After almost six months in development, the
Blender 3D team have released the latest version of their excellent open-source (i.e. free) 3D modelling and rendering tool. Here's a list of features new/improved in this version:
- Transformation tools - New Transformation options include; To Sphere, Push/Pull, TrackBall, advanced constraint options, Proportional editing with connection mode, etc.
- Transform widgets - As result of the Transformation Tools recode, we can now finally add widgets to have easy access to (constrainted) translation, rotation and scaling. Widgets can be aligned global, local to Objects and to normals in Edit Mode as well.
- Soft Body - Each Object in Blender now can get a "Soft Body" effect applied. Once applied, the softbody system converts vertex locations to free moving particles... great for animating flexible objects, for wriggling skin and even for cloth simulations.
- Force Fields & Deflection - Especially for Soft Body a new force field, Wind, has been added. Also deflections (collisions) are possible between soft objects and Meshes.
- Incremental Subdivision Surfaces - Best feature of Daniel Dunbar's new "CCG" SubSurf system is its tremendous speed improvement. This mostly thanks to detecting incremental changes while editing. Also creases and UV texture support has been improved.
- Render Threads - Three more options in the render core. Owners of dual CPU systems can now render twice as fast! Color definition internally is full 4x32 bits (was 4x16) and the ortho render code was refreshed.
- Transparent Filtering - Blender now supports transparent rendering with filtering, by use of a new method which uses both Alpha and Filter combined. Ray-traced images now also deliver correct a alpha layer.
...And much more besides, including dozens of bugfixes and code optimisations. Its never been a better (or cheaper) way to get into the 3D graphics craze!
Linear Mode
