CompuServe Messages

Gary, As everyone seems to be adding their two cents worth to this discussion, I'd like to say that I was very amused reading your original message on the subject. I remember before 3DS was originally released, Wavefront had a reputation for a "plasticy" look. Their demo reels were full of "plastic" looking animation. I compare that with what I've been able to create with 3DS and there's no comparison. I would say that Lightwave by far looks more "plasticy" but much less than Wavefront did only five years ago. To get to the point. <g> The beauty of 3DS is that you have an incredible range, from animation that looks almost airbrushed to "plasticy" to very reflective "metal". Some of my current work looks illustrative (like the Death Gate ) and I would speculate that anyone who wasn't totally familiar with 3DS having difficulty determining what package was used to create it. The "metal" in the Porsche Logo didn't even utilize the "metal shader" and is certainly "flashy and metalic" looking. I don't know how it compares with other metals on the demo reel (as I haven't seen it yet) but its prompted several people to ask whether it was ray-traced. (Which seems to be all the vogue. <g>) Personally I hope 3DS never loses the ability to create the softer look like in the Death Gate scenes. There appears to be a renewed interest in CG animation not looking CG and in that regard 3DS certainly has _all_ the bases covered. After the luster of ray-tracing wears off, which I think it always does, one really truly begins to appreciate the beauty and art which can be created with 3DS. Yes you can create the "hard cold flash and trash" look but its nice that you have a whole range of "looks" with which to create. I don't know of any other package that has such a broad range with a simple but powerful materials editor. (I say simple as compared to the RIB format or even Lightwave for that matter. <g>) With all the clamour about Alias, its the "looks" that I can create with 3DS that keeps me content. FWIW. -JE P.S. I plan to upload 3 or 4 images to illustrate just some of the possibilities I've been able to create.