#3DS MAX
47 messages in this thread
MAX sounds incredible! I want to know more! Anyone got anymore info on it?
LIke will it Raytrace, have skeletal deformations(bones), or have something
similiar to vapor/flame? I can't wait until it comes out! 3DS is now a true
workstation class product. Kudos to Yost Group and AutoDesk!
Thanks
Jason
>>MAX sounds incredible! I want to know more! Anyone got anymore info on
it? LIke will it Raytrace, have skeletal deformations(bones), or have
something similiar to vapor/flame? I can't wait until it comes out! 3DS is
now a true workstation class product. Kudos to Yost Group and AutoDesk!<<
Jason,
MAX is intense!
We are all getting our own WORKSTATIONS!!!! Everyone at SIGGRAPH has been
totally amazed. . . especially all the Alias/Wavefront people we saw lurking
around the MAX demos! What fun! The ADesk booth had to have been one of the
TOP FIVE most mobbed booths. 3D Studio MAX will definitely make news, folks!
This is truly an amazing product and will be worth every penny, and every penny
you decide to put into a hyped-up system. Lightwave, Softimage, Alias (almost),
Strata, etc. can kiss our collective butts!
As to your questions, Raytracing is not directly supported, but since the
renderer's architecture has been opened up for seemless plug-in integration by
outside developers, look for a really kick-butt raytracer to be plugged in
sometime soon.
MAX is able to generate bone objects directly in the program now, no need to go
outside. . . . and all you have to do is select your bone objects and click
one button and they are dynamically linked! You can also build a bone frame on
the fly. Gary Yost created a linked spiral object consisting of 8 bones in
about 10 seconds! MAX creates long pyramidal bone forms connected with cube
joints. You can also use any spline path as a bone joint (so an object can
slide/rotate along a curved path now, instead of only using a ball joint).
It looks like (at this very pre-beta time) that particle systems will remain
the domain of the IPAS developers. But who knows?
The new Biped IPAS is a very wild thing (please read the files that have been
uploaded about it for technical details)! The motion it was generating
(dancing, jumping, walking, gymnastics) looked JUST LIKE motion capture! That's
because this IPAS routine has put the laws of physics to work on a walking
figure, and not just lifeless objects. You have the ability to assign the
center of gravity, the length of the gait, any banking paramaters, etc. to your
character and have it obey. Pretty d*mn cool!
I have now reached the point where I'm just gushing and am serving no practical
purpose, so I will go to bed. But bewarned! You are in for quite a TRIP!
Sean
Sounds incredible! I can't wait!
I MAD about MAX!
Jason
>>LIke will it Raytrace, have skeletal deformations(bones), or have something
similiar to >>vapor/flame?
Actually, 3DS MAX is much better then that:
Renderer now is just another plug-in.
So in addition to core scanline Renderer you will be able to use
raytracing Renderer or radiocity based Renderer or
who-knows-what-type-of-Renderer-will-become-fashionable
as soon as they will be provided by Yost Group or third party IPAS-DLL
developers.
>>I can't wait until it comes out! 3DS is now a true workstation class
product.
Actually, 3DS MAX is much better then that:
It looks like it has much better (fully object-oriented) foundation then any 3D
product
available.
And it looks like it borrowed the best interface ideas from the best
existing packages adding quite a few of its own.
And it looks like the most open system with 80% code shipped to IPAS
developers,
which translates into
kind-of-hiring-all-these-smart-PhD-not-paying-them-a-penny-for-IPAS-development
so expect EXPLOSION of greatest plug-ins in the world, thanks to YG effort to
make
development effortless.
So what we are talking here is much better then JUST
true-workstation-class-product.
I mean, neither SoftImage, nor Alias/Wavefront have the advantages I listed
above.
Regards,
Alex, Video International
Alek,
>> so expect EXPLOSION of greatest plug-ins in the world, thanks to YG effort
to make development effortless. <<
you seem rather excited Alek <g>.
me too.
BTW, it was very good to meet you and talk about the present and future 🙂
Martin
Hi, Martin!
>>you seem rather excited Alek <g>.
I am very excited!
First of all I like new interface very much
(I had some experience working with SoftImage and WaveFront and I like
that MAX picked theirs best findings in UI like noun/verb approach, creative
environment, Animate button etc and took them couple steps better).
Second, I do have Visual C++ for plug-ins development and rather
extensive experience programming Windows DLLs.
And third, YG took care about our existing IPASes (and those in the future)
not solving problems our IPASes help to solve.
Quite opposite, with new IPAS-pipeline architecture and ability to call
renderer
as many times as we need, we can teach our IPASes (like Refraction and Aurora
Mapping) new neat tricks.
And then even inclusion of true raytracer in the MAX will not be able to
overweight our advantage in speed and qualities of scanline rendered
distortions calculated by raytracing algorithms (I am talking about Refraction
Mapping).
