CompuServe Messages

James, You've got the right computer, just no memory. I run 32mb and 64mb in my PCs and thats still is not enough (its not, I got World Builder and I gotta go to 128mb so that it doesn't use vitual mem). You need to have 16 megs as a practical minimum or you just won't get any work done. As a test, start 3DS and after it comes up, go to the "Info" menu at the top of the screen. Click on "Current Stutus" and see how much RAM is free. My guess is not very much. Load a small mesh (like the Autodesk logo, ADLOGO.3DS) and try to render it. It should be OK. If not then you may have a Vibrant driver problem, where the rendering screen resolution selected cannot support your video card. Do the video check from within 3DS VIBCFG. Also check CONFIG.SYS and see if a FILES= and BUFFERS= statement is there. I have files set to 40 and buffers set to 20 for 3DS. If you have an EMM386 statement in CONFIG.SYS remove it also. What I do is have a separate boot floppy for 3DS with just minimal files so that as much ram as possible is available for 3DS. As Martin Foster of Metrolight says, "RAM is you friend with 3D Studio". Ain't it the Truth! When you start adding IPAS routines and multiple object to you scenes the RAM required becomes astronomical. I've had scenes with 500,000 total faces and several IPASs thrown in that made me want to cry because of the RAM required. 256 mb would have been just about right. As a side note, since you just started with the program you might get frustrated quickly with it, especially if you have no prior animation, video production, or film making experience. I know it took me around 3 months working with the program 10-20 hours a week to get to where I think I could do something useful and understand the concepts. 3DS has a steep learning curve so keep at it! The thing that help me a and a couple of other folks get over the hump, make things come together, and see "the great light about how things are supposed to work" was the Digimation 3DS training tapes. Its well worth the $395 I spent on them. After watching the tapes, it was like "of course, thats how its works and how you do it". The other thing that help was to watch other animation tapes like "Beyond the Mind's Eye" and the 93 and 94 Siggraph tapes. I finally got to point to where I can say "yea, I KNOW how they did that!" I've been working with the program a year now and am producing video tapes and computer based training CD-ROMs. I still consider myself only an intermediate user. Some the stuff posted here by some of the guys is outrageous! I don't know whenever I'll get to their level. But I keep asking questions too. Drop me a note if I can help you.