3D Scene Renderer for Python
Question:
I’m looking for an easy to use 3D scene renderer for Python. All I’m looking for is to be able to:
- Load a 3D scene model
- Render it using an orthographic camera
- Export the image so I can perform analysis
So far the software I’ve found is either too low-level (like basic OpenGL bindings) or too complex (like Ogre). Any advice?
Answers:
Really depends exactly what you want to accomplish. How complex is your scene? What sort of render quality are you after? Do you need real-time animation, or are rendered stills good enough?
First-rate, full game engines (have been used for commercial games)
- Panda3d http://www.panda3d.org/
- PyOgre http://www.ogre3d.org/tikiwiki/PyOgre
- Pyrr (Irrlicht wrapper)
Less popular 3d engines, new or beta: YMMV.
- OpenSceneGraph http://www.openscenegraph.org/projects/osg
- Spyre http://pduel.sourceforge.net/spyre/spyre.spyre-module.html
- PySoy http://www.pysoy.org/
- Soya http://pypi.python.org/pypi/Soya/0.11.2
- PyCrystal http://www.crystalspace3d.org/main/PyCrystal
- Horde3d http://www.horde3d.org/
- VTK (Visualization Tool Kit) http://www.vtk.org/
Low-level OpenGL interfaces – more control, more for you to do yourself
- PyOpenGL http://pyopengl.sourceforge.net/
- Pyglet http://www.pyglet.org/
- Zoe http://www.alcyone.com/software/zoe/
Non-realtime interfaces
- cgkit http://cgkit.sourceforge.net/documentation.html (Renderman, Maya)
- Blender http://www.blender3d.org/
- POVray wrapper http://code.activestate.com/recipes/205451/
I would recommend Panda3D. It supports everything in the list, and is “high-level” too. The manual describes how to achieve everything needed.
I’m looking for an easy to use 3D scene renderer for Python. All I’m looking for is to be able to:
- Load a 3D scene model
- Render it using an orthographic camera
- Export the image so I can perform analysis
So far the software I’ve found is either too low-level (like basic OpenGL bindings) or too complex (like Ogre). Any advice?
Really depends exactly what you want to accomplish. How complex is your scene? What sort of render quality are you after? Do you need real-time animation, or are rendered stills good enough?
First-rate, full game engines (have been used for commercial games)
- Panda3d http://www.panda3d.org/
- PyOgre http://www.ogre3d.org/tikiwiki/PyOgre
- Pyrr (Irrlicht wrapper)
Less popular 3d engines, new or beta: YMMV.
- OpenSceneGraph http://www.openscenegraph.org/projects/osg
- Spyre http://pduel.sourceforge.net/spyre/spyre.spyre-module.html
- PySoy http://www.pysoy.org/
- Soya http://pypi.python.org/pypi/Soya/0.11.2
- PyCrystal http://www.crystalspace3d.org/main/PyCrystal
- Horde3d http://www.horde3d.org/
- VTK (Visualization Tool Kit) http://www.vtk.org/
Low-level OpenGL interfaces – more control, more for you to do yourself
- PyOpenGL http://pyopengl.sourceforge.net/
- Pyglet http://www.pyglet.org/
- Zoe http://www.alcyone.com/software/zoe/
Non-realtime interfaces
- cgkit http://cgkit.sourceforge.net/documentation.html (Renderman, Maya)
- Blender http://www.blender3d.org/
- POVray wrapper http://code.activestate.com/recipes/205451/
I would recommend Panda3D. It supports everything in the list, and is “high-level” too. The manual describes how to achieve everything needed.