"Personally, I would rather program them rather than just make them in a program like Lightwave or other 3D package."
I know that's just your personal opinion, but what are you driving at ?
As someone who has been involved with "just making pictures" for 13 years, I can tell you, that achieving desired effects can be very challenging artistically as well as technically.
And which is why I personally consider 3D graphics "making" the best endeavour using the computer as a tool. With the current state of the tools, you're limited only by your imagination and spare time. No offence meant.
Some background first : My Pop started his own CG/post studio in 1989 and I've been hooked ever since.
You're asking in the wrong forum. Go to CGTalk.com and ask in Main Forum -> General
Phrase your questions properly and make them interesting. They get a TON of the same questions (or its variants), so chances are you'll be ignored. However, this very aspect also means you can search the forums and explore through older related threads.
My personal advice. You want to not spend any money first. Not until the user knows whether the toolset / style of the program suits them.
There are 4 major professional 3D programs (some will include Houdini as well) they are
All of the above programs comes in a free demo version (on their respective company websites)
These versions more or less offer the full functionality, but don't allow you to save in the formats that the commercial versions use. Also, they place watermark over the rendered images.
For someone with no prior 3D experience, I suggest you try LightWave. If she likes it, its the cheapest to buy. But apart from that, mainly because its pretty easy to learn.
An up and coming prog is Cinema4D. I haven't used this one personally, so I can't comment.
CGTalk.com also has links to learning resources (from novice to complex) for most programs in their respective forums.
RAPH.com has gallery of 3D art. Look over these, but don't pay much attention when considering which package to buy. Good artists can make good images in any program. BUT advanced tools DO make life as a 3D artist easier and more interesting.
You're assuming all files have one prinicipal purpose. Not true. I sometimes use certain maps as a background as well as a reflection map.
"It searches on path names, which include things like artist, song name, and genre."
There are singers who sing in different languages and styles. There would be a hella lot of subdirectories, if I classified them down to the last possible subcategory. I could have a song which is sad and in french and from the 50s. Where should I place the song then ?
Better to just have a simple C:\Music and the load this metadata filesystem-level driver.
"Also, having metadata capability doesn't solve the poorly named/organized files problem -- the same people who can't name a file well won't input metadata."
In my case, I have a very-well organized directory structure. But I sure like this metadata idea.
oly shit, that sounds like a whole lot of infrastructure just to work around shortcomings of windows 9x!;-)
Explain that.
I work with graphics & AV apps. You don't want to reinstall 4 GB of apps when the latest video drivers cause some problem and you need to reinstall 2000/XP.
This is exactly what I have been wanting for almost a decade now.
Some uses I imagine
- Create music playlists on the fly (MoodLogic doesn't count)
- Categorize work files (Across the whole partition, find images that serves as bumps, HDRI..etc as well as those that are simply wallpapers and photos). More importantly, if you see a good bump texture for a certain surface, describe it as such without changing the filename.
- Install Windows and service packs first, mark files as "windows native". Then install apps. Some OS glitch, you need to reinstall ? Backup all files with directory structure which don't have "windows native" tag alongwith c:\program files and registry. Reinstall windows, restore the backed up files. Voila, no app installations required.
Comment : The point of life is to have fun. That's it
Reply : If you think thats the entire point of life, you're missing the point
I kinda disagree. IMHO, there's no ordained point to life. You decide what the point of your life is (depending on your outlook). No obligation or duty is imposed on you to make any difference in anyone's life, even your own. But that's not going to work out very well.
If your makeup is that of someone who is entrepreneurial, creative, takes initiative/risks and works at it, college just becomes a formality to please the business mentality at large when you're starting. You're likely to succeed anyway. The college you go to doesn't matter*
*Elitist wall-street and legal firms not included.
I think we are treating ancillary issues here. My contention is computers should be limited to information reservoirs. Meaning as devices where you store and play video, audio, applets, flash modules incorporating simulations. Also a device with access to www and usenet.
They shouldn't be used as calculators, _automatic_ spellcheckers -> solvers..etc
The biggest Pandora's box is search engines. They are the threads that enable research as well as being the numb-enabling shortcuts to quick fruit.
Computers should primarily be used as an information reservoir.
You have to tread carefully when students start using them as active information _processors_ . Then you start to wonder what the net effect on education is.
"Its sheer deceptiveness to claim that such a measly income qualifies as 'middle class' by any known standards."
You're partially right. I'm a 'middle-class' Indian from Bombay.
