CompuServe Thread

#Inside 3D Studio!

7 messages in this thread
#96970From: John EllisApr 13, 1994 7:49 PM
I just got my Inside 3D Studio book today and being a typical animator the first thing I checked out was the CD. <g> Big mistake! The book is outstanding! I would have given up a year of my life to have had this book 6 years ago when I first started. I won't tell you the horror stories of a frame rendering for 2 hours to do a flying logo. Or how nobody knew how to set up a Targa board and one of the few animation controllers was a Lyon Lamb miniVAS and the deck of the day was a 3/4" 5850. UGh! And how the learning curve was the most desperate situation in the world. No tutorials on anything. No I won't tell you about all that. <g> But I will tell you this, novice, intermediate or advanced, if you only buy one animation book to go with 3DS, Inside 3D Studio is the one to get. Its painful for me to read as it spells out in black and white all the things I had to learn with blood sweat and tears. Study this book and you'll be an expert. (Whether you have the artistic skill of composition etc. is another story but this book will help there too.) Its really that good. Computer animation has been de-mystified thanks to the efforts of Steven, Greg and Phillip. This book should be the foundation of any training program or educational facility which teaches Computer animation. I used to teach animation at $300 a day for 3 days and there is no way I could cover all that's in this book in a month. And the reason I'm strongly recommending it, is not to make the authors rich but to advance the use and knowledge of computer animation as it is the passion of my life. This book is one giant leap forward. -JE
#96986From: Anthony B CampbellApr 13, 1994 8:45 PM
John were can i get a copy of this book? Tony
#97049From: John EllisApr 14, 1994 5:32 AM
I got mine directly from the Pyros Group but I understand it is selling at most major bookstores. The publisher is New Riders Publishing, Steven Elliott et al. TR 897.7.I54 -JE
#97055From: Phillip L. MillerApr 14, 1994 6:14 AM
John, Thanks for the kind words about I3D. When Steve & I planned and organized the book it was exactly for what you are describing. The last thing we ever wanted to do was a paraphrase of the (already quite good) manuals. As for giving up a year of one's life – well, it was only 3 solid months for Steve & I but at 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week we might qualify for a year's effort <BG>! Hope you continue to enjoy the book. – Phil
#97058From: John EllisApr 14, 1994 6:38 AM
Well Phil its quite an achievment, and it cost at least a year of my life just to get into a position where I coul do what I needed to, along with alot of pain and aggrevation. Now things are so much better. Your book and 3DS and you're good to go! <g> -JE
#97487From: Steven ElliottApr 17, 1994 12:59 AM
John, I had been rendered electronically mute for the past few days due to a modem problem. I finally get online and find your great message waiting for me. Thanks a lot! We worked hard to make Inside 3DS as good as possible. I'd also like to add that Alan DeVore and John Slater deserve some credit as well. They are listed as contributors, but their contributions were important to completing the book. Thanks again, Steven
#97496From: John EllisApr 17, 1994 6:57 AM
Steven, Yes getting into the book further I noticed the contributions of Alan and John. Nice job all.