Amorphium Real Time 3-D Sculpting and Painting

I jumped on Amorphium the second it hit the market, now that Play has sold off everything to Electric Image, I'm rethinking that strategy.

First off, let me say, Amorphium is an EXCELLENT tool for editing models, as well as for creating new models. It's a MUST HAVE for Bryce users. Since I am a Bryce fanatic (been devoted since the buggy version 2.0), I would have to say it's a must have for Bryce.

Sadly, Electric Image has jacked up the price where it's getting out of reach of the casual user. However, you can probably pick up Amorphium (1.0) at a decent price. GET IT! It's easy to use, has some decent modeling options, but excels at deforming existing models. Add some slight bumps & dents and you've got a more realistic looking model to import into Bryce.

My biggest disappointment was in the marketing hype of Amorphium. The feature list made it sound as if Amorphium supports the ability to paint directly on the model & then export the image. I thought I was getting a bargain, a model editor/creator AND something similar to MetaCreations Detailer (which surprisingly seems to have disappeared). WRONG! You do NOT get this with Amorphium, Amorphium Pro (ala Electric Image) promises this feature, but after being mislead once I am very reluctant to let it happen again.

Amorphium hit the streets from Play at [price], if you can find it for...less, grab it... Amorphium Pro (2.0/Electric Image) lists for about [price], and it may be worth it if it does incorporate the ability to create image maps too.

Amorphium is more than decent, so if you can pick it up cheap go for it. Just don't expect any support from Electric Image, they are only acknowledging the existence of 2.0 (Pro)!!!

Amorphium was the first graphics engine I bought. Back then, before I sank deeper into the graphic arts, I thought it was the best thing I had ever aquired. Unfortunately, this proved to be false. After many days using Amorphium I decided to go out and buy another 3D modeling program. The name of it was Bryce 3D 4. Bryce opened up whole new worlds to me: Render options, size options, and even a huge variety of texture and material options! But I'm not here to tell you about Bryce; I'm here to tell you why I did not give this a good review.

First, the fact that you could not anti-alias(the removal of sharp, or jagged edges produced by low resolution) and could not pick your render options was a huge setback. Second, the real time processor is just too weak. Instead of allowing the user to create complex 3D models, Amorphium has opted for simplicity. This means you cannot effectively create fog, transparent objects, or any other complex model. Why? To help the biggining user. Third, the lack of a real texture editor and material editor. Here are the three options that Amorphium gives its user: Diffuse, Ambience and Opacity. This is just too little; I've seen more texture effects on Adobe PhotoDeluxe!

I could go on and on about the imperfections of this program. However, to save the reader time, I will give you the scoop: Buy this if your a biggining user looking to create simple graphics on the web. If you don't fill this catagory than save your money for any of the quality products from Corel, Flash, and Direct 3D/Game Designer type programs. Do not waste your money on this weak of a program. Period.

This is the coolest software I ever see! I was playing around with this thing and it is cool! You can create anything you like and you should get this stuff and you will be amazed. So get this software and enjoy the fun! Be a PRO!

Imagine a lump of modeling clay that is infinitely pushable, pullable and paintable. Then add the ability to twist or bulge, or add waves or spikes in a statisfyingly symmetrical way to the whole shape with one mouse drag.

Amorphium throws away the wire frames and gives you real time smooth 3D rendering as you shape and color. This modestly priced package is both intuitive and fun for kids and sophisticated enough for professionals to create compelling organic images. The interface lets you play and discover without reading one word of the guide, but there are a few interesting features that the guide can point you to.

What many other graphics packages let you do with painting, Amorphium lets you do with shaping. You can select different shaped objects to poke with (shaping brushes) and select the size and pressure. You can choose to poke or pull from behind to mirror what you do in front, and then rotate object in space and see what you created from any angle. You can even use a mask with shaping operations. Shaping tools will not affect masked out areas but mask edges are still nice and smooth.

Best of all, as you press, your tool goes towards the center of the object in the 3d space so you can continue to refine surfaces in any plane.

Users of Bryce will recognize the interface style. With most of the tools (other than brushes), you click and drag on the tool icon itself and watch the main image as it changes in real time. For some tools a percentage number will appear unobtrusively if you want to note numeric values for future reference. My only quibble with this style is that the interface palettes of icons are rather dark. I feel like I am indulging my computer graphics addiction in a closet.

The features include applying images from other files to your object for shape or color, morphing from one shape to another, and animating your object to create movies.

The really fast and fun tools are called "distorts", which are like Photoshop filters (but much faster). You click and drag on the "distort" name and watch the shape twist or grow spikes or waves in response to the direction and length of the mouse drag. Applying one "distort" after another gives truly infinite and beautiful variety of form.

Amorphium allows its users to manipulate basic shapes (sphere, cone, cylinder, and others) into 3D graphics. This program is the electronic equivalent to molding clay. Amorphium is a fun program to play with at a cheap price.