#Real 3D
>>1) Do you have the "Special Real 3D version for 3DS users" as described in
the Partner Catalog?
I believe it is a dongleless version of the 2.5 software, w/the modelling book
Bill's working on when he gets it done.
>>2) Do you (or can you) use the texturing ability of Real 3D for rendering in
3DS? Or is texturing not in that version?
if you mean by texturing procedurals, no. If you mean mapping coords, yes under
specific circumstances. The alien, for example, was designed for use w/the skin
IPAS. You can export the control lattice of an object from Real, and use it
w/the skin IPAS; when you apply mapping coords, it will treat them at render
time as lofted mapping coords (unfortunately, Meshpaint will use the mapping
coords as you applied them, so you can't properly paint the mesh itself). The
alien is a skinned object and only the maps that came w/3ds were used in
texturing (except for the eyes). The head, for example, uses ISTONE2.CEL as the
base image for the main texture.
>> 3) Is the JWSalien.jpg something that you have/will animate. If so, do you
just model in Real 3D or do you go back and forth between 3DS and Real 3D for
the animation? Perhaps use Bones Pro once a model is made?
The alien was design for use as a still image creature; no reason that he
couldn't be animated though). Truthfully, I prefer to use 3DS as my animating
tool, and Real strictly as a modeler. The only time I would use Real as an
animation aid would be for use in creating a series of morph targets for use in
3ds. One of their example files, as an example, is an Abyss-like pseudipod
(sp); I brought the series of morph objects into 3ds, reset the x-form of the
objects by attaching/detaching them to an object (so they would morph from the
first object, as opposed to from each objects center), and successfully
recreated the animation. I did export the hand as a mesh object in a seperate
file and set it up for use w/Bones Pro; it worked quite well, w/none ot the
'cracking' I heard that happens w/exported Animation Master objects. Anyway, I
prefer to use 3ds's tools for my animations, and I do prefer 3ds's rendering
engine. As a FWIW (just based on my experience); as a comparison between
Animation Master and Real, A:M is easier to use and has a shorter learning
curve; Real has a_lot_more power, though it takes a bit longer to get good
with. Bill's book should shorten the learn curve by quite a bit, tho'.
>>I both liked and disliked the alien since he/it looks like an old boss that
did not like nor treat me well. <g>
:^).
John Stetzer
JWS