CompuServe Messages

Not to team up on you Martin but now that I think about it I spent over 2 years at Pyros and the number of crashes we enountered the whole time was suprisingly less than the average number I've encountered in less than 2 months at other locations. (on PC and Mac). But on the other hand what else is a Sun good for. But with out a doubt game developers are using 3DS, I've had many job offers for ones in OC as well as up north. And the ones I've worked for in So. Cal. are all using 3DS and this isn't even counting the ones Martin has/is working for. I also work on the Mac quite a bit, and useful or not have learned about all the hardware and software. Out of the half a dozen 3D packages only Electric Image comes close. But even then it doesn't meet the demand. Let me say two things, one material per object. And one UV coord. for each object. EI doesn't even have a modeller, so you have to use an outside modeller for everyting. And once you import no attaching or detaching the good old element or face way. EI even went so far as to have a .3ds format import. All for a $7000 package I sat next to an EI operator for the past year and believe me the 3D development speed just ain't their. As for the SGI mentality it's a desperate attempt at denial. I recently had a call for work by Paramount. Almost lost the job, never met the guy but after a half hour phone conversation I convinced him that he didn't need an SGI operator and that I could handle the job on my PC. He had backed himself into a corner because of a deadline in 3 days and he could hold out any longer for an Alias or SoftI. operator. I told him I would e-mail him an anim of the mesh he required by 8 am the next morning. The surface was well suited for nurbs (lots of curves and buldges), but not neccessary. After one night of work he was amazed by the results. "Better than he expected from even had it been done on the SGI." After an invite to their facilities, he showed me the Elan in one corner that no one had really bothered to learn (they even had Alias and Prisms), and Electric Image that could handle the small stuff. Two comments on 3DS NT. 1) Multiple windows for materials, renders, and modelling. And also faster access to paint programs so I can tweak maps faster. 2) Please hurry! -Ron Ruvalcava Jr. Virtual Designs Group