The BRL-CAD libraries are designed primarily for the geometric modeler who also wants to play with software and design custom tools.

Each library is designed for a specific purpose: creating, editing, and raytracing geometry, and image handling. The application side of BRL-CAD also offers a number of tools and utilities that are primarily concerned with geometric conversion, interrogation, image format conversion, and command-line-oriented image manipulation.

For an in-depth tutorial of how to get up and running with insight3d, check out this PDF file. (Note it’s a heavy file and may require some download time. Please be patient!)

The software is unique in its ability to animate subject and background in real-time, making continuous interaction possible. This also means that physical sensors, cameras or other environmental variables can be attached to the animation of characters, creating a cartoon reacting to its environment.

For example, it is quite simple to create a virtual puppet band reacting to live audio input, or set up a scene of drawn characters controlled by the movement of dancers.

Creating characters in Animata is simple and and works on the basis of still images, which serve as the skeleton of the puppets, before a network of triangles is produces, some parts of which link to the character’s bone structure. The movement of the bones is based on a physical model and is therefore very fluid.

GarlicSim is a platform for writing, running and analyzing simulations. It is general enough to handle any kind of simulation: Physics, game theory, epidemic spread, electronics, etc.

Designed as a stand-alone modeller, without animation or ‘proper’ rendering facilities it should not be confused with software that does include such features – although its modelling capabilities stand extremely favourable comparison with equivalent sections of such applications – whether free or commercial.

The use of ‘context-sensitive’ menus is the reason for its sparse look, whereby tool menus relevant to the current selection mode are only displayed when needed – so no ‘greyed out’ options.

Wings’ toolset often provides the user with many different workflow options for modeling and thus allows considerable flexibility of technique within its ‘box-modelling’ / ‘winged edge’ paradigm. (one example being the provision of a ‘hole’ material, thus allowing wings models to be exported to a wide range of other apps.)

Its primary goal is to embed Synaps algebraic capabilities to provide new modeling techniques.

Some of Axel’s core abilities are as follows:

- Topology : compute the certified topology of curves and surfaces with either implicit or parametric representation
- Intersections : compute the intersection of implicit or parametric curves or surfaces
- Self-intersections : compute the self-intersections of parametric surfaces whatever their parameterization
- Singularities : compute the singularities of algebraic surfaces
- Differential modeling : derivative curves, graphed surfaces
- Set theoretic modeling : boolean operations, arrangements

POV-Ray includes the following features: A Turing-complete scene description language (SDL) that supports macros and loops; a library of ready-made scenes, textures, and objects; support for a number of geometric primitives and constructive solid geometry; several kinds of light sources; atmospheric effects such as fog and media (smoke, clouds); reflections, refractions, and light caustics using photon mapping; surface patterns such as wrinkles, bumps, and ripples, for use in procedural textures and bump mapping; radiosity; image format support for textures and rendered output, including TGA, PNG, JPEG (only input) among others; extensive user documentation.

The class library abstracts all the details of using the underlying system libraries like Direct3D and OpenGL and provides an interface based on world objects and other intuitive classes.

A powerful feature-set includes a full renderer and raytrace engine, NURBS support, kinematics-based animation, morphing, and an extensive plugin API.

Plugin capabilities include image post processor effects such as lens flare, fog and depth of field. Animation effects such as explosions, waves and dissolves add enormously to the flexibility of the program.

The current version is both stable and powerful enough to be used for serious, high end animation work. Many of its capabilities rival those found in commercial programs.

Some of the highlights include subdivision surface based modelling tools, skeleton based animation, and a graphical language for designing procedural textures and materials.