Python 3D Software Collection

The Python Computer Graphics Kit is a collection of Python modules that contain the basic types and functions to be able to create 3D computer graphics images. The kit mainly focuses on Pixar's RenderMan interface, but some modules can also be used for OpenGL programs or non-RenderMan compliant renderers like POV-Ray, for example.

Focussed on the needs of those creating Visual effects tools/toolchains. RIB (renderman) format support, Maya importers, image handling, UI controls.

Utility library for loading .3ds files generated by the original 3DStudio and lots of other programs. Includes code for rendering the loaded models using PyOpenGL.

ODE is an open source, high performance library for simulating rigid body dynamics. Has advanced joint types and integrated collision detection with friction. ODE is useful for simulating vehicles, objects in virtual reality environments and virtual creatures. Used in games, tools and simulations. Python binding is apparently quite usable.

Provides a very simple API to render directly into a (Py)OpenGL context

Commonly used library for providing a PyOpenGL rendering context. Includes sprite-based animations, media playback, image loading, text-rendering, rich "surface" mechanism for compositing (non-hardware-accellerated, however), text rendering and the like. OpenGLContext provides a full PyGame context.

Collection of modules for use in writing games with PyGame, includes an OpenGL accelerated 2D drawing library, a scenegraph-based sprite engine, and some extensions to PyGame's drawing commands.

GLFW is a (C?) library which provides a cross-platform abstraction for system-level events such as window creation, mouse and keyboard interaction. PyGLFW is a binding for GLFW for Python.

Provides rich and simple interface for digital media manipulation( wav, mp3, ogg, avi, divx, dvd, cdda etc ). It includes parsing, demutiplexing, multiplexing, encoding and decoding. Cross platform.

This is the standard module used in Python for working with bitmapped images (JPEG, PNG, BMP, etceteras). Many of the 3D engines described here rely on PIL for their image-decoding (and encoding) operations.

Basically a text editor with syntax highlighting Also has automatic insertion of common elements and property configuration. "In short WinPov for Linux"

Scientific Python is the first port-of-call for those wishing to use Python for any sort of scientific work. Among the large collection of code are numerous utilities which are useful when writing low-level 3D code. There is also some code for exporting VRML files (I believe version 1.0, however, not VRML97).

Utility library for loading .3ds files generated by the original 3DStudio and lots of other programs. Includes code for rendering the loaded models using PyOpenGL.

Originally part of OpenGLContext, TTFQuery builds on top of FontTools to provide a cross-platform mechanism which can read TTF Font files and extract from them the metrics required to render fonts in 3D (as is done in OpenGLContext). Also includes primitive font finding/matching code.

The Vision Egg is a high level interface between Python and OpenGL. In addition to methods for automatic generation of traditional visual stimuli such as sinusoidal gratings and random dot patterns, it has a number of functions for moving numeric data, images, movies, text, and 3D objects to and from your video card and allowing use of some of its features like perspective distortion. Written on top of PyOpenGL.

Not really a 3D library, just a library that tends to be used to host 3D contexts. OpenGLContext provides a full wxPython context built on the wxGLCanvas.