Table of Contents
3D Tools & Engines
This page is a list of resources to help you build your own 3D Worlds! Priority goes to obscure older/abandonware and open source software :^)
Discussion happening on the forum:
Talk about 3D tools!
Talk about game engines!
If there's a specific tool you love, start a topic about it!
Talk about 3D tools!
Talk about game engines!
If there's a specific tool you love, start a topic about it!
Tools
- 3D Studio (1992-1994) DOS
- the original 3D modeling program for DOS - still good for low poly work!
- MacRenderMan (1994) Classic Mac
- its the software made by Pixar for their very early films and if you want to make a pre-toystory style animation this would be the real deal!
- Cilgari/MS Truespace (1994) Windows
- modeling, animation, rendering
- Blender (1994-) Windows, Linux, MacOS
- probably the most powerful free and open source computer graphics software
- StrataVision 3D (1995) Classic Mac
- the program Myst was made with
- BlobSculptor (1997) Classic Mac
- a lil program for old mac that allows you to create blob creatures!
- Poser 3 (1998) Windows 95/98/NT, Power Macintosh
- for making early 00s game characters
- this one is still actively developed and you can get v13 as of writing - its kinda expensive though! If you look on eBay/Amazon you can get older copies like 11 much cheaper!
- Teddy (1999) Web (requires Java)
- 3D drawing applet
- Anim8or (1999-2017) Windows
- good for making old 90's cheap goofy CGI looking characters
- Bryce 5 (2005) Windows
- only outputs 2D images I think, but the images are very cool 3D renders of weird spaces
- The newest version is 7.1 from 2010 and you can still buy it - often on sale for around 4 euro from DAZ
- Getting started videos on YouTube
- Sweet Home 3D (2006) Windows
- for interior design
- Sculptris (2010)
- made by the same people who made ZBrush
- Asset Forge (2017-) Windows, Linux, MacOS
- newer, and it's a bit like kit bashing, but in 3d
- Blockbench (2018-) Windows, Linux, MacOS, Web
- modern open-source low poly editor that does minecraft-style models!
Plants & Landscapes
- LandSculptor3D (1995) Classic Mac
- a lil landscape maker made by a student, useful for small landscapes!
- Tree Pro 4.0 (1995) Classic Mac
- makes trees!
- Plant Studio (1997) Windows, MacOS
- design and evolve plants
- Vue d'Espirit 4 (2004) Windows, MacOS
- natual scenery generator
- World Machine (2005-) Windows
- this ones still updated but its been around for years - generates 3D landscapes! (Free version is fine)
- Vertex Meadow (2015-2018) Web
- tool that turns 2D .png files into explorable 3D environments
Engines
- Godot (2014-) Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, Web
- probably the most powerful free, open-source game engine
- sok-worlds (2020) Windows, MacOS
- make and explore 3d collage worlds
- the worlds can't be exported, so they're stuck in the sok-worlds ecosystem, which costs $3 USD
- MelonEngine (2021) JavaScript
- mini Three.js game engine
- Bitsy Color 3D (2021) Web
- fork of the tiny adventure game engine bitsy that adds more colors and a 3D scene editor
- Eldiron (2024-) Windows, Linux, MacOS
- 2D & 3D retro RPG engine
- raylib (2014-) Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, iOS, Web, Switch, N64, Dreamcast, PS1
- only for programmers - but is very indie and very powerful with support for retro exports
