I just saw version 1.0 of this app included free on a magazine's cover DVD... Sorry it was at lunch time and I can't remember the magazine's title but it was not a graphics magazine like 3D World or such... More like the UK computer magazines like PC Plus or PC Answers... I can't seem to find any information or reviews on version 1.0... Is this a modeller, renderer, texturer or...??? Any info or links would be greatly appreciated... Cheers Kenmo

Attached Link: http://www.eovia.com/products/carrara3D_basics2/c3D_basics_features.asp

To be honest, I never worked with this version, and I couldn't find much with a google search, but I went to Eovia's site and they list all the new features, as well as the standard features of Carrara 3D Basics. Apparently Basic does modeling, texturing, rendering, and basic animation. I figure if you subtract the new from the old you'll have all the info you need about the older version. Still sounds like a hell of a deal.

Oh, I believe Digit Magazine is giving away Carrara Basic 1.0 on their free disc this month.

I believe that C3D basics was around the time of Carrara 3 (or maybe 4), so it has many of the same features of the full Carrara, but many of the features are missing. It's like the old RayDream 3D that was released -- many features, but missing many.

I think it doesn't have a vertex modeler, so you learn to run with the spline modeler pretty quickly. It can be very effective, and if you're interested in getting your feet wet, it's a great wading pool. When you're ready to dive in for more, then you can jump to the full version of Carrara without much headanch.

In short, it's a pretty powerful entry package.

Hope that's helpful!

• Dex
  www.pandemoniummovie.com

I used Basics as a "getting feet wet" experience, and it was well worth the time and dollars. In fact, I'm thinking of going back and writing some tutorials for 3D novices encouraging that very approach to getting in. My experience has been that 3D modelling is a "paradigm shift" for people unfamiliar with the tools, and I haven't found a book or tutorial site that approaches that problem. It's a bit like riding a bicycle: Monstrous hard to get past the first stage, then suddenly, you are rolling.