This is an archive of CompuServe forum messages from 1985 to 1995, as saved in transcripts by John Foust.
Search Results (65 messages)
Thanks.
#Cool, cool water
Message #182326
Greetings from a very tired anthropology student. Does anyone know of a good IPAS routine that does running water? I don't mean rain, or water in a bathtub or sink, but river water. Good old brown-looking river water with controllable waveforms and motion? I've got a pretty big project coming…
I'll just throw in my experiences with r13-3dsr4 since I do the transitions all the time. When all else fails, do a DXFOUT and use the good old DXF3DS utility in this forum. It's not fast, but it sure does get everything the way it should be. I've had a…
Marc: What are you paying for the laserdisc recorder? Brad
Have had zero problems with mine, but you have to keep those heads clean clean clean!!! Brad
Marc: I really like the deck; for $2300 it's the best deck for the money. It's inexpensive enough not be be a burden to entry-level animators and powerful enough that it can crank out broadcast-quality work cheaply. The editing features an expandibility of the unit is lacking; but for computer-to-video…
Thanks for the info. Brad
#Hominids?
Message #181341
Hello: Does anyone have models of the following: Homo Erectus Homo Habilis Australeopithecus Africanus/Robustus/Boisei Homo Sapiens (ancient) or any of the primitive homo / australeopithecus types? Any help would be appreciated. Bradley Artigue (bjartig0@wcc.com)
Peter: Everybody gets offended sometimes, probably due to the fact that all of our conversations are through eMail…I just hate to see a misunderstanding turn into a situation where someone starts getting defensive. Fortunately, that didn't happen…
Ted: Sorry about the confusion; I really should have elaborated that point. As a whole, Release 4 blows r2 away, but I believe I was talking about the 2d modeling functions when I made that statement (although the 3d modeling functions would apply as well). Despite the obvious speed increase,…
Now there's an interesting attitude. I never once stated that 3D Studio is not what I need, only that, like all software, it lacks in some features that I could use. I make up for this lack in flexibility with AutoCAD. Don't get defensive; your software is more than enough…
The whole configuration can change at any moment. For many jobs, I don't even render to all the workstations, it all depends on what I am working on. I have a small but reliable client base that keeps me going — I charge a lot less than some of the…
To be honest, I am disappointed in the lack of progress in 3D Studio. Let's face reality; most of us used Release 2 and now use Release 4…and what has improved? You may say "a lot", but Autodesk markets 3DS as a stand-alone modeling environment (I used to be a…
Sorry about the confusion: I use Targa+ framebuffers (actually the Targa + 16 for the low-end machines and the ATVistas 4mb for the high-end). I still can't see the economic advantage of the Targa 2000; and I find the PAR card too inflexible (i like to do lots of old-fashioned…
Dennis: I certainly agree, and hope my previous message didn't lead anything to believe I was convinced. I've seen Autodesk do weird things in my life, and I don't expect them to change much. I'm just hoping. After all, I beta tested Release 12 for NT…just be glad you never…
To be honest, I'd be pleased with 30 frames a second…just think – rendering and laying animation simultaneously. Wow.
Brian, I don't know either….I would almost suggest he return the cards and get something a little more "mainstream". Like a good old TIGA based card for your second screen; works every time.
John, I use VTRs anytime I put animation down. I hate using so-called "high-end" VCRs because I can't have control of everything that goes on. Anyway, maybe my terminology threw you. I still refer to the old Targa+ cards as framebuffers….
Guy, You have a good point; and I agree with a lot of it, but I'd personally wait to see what the Alphas can offer in 1996. So far, I have been impressed by everything about them. Now…you might be saying "but the Alphas cost as much or more than…
Of course, I don't think any of us are pulling in the cash it takes to purchase on Onyx machine…however, I do dream of rendering to machine that could put about a thousand frames every minute or so… The headlines would read: "Man animates house; dies of starvation in same…
Bob, If someone figured it out, then I am truly impressed; but I doubt it works well enough to switch to it. Thanks.
