Tools:Content and Media Creation
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This pages features an extensive list of non-commercial and commercial tools that can be used to create game media like graphics, animations, videos, sprites, sound effects and music and also introduces some additional tools that might be useful for game development like font managers.
Contents |
[edit] Graphic Tools
[edit] Raster based
- Photoshop
- The mother of all bitmap graphic applications. Bitmapwise there is virtually nothing that can not be done with Photoshop, be it photo realistic imagery, post proccessing or even sprite pixeling. (commercial)
- The Gimp
- A free image manipulation application that is almost on the same level as Photoshop. (open source)
- Corel Paint Shop Pro
- A feature-rich image manipulation program that aims more to the consumer market. Has many similarities to Photoshop. (commercial)
- Alias Sketchbook Pro
- Sketchbook Pro is a paint application especially tailored for use with graphic tablets. If you have good hand drawing skills, it is very useful for sketching out images and creating game artwork like background scenery or character avatars. (commercial)
- Texture Maker
- A powerful seamless texture generator and editor. (commercial)
- Spiral Graphics Genetica
- Another powerful texture generator that comes with a huge collection of preset textures. (commercial)
- Grafx2
- An 8bit paint program for DOS/Windows in the style of the famous Deluxe Paint for Amiga. (freeware)
- Grafx2 Win32 Port
- A Windows version of Grafx2 can be downloaded here. (freeware)
- Pixel32
- An open source image editor for many platforms and with some useful features. (open source)
[edit] Vector based
- Adobe Illustrator
- The industry standard vector drawming application. (commercial)
[edit] 3D modelling
- Autodesk 3ds Max
- Probably the most common 3D modelling application. Can be found in all sorts of industry branches. (commercial)
- Alias Maya
- The queen of 3D modelling! Prefered by many modelers and animators because of its intuitive interface and its scripting ability. (commercial)
- Maxon Cinema 4D
- Another very good 3D modelling package with a very intuitive interface. (commercial)
- SketchUp
- Aimed at architects but useful for modellers of all sorts for quickly fleshing out basic shapes. Brilliantly simple! (commercial)
- E-Frontier Poser
- Character modelling and animation package that has grown into serious application for character design. (commercial)
- E-On Software Vue
- A state-of-the-art landscape modelling and rendering package. (commercial)
- Luxology Modo
- A relative unknown 3D modeller and renderer that comes with very slick and intuitive modelling tools and a lighting fast renderer. It also features paint-textures-on-models-directly technology. (commercial)
- Carrara
- Carrara is a good mid-level 3D pacakge that comes with modeller, animation, landscape generation and very good Poser-Importing features. It also provides a true isometric camera which is useful for isometric game graphics. (commercial)
[edit] Video based
[edit] Audio Tools
- Cakewalk Sonar
- A MIDI/Audio production studio with a long history. Has been used by many of the top game music composers. (commercial)
- ModPlug Tracker
- A free tracker for Windows that supports the most common tracker formats like MOD, IT, XM and S3M. If you aim for the classic 16bit/8bit sound style then give this tracker a try. (freeware)
- Renoise
- A relatively new tracker (pattern based) for Windows and Mac that supports VST and ASIO. (commercial)
- Skale Tracker
- Another free tracker for Windows and Linux that supports MOD and XM formats.
[edit] Other Tools
[edit] Font Management
- OT1 Font Manager
- A font manager that supports creating and using font groups (Fonts can be added to a group and installed/uninstalled together), and has useful conflict detection features. A freeware Light version is available. (commercial)
- Extensis Suitcase
- A popular font manager for Mac and Windows. Unfortunately doesn't support font groups. (commercial)
- High Logic MainType
- A new Font Manager with many useful things. Beats Suitcase in some of its features.(commercial)
[edit] Storywriting
- Writer's Cafe
- A useful tool for story writing.
