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trueSpace is 3D computer graphics and animation software developed by Caligari Corporation.
History
In 1985, company founder Roman Ormandy began working on a prototype 3D video animation package for the Amiga Computer. The fruits of this labor led to the incorporation of Octree Software in 1986. From 1988 to 1992, Octree released several software packages including Caligari1, Caligari2, Caligari Broadcast, and Caligari 24. Caligari was aimed toward providing industrial video and corporate presentation software. Caligari Broadcast was introduced with the hopes of offering professional 3D animation capabilities at a fraction of the cost of comparable systems. In 1993 Octree Software move from New York to California and became known as Caligari Corporation. In 1994 trueSpace 1.0 was introduced on the Windows platform.
Overview
trueSpace is a full-featured modeling/animation/rendering package. Although the out-of-box tools are more than capable, trueSpace also features a robust plug-in architecture that allows the user to create tools to enhance the core package. trueSpace is currently at release version 7 (affectionately known to its users as tS7). A recent point upgrade has brought it up to version 7.1 and added some new modelling features.
Modeling
Animation
Rendering
Currently tS has two native internal rendering engines.
tS7 also introduces support for the VRay rendering engine developed by the Chaos Group
Features
One of the most distinctive features of trueSpace is its interface, using mainly 3D widgets for most common editing operations. tS can also be scripted, using Python for creating custom scripts, tools and plugins. tS7 introduces the use of VBScript and JavaScript as scripting tools for developing plugins and interactive scenes.
Its interface aims to make it easy for anyone to create 3D objects and scenes. Capabilities of the software include creating visualizations and animations with realistic lighting (through the use of radiosity) and organic modelling using NURBS, subdivision surfaces and metaballs.
The software's native formats are basically two: one for standalone objects (with the file extension .cob), and another for the scenes (with the file extension .scn). Objects in trueSpace can be embedded in Active Worlds. In addition to tS' native formats, it can also import and export several additional model types.
Support
trueSpace has a vibrant and active user base. More information can be found in the Caligari sponsored forums.
There is a free version of trueSpace 3.2 available for download at Caligari's website. (This version predates the incorporation of the Lightworks rendering engine.) It will run on Windows 3.1x with Win32s installed, or Windows 95 and all later versions of Windows.
Artists Using trueSpace
There are many talented 3D artists whose work can be seen on the net. Here are just a few;
Paul Woodward http://www.woodwardp.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Frank Ladner http://www.frankladner.com
Emmanuel Asset http://www.emmanuelasset.com
"TrueSpace"