CompuServe Messages

Hi John, Recieved Animation:Master yesterday, but have been busy and haven't installed it yet. Greg, if you are listening, I haven't forgotten you and I got your message. How about some first impressions since this is a upgrade? Beware the Hash HASP. Yes, now even A:M has the dreaded dongle. Considering the price, you get what appears to be a full fledged animation software, less VTR control and Video Post <BG>>. You will still need 3DSr3 video post or some other software like Diaquest's Windows lay off software to get to TGA's to tape. But to be quite frank, I consider this an add-on software for character animation, much the same VRLI VistaPro 3.1 is an incredible add-on for natural looking terrain fly-thrus and backgrounds. The documentation is 1000% improved and no information seems to be missing yet. Included with the software and manauls is a VHS that has the obligatory this was done with Playmation stuff. The one really polished piece that I love is "Cool Tools" featuring the "Hammer" rap, Will Vinton Studios was commissioned to do for Sesame Street by the Childrens Television Workshop. I do a lot of work for a public television network and when that piece comes up on Sesame, everybody in visual range of master control stops and watches it. What is really amazing, is after the "this was done with Playmation" stuff there was a full fledged video tutorial on how to use "Playmation" (the Animation:Master improvements were not covered because of the time limitation and the fact that this was for Playmation 2.0 also I believe.). I will say I should have taken that Evelyn Wood's Speed Video Viewing course, because they managed to pack a two hour course into about 40 minutes. Don't blink. Thank the Lord I bought my wife a Sony SLV-750 VHS with a shuttle knob and a clean frame step (you would think that I was an animator or something to buy a VHS machine like that for home use?). This was a full course to get you up and running with Playmation. And yes, the whole multitask thing of A:M is clear to me now and also why they had such a strange convention for saving stuff. We will have to hand it the Hash boys, this is the only successful animation software that lives on all the major OS's, Amiga, PC, Mac and SGI. And the amazing thing is, you can pass your work back and forth between OS's. The other thing I might mention is, if they had included VTR control and all the associated licensing, programming hassles and such (meaning a bigger developmental team), it would have probably pushed the package price to $1,500 or $2,000. I guess I should get off CI$, install the upgrade and find something to complain about. I really try and stay away from frays like this, but I know how you like to start stuff, John <BG>. Bryce Whiteside Animation Producer/Consultant CF/X Image, Inc. at the big red stick animation outpost down south