2D Software
| Name | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Suite | Adobe | Programs for creating and editing images, animations, motion graphics, etc. Essential programs include Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Animate. |
| Substance Designer | Adobe (formerly Allegorithmic) | Tool for creating procedural materials and textures in 3D. Widely used in the gaming and film industry for designing detailed and customized textures. |
| Substance Painter | Adobe (formerly Allegorithmic) | 3D painting software that allows artists to paint directly on 3D models using a variety of tools and brushes. |
| Houdini COPstance Plugin | COPstance | Plugin for Houdini that enables Substance Designer nodes within Houdini’s COP context. |
| FacedownFX LTD | FacedownFX LTD | For the composition and verification of flipbooks. |
| Game Texture Viewer | JangaFX | Could be a tool for viewing textures used in games, but more details would be needed. |
| Krita | KDE | Open-source software for illustration and digital art. Offers a variety of brushes and tools for artists. |
| GIMP | The GIMP Development Team | Open-source image editing program used for retouching and editing photos, image composition, and digital art creation. |
| Inkscape | The Inkscape Team | Open-source vector design software used for creating and editing vector graphics. |
For iPad
| Name | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Procreate | Savage Interactive | Illustration and 2D animation software. Flipbook creation. |
| MotionBook | 亮 彭 | 2D flipbook creation. |
| Let’s make flipbooks | Kazuya Fujita | 8-bit flipbook creation. |
| Flame Painter | Escape Motions, s.r.o | Texture creation. |
| Axiom Solver | Theory Accelerated LLC | Volume simulation. |
3D Software
| Name | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SideFX Houdini | SideFX | 3D graphics software specialized in procedural simulations, fluid dynamics, particle effects, and animations. Known for creating complex visual effects. |
| Blender | Blender Foundation | Open-source software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and more. |
| 3ds Max | Autodesk | Software for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering widely used in design, film, games, and architectural visualization. |
| Maya | Autodesk | 3D software for animation, modeling, simulation, and rendering, commonly used in film, TV, and game development. |
| ZBrush | Pixologic | Software for digital sculpting and modeling, known for its ability to create highly detailed 3D models. |
| Marvelous Designer | CLO Virtual Fashion | Software for creating and simulating 3D clothing and fabrics, used in film, games, and fashion. |
| Maxon Cinema 4D | Maxon Computer | 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software with user-friendly tools, popular in graphic design and animation. |
| SpeedTree | IDV (Interactive Data Visualization) | Software for creating, modeling, and animating trees and vegetation, used in games, films, and architectural visualizations. |
Game Engines
| Name | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unreal Engine | Epic Games | Versatile game engine known for creating AAA games and advanced rendering technology. Used in games, simulations, and more. |
| Unity | Unity Technologies | Popular game engine allowing development for various platforms. Known for ease of use and a large community. |
| TouchDesigner | Derivative | Visual development tool for real-time multimedia projects, often used for interactive installations and performances. |
| CryEngine | Crytek | Game engine with advanced graphics technology, initially used in the Crysis game series. |
| AppGameKit | The Game Creators | Development kit designed to facilitate game and app programming for multiple platforms. |
| GameMaker | YoYo Games | Game development tool for creating 2D games without extensive programming knowledge. |
| Godot | Open-source community | Open-source game engine supporting both 2D and 3D development with an intuitive interface and GDScript programming language. |
| Lumberyard | Amazon | Game engine based on CryEngine architecture, integrated with Amazon’s cloud services and Twitch. |
| Armory | Armory Technologies (open-source) | Open-source 3D game engine integrated with Blender, using the Haxe programming language. |
| Defold | King (open-source) | Free 2D game engine focused on ease of use and performance. |
| Solar2D | Vlad Shcherban (Corona Labs INC, Fire maple games, and Kamibox) | Platform for developing 2D games and apps for mobile devices. |
| RPG Maker | ASCII Corporation (Enterbrain, KADOKAWA Future Publishing) | Game development tool focused on creating 2D RPGs with a user-friendly interface. |