Six 3D tools breaking new ground in 2014

Here we highlight six oustanding pieces of software that have broken new ground and delivered new techniques to artists over the last year.

This collection of cool software are nominations for the CG Awards 2014 Software Innovation Award.

So which one do you think provides a clear benefit to CG artists? Will Maya's Bifrost get your vote, or has MeshFusion changed your life?

01. Bifrost (Maya)

The big new feature in Autodesk's Maya 2015, Bifrost sees the return of the fluid sim technology seen in Naiad. Interactive simulation previews in Viewport 2.0? Yes please!

02. Clarisse

Isotropix offer more than a simple renderer. Clarisse iFX is a shading and texturing, lighting, rendering and compositing app, built for artists, by artists.

03. Chronosculpt

This innovative release from Lightwave allows details to be added, removed or changed over the course of an animation, making it a groundbreaking application.

Watch ChronoSculpt in action: Rob Powers demonstrates editing dynamics in ChronoSculpt...

04. MeshFusion (Modo)

The Foundry's Modo plug-in changed the face of Boolean operations. The tool uses an intuitive workflow to build consistently good geometry from even simple primitives and remains procedural throughout.

05. Nevronmotion

Motion and performance capture reach the masses with Nevronmotion, which allows artists with the most limited budgets to get great results, using the kinect.

06. X-Particles

X-Paritcles is one of the most fully featured particle engines out there, and even has a built-in fluids solver and skinner, but remains easy to learn, despite its immense power.

So, there you go. Six great piece of software. Make sure you have your say and vote today via the 3D World CG Awards website.