Collada (free)

[Tami]

COLLADA - 3D Asset Exchange Schema

COLLADA defines an XML-based schema to make it easy to transport 3D assets between applications - enabling diverse DCC and 3D processing tools be combined into a production pipeline. The intermediate format provides comprehensive encoding of visual scenes Including shaders and physics, and even multiple versions of the same asset. COLLADA FX enables shaders to be authored and packaged using OpenGL Shading Language so that leading 3D authoring tools can work effectively together to create OpenGL / OpenGL ES applications and assets.

COLLADA follows the same model as other standards already in place in the graphics industry, such as OpenGL. It is free to use, no royalties or any other fees. The specification and schema are available through anonymous http download on the Khronos web site (www.khronos.org/collada) in English and Japanese.

COLLADA enables content creation pipelines

COLLADA supports all the features that modern 3D interactive authoring applications and DCC (digital content creation) tools need to exchange and fully preserve asset data and its feature set is expanding to incorporate technologies such as packaging programmable shader effects and controlling real-time physics engines. COLLADA enables powerful content creation pipelines that can automatically condition and scale 3D geometry and texture assets for real-time playback on a wide diversity of platforms.

* COLLADA transports 3D assets between applications
Enables binding of diverse DCC and 3D processing tools into a production pipeline
* COLLADA is a XML database schema for 3D assets
COLLADA is an intermediate format - not a delivery format and not a scene graph
* COLLADA can be lossless
Retains all information - even multiple versions of the same asset
* COLLADA has comprehensive encoding of visual scenes
Including shaders and physics
* COLLADA is an open, archive-grade format that retains meta information
When your DCC tool upgrades, you keep your assets

What New in COLLADA 1.4?

Core Feature Enhancements

* Mesh geometry
* Skinning
* Morphing
* Animation
* Assets
* Data validation

COLLADA FX is the first cross-platform standard shader and effects definition written in XML. It targets high-end systems running OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL) and Cg (HLSL coming), as well as resource-constrained systems (OpenGL ES 1.x profile). It provides:

* Next generation lighting, shading and texturing
* High level effects and shaders
* Support for all shader models (1.x, 2.0, 3.0) under CG and GLSL profiles.

COLLADA Physics

* Rigid Body Dynamics
* Rag Dolls
* Contraints
* Collision Volumes
* Enables data interchange between Ageia (PhysX), Havok, Bullet, ODE and other game physics middleware