Art of Illusion
Quick and Fast: Is Anim8or already too basic? Is Blender still too advanced? Then Art of Illusion is the 3D software for you. Requires Special Java “Applet”!
Where to get it: http://www.artofillusion.org/ Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix/Other
JAVA APPLET (required) - http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
Link goes to Windows downloads, but the left of the page is links to Mac and Linux downloads.
First off, AoI (as it’s developers call it) is a pretty nice little software. It is much easier to do basic things than Anim8or, and if you like to work fast, view from different angles easily and use conventional keyboard shortcuts, then AoI is a dream come true. The interface is actually a lot like Maya, with boxes on the right side of the screen where you can select specific objects.
One big weakness with AoI is that it requires a special Java Applet/program thingy. Both the program and the Java thing take up quite a bit of hard drive storage space. Apparently, the Java is required simply to run the program at all. Very strange, and I can see from this why Art of Illusion has never caught on like Blender, or even Anim8or.
If it were not for the Java thing, AoI would be a much more popular program, since for example, it is much easier to manipulate viewports than Anim8or. I like the program, but not the system requirements and storage weight.
Tutorials: One tutorial comes with the program, and you get to it by going into the Art of Illusion Help and it’s under Getting Started. This is enough to get you going with modeling, texturing, lighting and rendering. There are more tutorials on the website.
License: GNU GPL, but you may not change(modify/rebuild?) the program. To read the license, go to http://www.artofillusion.org/license
