Name: Blender
Version: 2.46
Date: 5/19/2008
Category: 3D Modeling
Cost: Free (Open Source)
Compatibility: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, Mac OSX, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Irix
Requirements: Python 2.5+
Author: The Blender Foundation
Source: http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/
File Mirror #1: http://files.filefront.com/Blender+246+Stable7z/;10510006;/fileinfo.html
File Mirror #2: http://www.4shared.com/file/50268389/ad657ca0/Blender_246_Stable.html
File Mirror #3: http://www.mediafire.com/?s1medimc5zz

NOTE: If you experience a crash during startup of Blender and you're not running Windows Vista, you may need to download and install
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=32BC1BEE-A3F9-4C13-9C99-220B62A191EE&displaylang=en


Description
===========
Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.


Features
========
 * Revolutionary non-overlapping and non-blocking User Interface delivers unsurpassed workflow.
 * Modeling
 * Rigging
 * Animation
 * Rendering
 * UV Unwrapping
 * Shading
 * Physics and Particles
 * Imaging and Compositing
 * Realtime 3D/Game Creation
 * Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, SGI Irix, Sun Solaris 


File Types
==========
Native: .blend

Import:
 - .wrl (VRML 1.0)
 - .dxf (AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format)
 - .stl (Stereolithography CAD for rapid prototyping)
 - .3ds (3D Studio)
 - .ac (AC3D)
 - .dxf (AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format)
 - .dae (COLLADA 1.3.1, 1.4)
 - .off (DEC Object File Format)
 - .x (DirectX)
 - .kmz, .kml (Google Earth)
 - .lwo (LightWave)
 - .mot (LightWave Motion)
 - .md2 (Quake II model format)
 - .ms3d (MilkShape3D)
 - .bvh (Motion Capture)
 - .ndo (Nendo)
 - .nif, .kf (Netimmerse/Gamebryo) (with Blender NIF Scripts plugin installed)
 - .flt (OpenFlight)
 - .svg, .ps, .ai, .eps, gimp (Paths)
 - .slp (Pro Engineer)
 - .radio (Radiosity)
 - .raw (Raw Faces)
 - .ply (Stanford PLY)
 - .cob (TrueSpace)
 - .obj (WaveFront)

Export:
 - .3ds (3D Studio)
 - .ac (AC3D)
 - .fbx (Autodesk FBX)
 - .dae (COLLADA 1.3.1, 1.4)
 - .off (DEC Object File Format)
 - .x (DirectX)
 - .lwo (LightWave)
 - .mot (LightWave Motion)
 - .m3g, .java (M3G)
 - .md2 (Quake II model format)
 - .ndo (Nendo)
 - .nif, .kf (Netimmerse/Gamebryo) (with Blender NIF Scripts plugin installed)
 - .flt (OpenFlight)
 - .iv (OpenInventor)
 - .map (Quake 3)
 - .radio (Radiosity)
 - .raw (Raw Faces)
 - .xsi (SoftImage XSI)
 - .ply (Stanford PLY)
 - .cob (TrueSpace)
 - .wrl (VRML97, VRML 1.0)
 - .mdd (Vertex Keyframe Animation)
 - .obj (VideoScape with Vertex Colors)
 - .obj (WaveFront)
 - .x3d (X3D Extensible 3D)
 - .fig (xfig export)


Installation
============
Install Blender and the required support files as follows:


Install Python
--------------
1. Run Python-2.5.2.msi
2. Setup - Select "Install for all use" and click Next
3. Select Destination - Click Next to accept default of C:\Python25\
4. Customize Python - Click Next to accept defaults
5. Setup Complete - Click Finish


Install Blender
---------------
1. Run Blender 2.46.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. License Agreement - Click I Agree
4. Choose Components - Click Next to accept defaults
5. Choose Location - Click Next to accept default of C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender
6. Specify User Data - Select "Use Installation Directory" and click Next
7. Required System DLL Check - Click OK
8. Setup Complete - Click Finish
9. Make sure Blend starts up correctly and then close Blender.  If Blender fails to start, install MS Visual C++ 2005 runtime.


Install PyFFI
-------------
1. Run PyFFI-0.10.9.win32.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. Select Python Installation - Click Next to accept default of version 2.5
4. Ready to Install - Click Next
5. Setup Complete - Click Finish


Install NIF Scripts
-------------------
1. Run blender_nif_scripts-2.3.3-windows.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. License Agreement - Click I Agree
4. Choose Install Location - Click Next to accept default of C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\.blender\scripts
5. Choose Documentation Location - Click Install to accept default of C:\Program Files\NifTools\Blender NIF Scripts
6. Installation Complete - Click Next
7. Setup Complete - Click Finish
8. Review the Readme and then close the file.


Install NifSkope
----------------
1. Run nifskope-1.0.10-windows.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. License Agreement - Click I Agree
4. Choose Install Location - Click Install to accept default of C:\Program Files\NifTools\NifSkope
5. Installer will check for required DLLs - Click OK
6. Installation Complete - Click Next
7. Setup Wizard - Uncheck "Show readme" and click Finish


Install YafRay (optional)
--------------
1. Run YafRay 0.0.9.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. License Agreement - Select "I accept the agreement" and click Next
4. Select Destination Location - Click Next to accept default of C:\Program Files\YafRay
5. Select Start Menu Folder - Click Next to accept default of "Yet Another Free RayTracer"
6. Ready to Install - Click Install
7. Information - Click Next
8. Setup Complete - Click Finish