How do we define 'middle-class' in India ?
1) You stay in a city or town.
2) You can regularly provide food on the table.
3) You can afford to have your children educated
4) Unlike 'poor' people, you can go for occasional leisure shopping trips and entertainment activities.
5) You own atleast some kind of TV.
6) You have a phone connection.
With these (and particularly 4th) conditions, you're middle class.
Maybe you're adding
7) You own or rent a _decent_ home. 8) You own a vehicle. 9) You can afford to enjoy vacations away from home and native village,
And then you would be correct. 300m is a grossly inflated figure.
"I would say something witty about glass houses but I simply couldn't be bothered."
Well, by saying _that_ , you did. Only you didn't actually mention it.
"You have the most selective reading skills I have ever seen! "
Ever seen we had this thing started, I haven't revisited my parent comment and its parent replies.
Very interesting to note, now that I did reply to your latest post, you choose to respond by "Blah, Blah, Blah". How convienient. Why don't you actually respond to my post ? Maybe you can't and your stock "Blah Blah" response gives you the delusion tht you successfully did.
"Congratulations, you win by attrition. But just before I sign off... "
Those two sentences just further confirms my last sentence above.
Slashdot Mirror
"Personally, I would rather program them rather than just make them in a program like Lightwave or other 3D package."
I know that's just your personal opinion, but what are you driving at ?
As someone who has been involved with "just making pictures" for 13 years, I can tell you, that achieving desired effects can be very challenging artistically as well as technically.
And which is why I personally consider 3D graphics "making" the best endeavour using the computer as a tool. With the current state of the tools, you're limited only by your imagination and spare time. No offence meant.
Some background first : My Pop started his own CG/post studio in 1989 and I've been hooked ever since.
You're asking in the wrong forum. Go to CGTalk.com and ask in Main Forum -> General
Phrase your questions properly and make them interesting. They get a TON of the same questions (or its variants), so chances are you'll be ignored. However, this very aspect also means you can search the forums and explore through older related threads.
My personal advice. You want to not spend any money first. Not until the user knows whether the toolset / style of the program suits them.
There are 4 major professional 3D programs (some will include Houdini as well) they are
Avid SoftImage XSI [3.0]
(XSI Experience @ www.softimage.com)
discreet 3ds max [5.0]
(gmax @ www.discreet.com)
Newtek Lightwave [7.5]
(order from Newtek.com)
Alias/Wavefront Maya [4.5]
(Maya PLE @ www.aliaswavefront.com)
The rest are prosumer.
All of the above programs comes in a free demo version (on their respective company websites)
These versions more or less offer the full functionality, but don't allow you to save in the formats that the commercial versions use. Also, they place watermark over the rendered images.
For someone with no prior 3D experience, I suggest you try LightWave. If she likes it, its the cheapest to buy. But apart from that, mainly because its pretty easy to learn.
An up and coming prog is Cinema4D. I haven't used this one personally, so I can't comment.
CGTalk.com also has links to learning resources (from novice to complex) for most programs in their respective forums.
RAPH.com has gallery of 3D art. Look over these, but don't pay much attention when considering which package to buy. Good artists can make good images in any program. BUT advanced tools DO make life as a 3D artist easier and more interesting.
"A flash of sanity for the BSA"
Well, the BSA is controlled by the tech companies.
So, if the techs go after **AA, it will be through the BSA and (maybe) individually.
Hardly surprising.
depends on how you listen to music.
I don't pay any attention to the lyrics per se or the individual elements of the music.
Just if I like the piece as a whole.
If you listen to music this way, I suggest you check out world music charts and winners/notables from international music competitions via Google.
The language won't matter and you'll discover some nice melodies.
"You'll have to start making out your cheques to "AOL-TimeWarner-Disney-MGM-Universal, an Exxon Company"
Actually, no. Who do you think will own the bank your account's at ?
"mv myfile.doc ~/docs/work/proposals/"
You're assuming all files have one prinicipal purpose. Not true. I sometimes use certain maps as a background as well as a reflection map.
"It searches on path names, which include things like artist, song name, and genre."
There are singers who sing in different languages and styles. There would be a hella lot of subdirectories, if I classified them down to the last possible subcategory. I could have a song which is sad and in french and from the 50s.
Where should I place the song then ?
Better to just have a simple C:\Music and the load this metadata filesystem-level driver.
"Also, having metadata capability doesn't solve the poorly named/organized files problem -- the same people who can't name a file well won't input metadata."
