MachStudio Pro

apparently my computer doesn't meet the minimum specs to view their website, for following the link you gave gives me a very white, very empty blank page...
I'll try again tomorrow, maybe then my evil computer will work for a change.

The company apparently threw in the towel and the crew has been hired by other companies. The product is still available on CNets site but of course you aren't going to be getting updates.

It use to cost $4000, then tried the free model, but finally failed. You can read more here http://www.cgchannel.com/2011/10/mach...s-up-shop/

A few years later and they might have made a go of it. It is a real time 3D rendering program. Instead of setting up the way many 3D programs work -which is more 'technical' they use a realtime rendering engine that allows the artist to paint, adjust lights, cameras, effects and so on it real time. It like the difference between a carpenter building a house and an artist drawing that house. It would be very appealing to many artists who perhaps would not be as comfortable with large complicated 3D programs with tons of settings and this more technical requirements.

Here is another article http://www.renderosity.com/news.php?viewStory=14928 they describe as working more like a 3D photoshop where you can paint and sculpt and tweak the environment.

To bade my computer is so far below spec. :/

Lot's of innovative products out there that don't make the cut -often not because they aren't better than other stuff on the market either, which is a shame. I tried a lot of cool stuff that was just a little too early and a lot of it is gone. Glad to see that ZBrush managed to hang on.