3D ANIMATION PROGRAMS

[Ralph Snart]

I know your are skulking about Despin.
Is there any difference in realtime animation programs as far as controls and basic concepts go. I have worked with several and they all seem based around the same concept.
Results vary wildly but on the whole they are actually quite simple.
For instance in Amorphium, Merlin, Corell rave10.
When The programs function within given factory paramaters whatever that means it is just a matter of improting or creating an object statying it at point a starting the animation process, moving the object to the desired conclusion of its travels and then clicking the animate function off. pressing play and zip pow you have your average 2 to 5 second super special effect starship as it heaves itself into warp.
Convert this file to an avi file move it to a video export program such as VW3 produce the avi file to an M-jpeg format and paf it is exportable to VHS providing all the various and assorted wires are connected proberly the dog hasn't been in the room and you are still drunk enough to give a **** .
Like that

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 02, 2003 04:52 PM: Message edited by: Ralph Snart ]</font>

[sp70mm]

I'd really recommend Lightwave, which is the best in-box animation program out there. Also, if you continue with animation it's a package used heavily with in the professional field that you'd have experience with. You can download a free learning version at www.lightwave3d.com the full version is pretty reasonably priced, but alas, there's always kazaa.

[sn-films]

Ralph... Despin seems conspicuously absent.

Yes. Conceptually, 3D programs are similar. You start with and object. You put the object into an environment. You tell the object what you want it to do. Render it out to a file. The ease of this task will vary by program.

Those are the basic principals. The intermediate and advanced principals involve lighting, texturing, etc.

Currently, I'm using Animation Master (http://www.hash.com) for an action/sci-fi project I'm working on, which includes a number of CGI creatures composited with live actors and footage. Most 3D software apps include the ability to render AVI files with different options that will help you integrate the 3D/CGI clips into a movie (i.e field rendering, motion blur, etc.).

Hope this answers your question.