#Idiots with pens
38 messages in this thread
In perusing the may issue of PC Graphics and Video, I was so excited
about a new found PC Tool called Truespace that I just had to write
and tell everyone about it. This is evidently a great new product
that is "the first PC aplication to integrate professional 3d
Modeling, rendering, and broadcast animation." Wow! I'm just giddy
with enthusiasm. The clip goes on to say that the program reads 3D
Studio files. Paul P.S. – Who are these ignorant as*holes who write
this crap?
Have you seen the Truspace ad that's focused on a comparison with 3DS
? It's amusing.
Unforunately I've been so busy, this is the first ad I've seen for the
product. The animation software market seems to have many parallels
to the desktop publishing market. 😐
I've got a copy of Truespace at the office. I really ought to pull
the shrinkwrap off it.
I'd be interested to hear about the "painting directly on the 3d
model" aspect (this IS the program that touts that ability, isn't
it?). Let me know, if you would, what you think — I've seen a $499
introductory price in the ads.
Maybe you and Jerry Pournelle can get together and build a home with all the
unopened, shrink-wrapped review-wares that pile up. 🙂
Only some of it stays wrapped. The Truespace just came in when I was really
busy. It'll get loaded in the next week or two.
Your CD has not been in its shrinkwrap for at least 9 months.
FWIW, the difference between Jerry and me is that I actually know something
about what I'm talking about.
Evan
paul-you are a riot…i love when you have time to pick up the paper.
there _are_ alot of new litle bro and sis 3D programs and it seems
"reading .3DS" is now The Feature to have…like "reads .DXF" … so
it is kind of encouraging that 3DS is such a recognized standard…
trueSpace's maker, Caligari, has a long history of advertising support for file
formats accompanied by many reports of problems. Other versions of their 3D
program rely on Numerical Design's third-party renderer. I'm not sure if
trueSpace does. Using the third-party renderer makes it hard for them to
import foreign file formats.
ohhhh that's the Caligari one….i talked to that guy along time ago, its
spline based modeller?
John, how does Alias 5 read a .dxf from 3DS?
did windows you know what come ou t yet? will you please send a notice when it
does??
rachel,
PMJI, Alias 5 does a phenomenal job of reading in dxf files from 3DS and vice
versa. We happen to do this 10-20 times a day.
Paul
oh thanks! that saves me alot of time and scouting around… i am
becoming a cross platform mooch. of course Syndesis is going to
solve my life's problems …its like finding ice with the hockey
team, now.
I think the DXF converter is "sold separately" from Alias. These high-end
packages often do that, for example, I think Wavefront's DXF translator is
$1200 or so. InterChange for Windows is also beta-able… as they say out
here on the prairie, I'm "chomping at the bit" to get it out. Trust me, when
it's ready, I'll be trumpeting from the rooftops, and of course I'll send you a
copy. I've always given away the translation software to the commercial
modeling companies, it's good business. Your customers are my customers!
As for Alias, we've recently added support for their relatively unknown
quad/tri format. This lets us get into Alias with both hierarchy and texture
names. It'll be part of InterChange for Windows. (But the bundling and pricing
issues haven't resolved.)
i am praying for it. good luck-
"never hurry, never worry"
-who said that? Charlote in Charlotte's Web?
Hi there Rachel, how've you been? (I still love your little people!)
Your comment about 3D programs "reading .3DS" caught my eye. I was at a Sense8
workshop last week when they told me their software is one of the few VR
packages that will read .3DS files directly. So I pulled out a disk that just
happened to have a DXF (created from 3DS) and a 3DS file. They read the DXF
file just fine (it made colored objects and all), but choked on the 3DS file.
Then the guy said, "You're not using release 3, are you? We don't support
release 3." Yikes!
Are you going to Siggraph this year?
JKJ
ha! that's great!!! boy i haven't laughed this hard in a long time…that guy
probably had a nightmare about you!!!
hope you are still yourself JKJ…fishin and 3dsing everything in the universe.
i miss you!
Maybe they, like me, tore ligaments in their ankles and got a Vicodin
perscription before writing the article <g>.
Giddy, eh? Just don't operate any heavy machinery till you calm down <g>.
Idiots with pens… <g>
They've been trying for quite a long time to get this thing out.. a year or
longer, if memory serves.. It'll be interesting to see how it turned out. The
3D paint sounds useful.
JNJ
Adam Shiffman and I just finished writing an extensive review of
trueSpace for the next issue of 3D artist. As an adjunct to the
article, I'm creating a test suite for rendering benchmarks between
trueSpace and 3DS r2 & r3, mostly to test the claim in the advert.
I won't spoil the article, but let's just say that 3DS file support is
not exactly complete. Creating an apples to apples speed comparison
is extremely difficult considering that I basically had to rebuild my
3DS scene from scratch within trueSpace.
Is 3D Artist the Penwell publication or is it the independent paper
publication. I believe one of them is called Computer Artist. We get
close to thirty trade magazines but I know we don't get the black and
white paper one.
