you can fly!?
Make 3D models from around images & photos in seconds

Archipelis Designer

  have contours, will marvel...
move up:



intro - features - version info - samples - videos - download - SalesArchipelis.comforumsFAQ - F.A.D. - Tutorials new! What's New? hot!


Just draw an outline from a background image to make it a 3D with the same image textured on it!
trace images to turn them into 3D

After that you can change the polygon count, the texture, view it in various styles, arrange the position and size, rotation and shape of the created objects, save to 3D file formats for further editing, and even view in 3D stereoscopic (anaglyphic) mode - accelerated in 3D!





- What is Archipelis Designer?

Archipelis Designer is a software that creates 3D models in a different manner:  it's possible to create a 3D model simply and quickly by drawing it. Just draw the contour of the various shapes of the model (for example the head, the body, legs...) and Archipelis automatically merges them and applies a texture which comes from the image you just traced. It is possible to use a picture as a background and follows the contours on it. Or you can use a blank view and just draw the shapes you want from scratch.


Thus, very simply and in just a few seconds or minutes, it is possible to create "photo-realistic" organic models and to export them in widespread 3D formats like VRML, OBJ and more. Then you can use your favorite tools to add bones and rig the new creature for professional animation. Or you can import it to Quidam, Carrara, TrueSpace, Curvy-3D, Amapi & Hexagon and other 3D tools for further reshaping and editing the 3D mesh, and of course you can also take it straight into a game engine like 3impact.

September 2008:
The Archipelis company is pleased to announce the availability of the version 2.0 of Archipelis Designer.


Technology:

Archipelis Designer takes a different approach to creating 3D models by simply drawing its shape! Just draw the contour of the various shapes of the model (for example: the head, the body, the legs) and Archipelis Designer automatically merges them and applies textures. It is also possible to use a picture or photo as a background and follow the contours on it.

Thus, very simply and in about ten minutes, it is possible to create realistic organic models and  to export them in widespread 3D formats like VRML, 3DS Max, DirectX or Google Sktechup and moreover Second Life. It's so intuitive... This brand new version 2.0 is much faster, more accurate, can work up to 6 txtures, can handle 3D interactions, can export the result to the Second Life platform... All that for 38 euros for Apple Mac OS X and Windows.

Company:

Archipelis is a young company located near Bordeaux, Southern France. It started its activity in the beginning of 2007 by providing Archipelis Designer, a 3D tool for both beginner and advanced 3D designers who wants to create 3D content in a fast way. Now, with the sucess of metaversed worlds, Archipelis is entering and focusing on this market with new applications.






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 Archipelis for iPhone runs on iPad

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Archipelis Designer is great fun software by itself - and it's even better when used with other tools for
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Using Archipelis Designer with N-sided's Quidam:
post work and zooming transitions in the above animation created in PD Pro
 



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September 2008 -
Archipelis 2 available for Windows  AND  MacOS!


  • now available Windows and also for MacOS
  • SL (Second Life) exporter included
  • new, powerful interface
  • faster than earlier versions!
  • See the new User Manual
  • order here
Differences between version 1.1 and version 2:

Features V1.1 V2
modeling with images only one up to 6 (cube face)
improved accuracy no yes
improved speed no yes
project saving yes yes
export into various formats yes yes
export into Second Life no yes
integration with SketchUp yes yes (no for Mac)
3D interaction when modeling no yes
shape stretching yes yes
shape Deformation no yes
intersection/differences
between shapes
yes yes
multiresolution yes yes (automatically set when modeling)
region of interest in the image yes (for group) yes with zoom
rendering styles of the 3D model yes yes
texture creation and modification yes yes
multi views modeling no up to 4
anaglyphic visualization
(red and blue glasses)
yes yes




New Pricing!

January 2008 - Announcing new, lower price for Archipelis 1.1

Archipelis Designer : 38 Euros
(about $57 USD)


Note: pricing may change without notice, be sure to check for current pricing when going to the ordering page




Announcing The SL Exporter

January 2008 - Convert models from Archipelis into Linden Lab's Second Life, with the all new SL Exporter for Archipelis!




