This is an archive of CompuServe forum messages from 1985 to 1995, as saved in transcripts by John Foust.
Search Results (129 messages)
Pawel, HSH2SEG, I thought that this converts the DXF into a .seg file, does it work for you, or are you saying that your DXFs from corel import just fine? Thanks, Jim Jonah
Pawel, I was hoping you knew more about the DEC systems! . I just had a conversation with Ken Baer, the Hash PowerMac Programmer. He said that comparing the DOS render24 to the Mac isn't necessarily apples to apples. The Mac and Windows rendering app gives up a fairly large…
Michael, PMFJI, I notice you mentioned HSH3SEG, Have you gotten that to work? What's the trick…please? Thanks, Jim Jonah
Pawel, Well, depressing news :(. The 9 minutes to 1 minute render time was due to an inefficient network! When I copied the files to the hard drive on the Compaq 486 DX2/66 with 32 megs of RAM, the times reduced to 3:58 per frame! When copied to the PowerMac…
Steve, Ken told me the trick, don't have leading zeros in the file name! Thanks! Jim Jonah
Chris, Over about thirty frames the material "Moves" in space. If you check out the settings in the material editor, you'll see what I mean. This opens up alot of possibilities, although, without a little better explanation of the "theory" behind whats going on, its still shotting in the dark…
Michael, If I remember, Steve said booleans were coming! Jim Jonah
Doug, I do enjoy the forum! Thanks alot for all of the hard work! Jim Jonah
Pawel, The Novell 3.1 server is running on a 486/33 compaq with usually about 24 users logged in doing production Desktop Publishing. We create the DealerShip print materials for Chrysler. Jim Jonah
Doug, I am a heavy Photoshop user, and yes, things are now happening real time with moderately sized bitmaps!!! I do wish that the prices were lower on the higher end machines though. I did purchased a cross-platform version of A:M, to put my 486 to use and to plan…
Pawel, >>Yesterday I saw your message about the 9min
Michael, PMFJI, if you have access to Premiere or any other program that supports Chroma type effects, I would render the Vistapro clouds over a pure blue background (or any other color that definately will not be in either image that you are going to composite). Render you A:M objects,…
Kevin, I'm using render24 with -a-p-v set. It may be the Novell Network that is slowing it down, last night it was 9 minutes per frame, today its 58 minutes! All of the files are residing on the file server that is serving 24 HEAVY users along with about 12…
TGA to Quicktime
Message #1817
Hi!, OK, whats the trick for converting TGAs created on a PC to Quicktime on the PowerMac using the Hash utility. My files are named DN00001.tga through DN00048.TGA. I've tried renaming the files in various combinations and so far haven't gotten it to work, help???!!! Thanks in advance, JIm Jonah
Sanford, You need a PowerMac 8100 . My wife and I are always fighting over the PowerMac 8100, so I purchased the Windows version of A:M to use when I can't get on the PowerMac. The same file that renders in about 58 seconds per frame on the PowerMac 8100…
Gavin, Do you have a phone number for Vance, is his product for sale? It sounds cool!! Jim Jonah
Sanford, >>Do you know of a major company who is using it for regular cartoon production as their main software?
Kevin, "deformation mapping" is probably displacement mapping, similar to bump mapping, EXCEPT that it actually moves the surface instead of just giving the illustion of indenting or bumping out. This would be a GREAT addition, its one of the reasons Alias models like so life-like! Imagine creating a light bulb…
Kevin, Between Kai's PowerTools (unlimited textures and effects!), Bryce (wish it exports DXF or Segs), Paint Alchemy (very cool!) and A:M, you'll definately have "No Life"!!!!! Jim Jonah
So since A:M doesn't have particles, I could animate one small sphere, save the motion library, insert a lot of spheres into the scene, apply the motion with variations in timing, and get the same effect, COOL!!
Sanford, One of the best tricks I learned for adding splines is to NEVER connect the end point of the new sline, have one extra point dangling off the end, then after connecting the second to last point, you can delete the dangling point. This has something to do with…
Harmut, The training tapes show the computer screen through probably %90 of the tape, so visually following along probably wouldn't be that hard. I think the tapes are invaluable! Jim Jonah
Micheal, I'm certainly not trying to start on OS war just giving my two cents and defending my choise platform. Before I do, though, I should point out that I own both Macs and PCs and use both daily. >>Mac systems are not built with any better parts or engineering…
Kevin, Did you see Reboot Saturday? It's great! I did notice a couple of this about it though: 1. No shadows 2. No particles. Even though things blew up. 3. Things in the distance were just as clear as things up close. No "fogging" or "hazing" of objects. I'm sure…
Sanford, >>Having "most" of the features needed doesn't cut it in the marketplace.
Sanford, >>That would also allow Phong rendering. Then I could get some work done. As it is, I don't have time to wait for raytracing.
