#SplineMaster vs TheBlob
4 messages in this thread
Sanford,
I've been admiring some of the work done with blobby modellers, and even tried
'em a bit. I've spent a lot more time with AM though, and am comfortable with
the results I get from it. But if the news that AM is no longer supporting DXF
is true, this is very a pathetic development indeed. Javier says there's a way
to get textures to tack to blobby models even when the metaballs are
individually animated (IOW, without converting to mesh first). This was the
biggest potential pitfall I saw in the blobby-approach, and apparently it's
been solved.
Have you formed any opinions about splines vs. blobbies?
Also, I noticed your mention of developing a system for producing motion
picture FX. I also put together a desktop-style film setup for my own projects.
It was written up in Computer Artist – April/May '93. The setup is actually for
doing VistaVision. Are your familiar with this format?
-Tim
Tim,
<<Vista Vision>>
I have been building VistaVision equipment, cameras, projectors,
optical printers and recently digital scanners for the film industry for nearly
20 years. I have put together a collection of these tools and am currently
interfacing my 3D CGI setup to that equipment. I am also building a home brew
motion capture system. You see, I am a frustrated film maker.
Animation Master….a bummer. I will hold onto my 3.0 beta version.
It has many of the new features, and it exports DXF.
Metaballs….I have been using the program for about three weeks. I
have the first release and have had some problems….specifically you can't
build any colleciton of blobs larger than 100 units. If you try to make your
model larger, it won't skin. Secondly, my version always looks like plastic,
no matter what material you put on it. It is a very fast way to build objects,
but it is very difficult to avoid "waists" between balls….you have to overlap
them, and use a ton of blobs to get really smooth shapes. I did like the
ability to independently animate any of the blobs even after they were
assembled into a figure.
Spline modeling is much more controllable and precise. I am using blobs
and Sculpture together now….Blobs are great for faces on bugs!
Sanford
Sanford,
Animation Master DXF Support
Hold the phone. Someone (the AM sysop!?) made a mistake on this. I
spoke to Hash, Inc and they said the program will no longer IMPORT DXF (which
IMO is no great loss, because going from polys to splines is very inefficient).
HOWEVER, their DXF EXPORT is actually being IMPROVED for their next release!
And will include Variable or Fixed settings for more controlled subdivision of
patches when converting to polys. This may mean that you can get MORE reliable
objects out for use in 3DS. In addition, they'll be supporting OBJ
(Wavefront), RIB, and QUICKDRAW3D (MAC spline) formats as well!
Something else that might interest you. The biggest thing that bugs me
about AM right now is that screen redraws are sluggish when you ATTACH or
DELETE control points. In the next release, you'll be able to turn off the
Undo buffer for these functions, eliminating the slow down. This should be a
tremendous aid to productivity when modeling complicated objects.
-Tim
P.S. I started a new `Film' thread for the VistaVision stuff.
Tim,
Animation Master…..I sure got the wrong message from Steve's
message.
I'm glad they didn't close the door on the 3D Studio connection. That
would be an economically poor decision.
I hope I havn't caused too much chaos by posting his "no dxf" message.
Thanks for the clarification.
Sanford