In my case, I have a very-well organized directory structure. But I sure like this metadata idea.
oly shit, that sounds like a whole lot of infrastructure just to work around shortcomings of windows 9x! ;-)
Explain that.
I work with graphics & AV apps. You don't want to reinstall 4 GB of apps when the latest video drivers cause some problem and you need to reinstall 2000/XP.
Duuuuh.
Sorry, last clarification.
You can do this for Windows now as well.
Simply boot into Linux and tag. Then while reinstalling win, do the above from Linux.
Addendum : Regarding the third point, only when this happens on windows.
This is exactly what I have been wanting for almost a decade now.
..etc as well as those that are simply wallpapers and photos). More importantly, if you see a good bump texture for a certain surface, describe it as such without changing the filename.
Some uses I imagine
- Create music playlists on the fly (MoodLogic doesn't count)
- Categorize work files (Across the whole partition, find images that serves as bumps, HDRI
- Install Windows and service packs first, mark files as "windows native". Then install apps. Some OS glitch, you need to reinstall ? Backup all files with directory structure which don't have "windows native" tag alongwith c:\program files and registry. Reinstall windows, restore the backed up files. Voila, no app installations required.
>i>My #1 would be "Intelligent Posts on slashdot".
How is that vaporware ? No one expects it in the first place.
[Reflex mistake above. Pressed enter instead of tab.]
Anyway, for 3dsmax and such apps, I would still stick to nvidia Quadro and softquadroed Geforce cards.
Do you like playing foosball alone ? How ?
"...DEFINANTELLY..."
I'm still wondering how you made this spelling mistake.
"If it can cater to that need..."
Should I be saddenned or disgusted ?
..,gives you a new meaning to driving in a figure 8
"It struck me as being about how *driven* a person can be"
I cover that in my root-level comment "Personality matters".
I was just replying to the immediate parent's reply to its parent.
First, mod parent up (#4993402)
Comment : The point of life is to have fun. That's it
Reply : If you think thats the entire point of life, you're missing the point
I kinda disagree. IMHO, there's no ordained point to life. You decide what the point of your life is (depending on your outlook). No obligation or duty is imposed on you to make any difference in anyone's life, even your own. But that's not going to work out very well.
And the richest man dropped out of Harvard and wasn't rejected. But I agree with you anyway.
If your makeup is that of someone who is entrepreneurial, creative, takes initiative/risks and works at it, college just becomes a formality to please the business mentality at large when you're starting. You're likely to succeed anyway.
The college you go to doesn't matter*
*Elitist wall-street and legal firms not included.
I think we are treating ancillary issues here. My contention is computers should be limited to information reservoirs. Meaning as devices where you store and play video, audio, applets, flash modules incorporating simulations. Also a device with access to www and usenet.
..etc
They shouldn't be used as calculators, _automatic_ spellcheckers -> solvers
The biggest Pandora's box is search engines. They are the threads that enable research as well as being the numb-enabling shortcuts to quick fruit.
Computers should primarily be used as an information reservoir.
You have to tread carefully when students start using them as active information _processors_ . Then you start to wonder what the net effect on education is.
"Its sheer deceptiveness to claim that such a measly income qualifies as 'middle class' by any known standards."
You're partially right. I'm a 'middle-class' Indian from Bombay.
How do we define 'middle-class' in India ?
1) You stay in a city or town.
2) You can regularly provide food on the table.
3) You can afford to have your children educated
4) Unlike 'poor' people, you can go for occasional leisure shopping trips and entertainment activities.
5) You own atleast some kind of TV.
6) You have a phone connection.
With these (and particularly 4th) conditions, you're middle class.
Maybe you're adding
7) You own or rent a _decent_ home.
8) You own a vehicle.
9) You can afford to enjoy vacations away from home and native village,
And then you would be correct. 300m is a grossly inflated figure.
mod parent up.
"I would say something witty about glass houses but I simply couldn't be bothered."
Well, by saying _that_ , you did. Only you didn't actually mention it.
"You have the most selective reading skills I have ever seen! "
Ever seen we had this thing started, I haven't revisited my parent comment and its parent replies.
Very interesting to note, now that I did reply to your latest post, you choose to respond by "Blah, Blah, Blah". How convienient. Why don't you actually respond to my post ? Maybe you can't and your stock "Blah Blah" response gives you the delusion tht you successfully did.
"Congratulations, you win by attrition. But just before I sign off... "
Those two sentences just further confirms my last sentence above.