This is a instructable on how to use the Cell Fracture Addon in Blender, to create some nice looking Shards.

Step 1: Download Blender

Blender is a great OpenSource Programm. Just download it from www.blender.org/ .

Be carefull to take the right version for your PC(Operating System, 32/64).

Step 2: Open Blender and Activate the Plugin

When you launched Blender press Ctrl + Alt+ U to open the preferences.

There go to the Addons Tab and search for "cell". Activate the Plugin by clicking the check box next to the name.

Click your default Cube and go to the particle tab.

Add a new Particle System and use the Values seen.

Click on the "Cell Fracture" button on your toolbar(left)[If not there, press "T"].

Use The Values seen above. Finally, click "OK" to start the process.

Now you got your fracture ready(on layer 2, press 2 to switch to your shards). If you are brave enough, try to make a scene your self.

For all who want to learn, not experiment, move your shards up(like 3 units). To do that, just hit "G" and press "Z".

Now you need to add a ground(plane). Hit "shift" + "A" and go to "Mesh" and select Plane(obvious).

Hit "S" to scale up the plane.

Go to the Physics Tab in your Toolbar, select your shards and hit the "Add Active" Button.

Select your ground plane and hit "Add Passive".

Now you can play your Animation with "Alt"+"A".

Set your rendering Settings to Output the Animation as a movie(H.264/Avi are my prefs).

Than just hit the "Animation" Button above.

Finished!