Setting the Location for Blender's User Data Files

Here's a quick installation tip for Blender users on the Windows platform. This may be an issue for other platforms but, I have no way of testing.

The issue concerns the installed location of the "user data files" when using the Blender installer package. The data files in question are the python scripts, plugins, icons, etc.

You probably are used to having these files installed in subfolders within the Blender install folder. However, the default installation folder for these files (when using the installer) will place them in the "/Documents and Settings/USER/Application Data/Blender Foundation/Blender/" subfolder.

So, be sure to select your preferred destination for these resources when using the installer.

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Big Buck Bunny DVD almost ready for shipping

If you purchased a Big Buck Bunny DVD, you'll be happy to know that they're almost ready to be shipped! The Blender Foundation has received the discs and is currently packing them. They should begin shipping very soon.




For more info, check out the Peach Project blog.

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Animating Perpetual Object Rotations in Blender

With this quick tutorial, you'll learn how to rotate a 3D object so that the rotation continues throughout the entire length of your animated scene. This is very helpful for things like rotating planets, propellers, wheels, windmills, etc.

We'll be using Blender's IPO Curve Editor for this technique and you'll also learn some very important fundamentals for understanding how to interpret curves within the IPO Editor.

This tutorial is compatible with Blender 2.44 and up.

Enjoy!



Watch the tutorial online
(SWF streaming, Length - 8:11, Resolution - 800 x 600, VoiceOver - Yes)
Or, Download the 39.4MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Feature Demo: Continuous Physics in Blender 2.46

The upcoming 2.46 version of Blender will be packed with so many new features it boggles the mind. Development is happening at a breakneck pace.

Here's a new feature that I only recently became aware of and it's definitely cool. It will be of great use when using Blender's physics simulation features. The new feature is call "Continue Physics" and it's available in the Playback menu of the Timeline window. Basically, it allows you to continue tweaking your scene while still seeing the real-time effects of any physics simulations that are in place!

From Blender.org:

For tweaking physics systems, it is useful to work with the timeline Play button enabled. Making changes will then be automatically be reflected in the results. Further, a new option in the Playback menu, "Continue Physics", will continue the simulating physics system regardless of the current frame. This makes it possible to interact with the physics system by moving collisions objects, shaking a softbody object, etc.

Here's a video demonstration that shows the new feature in action. (MOV, 7.39MB)

The scene shown in the video is available as a downloadable .blend file from Blender.org. The new "Continue Physics" feature is only available in the very latest release candidate for Blender v2.46 (rc4) and, of course, the pending official release of v2.46.

For more info and a link to the .blend file, visit Blender.org.

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials