Any free, OSX-compatible 3D software?

[diordna]

I've seen a few, but not many. What's out there that's free or is under $50?

BTW, I already have Meshwork and POV-Ray :)

[Feanor]

I think we will have to add a section to the FAQ to cover artist issues, including recommended tools and brief overviews/reviews. I think the artists should take this up amongst themselves, if they would. The FAQ looks awfully skewed towards programmers, I now notice.

Wings 3D (http://www.wings3d.org)
Blender (http://www.blender.org)
Sphaera (http://www.ex-cinder.com/sphaera.html) -- note, the demo is not functioning (embedded time limiter has expired). I have emailed the author but have gotten no response.

And always look here:
Apple's Mac OS X Downloads Page: 3D and Imaging (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/imaging_3d/)

[macboy]

Sphaera has been updated on MacUpdate (http://www.macupdate.com).

[Feanor]

The date for that file on MacUpdate lists today. Is that a coincidence? Anyway, good news, since I think it's a cool app, and much more friendly than Wings or Blender.

[AJ Infinity]

Maya PLE. LightWave Demo. Cinema 4D demo. Bryce 5 demo. Poser 4 demo. Demo, demo, demo.

[diordna]

I downloaded Wings again today. I figured out the basics in half an hour and have been fooling around with it ever since. Almost everything is a short keyboard shortcut, and the camera movement is really natural once you get the keys down. (I have the mouse settings on Blender because my scroll wheel doesn't work like a middle mouse button.) I've done the cactus tutorial already. Its only problem is that it's missing a few basic features such as cut and paste, lathe, and an extrude that works.

I hate demos. Either they expire or they can't save or they put a big watermark over renderings. If it's just limited functionality with all of the aforementioned features, I'd like to see it.

Blender's interface is crud. Everything in one window and a huge manual? I think not. They also have some kind of wacked out legal problem/system. They have had to actually disable a feature because of some stupid issue. Wings 3D+Wings POV-Ray export plugin+Meshwork+POV-Ray 3.5 = :cool:

I also have Art of Illusion (artofillusion.org). It's cool, but being written in Java, is a little slow. It's pretty powerful for a free program.

[AJ Infinity]

I think Maya PLE lets you save. But if you have a 56k, it'll take you a long time to download.