Pantano, Frank

 
People often ask me about getting started with different SciVis and/or Game Design software packages that they can download for free (or minimal cost).  The on-line world changes daily, but here are a few that have stood the test of time and might be worth looking into:

Computer Software (GAME DESIGN, IMAGE EDITING, 3d MODELING, AUDIO EDITING, Etc.) Downloads 

Adobe Creative Suite 2 - This includes the adobe line of products including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro. This is an older version, but has many of the same features of newer versions and is free to download.
 
            Download Link: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html
 
 
Game Maker - This is a free and powerful game development software engine that will get you started in making cool games in no time:
 
            Download Link: http://yoyogames.com/game_showcases/273/legacy_download
            Tutorials: http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/make/tutorials
            On-Line Game Maker Community with STEM Focus: http://activategames.org/
 
Unity 3D Game Creator - Unity is a game development tool that has been designed to let you focus on creating amazing games:
 
            Download Link: http://unity3d.com/unity/whats-new/unity-3.4.1
 

Gamestar Mechanic - 

Gamestar Mechanic is a game-based digital learning platform geared at 4th to 9th grade students that is designed to teach the guiding principles of game design and systems thinking in a highly engaging and creative environment.

 

 
            Download Link: http://gamestarmechanic.com/
             

C++ Game Development - C++ is a programming language that you are going to want to know how to use if you really want to be a programmer or game developer:
            
            Download Link: http://tinyurl.com/4xxq65d
 
When you go to the site, go to the left side of the screen and click on Basic C++ lessons. Then click on introduction to C++. This will bring up a basic introduction to C++. If you go back to the link above, then click on Basic C++ lessons, you can choose any lesson from that list, although it is recommended you start with Introduction to C++.
 
Unreal Development Kit (3D Game Creator) - Okay folks - this is THE software that Epic Games (Cary, NC) uses to create cool things like Gears of War and Unreal Tournament.  Epic WANTS you to use this software - download and check it out.
            
            Download Link: http://udk.com/download
 
JAVA - Another good programming language to know as it will allow you to create content for PCs, Web Browsers, and Mobile Platforms.
            
            Tutorial: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/

Source SDK - If you have any source games (Half-Life 2, Portal, Counter-Strike Source, etc., then you can make mods and maps for those games with Source SDK. If you do not know if your game is a source game, then you can find it on the list here:    http://www.listal.com/list/powered-by-source-engine 

             Site: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SDK_Docs
  
Blender - This is a simple and easy-to-understand 3d graphics software once you get the hang of it.
            Download - http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/
            Tutorials - http://www.blender.org/education-help/tutorials/

GMax - This is basically a "lightweight" version of 3dsMax.
            Download - http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax
            Tutorial - http://www.vmbollig.de/msts/tut_en/

Google Sketch Up - You know Google, check out their TOTALLY FREE version of a 3d software package.
            Download - http://sketchup.google.com/

Synfig Studio - This a free/open-source 2D package that will allow you to develop some cool projects.
            Download - http://www.synfig.org/cms/en/download/
            Tutorials - http://wiki.synfig.org/wiki/Category:Tutorials
 
InkScape - This is a FREE alternative to Adobe Illustrator.  A nice, 2D vector software package.
            Download - http://inkscape.org/
            Tutorials - http://inkscapetutorials.wordpress.com/
 
GIMP - This is a FREE alternative to Adobe Photoshop.  A nice, basic photo-editing package.
            Download - http://www.gimp.org/
            Tutorials - http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/
 
Paint.NET - Download - http://www.getpaint.net/
PIXLR - This is a FREE alternative to Adobe Photoshop and it's 100% on-line - NO download necessary. 
            Web Page - http://pixlr.com
            
 
Alice - This software comes from Carnegie Mellon University, one of the nation's top engineering schools.  It is an educational package that teaches students programming in a 3d environment.
            Download - http://www.alice.org/index.php?page=downloads/download_alice2.2             
            Tutorial - To view the Alice tutorial, launch Alice and click on the "Start the Tutorial" button in the Welcome to Alice dialogue box. You can also jump to a            specific tutorial by clicking on one of the tutorial worlds below the "Start the Tutorial" button.
 
 
Scratch - Much like Alice, Scratch comes to us as a free gift from the best engineering school in the land..... MIT.
            Download - http://scratch.mit.edu/
 
Audacity - This is a simple audio creation/editing package that will have you creating custom sound effects in no-time for your games and videos.
            Download - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

JamStudio - Here is another simple audio creation/editing package.  However, this one is web-based, so you don't even need to download anything!
            Webpage - http://www.jamstudio.com
 
Image J - Here is nice little image analysis program from the National Institutes of Health.  You can do all sorts of cool, pixel-by-pixel breakdowns of digital images with this software.
            Download - http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/download.html
 
 
 
Free Autodesk Software Download - Students can download an educational license for the Autdoesk Softwares from this link: http://students.autodesk.com