Cosmic Blobs Lab Rat Edition

$40, Win 98, Win XP

Teaches: creativity, 3D drawing, programming, spatial relations

CTR Review

Updated 6/7/2006 - Cosmic Blobs Version 1.2 is now available with tool tips and $5 expansion packs that include Castles & Kingdoms � 50 new medieval-themed 3D character models, decals and textures to allow children to create their own medieval scenes. Extreme Sports includes a variety of extreme sports blobs including snowboarders, rock climbers, surfers, etc. This 3D creativity program starts with a blank screen, surrounded by sets of responsive but complex menus designed to help you add or take away items, squish or extrude them, color them in or morph them into new 3D shapes. The objects, like digital clay, look like they could be straight out of a Pixar movie --one tester called it a Jimmy Neutron construction set. The program takes an afternoon of tinkering to figure out, but offers a good deal of creativity power, more in fact than any previous 3D program. It is useful for helping children think about creating in 3D, which is quite a different process than typical drawing, e.g., with programs like KidPix. Moving around is made easier with shortcuts -- use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, for example, and a back arrow key thankfully takes away multiple steps. Projects are saved automatically, which is also not obvious due to the nonstandard menu system (some good old fashioned pull-downs would be nice!) For example, when you click on the help icon, the program takes you online without warning. It is also not obvious how to export work into other program formats, although this is possible at a BMP file. So what do you do with such a program? The creative potential is huge, and there is no commercial agenda such as with the Disney products. As a new way to let children create, and better understand 3D design, this is a breakthrough product. Note that you'll want to have a computer running Windows XP, with a 2.4 GHz CPU and a 64 MB graphics card. There are several way to try or buy this program. You can download it free, as a 32 MB file download that will work for 14 day. After that, you can buy a key for $40. You can also buy a CD version for $45. For more information, visit www.cosmicblobs.com.