Links and bookmarks and resources, oh shi . . .

Here are some links and resources I want to share:

Software:
This stuff is free or at least very cheap and useful.

Software for low poly 3d modeling / subD modeling (free demo)
SILO
http://www.nevercenter.com/silo/

Software for low poly 3d modeling (free)
WINGS 3d
http://www.wings3d.com/

Software for retopologizing (free demo)
TOPOGUN
http://www.topogun.com/

Software for UV unwrapping (free)
ROADKILL
http://www.pullin-shapes.co.uk/page8.htm

Software for generating normal maps (free)
XNORMAL
http://www.xnormal.net/1.aspx

Bookmarks and Links:

http://delicious.com/
http://delicious.com/greyother

Maya normal maps

Here is a screen shot from maya.
The low res mesh is only 170 faces and the high res sculpt is several hundred thousand. The render in the lower right corner is of the mesh on the left. One can see the UV map and normal map used to render the detail from the sculpt.

I used Topogun ( http://www.topogun.com/) to retopologize a zbrush model and then generated the normal map in Maya. I find Maya's normal map generation to be slightly easier to use than Max although I prefer Zbrush's zmapper overall. It is nice to be able to create normal maps in Maya easily however.

If one does not have access to Max or Maya or Zbrush to make normal maps, Xnormal is a great option as well.
http://www.xnormal.net/1.aspx