#Which animator?
10 messages in this thread
Hi-
I've been playing around with POV 1.0 on the Mac and with a very simple
PC-based animator called (I think) Asymetrix 3D. I'm able to get good results
from both of them, and now I'd like to get involved with some more professional
modelling and animation tools.
I work for a small computer company, and I'd like to be able to produce quality
business-presentation animations and stills. I'm a programmer, so I'd also
like to be able to incorporate animation into my work, whether that involves
business graphics or arcade games (of which I haven't written any yet).
So, basically, I'm the worst type of graphics-package shopper. I want to buy
one package which will do everything for me (after all, I don't know yet how
profitable this will be for me, so I'm still in it for the fun). On the
Macintosh side, I've heard the most about Infini-D and Strata StudioPro. I
don't know much about the PC side at all. I'd be willing to go either PC or
Mac — wherever the best quality is.
I'd like to get something with a good modeller, and with a good animator.
Something that an intelligent, persistent, creative person could learn to use
in a relatively short time, but also something capable of producing
professional-quality work. I know that most professionals use a variety of
different packages to create the separate elements of a presentation, but I'd
like to start at a more basic level. Not to mention that I'm going to have to
sell this idea in a budget proposal, so I'd like to maximize my graphics
dollars.
Any suggestions? Ideas? Comments? There's so much stuff out there and I'm
sure that lots of it is very good, I just don't know a lot about the business.
On the Mac or PC question, most of my playback will be on a PC. I know that a
flattened QuickTime movie will play on either, but are there any other
cross-platform issues I should be considering?
Any info will be greatly appreciated by this neophyte.
Thanks!
–Joe
Hi Joseph,
If you've got a CD-ROM, then take a look into your local technical bookstore —
many tools these days have non-saving demo versions available on CDs included
with books… useful resource.
Regards,
John Dowdell
Macromedia Tech Support
John–
>>If you've got a CD-ROM, then take a look into your local technical bookstore
— many tools these days have non-saving demo versions available on CDs
included with books… useful resource.<<
Thanks for the suggestion, although I haven't been able to find demo versions
of many of the "big name" professional programs available. I've talked to
customer service departments and the general response seems to be that these
programs (Lightwave, StudioPro…) are too complex to make "self-teaching" demo
versions possible. They don't want users with insufficient training and
documentation to get discouraged before actually buying.
I've been looking to magazine reviews and online comments from people who use
some of these packages to try to get a sense of each one's capabilities. I
think it's time to just bite the bullet. Lightwave and StudioPro are two of
the titles I seem to encounter the most. I've heard a great deal about
Animation Master as well, but I haven't seen anything (as far as I know) that
it has produced. And I haven't found anything that addresses cross-platform
concerns. I'll likely start with Lightwave on the PC and see what happens from
there.
Thanks again
— Joe
Good luck on it, Joe… although there can seem to be obstacles at first, I can
assure you that if you keep on pushing, you'll get what you want.
(Hmm, one other thought: Most 3D people I've met have used more than one tool.
The same concepts of 3D animation lie behind all tools… they just implement
different abilities, to different degrees, in different ways. Point is: any 3D
experience you earn can be generalized… your existing time with POV-Ray/Mac
will help you. And doublecheck those bookstores… I've seen demos for various
Strata versions, along with scads of other tools, too.)
Regards,
John Dowdell
Macromedia Tech Support
John —
>>Most 3D people I've met have used more than one tool.<<
I think that's the best argument of all for just taking the "plunge." There
are so many tools available, and I haven't spoken with anyone who claims that
any one package is the end-all-be-all of graphic arts/animation. I'll start
with something comprehensive, so I can do a fair bit of everything (modelling,
rendering, animating, etc.) and then, once I'm comfortable with that, I'll
figure out what my more-specific needs are.
Thanks!
