3D Computer Graphics Software - Discontinued, Historic Packages

Discontinued, Historic Packages

• Alias Animator and PowerAnimator were high-end 3D packages in the 1990s, running on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations. Alias took code from PowerAnimator, TDI Explore and Wavefront to build Maya. Alias|Wavefront was later sold by SGI to Autodesk. SGI had originally purchased both Alias and Wavefront in 1995 as a response to Microsoft’s acquisition and Windows NT port of the then popular Softimage 3D package. Interestingly Microsoft sold Softimage in 1998 to Avid Technology, from where it was acquired in 2008 by Autodesk as well.
• CrystalGraphics Topas was a DOS and Windows based 3D package between 1986 and the late 1990s.
• Evolver was a portal (discontinued in early 2012) for 3D computer characters incorporating a human (humanoid) builder and a cloner to work from picture.
• Internet Space Builder, with other tools like VRMLpad and the viewer Cortona, was a full VRML edition system, published by Parallel Graphics, in the late 1990. Today only a reduced version of Cortona is available.
• MacroMind Three-D was a mid-end 3D package running on the Mac in the early 1990s.
• MacroMind Swivel 3D Professional was a mid-end 3D package running on the Mac in the early 1990s.
• Symbolics S-Render was an industry-leading 3D package by Symbolics in the 1980s.
• trueSpace (Caligari Corporation) is a 3D program available for Windows, although the company Caligari first found its start on the Amiga platform. trueSpace features modelling, animation, 3D-painting, and rendering capabilities. In 2009, Microsoft purchased TrueSpace and it is now available completely free of charge.
• Wavefront Advanced Visualizer was a high-end 3D package between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, running on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations. Wavefront first acquired TDI in 1993, before Wavefront itself was acquired in 1995 along with Alias by SGI to form Alias|Wavefront.