Daz 3D has made three programs free for the remainder of April. These are for the Pro version, with serial keys that would cost over $800 at the retail price.

To download go to the Daz 3D website, you will have to register an account, then buy the software (for free) No credit card of payment information is required.

What you get:
Daz Studio - A 3D character/scene creator, that can create some nice renders easily. You can also use it to render interior scene, or even outdoor (but Bryce is better for Outdoor)



Bryce - You can use Bryce to create an outdoor landscape scene , and even place the characters you pose in Daz Studio inside your outdoor setting. You can also use Bryce to generate heightmaps that you could then import into Unreal Engine, Ace of Spades, or any other Game engine that uses Heightmaps for terrain.



Hexagon - a 3D modeling application, that allows you to create 3D models in an intuitive way. Its one of the easiest ones that I have used (even easier than Wings3D) and seemed to have a good amount of power behind it.

(Maybe if I learn patience soon enough and manage to model something decent I'll post a screenshot.)


I think it is worth the few minutes it takes to register and get the software.

Update: As of 5/4/2012 it looks as though the Saz Software is still free, they haven't given a expiration date for it this time.

This website, and All Around Games (http://allaroundgames.net) will be participating in the SOPA Blackout on January 18th.

On the 18th you will be unable to reach this website, instead you will be redirected to a website containing information about how you can help stop SOPA.

If SOPA passes this website will undoubtedly be taken down, due to the very nature of the names, and the images on the website.  Forums will also disappear at a rapid pace if SOPA is passed, SOPA makes the owner of the website responsible for all content on the website, including forum posts. Meaning if someone even post an image of Spiderman on the forums, or uses it in a signature the website would not only be blocked, but I could be charged.

SOPA present a big problem for the Sandcrawler Network websites, because there is a lot of information that is user uploaded. So help stop it if you want this website to continue.

PS: PIPA is almost the same as SOPA, and also has to be stopped.

PSS. I don't normally get involved in politics, but this effect the internet, something that we should all care greatly about.

More and better information:
http://americancensorship.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act
http://sopastrike.com/

This weekend was a rather busy one, what with Ludum Dare going on. I still accomplished a few things with the website.

- New Ace of Spades Tutorial (Pyspades Map Editor)
- Changes to the tutorials pages (backend admin stuff and almost no one will ever see )
- Changes to the Servers page, to reflect the fact that we have two Killing Floor Servers, and one Ace of Spades server.

The servers we have:




32 Slot Ace of Spades Server
aos://182968642

All of these servers are hosted by Jest Servers:
http://main.jestservers.com/

You'd be hard pressed to find a better Game Server host, so if your going to rent a Game Server give him a try...he'll host almost anything


Expect some additional changes to the website soon, I want to get all of the pages looking more alike, So Contests, Links, Servers, and FAQ pages need to be updates...or removed

Cosmetic changes made to the Downloads page (instead of a link going to a page of links to add or update a map, they are now directly linked to on the Downloads Page navigation.

Fixed an issue with the map uploader/submitter that prevent all five screenshots being shown (only showed one)

We have added a new game to our list of supported games, Ace of Spades.

Ace of Spades is a independently developed game by Ben Aksoy, it is running on Ken Silverman's Voxlap engine. In once scene it's like Minecraft, on the other its a First Person Shooter. You can shot to destroy blocks, bases, as well as build your own base or fort. You goal, defend your intel from the enemy.

The game has support for custom maps, as well as skins for weapons. On the tutorial page you will find three new tutorials, covering the basics of mapping for Ace of Spades. The Downloads section now has a number of Ace of Spades categories.

To download this game (I forgot to mention its free ) go to http://ace-spades.com/