— Joe
Hello again all,
I've been following your threads on the lightwave vs 3DS vs Imagine. I am just
getting started and have no adversity to buying more than one program. I have a
number of questions regarding this though, if I may. Can you transfer
files/models/renderings etc. from all of these to the others and continue pick
up the work where you left off? I have also been following the threads in the
Newtek section of the Amigavendors forum. I'm hearing things like "Lightwave
for Windows is incomplete, won't work, is vaporware" and so on. There's some
real unhappy folks that own Newtek gear over there. Yet I hear *none* of that
here. People talk like there up and running with Lightwave for Windows and
having no problems what so ever. I think, not real sure, but think someone over
there said it wasn't even released yet. I'm pretty confused. Does anyone where
I could get some good comprehensive list of what each of these programs will or
want do? With or without whatever available plug-ins exist. I would like to go
with a Pentium chocked full of ram and end up with an end product to tape. Any
ideas on what it takes to do that? One more please. When looking into the
Toaster/Flyer all the digitized images are stored on seperate HD's in the
Flyer. How does this work if your PC based? Do you use external drives that are
dedicated to this and contain no system/applications files? Any help will be
greatly appreciated.
Terry
Terry,
In regards to LW PC, it is currently in a "pre-release" status. This means it
is for sale (at least for Intel-type processors), but that some features are
not yet implemented.
Primarily, this means it supports only Raw, Targa, and IFF images, and does not
yet properly import DXF objects. I haven't checked yet to see if the basic
inverse Kinematics is implemented. There may be other features not
implemented, but I haven't run across them yet.
I'm currently running LW PC on a 100 Mhz Pentium with 32 megs, using NT, and I
find the program very functional and pretty stable. Coming from the Amiga, all
my objects were already in LW format, and I can still create IFF images on the
Amiga for import, so the above limitations don't bother me.
The rendering is about 10 times faster than my 25 Mhz '040 Amiga, if that means
anything to you. It's no Alpha, but it's pretty speedy to me.
Lately, it's been crashing on me sometimes when using the GUI sliders to adjust
parameters, but the numerical entries work fine.
For me, it's been a quantum leap in productivity. I'm using it, and I love it.
If you already have a boatlaod of DXF objects, you maight want to wait for the
release version, due in June or July I think. Also, the manuals are reprints
of the Amiga version, and don't jibe 100%, but the differences aren't too
great.
BTW, I'm an end user, not affiliated with NewTek or any other vendor either
formally or informally. 🙂
I can't compare LW to anything else, 'cause it's all I've ever used, though now
that I have the PC, I may dabble a bit with other programs.
Hope this helps.
Kent
Terry,
I just found this Forum recently and find it a breath of fresh air. I'll be
adding another platform to my studio soon and Love all the multi platform input
here.
I'm a life long Amiga user (O.K. 10 years :^), Things are a little different
over in the Amiga fori. As LightWave emerges on the multi platform scene it
will continuously be compared to its functionality on the Amiga. Many of the
early adopters of LW on the PC are long time users on the Amiga. LWs been
pretty rock solid since rev. 2.0 and has continued to get better for the last
couple years. Its gonna take a while to get it right on the PC or what ever,
starting at LW 4.0 is a lot easier than starting at v.9 with a buggy Toaster
in 1990. Finally they see the need for multi-tasking in Windows :^)
You gotta start some where, and LW 4.0 on a Pentium is a Great start. As a
Novice 3D animator I've tried/used at least 7 or 8 different s/w packages, and
thats just on the Amiga. Still looking :^)
IMHO, Don't waste your time with Imagine. Go for it…….
….John
>> Don't waste your time with Imagine. <<
Hey, hey, hey.When was the last time you looked at Imagine? If you aren't
independently wealthy Imagine is a great program to use. It also keeps up with
most of the big guys for the PC. It has functions built in that would cost more
as plugins for 3DS etc. than Imagine itself. The Imagine UG is full of proof of
what this program is capable of.
Sam J. Bowling ( a slightly offended Imagine user)
Joe,
If you're looking for a well-rounded 3D modelling/animation/rendering
program that's fairly easy to pick up, I don't think you could go wrong with
Lightwave 4.0 PC on a Pentium, (especially after they get their DXF Import up
to speed). But if you have specific questions about other packages, I'll take a
crack at them. I've seen and used many of the alternatives.
-Tim