And forth, I just resolved spherical mapping case (most complicated one) for
applying correct (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture
mapping
on the animated metaballs.
Nobody can do it, but Video International !!!
(I really mean NOBODY: neither SoftImage, nor Alias/Wavefront, nor anybody
else.
Oleg is preparing a theoretical paper for the next SIGGRAPH).
It means blobby Casper will be able to wear pants, metaballish snakes will be
able to swallow eggs and organic fingers will be able to have nails, and most
important: poor woman from
Metareyes ads will be able to wear a bra, which even when woman is animated
will stay where
it belongs to…
—————————————-
It was very good to meet you too.
Now, I can appreciate titanic effort of movie's SFX people,
and I've got an idea what kind of tools you guys need most
(doesn't mean I know how to make them (yet)).
It was great to talk to you,
Alex, Video International
>> most important: poor woman from Metareyes ads will be able to wear a bra,
which even when woman is animated will stay where it belongs … <<
Aleksey, you've just reinvented the underwire bra <g>
Actually, the technique looks very interesting and the results are great. It
was good to finally meet you and your russian crew. I hope I didn't say
anything too offensive to them<g>. We were trying to hold a conversation in a
noisy bar using broken english. I wish I had a tape of the results.
Terry Gilbert
Forcade & Associates
Hi, Terri!
>> It was good to finally meet you and your russian crew.
>>I hope I didn't say anything too offensive to them<g>.
>> We were trying to hold a conversation in a noisy bar using broken english
It was great to meet you too!
I was really impressed by the quality of your book:
you were able to figure out how Aurora Mapping works having
just my notes written in _broken english_ – quite amazing.
Are you planning to "upgrade" your book when Max come out?
Congratulations,
Alex, Video International
P.S.
Don't worry about your conversation with my friends:
they do not clearly remember this noisy bar and people they met there.
When I told them that they met you and Michelle and Alan and Lee,
they remembered only Michelle and only because of tatoo.
(BTW, Michelle doesn't remember them either : talk about how Light is Bud).
Aleksey,
Yes, there will be an IPAS Reference II. Of course the name will have to
change and maybe there will have to be two volumes, one ofr MAX and one for
r4+.
Terry Gilbert
Forcade & Associates
Alex,
>> Michele doesn't remember them either… <<
Ha! I remember *everyone* I met. How could I forget trying to talk above all
the noise?
The real trick was to get YOU guys to remember ME, so I guess the tattoos were
a success after all.
Michele
Hi, Michelle!
>>The real trick was to get YOU guys to remember ME,
>>so I guess the tattoos were a success after all.
Don't be THAT modest: it wasn't just tattoo, which makes us remember YOU.
Alex, Video International
P.S. Be ready, there is more documentation work for you coming VERY soon.
>> (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture mapping
on the animated metaballs <<
I'm looking forward to seeing this in an update to Metaballs RSN.
I really enjoyed talking w/ you at SIGGRAPH! You guys really got it wired.
BTW: Do you have Danny Mercurio's CIS ID number?
– ej
>> >> (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture mapping
on the animated metaballs <<
I'm looking forward to seeing this in an update to Metaballs RSN.
I really enjoyed talking w/ you at SIGGRAPH! You guys really got it wired.
BTW: Do you have Danny Mercurio's CIS ID number?
– ej <<
Danny Mercurio of Details [74551,360]
Terry Gilbert
Forcade & Associates
>> Danny Mercurio of Details [74551,360] <<
Thanks for the address!
– ej
Hi, Ernie!
It was great to talk to you on SIGGRAPH!
>> (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture mapping
on the animated metaballs <<
>> I'm looking forward to seeing this in an update to Metaballs RSN.
It shouldn't take more then 2 weeks for programming, then add
some time for manuals and packaging,
and by Labor Day you will be able to work with perfectly textured metaballs,
so be prepared to get some hit from your wife <g>.
Alex, Video International
>> It shouldn't take more then 2 weeks for programming, then add some time for
manuals and packaging, and by Labor Day you will be able to work with perfectly
textured metaballs, <<
Great!
Now if we could just use metacubes, metacones and metacylinders…
Keep up the good work!
– ej
Hi, Ernie!
>>Now if we could just use metacubes, metacones and metacylinders…
It is _exactly_ what Danny Mercurio is now up to…
(and we are always ready to help him should he experience any difficulties)
Alex, Video International
EJ >> Now if we could just use metacubes, metacones and metacylinders… <<
AP >> It is _exactly_ what Danny Mercurio is now up to <<
That would be super-great! Metaball modeling would take a giant step
forward!!! I can't wait.
– ej
>> >>Now if we could just use metacubes, metacones and metacylinders… <<
and the ever popular metatorus!
