The world of 3-D modeling programs is rife with consumer packages that promise godlike abilities to create outlandish environments and the animation tools to bring them to life. But far too often you'll find yourself stymied by incomprehensible tools, cryptic interfaces, and, worst of all, tortoiselike performance that drains your urge to freely experiment.
Assuming you're willing to persevere after wallowing in this frustration, auto-de-sys's form-Z RenderZone modeling and rendering package might just renew your three-dimensional enthusiasm. You'll have to eschew animation, but for straight-up modeling, this package is difficult to surpass.
form-Z has roots in 3-D modeling programs, but also includes drafting tools designed to detail 3-D models. This combination of programs allows you to create objects based on precise measurements. Though any virtual creation can be resized to your taste, there's something to be said for building it right the first time.
This program is the 3-D equivalent of TV carpenter extraordinaire Norm's woodworking shop on your desktop. form-Z provides an overwhelming number of tools in customizable, tear-off menus. The advantage is that, while it takes some time to learn them all, any form you can imagine can be easily created by picking the correct tools.
form-Z's powerful rendering engine, RenderZone, can be upgraded to include the Lightworks Radiosity engine for more realistic modeling of light sources. For quick onscreen previews, form-Z supports Macintosh QuickDraw 3D and OpenGL on Windows boxes, and it can create VRML 2.0 files for the Web.
Along with its tremendous functional prowess, form-Z puts on an impressive show. On an older Mac powered by a 132-MHz 604 CPU, this program surpassed more simplistic competition during the creation process (displayed in simple wireframe graphics), and full renderings were finished reasonably quickly. With RenderZone's Imager, a program for batch-creating multiple graphics, several images can be rendered overnight to your precise specifications.
If you're serious about 3-D modeling, there's no better tool to open the gates to this world. The learning curve - and the price tag - are steep, but the results are well worth it.
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