#Real 3D
11 messages in this thread
In "The Autodesk Multimedia Partner Catalog" (Vol. 2) that came with 3D
Artist (Issue #20), I see the ad for "Special Real 3D version for 3DS
users…", "… with flawless export to 3DS."
Can those who have this product, if any, express their opinions about the use
and qualities of this product? I follow this forum and don't recall recent
comments about this product. Thanks in advance.
Hi Albert,
<< Can those who have this product, if any, express their opinions about the
use and qualities of this product? ..>>
You may be interested in the following file…
File Info for STUFF2.ZIP
Section: Mesh/Project Files Contributor: 71532,1214 Size: 152575
Submitted: 4/29/95 Type: Binary Accesses: 183
Title: More Real 3D Export Examples
Keys: MESH EXPORT REAL 3D MODELER
I'm reluctantly u/l these as I sloppily threw them together in a big hurry.
But, they're pretty good example meshes of simple common objects, which aren't
so geometrically simple….thus, difficult to construct quickly with most
modelers. Render to see that they shade well, without having to modify or
tweak the "normal" (non-Skin) DXF export from
R3D…………………………………………BILL
>>I follow this forum and don't recall recent comments about this product.
There was a fairly long thread on this a couple of months ago; if you do a
library search on Bill Batchelor's ID (71532,1214) you should turn up some
files w/more info and some sample objects. I've got 4 pics (here and in
ASHOWCASE) that have elements modeled in R3D and rendered in 3ds (SKFLOWER.JPG
(the flower), JWSALIEN.JPG (everything but the eyes), and JWSSHIP1.JPG and
JWSSHIP2.JPG (JWSSHIP2.JPG shows the R3D modeled elements as tan)). On the plus
side, it's a very powerful bspline modeller w/lots of options; on the negative,
it's logic and method of doing things is very different from 3ds's, the
learning curve can be steep (I believe Bill's finishing up a book that will
help remedy that problem, tho'), and it's less stable than 3ds (but hey, what
out there isn't ;^). For myself, I've found it a useful addition to my 3ds
toolkit; there was a point as which the logic 'clicked' for me, and I was able
to build things I wouldn't have been able to build in 3ds, or to build organic
shapes more quickly (the alien took 2 1/2 hours to build start to finish from
scratch).
John Stetzer
JWS
>> There was a fairly long thread on this a couple of
>> months ago;
Yes, and I should have known that someone would catch me on that. What I
should have said is that I have not seen anything since then, as I recall.
Thanks for the search suggestions.
>> What I should have said is that I have not seen anything since then, as I
recall.
Ahh, OK. Well, that's a real quick summery of my experiences w/it, at least
:^). If you have specific questions on what you see, feel free to ask.
John Stetzer
JWS
>> If you have specific questions on what you see, feel free to ask.
Ok, I do have a number of curiosities.
1) Do you have the "Special Real 3D version for 3DS users"
as described in the Partner Catalog?
2) Do you (or can you) use the texturing ability of Real 3D for
rendering in 3DS? Or is texturing not in that version?
3) Is the JWSalien.jpg something that you have/will animate?
If so, do you just model in Real 3D or do you go back and
forth between 3DS and Real 3D for the animation?
Perhaps use Bones Pro once a model is made?
I both liked and disliked the alien since he/it looks like an old boss that
did not like nor treat me well. <g>
Appreciate any answers you may provide.
>>1) Do you have the "Special Real 3D version for 3DS users" as described in
the Partner Catalog?
I believe it is a dongleless version of the 2.5 software, w/the modelling book
Bill's working on when he gets it done.
>>2) Do you (or can you) use the texturing ability of Real 3D for rendering in
3DS? Or is texturing not in that version?
if you mean by texturing procedurals, no. If you mean mapping coords, yes under
specific circumstances. The alien, for example, was designed for use w/the skin
IPAS. You can export the control lattice of an object from Real, and use it
w/the skin IPAS; when you apply mapping coords, it will treat them at render
time as lofted mapping coords (unfortunately, Meshpaint will use the mapping
coords as you applied them, so you can't properly paint the mesh itself). The
alien is a skinned object and only the maps that came w/3ds were used in
texturing (except for the eyes). The head, for example, uses ISTONE2.CEL as the
base image for the main texture.
