We’ve just launched a cool Flash application that uses Papervision3D to create a simple yet fun 3D modelling environment.

Developed for games publisher SouthPeak Interactive’s upcoming launch of 3D Dot Game Heroes™ on PlayStation®3, the tool has been spectacularly well received by video game fans and has led to over 2,000 designs being created and saved in the first 24 hours alone!

So why not plumb the depths of your imagination and create your very own original 3D gaming sprite. Or, if you’re old enough to look back in fondness at the old Atari and NES games of yesteryear, try recreating your favourite 8-bit game character in 3D instead. Go on, try it!

A group of rather talented russian flash developers have been working hard on version 5 of the Alernativa3D engine and have now reached their first milestone.

Check out the magic

Our kettle of cool gives this a rather fabulous 1.6 liters which when converted to cups of tea is 5 out of 5!

This website demonstrates the features of the KIA Rio using an innovative, 3D rollercoaster ride.

Featuring lots of pre-rendered Flash animation and bold, primary colours, it makes a welcome change from the image-heavy car sites we’ve grown accustomed to.

Google have released a new beta of Google Earth, featuring a host of great new features including:

• Improved, user-friendly UI.
• 3D buildings can now feature textures.
• Linux support (nice one Google!).
• French, Italian, German, and Spanish versions now available for download.
• Better GPS support (Google Earth Plus only).
• More realistic peaks and valleys.

The addition of textures to 3D buildings adds a great deal of realism to Google Earth:

A Google Earth Scene with no textures

A Google Earth scene with textured buildings

Google are encouraging users to create and submit textured buildings created in Google Sketchup, which is a clever way of promoting another application from their stable of downloadable applications.