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?

Answer 1

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/

Answer 2

I would recommend Panda3D. It supports everything in the list, and is "high-level" too. The manual describes how to achieve everything needed.