Grady, >>Polygons can be detatched from each other and still retain their integrity as objects.
Stanford, Are you sure that the Alias system converts to polygon first? If it does, then why couldn't A:M be altered to do the same thing as well, if they run into a wall trying to do it just with splines? It is just a matter of priorities IMHO, enough…
Chris, Have you experimented with the FOG.MAT? It is an example of the material moving and expanding over time. The material editor seems like it can quite powerful, I hope there will be a detailed training tape just on this module. Jim Jonah
Sanford, Just curious, why do you say that the effects "cannot" be produced in a sline based program, are you a programmer who has tried programming a spline based system? You sound pretty sure of yourself on this, what's your basis for this statement? Jim Jonah
Kevin, I'll see you there! Hopefully Steve will send you some tapes to pass out. See Ya! Jim
Steve, Since Kevin Sanderson is a member of the SIG group (I'm a new comer), it make more sense to take Kevin up on his offer of playing and passing out tapes, (more credible coming from a member). I'm showing the tape to all of my friends, they love it,…
David, OK, (if you don't mind me asking) how did you do the splashing water (the dolphins)? It looks GREAT!!!!! You can GO ANIMVENA and ask about Playmations DXF, I started out with A:M so I don't know the answer. Jim Jonah
Harmut, The training tapes will be the best money spent, they cover this, and mechanical modeling, and natural looking walking animation and… and… . Jim Jonah
Chris, Issue #11 of 3D artist has an article on creating the illustion of a flashlight beam that is probably close to what you want. I'll describe the flashlight, once you get it, just change the shape for what you need (I hope). Basically, start with a tube that gets…
Kevin, Oh Man, I was gonna' bring the new A:M demo tape and ask to play it at the next meeting, I'll bring it just in case he hasn't seen it, or isn't planning on showing it. Also, I'll make of copy for you (If it's OK with Steve…, unless…
Michael, Oppss! And what a great suggestion it is! I also think A:M is far more advanced than people give it credit, BUT I also now how important Good Advertising/Marketing is (I work at a large Advertising Agency). So I agree that PS plug-ins would be a Great marketing feature…
David, Your animations on the CompuServe CD look GREAT!!! Congratulations! I've got some questions on them, but gotta go to work, I'll ask later.:) Jim Jonah
Michael, I already put in my request for photoshop filters over time, Steve does listen. Some else suggested a great workaround for now, do your filtering to your texture maps in a program that supports that (premeire for example), then apply the numbered Targas and viola!, your texture changes over…
Charles, I am legal with all of the software I use (at home and at work!), it's just that the dongle stops people from other departments from even asking "Can I borrow this for awhile?", and it saves me from having to be the bad guy (by tellng them no)…
Pawel, Maybe I miss understood, how can I get a shadow to be very soft, if you don't mind giving away a trick? Thanks , Jim Jonah
Charles, I agree with you on the curved surface preview, that would be great! BUT I disagree with you on the dongle. I think its great, it stops all of the competitive free loaders at work who think they can do everything, yet buy nothing, and think they are an…
Pawel, If I may add my 2 cents, I think that displacement mapping is essential. A friend of mine has the Alias PowerAnimator system, which has displacement mapping. This adds the needed realism that is missing in most PC animation programs. It would make modeling some objects a breeze, a…
Steve, May I add Soft edged shadows to the list? Or is there already a technique for this I don't know about? Thanks, Jim Jonah
Pawel, Don't get me wrong, I am SO HAPPY to be able to do the things I can do with A:M that I quickly got over any interface quirks! Your suggestion of selecting and naming parts seems like a good solution. As I said in another thread, it would be…
Joe, You and I have already hashed this one out, so I won't do it again, except for number 10, cutting an object apart. Yes I did have to make one phone call to find out why the skinning didn't work for me. The answer was simple. BUT at least…
Pawel, I am a PowerMac user and also LOVE the fact that A:M opens so fast. Yes it took a little while to find the interface quirks that conflict with the Mac. Most Mac programs do not depend upon the path to the file, they internally refer to the "file…
Micheal, That's a great idea, applying the filters to textures in Premiere and them applying that numbered TGAs to the object. Hmmm, I'll have to try it! I'm working on a pumpkin as we speak, and the eyeball trick would be perfect for it. Thanks, Jim Jonah
Micheal, May I add to your sculpture list a Loft command (similar to extrude along spline, but with multiple different shaped cross sections) and a sweep command (the ability to change the x,y,z as it's sweeping, and to define how many times it would revolve. This would make making screws,…
Steve, One way to get instant suddo (sp?) support, is to add the ability to support photoshop plug-ins. Not many, if any animation programs do this yet, but they will. Adobe probably has a toolkit for jump starting development. That would be a powerful addition, that once done, probably would…
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