>> 3) Is the JWSalien.jpg something that you have/will animate. If so, do you
just model in Real 3D or do you go back and forth between 3DS and Real 3D for
the animation? Perhaps use Bones Pro once a model is made?
The alien was design for use as a still image creature; no reason that he
couldn't be animated though). Truthfully, I prefer to use 3DS as my animating
tool, and Real strictly as a modeler. The only time I would use Real as an
animation aid would be for use in creating a series of morph targets for use in
3ds. One of their example files, as an example, is an Abyss-like pseudipod
(sp); I brought the series of morph objects into 3ds, reset the x-form of the
objects by attaching/detaching them to an object (so they would morph from the
first object, as opposed to from each objects center), and successfully
recreated the animation. I did export the hand as a mesh object in a seperate
file and set it up for use w/Bones Pro; it worked quite well, w/none ot the
'cracking' I heard that happens w/exported Animation Master objects. Anyway, I
prefer to use 3ds's tools for my animations, and I do prefer 3ds's rendering
engine. As a FWIW (just based on my experience); as a comparison between
Animation Master and Real, A:M is easier to use and has a shorter learning
curve; Real has a_lot_more power, though it takes a bit longer to get good
with. Bill's book should shorten the learn curve by quite a bit, tho'.
>>I both liked and disliked the alien since he/it looks like an old boss that
did not like nor treat me well. <g>
:^).
John Stetzer
JWS
This is really good info and I want more <g>.
>> I believe it is a dongleless version of the 2.5 software,
>> w/the modelling book Bill's working on when he gets it done.
Ok, based on the "Partner Catalog" and 3D Artist (#20), I gather that there
may be 3 versions of Real 3D.
1) Special Real 3D version for 3DS users
(with flawless export to 3DS) (Partner Catalog)
2) Real 3D V2.5 (3D Artist)
3) Real 3D V3.0 (3D Artist)
From your message, it is not quite clear which tranfer method you are using.
Are you doing DXF transfers? Do all versions have
3DS export (as I understand the "special" version can do)? For me, a model with
procedural texture applied would be the desired transfer product from Real 3D
to 3DS via a .3DS type file. Basically I would like to make fairly silly
looking characters who appear in somewhat serious "message" cartoons such as
"Just how high is UP?"<g>
Perhaps I should wait a little for Bill's book. When is it due?
——
>> if you mean by texturing procedurals, no.
Is that because it is not a true plug-in? Only a modeling tool? Or is that
because you are not transferring via a .3DS file? I am stuck on this point, so
forgive me asking repeatedly.
>>I gather that there may be 3 versions of Real 3D.
I believe the one and two on your list are the same thing; the ad in 3DArtist
is newer than that in the Catalog, tho'.
>>Is that because it is not a true plug-in?
Ah, ok; now I see what might have been causing the confusion. No, It's not a
plugin, it's a completely independant 3d program that runs in Windows. I've
been using it in a similar fashion to what others have been using Animation
Master for; to build models for import into 3ds. When refering to flawless 3ds
import, they mean that a spline mesh exported from it via dxf (there is an
additional Windows based converter, but I don't know if this is included w/the
2.5 program; both it and the dxf export work identically well) has the correct
vertex ordering (don't know if that's the correct term) for use w/a routine
like skin, and that meshes won't 'fracture' when used w/a routine like Bones
Pro. A lot of control is also given over the resolution of a mesh for
exporting, which is very nice. Procedural textures are not exported, sorry.
>>Perhaps I should wait a little for Bill's book. When is it due?
Haven't spoken to Bill in a while, so the best answer I can give is 'shortly';
I'd guess some time after Siggraph, but that's just my guess.
John Stetzer
JWS
>> Haven't spoken to Bill in a while, so the best answer
>> I can give is 'shortly'; I'd guess some time after Siggraph,
>> but that's just my guess.
Thanks for the good Real 3D info even thought it seems to be somewhat less
than the impression of it that I had formed. Will look for the book at my
technical book store.
>>Thanks for the good Real 3D info…
Anytime.
John Stetzer
JWS