3D-Coat
Encyclopedia
3D-Coat is a commercial computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....

 program designed to create free-form organic and hard surfaced 3D models from scratch, providing a broad set of tools which enable users to sculpt, add polygonal topology (automatically or manually), create UV maps (automatically or manually), texture the resulting models with natural painting tools and render static images or animated "turntable" movies - all within one 3D production environment.

The program can also be used as an environment for modifying imported 3D models from a number of commercial 3D software products - by means of included "Applinks". Imported models can be converted into voxel "sculptures" for further refinement and for adding high resolution detail, complete UV unwrapping and mapping, as well as adding textures for displacement, bump maps, specular maps and diffuse color maps. Once all desired modifications have been completed, "live" connection to a chosen external 3D application can be established through an included "Applink" pipeline, allowing for the transfer of all model and texture information, seamlessly.

3D-Coat specializes in voxel
Voxel
A voxel is a volume element, representing a value on a regular grid in three dimensional space. This is analogous to a pixel, which represents 2D image data in a bitmap...

sculpting and polygonal sculpting - using innovative Dynamic Tessellation technology and a complete set of polygonal sculpting tools (work in progress).

In the latest release, users can significantly increase their productivity by using 3D-Coat's proprietary "skinning" algorithm - AUTOPO. With minimal input from the user, this intelligent technology generates an accurate and functional polygonal mesh "skin" over any voxel sculpture, (composed primarily of quadrangles), which is the standard that is widely used and accepted in 3D production studios. Normally, this kind of polygonal topology must be painstakingly produced by hand.

3D-Coat is widely used in animation and design studios around the world.
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