The following list of software tools for rendering or animating Google SketchUp 3D models was adapted from a handout distributed at the recent Google Sketchup 3D Basecamp.
Commerical Products
Podium,
www.suplugins.com, $178, Direct SketchUp Integration.
IDX Renditioner,
www.idx-design.com, $199, Direct SketchUp Integration, formerly TurboSketch.
Vue 6 xStream,
www.e-onsoftware.com, $695 and up, imports .skp files.
Vue 6 infinite,
www.e-onsoftware.com, $895 and up, imports .skp files.
Piranesi,
www.piranesi.co.uk, $750, non-photorealistic, requires plug-in for SketchUp.
Artlantis,
www.artlantis.com, $795, requires SketchUp exporter plug-in.
Vray for SketchUp,
http://asgvis.com, $799, Direct SketchUp integration.
Maxwell Render,
www.maxwellrender.com, $995, requires SketchUp exporter plug-in.
FryRender,
www.fryrender.com, $1240, requires plug-in.
Open Source Products
Indigo,
www.indigorenderer.com/joomla, unbiased renderer, requires SketchUp exporter plug-in.
Kerkythea,
www.kerkythea.com/joomla, biased renderer, requires SketchUp exporter plug-in.
POV-Ray,
www.povray.com, Requires SketchUp plug-in found at
www.crai.archi.fr/Ruby/LibraryDepot/Ruby/su2pov.html.
Other Products of Interest
LuxRender,
http://luxrender.net, open source, high quality unbiased render engine, no direct SketchUp integration, but can be integrated with the open source product Blender.
Sunflow,
http://sunflow.sourceforge.net, open source, high quality biased render engine, no direct SketchUp integration, but can be integrated with Blender.
iClone,
www.reallusion.com/3dx.asp, $199, non-photo-realistic animation using SketchUp models.
--RSN