Bob, It is a Corel limitation that I never quite understood… You can "fool" the 650C by creating a plot file and then sending it to the printer at a larger scale (if you have postscript). You can try to print at larger scale directly from Corel, but for high-color,…
SGI? Get out your wallet! We looked into the SGI machines a while back, but for the money, they just aren't worth it. Use Brad math here: 1 SGI Indy with what I needed to do the same quality work I get from 3DS would cost me over $10,000.00. So…
Try the old AutoCAD Release 11 HPGL/2 drivers; if you're just trying to print wireframe models. If you're printing raster images, go buy Corel Draw 3 from EGGHEAD (800-egghead) for about $69.00. It isn't a real great program (Corel Draw 5 is a great program, but costs a whole lot…
#177673-
dual screen
Message #178781
I've never heard of the SPEA Mercury board, but I have a bunch of machines running two monitors…all of them use either a Kelvin 64 / Truevision combination or boards from Maxvision corporation… 3D Studio isn't real specific about which card it uses for what…but you have to have the…
Dennis, I got a reply from the Yost group that was definately not NO COMMENT. The actual comment was that "we are looking into an Alpha version; thanks for your use of Autodesk products." This was from autodesk.com… Brad
Howdy… "Calcomp — Satan?" Well, I don't know about all that. Calcomp boards have seen a massive decrease in quality (in my opinion) since the old days. But I can't say that Summagraphics have really gotten better. As we become a disposable world, digitizers become cheaper and cheaper. I like…
David, 3D Studio doesn't run under Windows NT…period. You may want to try OS/2 Warp; it has been very useful for us and 3D Studio. Are you trying to run 3D Studio through windows with the pharlap.386 file? If so, then don't! It really causes problems…
Guy, The SGI Renderer was a waste of our time. I saw it at a dealer shop and realized that it would cost me over $10,000 for a computer that is only twice as fast as a Pentium. I can buy four machines for $10,000 and slave render to them,…
I still have a fully operational Atari 800 … if you open those old suckers up, they had a huge parallel bus built into them — but it was inaccessable (hidden behind an aluminum wall)…probably FCC regs. You're right, things do change quickly. After all, did you ever think a…
G: I appreciate the quality of Autodesk products; especially 3D Studio (after all, it makes part of my income possible)… Hey, I have an original copy of a program called CAD 3D for the old Atari ST…didn't Tom Hudson write that one? It still had the receipt attached to it…$49.00…
#Beta Tester explained
Message #177688
And then Autodesk's pride comes in…I saw a note here once where someone asked what it took to become beta tester and someone from the Yost group basically told them there was no way that would happen. Don't remember why, just remember the memo. Well…all that arguing and we almost…
Steve, I saw a "3D" trackball in one of the Comp USA or Computer Warehouse ads recently; you might want to look into it. It does something like allow the user to move the ball in all three dimensions (hence the name)…. I suggested trackballs because some of our users…
Steve, I find the big boards cause more strain than any mouse. I have trouble with my mouse hand when I put in long days; but try and use a big tablet all day — ouch! Calcomp pucks are much more form-fitting than Summa's; but the buttons are awkward on…
Tom, I don't think too many of us have big rendering environments. And, unfortunately, we all wait for renderings. I have four machines that do nothing but 3D Studio work; one P75 with OS/2 Warp for modeling (I use OS/2 Warp because it allows me run 3DS in the background…
Steve, Calcomps are great; but look at Summagraphics first — the driver is built into 3D Studio and I have never had trouble with any of ours. We have 3 12×12's and 2 of the really big D-Size ones for tracing (mainly used for AutoCAD). We also use two Calcomp…
Hey. They used to include that file with 3DSr1 & r2; it was a decent map… I uploaded it (EARTHMAP.TGA) for you; about 1/2 mb (477k) Enjoy! -Brad
Howdy. If you are using a Targa frame buffer, make sure you don't use the Vibrant driver labled "Targa (NTSC)"…use the "Targa TMODE" driver instead (of course, you have to have your Targa stuff installed properly). I've had nothing but trouble with the built-in NTSC driver…. -Brad
Dave, I just purchased a PAR for $1650.00; they've gone down a lot in the last year. I used Select Solutions — in Champaign, Illinois.
Hello. Watch for the GXE64's with the Trio chip set. Get the 864 chipset if possible. The Trio set has given us a lot of problems (the first 10 we purchased were all D.O.A.; the second ten had 5 that caused "snow" on the screen. I guess #9 started shipping…
What is your problem? We're having a discussion, not an argument. If you still don't get it, then perhaps a few things should be reiterated (and then I really doubt I'll respond to your rude, immature messages again). 1. By saying that Autodesk can't use any of the restricted Win32s…
Howdy. One of my systems is my "inexpensive" system; I do a lot of preview work on it. It really works well for me, it might work well for you, too. The system is a Digital Venturus 575 with 32mb of RAM (about $2500.00) and a Mars 1 from Daewoo…
Well, as long as operating systems that no one has heard about is becoming the conversation, how about a 3DS version for Linux? Why not? Then we could all have 32-bit multitasking, and all the other jazz in a $30.00 UNIX operating system. It's real fast, real easy to install,…
I don't think you read the message I sent you; or at least your understanding is limited to what I meant. You spent a lot of type typing a message that basically reiterated everything that it always said about OS/2… Lighten up a little bit, and stop attempting to predict…
James: I agree with you; and disagree. Many people cannot afford the higher-end workstations, so PC platforms are their only choice. The dollar is an independent variable in a way because the demand for 3D Studio on the affordable PC platform will outweigh the demand for it on Alphas. However,…
Hopefully you are right, but I've been dealing with Autodesk since AutoCAD ran from floppy disks (release 1.4, I think!) and I think Autodesk's first concern is what platform will make them the most money. Chances are, the Alpha platform is not going to generate a whole lot of business…
Try a file called DXF3DS (or 3DSDXF); I found it fixed all of the problems I had with both Microstation and AutoCAD DXF files that were larger than about 1mb. I use it for everything. It even converts Corel Draw! DXF files (which are unbelievably sloppy) to good 2D Shapes.…
A huge difference in speed will occur. You see, under DOS, 3D Studio works. Under Windows NT, it doesn't. Never has, never will (until release 5). And believe me, many of us wish that it would run under NT. 🙂 Brad
Well, I stopped by a local vendor and ran Light Wave under NT on a 300 (yes, 300) (that is, 300MHz) Alpha-based machine. Should I repeat myself? 300MHz, Autodesk. On a Pentium 100, one frame of this really nicely detailed model I have took about 2 hours to render. On…
The OS/2 arguments resurface… I use OS/2 Warp when I am rendering; primarily so I can do things like eMail without interrupting my render jobs. And if you haven't seen Windows 95 yet, then be prepared to use an interface that is almost identical to Warp. Now, whether or not…
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