FWIW 3D Artist is the independent rag, but as of issue #14 it is now
in "COLOR". <g> You might want to check it out just because so many
"animators" read it and write for it. The author's of the articles
don't get paid but do it for exposure and there's technique issues
that are covered. Not any high end stuff but interesting non the
less. Bill Allen is the editor and has done a lot to make it a staple
specifically targeted to animators in the PC MAC AMIGA world. I think
you'd find it worthwhile to subscribe, as I know you're interested in
the pulse of the industry, and its another perspective. And it
doesn't look so homegrown anymore. <g> Its also got a unique character
to it; a bit more solid than some of the slick glossy faddish ones.
It reflects the interests of the more dedicated animators. I'm sure
you get more than you can possibly read but this one might give you a
some insight where the other's don't. Like I said FWIW.
Very Interesting. Do you have a number for the subscription
department? I've really grown tired of reading articles by people
who know very little and profess much. It's gotten depressing to
read bullsh*t written by people who have never seen or used the
equipment they're reviewing. These days everyone wants to write about
stuff they wish they had, instead of things that they own and use
daily.
>> It's gotten depressing to read bullsh*t written by people who have
never seen or used the equipment they're reviewing. <<
You've gotten right to the heart of it. <g>
Here's the number and address:
Voice 505/982-3532 Fax & Voice 505/820-6929
Bill Allen
P.O. Box 4787,
Santa Fe, NM 87502
The current issue has a whole section devoted to contacts. Which is
pretty useful in itself.
John E. addressed your questions about 3D Artist most excellently.
🙂
->I've really grown tired of reading articles by people who know very little
->and profess much.
I know what you mean, check out the lame review of trueSpace in the
latest InfoWorld. This guy apparently never got beyond loading up the
sample files. I've been burned several times buying products that
received some glowing review from a complete nitwit.
I'm biased, but I really believe the quality of content in the 3D
Artist reviews and how-to's greatly exceeds most trade magazines in
the same market. The contributing writers to 3DA are not expert
journalists, but real users expressing their candid views. And as
John commented, it's not like we're busting to meet an issue deadline
just to reel in a big check. <g>
I personally would never submit a review before I thoroughly shake
down a program. It wouldn't be fair to the readers or to the company
who makes the product.
<< The contributing writers to 3DA are not expert journalists, but
real users expressing their candid views. >>
I really get a kick out out of seeing articles written by our forum
regulars in 3DA. (recently, Alan, Gary Yost….)
It's very difficult to compare the "same scene" between two rendering packages,
especially if you can't load the same scene.
Hi John,
->It's very difficult to compare the "same scene" between two rendering
->packages, especially if you can't load the same scene.
You are correct. Since I posted that message I've solved my problems reading
3DS files in trueSpace and now have the geometry loading just fine.
Unfortunately trueSpace ignores all the mapping, lights, camera, and animation
info in 3DS files so I still have the laborious process of re-applying all my
surface textures and recreating lights & camera info.
However, I must also clarify that this review is not a product cross
comparison, we only reference 3DS when speaking of the file support and
rendering speed, which only comprises a brief portion of the overall text.
-Heinz.
What did you do to make trueSpace properly load the 3DS files?
Hi John,
->What did you do to make trueSpace properly load the 3DS files?
Sorry for the delay, I was on vacation. Loading 3DS files seemed like a hit or
miss situation until I just started saving everything in 3ds ascii format which
it seems to like better. 7 out of 10 binary loads gave me the "Bad data format"
message. Bad? I think not. 🙂
-Heinz Schuller
Fly By Nite Studios
Heinz- Maybe I missed the beginning of this thread, but I'd really be
interested in your comments on TrueSpace. Particularly the modeller. Is it
really as easy and as powerful as it appears in the ads? Thanks,
-Mark
Hi Mark,
->I'd really be interested in your comments on TrueSpace.
The next 3D Artist magazine will feature a review of trueSpace as written by
myself and Adam Shiffman (sysop of TGA). The review will also include some
approximate benchmarks between trueSpace & 3DS that test Caligari's claims in
their ads.
Alot of people have been asking me for comments (this will teach me to keep my
big mouth shut <g>), but Bill Allen has sworn me to secrecy until the issue is
published (should go to press very soon). This is the first time I've written
an article on a product which has attracted alot of attention in a _very_
competitive market, and I've learned a few lessons along the way.
What I *can* tell you is that you get what you pay for. 🙂
-Heinz.
How does one get a copy of 3D Artist.
thanks JH
Heinz,
<< where's 3D Artist ? >>
Download 3d-mag.txt from the index and info section for their address and
many more.
jonas[adesk]
Download 3D-Mag.Txt (or 3DMAGS.TXT — I don't remember). I'm not even sure
which lib it's in, since the forum re-structuring. You could search on the
keyword MAGAZINE. It contains names addresses and $ for many 3D/3DS-related
publications.
Dave