free renderers

Most people don't stop at just modelling. At some point you might want to present your work with more than just the wireframe (although wireframes already are damn pretty ^^).

So here are some suggestions on how you could achieve some renderings of your artwork at no financial cost*. (*Only your internet connection might cost you.)

BLENDER: http://www.blender.org
- feature rich alround 3d content creation and visualization package
- inbuilt raytracer (e.g. for baking maps)
- includes unbiased Cycles Renderer as an alternative (full support to GPU rendering)
- Render engine tightly integrated with the node compositor

LUXRENDER: http://www.luxrender.net
- physically based and unbiased rendering engine
- realistic cloth materials
- Ver 1.1 comes with a plugin for Blender 2.64
- (also plugins for 3DS Max, SketchUp, C4D, DAZ Studio, XSI, Poser)

MITSUBA: http://www.mitsuba-renderer.org/
- implements unbiased as well as biased techniques
- realistic cloth materials
- Data exchange is supported using the COLLADA file format. Mitsuba can read DAE files and convert them into its native XML-based file format.
- to my knowledge it can also import obj file format
- Blender plugin at http://bartoszstyperek.wordpress.com
(e.g. http://bartoszstyperek.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/mitsuba-exporter-1-0/)

For the use of these programs refer to the respective websites and communities.

I just picked free software, because obviously there are a lot of commercial renderers out there. These free renderers don't cost you anything and you can still use them for commercial purposes. Blender can make use of them, so you have the advantage of using the inbuilt node compositor, if you like.

since i work on the games side of 3d, and never had the need for renderes aside from bakeing which i just use XNormal and maya tranfer maps for, here are some real-time viewport shaders that are great for showing off game assets.

3 PT Shader, Xoliulshader and Marmoset Toolbag

but of course most poeople for environment work will just preview in there target game engine, ue3/udk, source, cry engine etc.

Thanks for the additions. But I started the thread to hint people to free solutions. UDK, Cry Engine and maybe the Source Engine are free, but not for commercial use. Blender's got an integrated game engine as well, but I don't know about its capabilities.
The ones you linked to are commercial products and aside from the trial versions have to be purchased. Xoliulshader is a plugin for commercial products, so unless you're a student, you won't get that for free either.
I just wanted to clarify the intention of this thread, which is additional free software for rendering (including realtime rendering) the models made with Nvil.

Thanks for the additions. But I started the thread to hint people to free solutions. UDK, Cry Engine and maybe the Source Engine are free, but not for commercial use. Blender's got an integrated game engine as well, but I don't know about its capabilities.

I don`t know exactly how the Cryengine license is. But UDK is free to use, and has no limits in useage. Its license just says that when you earn above 40k a year with your game then you have to pay a license fee. Which is quite fair, and a good deal for indies and hobbyists.

Unity comes with a free version. And you can do commercial work with it too. The free version has some limits though. The one that bites most is that the free version lacks of realtime shadow. But you can work around here. There`s a volumeshadow plugin that can be used with the free version.

Blender has realtime shadow. But has other limits like a very weak documentation and problems with commercial work and the license, and is qualitywise not comparable with the big boys. I would always prefer UDK or Unity over the Blender Game Engine. It`s another league.

Mh, Maratis could be worth a mentioning here too. A open source game dev tool. Relative easy and simple to handle from what i heard. http://www.maratis3d.org/

And to get back ontopic, trueSpace uses a DX 9 renderengine in Workspace. I have realtime rendering at game quality level while modeling and texturing here when i want. A bit aged already since DX comes in newer versions than 9 already. But nevertheless. Something i would wish to see in Nvil at one point too. And be it just the GL rendering that Blender uses. It`s very handy.

Don't see much reason to lock the thread to just paied for or free tools? I just use what gets the job done.
Also i Forget to mention xnormal for texture baskes.

Also max/maya you dont need to be a student to use the free non-commercial versions of them.

Don't see much reason to lock the thread to just paied for or free tools? I just use what gets the job done.

Yup. Same here

Also max/maya you dont need to be a student to use the free non-commercial versions of them.

Yes you have. They check the student id here in germany. There`s no legal way for me as a non student to use Max/Maya. There`s of course always the way of pirating a software. But i cannot recommend this.

Don't see much reason to lock the thread to just paied for or free tools? I just use what gets the job done.

My thinking was, if I would list every available renderer or software, the thread will become somehow useless. You could just type renderer into your search engine or go to the wikipedia article. With commercial software you have to decide where you spend your hard earned money on, but you can use free software right away without worrying about that, especially when you're running low on financial fuel or simply don't want to spend the extra buck on other software. And why pay for something, if you can just use something for free, that "gets the job done" as well?

I'm still interested in, if there is a realtime viewer like Marmorset Toolbag for free? Such a lightweight solution might be preferable to a fully fledged game engine.

Don't see much reason to lock the thread to just paied for or free tools?

So why have a thread title?

Normally, when someone starts a topic, those who post replies stay on topic. The topic is "free renderers"

Don't see much reason to lock the thread to just paied for or free tools? I just use what gets the job done.
Also i Forget to mention xnormal for texture baskes.

Also max/maya you dont need to be a student to use the free non-commercial versions of them.

where do i get the free non-commercial versions and is there time limit on useage?