3D Studio in General
15 messages in this thread
Hello All,
I am a user of trueSpace, and was wondering if and when Autodesk will ever be
released for the, don't laugh, "Windows" environment. I realize that the
primary reason that 3D Studio is ported to the DOS platform is because of the
negative Graphical overhead that you get in Windows, but with the newer Win95
around the corner promising better graphical engines, etc., will 3DS ever make
it there or to NT?
Also, a direct question on the product itself. Does 3DS have a rendering
engine or not. Some articles, and other people I talk to say it doesn't have
rendering incorporated, but I have a demo that says otherwise. Could someone
who actually uses the product give me the details? I'd appreciate it.
Steve
Steve:
ADESKers are not allowed to comment on future development plans of 3DS. I,
like you and many others are interested in a version of 3DS for NT. Currently
you can run 3DS under Windows as a DOS app and some forum members have had
great success. I would say that it is unclear whether render times take a hit
for the Windows overhead but my guess is that you probably would. An SGI
render-only engine has been announced but no other platforms have yet been
announced. Network rendering on many PC's is commonplace, giving you as many
render engines as you have PC's for no additional software cost, network
rendering is built in.
Bob
>> Currently you can run 3DS under Windows as a DOS app and some forum members
have had great success. <<
Others have failed miserably! I have a Hercules Graphite card and am unable to
render or even to switch to the Materials Editor.
First, Autodesk will not comment about ANYTHING regarding future releases —
not even platforms.
Secondly, if, by render-engine, you mean is 3DS just a modeler, or is is a
2d/3d modeler/materials-editor/key-framer/renderer/video-post-production setup,
it's the latter! What "demo" are you referring to? There is no "demo" version
of 3DS.
By the way, in addition to general Autodesk dudes and end-users, you can ask
questions of Yost Group 76702,413 — these are the guys who write 3DS for
Autodesk (Gary Yost heads them up and Jack is the documentarian — they're the
Yosters most online).
Dave
Dave,
Autodesk does have a demo disk of 3D Studio. It's a slide show, etc. of
features, images.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Really!? Hmm — not that it doesn't follow that they would (have a slide-show
demo of 3DS) as Adesk has been deluging me with mail-in cards for Designer,
AutoVision, etc demos — but I was totally unaware of one for 3DS.
"Demo" is hardly the right word, eh? Maybe they should use a description like
"Multimedia-flyer" or something….
Dave
The demo I was referring to was the one I got with a CD included with a book
called Becoming a Computer Animator. There's a demo of 3DS R3. Check it out.
Anyway thank you, and everyone on the helpful information. I'll stick with my
NT, and hope that 3DS is released for it sometime in the near future.
He, he… a comment is needed here. Chicago, or Win2020, or whatever they are
calling these days ain't any better in graphics. Though the memory space is 32
bit, the GDI is still the same old clunk 16 bit junk. Of course, Microsoft
could change the whole thing before they ship but then it would look more and
more like NT, wouldn't it?
What do you mean the GDI is still 16-bit? From all that I've been reading,
which could very well be written in a marketing sense, "Win95" is a true 32-bit
OS. That to me means that if you are using 32-bit apps, you have a 32-bit
system, not 16-bit here, 32-bit there, unless you are referring to the "Windows
3.1, 3.11" emulation which will be used to run those programs in the new OS.
Oh, and uh DOS programs too. Maybe there will be a version for NT coming. I
like you am skeptical of the new low-end Win95, and I've got my eye on Daytona
(Open-GL) is being incorporated in that version also from what I read.
Steven –
Check out a couple of the fine 3D Studio books that are out there at most
larger bookstores – such as Inside 3D Studio and 3D Studio Applied. With their
illustrations, descriptions and tutorials, you'll get a good idea of the full
range of 3DS capabilities. I know we're all biased here, but on the PC
platform, regardless of OS, 3DS is the best modeler/renderer/animating program
out there, bar none.
truespace is a fine program, and has a very intuitive modeler, but no other
program currently beats the "richness" (very scientific term) of the rendered
frames from 3DS. The factors here are lighting, the rendering algorithms and
shading quality, among other things. And while there is perhaps more of a
learning curve than you would be used to with truespace – as the saying goes:
"good things come to those who wait" – the extra work pays off in knowing how
to use what is also the most flexible product around, especially when you add
in the IPAS architecture. This translates into being able to bring your clients
effects that only SGI's can currently offer (and some they can't).
Sorry, you got me started. <g>
bob
So far, the GDI is 16 bits, regardless what you have up there. Chicago is going
through some major changes each time a new [beta] release comes out but it
would be tough to change that. I am "very" skeptical of WindyWin. I cannot
understand why would I want it as opposed to sticking to NT. Why spend so much
development effort for two, almost identical, platforms. It only makes the
market go nuts as developers have to wait for Microsoft to decide what color
shirt they will be wearing today. Meanwhile, NT isn't getting the attention it
could as Microsoft themselves tout Chicago as the successor of Windows.
I agree Gus! I've got NT myself, and am happy with it. I only want the
ability to have 3DS in NT so that I don't have to 'shell' to DOS. I hate
having everything I use in one environment, but then having to go to DOS for
only one or two programs. Based on the raves I've been getting here, it seems
that it would be worth it to go to 3DS 'in DOS' for now anyway until maybe
there is an NT platform.
I think that MS is really wanting to make people happy by keeping RAM
requirements low. They don't want to make it take more RAM than Windows does
now, or not much more. Making the GDI (or anything else) 16 bits lessens the
"bloating" of a 32bit OS. Apparently 32 bit OS' take up more memory.
Personally, I think they're shooting themselves in the foot by doing so, and
hopefully old Bill will realize that that's not a good thing to do. Win 3 took
up a whole bunch more RAM than regular Dos- but it was worth it and people grew
to accept it. It's the same thing with Win 4/Chicago/whatever. I want a 32
bit OS. They're spending soo much time and effort in redesigning everything,
they should just make it a full blown 32bit OS- with all the current NT
advantages.
I guess we've gotta wait for Cairo (96?) to get Chicago+NT. 96 will be a good
year. 🙂
BTW- I think updating the drivers for my VESA system fixed the Chroma
palette/logo problem. I haven't had time to get a good test though. Mabe
tomorrow.
JNJ
Are you referring to 16-bit parameters to GDI calls, or that the GDI.DLL itself
is still 16-bit code?
I'm shooting for InterChange as a Win32 app, running Win32s under Windows 3.x,
and it runs fine under WinNT, too.
As far as I could tell the GDI engine was the same one.