Blender 2.3 Manual Available For Order

An anonymous reader writes "Blender, the open source software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback, has been slowly improving towards the real professional solution level. Check out the current features and get wild about it! A new comprehensive manual version 2.3 has been under works and is shipping next week. Order one now and support the development of this great open source software! Pre-orders before December 31st get a discount."

Comments

Things worth noting about the new Blender

[Thornae]

First, the much maligned UI has undergone some fairly substantial redesign. It's retained most of the elements that freak the uniniated out, but has a bunch of changes that aren't as yet reflected in the online manual - a caveat you should be aware of if you're trying it out for the first time. I understand that the dead tree version this article's about has everything new in it.

Incidentally, the reason the interface is so unique is that Blender was originally an in-house tool, designed by a bunch who all knew how they wanted things to work, without reference to more traditional designs. Really, once you understand this and get used to it, it's as least good as any other graphics app interface out there.

Also, many new features are being introduced at the moment (raytracing, refraction, bevelling...), so the build you download today might do things a bit different to the one you got three weeks ago.

Finally, (a continual gotcha for Blender newbies), http://www.blender.org is the site for blender coding help and discussion. For help etc with the use of the program, go to http://www.elysiun.com and check the forums.

Re:Things worth noting about the new Blender

[quiot]

Last time I looked, it really made me cry for help. I don't know how much the situation has improved since then (that was about a year ago).

A lot. Blender's old UI was cryptic and daunting, almost requiring the manual for the simplest of models. Blender's new UI (as of 2.3) keeps the same feel and ideas but is simple to pick up. Every function is accesible through menus with keyboard shortcuts labeled at the side, so you can learn the functions at your own pace. Every button has tool tip text.

Back then, (IIRC) it didn't even have undo. I just hope it has some kind of support for it now, or better yet, something like the modifier stack in 3DSMAX.

Never used 3DSMAX, but undo (which was previously only available in a limited form) is now in there, with a list of actions akin to ms word and maybe what you describe.

Blender's new UI is designed to fix the problems of the old, and I think it does so very nicely. I invite you to try it out, and see how the software has changed.