-dave
>> >> >>Now if we could just use metacubes, metacones and metacylinders… <<
>>and the ever popular metatorus!
OK, and metatorus, if you wish…
Alex, Video International
<<metatorus>> would that be metaphorical or metaphysical? <duck Jeffrey>
Alex,
>> I just resolved spherical mapping case (most complicated one) for applying
correct (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture mapping
on the animated metaballs <<
Can you elaborate? Will this be a 3DS IPAS or a 3DS MAX plug-in?
– Steve Ormonde
Hi, Steve!
>> I just resolved spherical mapping case (most complicated one) for applying
correct (STICKY, as Danny Mercurio suggeted to call it) texture mapping
on the animated metaballs <<
>> Can you elaborate? Will this be a 3DS IPAS or a 3DS MAX plug-in?
Some recent history:
There is 3DS metaballs IPAS for Release 4 called OrganiX (formerly Blobs).
Some near future:
We planning to add to this IPAS an ability to have Sticky Mapping in two weeks.
Some distant future:
As I understood, Danny Mercurio is planning to port his metaballs to MAX
as soon as possible (means January), and our Sticky Mapping will go with it.
Some conclusions:
Sticky Mapping as part of OrganiX (Pro) will be available soon as 3DS IPAS
and later as MAX plug-in.
Sticky mapping can't exist by itself without metaballs.
Sticky Mapping sample flicks with the snake swallowing an egg, animated fingers
with nails
etc
will appear on CompuServe in 10 days from now.
Some reasons to be Proud:
I went to EVERY booth on Siggraph: NOBODY can do texture mapping on animated
metaballs!
Be prepared,
Alex, Video International
Aleksey,
I'm very glad I got a chance to see your demonstration at Comrade Pyros'
office. I just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your Refraction
IPAS. I just bought it and I'm looking forward to using it.
And your Sticky mapping technique is amazing.
Molodtsy, Tovaritchsy!
Alec Jason
Alec:
>> Aleksey, I'm very glad I got a chance to see your demonstration at
>> Comrade Pyros' office.
<bg>
Greg Pyros
Hi, Greg!
>> Aleksey, I'm very glad I got a chance to see your demonstration at
>> Comrade Pyros' office.
>> <bg>
>>Greg Pyros
What this "<bg>" is all about?
Are you our Comrade or what?
<Bg>
>>Some reasons to be Proud:
>>I went to EVERY booth on Siggraph:
>>NOBODY can do texture mapping on animated metaballs!
Some correction is due:
I received a note from Ray Dream Designer CEO, he states that
he saw a Ray Dream Extension (plug-in) made by some famous french CG
researcher,
which does satisfactory texture mapping on animated metaballs.
So I am temporarily withdrawing word "NOBODY" from my statement.
(It's a first time in my scientific carrier that I am (supposedly) not the
first one in
some discovery: I've got 4 theorems in partial differential equations field
named
after myself and I used to be first everywhere. But see, it looks like french
guys
are finally cathing up with us.)
Gomrade Alex,
Video International
The proof is ALWAYS in the pudding. Let's see if they are willing to put their
Balls where there mouth is.
(Old American slang phrase converted to suit this scenario.)
Comrade Lee
> Let's see if they are willing to put their Balls where there mouth is.
HA HA HA!!! I haven't laughed this hard at a post in a long time, thanks Lee!
By the way, I saw you at the ASOFT party, but didn't get a chance to say hello.
So…hello <g>
Tyler Colwell
Mountain Motion
>> Let's see if they are willing to put their Balls where there mouth is. <<
Well said, Lee. <G>
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.
>>The proof is ALWAYS in the pudding. Let's see if they are willing to put
their Balls where there >>mouth is.
Lee, can you reformulate this in _plain_ english?
Alex, Video International
Comrade Alex:
>> Are you our Comrade or what?
Of course! I speak Vodka with the best of them!
>> It's a first time in my scientific carrier that I am (supposedly) not
>> the first one in some discovery: I've got 4 theorems in partial
>> differential equations field named after myself and I used to be
>> first everywhere.
And I thought it was your Russian accent that I couldn't understand, now I
realize that it was the calculus accent on top of that!
Greg Pyros
Aleksey:
>> (It's a first time in my scientific carrier that I am (supposedly) not the
first one in some discovery: I've got 4 theorems in partial differential
equations field named
after myself and I used to be first everywhere. But see, it looks like french
guys are finally cathing up with us.) <<
Did you ever come across a book entitled "Differential Equations with
Applications" by Ritger and Rose?
– Bob Ritger
<<by Ritger and Rose>> <ROFL><ROFL>
Hi, Bob!
>>Did you ever come across a book entitled "Differential Equations with
Applications" by Ritger >>and Rose?
Sorry, not yet.
Because all my life I dealt mostly with "equations with classified
coefficients" <kidding>.
More seriously: because my field doesn't have any Applications <less kidding>.
Seriously: because as textbooks we use Arnold's classsic "Ordinary Diff.Eq.",
and for research I read only experts in my field of microlocal solvability of
pseudodifferential operators, which are Hormander, Egorov, Treves, Nirenberg
etc…
<practically, no kidding at all>.
On the second thought: is that the book students are taught diif.eqs. in the
Hunter College,
(SUNY)? Large, black, hard cover with couple of skycripers on the cover? That
one was good.
Regards,
Alex, Video International
Hi, Greg!
>>I received a note from Ray Dream Designer CEO, he states that
>>he saw a Ray Dream Extension (plug-in) made by some famous french CG
researcher,
>>which does satisfactory texture mapping on animated metaballs.
>>So I am temporarily withdrawing word "NOBODY" from my statement.
Semi-good news:
this french guy have never created commercial version of his research project
with texturing metaballs.
So we don't have have competition on the market.
As for competition in the scientific battlefield, let me check what this guy
really did.
I am restoring NOBODY, but instead of "NOBODY knows how", I am stating
"NOBODY currently does Sticky Texture Mapping on animated metaballs"!
Alex, Video International
Or Sticky Metaballs on animated Texture Mapping either. <g>
>>Or Sticky Metaballs on animated Texture Mapping either. <g>
Thanks, Lee. It a very good idea!
Hi, Alec!
>>And your Sticky mapping technique is amazing.
>>Molodtsy, Tovaritchsy!
Spasibo, budem starat'sya!
>> how impressed I was with your Refraction IPAS. I just bought it and I'm
looking forward to >>using it.
O yes, now you can use Sherlock Holms with big magnifying glass in your
animations, which will make them even more convincing.<g>
Actually, I was thinking how much time my wife would save if she saw your
STUNNING OJ flick instead of hours she spent in front of TV…
Alex, Video International
<< O yes, now you can use Sherlock Holmes with big magnifying glass in your
animations >>
I hope to use it in my next big case: "Who Shot Kirov?"
<< I was thinking how much time my wife would save if she saw your STUNNING OJ
flick instead of hours in front of TV >>
Spasibo!
Alec Jason
>><< O yes, now you can use Sherlock Holmes with big magnifying glass in your
animations >>
>>I hope to use it in my next big case: "Who Shot Kirov?"
Oh, yes! For this case you can use Refraction Mapping to show big
Stalin's eye aiming at Kirov through the optical ruffle…
And then use the same ruffle in another shot just replacing Stalin's eye with
Oswald's…
See, it can be really useful for the court animations too <g>.
Alex, Video International
>> use Refraction Mapping to show Stalin's eye aiming at Kirov…>>
My mother wants to know why I am laughing so hard. I just explained "IPAS" to
her yesterday so I don't know if she'll get it.
Michele
>> Comrade Pyros' office.
Comrads didn't have offices, they had Kabinets…
And, BTW, they now call themselves Misters…
I prefer to be just
Alex, Video International
Looking forward to it, Alex! Just let me know when to DL the flics…
– Steve Ormonde
Aleksey,
It was so wonderful to finally meet you and the Russian contingent in person! I
wish I had had more time to talk to you. It was very hard to communicate at the
show. I didn't realize how loud it was on the exhibition floor until we all
tried to talk to each other in International Sign Language.
I am now in Wisconsin teaching some 3D Studio classes. When I get back to
Boston later this week I will get in touch with you with my Moscow travel
plans.
Thanks so much for introducing me to everyone. It was a great pleasure.
Michele
>> kind-of-hiring-all-these-smart-PhD-not-paying-them-a- penny-for-IPAS-
development <<
Tricky devils, those Yosters!
BTW, it was very nice to meet you at SIGGRAPH. Refraction mapping looked
like an excellent alternative to R-R-Ra-Raytracing (there, I said it!). I
might also say that it is great to see your enthusiasm for MAX development
here in AMMEDIA…
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.
Hi, Dan!
>>Tricky devils, those Yosters!
Can't say better.
>> I might also say that it is great to see your enthusiasm for MAX development
>>here in AMMEDIA…
Since my first day as a professor in the University, when I was trying to
explain
closed differential form concept to 30 freshmen, I was dreaming about
software framework, which would allow me to see formulae and algorithms
without overhead of learning some unnessessary stuff like DOS extenders or
compiler options.
And now we are finally getting there:
anyone with some brain in his head
can write MAX plug-in and see his ideas visualized immediately
and (as a side effect)
be proud that he extended capabilities of this Yosters' Monster.
Of course, I am entusiastic.
Alex, Video International
>> Of course, I am entusiastic. <<
As we all are. Looking forward to your newest visions…
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.