It’s not official, but a link to the download can be found in this thread:
Although it’s billed as just a debug release, the included full fbx export is as significant as any other feature Blender has shipped. And it wouldn’t have happened without OTEE’s support.
I’m happy to say that the latest builds (at least from graphicall.org) run sweetly w/ python 2.5 on OSX. I’d been having interface lag problems on my mac pro and I know horsepower isn’t a problem. For some reason the official OSX builds all used python 2.3. Had you experienced anything similar, Kahuna? I’ve seen your posts on that issue on the Blender forums.
Maybe I can find some unofficial info about Unity 2 on the Blender forums. 
But a little birdie told me to mark Sept 17 on the calender…
If I recall correctly, the issues I ran into were caused by Python scripts that required Python 2.5 and the latest version of Python to ship with OS X is 2.3. Consequently, the “official” builds of Blender for OS X all run with Python 2.3 (although numerous industrious folk have figured out how to install Python 2.5 and are using the more updated builds).
FWIW, I’m not experiencing any display lags on my 17" iMac Intel Core Duo with Blender 2.45.
And now it’s official:
Cool!
Plus, there’s an official Intel OSX Python 2.5 package now
How do you get that version of the package to run? I can only get the Python 2.3 one working.
Also, how do you make the SpaceNavigator work with Blender?
http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.5.1/python-2.5.1-macosx.dmg
But if you’re working OK w/ 2.3, might be better not to mess with it. There are some scripts that require 2.5, but your mileage may vary, and you’ll have to build from source to go back to 2.3, I think.
In order for a script to be included with the delivered version of Blender it must work with Python 2.3. That includes the new FBX exporter. Consequently, if all you want to use is what comes with Blender, you’ll be fine with the version for Python 2.3. There are some “un-official” scripts out there that require Python 2.5 (not many, but some). If you want to run them, you’ll need to install Python 2.5 (and make OS X aware of it’s installation, from what I understand, not an easy task) and then install the version of Blender intended for Python 2.5.
FWIW, I’m using Python 2.3 and have no plans to install Python 2.5 until Apple has included it with OS X. Less headaches and risk of buggering my OS IMHO. Unfortunately, AFAIK, Apple has no immediate plans to update Python.
I dunno about that…by whatever means I installed Python 2.5, it “just worked” and I didn’t have to do anything aside from running an installer (I assume…I don’t actually remember anything about the installation, which should tell you something. 
). But you’re right; there’s not a huge reason for upgrading at this time.
–Eric
Has anyone had success exporting armatures from Blender to Unity with 2.45 either via Collada or FBX?
i haven’t personally (so no idea on procedure yet ; ) but others have:
http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=6580
EDIT: FBX
Second that. I can’t even remember why I put python 2.5, some script that seemed like a good idea at the time. But it started to hork blender’s performance - interface lags, display bugs, etc… So unless you’ve got a good reason, maybe better to stick w/ python 2.3.
I saw a reference in the release notes to armature support in Collada, and since Unity does this conversion under the hood, IIRC, we might hope to see native support for Blender armatures in Unity soon.
In the meantime, the FBX exporter works like a dream, but you’ve got to use the “old way” of weight painting the rig’s influence and “manually” parenting rig to mesh instead of using envelopes and the modifier stack. Or start with envelopes and modifiers, and convert them to vertex groups. [This page helped me.
You bet.
A quick test here from Blender 2.45 exported as .fbx
http://www.2dare.co.uk/unity/blender-test1.html
If the model, rigging, animation looks odd that’s because I need to ‘just’ learn all those things still.
Great that we can use blender for animation at last tho’ thanks to ideasman and otee.
Joc
It’s been a long journey coming. We more or less started with Unity and Blender, and have been somewhat limited until now. Now that limitation is much, much smaller. Thanks so much to everyone who made it happen!
-Jon
One question regarding Blender: Are they in any way proud of their UI, or will they at some point implement another one?
I imagine they are quite proud of their UI.
They have been developing it for quite some time.
I, and many others who have given it some time, actually do like working in it and find that it has some novel/advanced solutions to working with a complex application.
It aint perfect, but then how many UIs are?
Joc
A complete redesign of the Blender UI is planned for the future. There are already a number of custom builds that modify the UI for particular tastes as well as scripts/sample settings that you can use with the current version (a Max / Maya “clone” set up was recently highlighted on BlenderNation.com).
You can modify the UI to look like almost anything you like. I think I’ve tried every 3D app out there, but keep going back to Blender. I’m currently giving Carrara 6 Pro another go (about as far away from Blender UI wise as you can get), but honestly find Blender to be easier to use.
Two things that Blender does not have that drives me bonkers: One is a proper bevel tool. The scripts that bevel a mesh just don’t work right IMHO. The other is a materials management system. On both these counts, Carrara blows Blender away.
I find the UI to be extremely elegant in many places. The 3D view and Buttons window are awesome. The file browser is a giant load of garbage, however. It would be nice to see standard system file browsing implemented.
Scaleable vector menus = very good. Gray-on-grey text, showing EVERY file on your hard drive = very bad. Inconsistent, definitely, but it’s still the best free program out there.
Well, i’ve heard more than once that those who use it more on a regular basis, seem to kind of enjoy it but personally to someone like me who just investigates it for some limited time it somehow falls into a category with the worst UI i’ve seen/used since quite some time and the interface screams after reengineering.
It’s kind of funny as you quite often witness dialogues like this (searching for an affordable model solution):
:
“Oh and there is Blender too!”
“Yes Blender, indeed.”
“Hmmm, well.”
little silence
“How was this other program called again ?”
: