utilities

Crossroads File Translator from Keith Rule will translate files in 3DS, DXF. POV, INC, RAW, COB WRL, OBJ, NFF and save in all those formats plus T3D and B3D.

Creating 3D Images from Photographs

Stereo Image Factory allows you to create your own stereoscopic image from your stereo image pairs.

3D Models & DXF Model Sources

Princeton Shape Retrieval and Analysis Group - 3D Model Search Engine.  Find your 3D shape amongst freeware and commercial models.
3D Lapidary has some very nicely done 3D models for use in your 3D projects.  In DXF format for downloading.
Burninham Studios has many 3D models for downloading.
Digital Producer magazine has 3D models for downloading.
3D Plant.Com has lots of great plants in 3DS and DXF formats
Amazing 3D Graphics has some great models to choose from.
Sausage Software has Reptile, a freeware cool application that lets you create funky backgrounds.
Bryce 3D and Star Trek meshes
Free 3D Models of Great Buildings
My own DXF files I create
Dreams and Magic has textures, DXF files, GIF Anime plus more.
The Cricket Cage has things for Bryce and DXF models for downloading
Teresa's MEGAGRAFX site has FREE DXF models. There's a park bench, TV Set, a Gazebo, Street Lamp, Jukebox, Satellite Disk and other odds and ends. .
The Official Mechforce 3d homepage of Mech models. .
Star Wars 3D Modeling Alliance is dedicated to create a 3D Star Wars galaxy. You'll find meshes, textures, FAQ, images and models.
Viewpoint Datalabs has the "world's largest library of 3D models" for your browsing pleasure.
POV-Ray the Internet home of the Persistence of Vision raytracer. Look around the site for many goodies.
3D model collection.
Avalon has lots of objects, textures, demos, FAQ's, utilities and more.
3D Cafe the "ultimate resource for computer graphic artists". Free 3D models, environments, True Type fonts, textures and more.

3D Model Making Programs (CADD-Like and others)

Wings 3D is a polygon mesh modeler inspired by Nendo from Izware.  Download the freeware app, it's easier to use than others.  Will save in .3ds and other popular formats.

Knots 3D - make knots and save the images or save them as 3D POV files.  Cool program!

LeoCAD which is a CAD program that uses bricks similar to those found in many toys (like Lego).  This is a cool freeware program to have!

gmax, available free of charge from the web for consumers, allows game players to create, customize, and exchange their own game content online.

Anim8or is is a 3D modeling and character animation program that is freeware from Steven Glanville.  Get this very cool program.

3D Canvas is a freeware real-time 3D modeling and animation tool that incorporates an intuitive drag-and-drop approach to 3D modeling.  Download and worth a look.

ComputerArts Magazine maintains a list of free 3D apps.

Design Workshop Lite - "A fast, fun and free tool for creating 3D models, images, and walkthroughs, from sketches to presentations."

3D Spatial Models of Great Buildings - from Great Buildings Online.  Be sure to get Design Workshop lite to view and convert the models to other 3D formats.

PhotoModeler Lite "is a fully functional, high-quality Windows freeware program for creating 3D models of real-world objects and scenes through the use of photographs."

Need a very good free 3D CAD (computer aided design) software for your project designs?  Download IntelliCAD from CADopia.  Good CAD software has a high learning curve, anything less will just frustrate the heck out of you not giving you what you want.  This is a great program to understand how to draw, from scratch, 3D objects.  

CAD Standard from Apperson and Daughters is a   freeware 2D CAD app that works very well.
WinPlace 8.1 is a free, feature-rich 2D and 3D design tool which allows rapid evaluation of design concepts.
Design Workshop Lite is a A fast, fun and free tool for creating 3D models, images, and walkthroughs, from sketches to presentations.
SoftCAD 3D Lite from SoftCAD International - download a fully working version of their CAD software.
With MINOS you have Your Personal 3D CAD system.
l-parser4, an amazing program called l-parser4 that makes all kinds of trees, leaves, sea shells and other objects. Download it for free
Silver Graphics Web Get the Terrain Forge terrain maker (for Windows 95 and NT)
Rhinoceros has Rhino (tm), NURBS curve, surface, and solid modeling in Windows. Download a free beta until the final version.
WILBUR file conversion utility freeware from Joe Slayton. Its purpose in life to is read and generate terrain and height field data, then generate pretty pictures from that data. As a sideline and on the weekends, it does some processing of the height field information. This software reads USGS DEMs, TARGA, generic binary files, and other data formats. It also has facilities to generate height fields. It will save in several file formats, including 3D DXF, PCX, BMP, and TARGA (including the POV TGA height field format). Internal processing of these height fields is supported.