Latest Version & Releases



Version 2 is out (sept. 2008) - now also for Mac

Plus: there is also now a version for iPhone (without texturing) and a fully featured version for iPad!

Differences between version 1.1 and version 2:

  • New user interface!
  • Other new features:
Features V1.1 V2
modeling with images only one up to 6 (cube face)
improved accuracy no yes
improved speed no yes
project saving yes yes
export into various formats yes yes
export into Second Life no yes
integration with SketchUp yes yes (no for Mac)
3D interaction when modeling no yes
shape stretching yes yes
shape Deformation no yes
intersection/differences
between shapes
yes yes
multiresolution yes yes (automatically set when modeling)
region of interest in the image yes (for group) yes with zoom
rendering styles of the 3D model yes yes
texture creation and modification yes yes
multi views modeling no up to 4
anaglyphic visualization
(red and blue glasses)
yes yes

  • Other new features:
New: SL export included. Google Sketchup export included too!





What's New in v1.1?

  • it's faster!
  • Free update from 1.0 for current customers
  • Save to several new formats:
  •  .obj (Alias/Wavefront/Maya),
  •  .wrl (VRML),
  •  .off (OFF),
  •  .asc (for 3DS Max),
  •  .dxf (DXF),
  •  .x (Direct X),
  •  .stl (STL),
  •  .x3d (X3D)
  • Prossibility to include models into Google SketchUp
  • Also: Automatic generation of program: C program for rendering models based on OpenGL



See the new
User's Guide




 




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timelapse screen capture  of Archipelis Designer in action:



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Archipelis Designer - Features:
(Note:Specifications subject to change and evolution)

  • Save 3D models to SL (Linden Lab's Second Life) format\
  • Trace 2D image details to 3D
  • Draw 2D shapes to build 3D objects
  • Viewing Modes: Wireframe, Cartoon, environment reflection map, textured,...
  • Control / change surface decimation (adjust polygon count)
  • re-position & re-shape the 3D objects
  • Merge and Cut 3D shapes that overlap
  • Organize and manage object parts into groups
  • apply colors to objects
  • drag-and-drop new textures into scene, and show them applied to the 3D objects in the scene so far
  • Stereoscopic view: anaglyphic (red/blue) display mode with dynamically controllable angle, separation and more!
  • Save to 3D format: .obj (wavefront), .wrl (vrml),...
After drawing and creating a 3D object, you can save it to some  popular 3D formats, such as VRML and Wavefront OBJ. They include the uv addresses for texture mapping, and you can use the original image from which you traced and created the 3D shapes.


Here are some of the formats supported

(as of version 2)
  • Maya Wavefront OBJ
  • VRML 1
  • VRML 2
  • SL (Second Life)
  • Google Sketchup
  • STL
  • DXF
  • DirectX





Example: after saving the rhino as OBJ file, we loaded it into Carrara and placed it with the texture in several instances and at various orientations and sizes. This took just a few minutes to create and a few more minutes to render! We then did some post work to add footprints in the snow behind the baby rhino, and a few snowfall filter fx and other special fx (sunset red above horizon and fog grey cold fx below horison) using Project Dogwaffle.

Winter-Rhinos
Rendred in Carrara - Click images for larger versions (800x600)
a group of rhinos
straight rendering in Carrara
with Global Illumination

a group of rhinos
after postwork
with Project Dogwaffle



Desert Rhinos
rendered in Carrara
desert rhinos


A Camel at Sunset

Just a few easy steps to transfer a camel from a photograph (image courtesy of Klipsi) into a 3D scene.

3D Camel reconstruction in Archipelis Designer,

Rendering in Carrara [click image for slideshow]



Going Beyond... with Quidam.
Using N-sided's tool to further modify the 3D mesh created in Archipelis Designer
Archipelis Designer to Quidam
the amazing shrinking head

Using Archipelis Designer to convert 2D logos to 3D
click here for more info







to probe further:

Archipelis
homepage

forums:
yahoogroups













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Archipelis Designer:  Videos


you can use Archipelis Designer to draw shapes traced against a background image - but you don't have to. This is also a very fun tool to use for easy 3D modeling. If you can draw blobby shapes, round shapes, any shape - you can build 3D models!








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