Each person is having a special bond with animations, whether that is cartoons, serials, games or movies. But do you know what exactly animation is? How these animation movies, serials are prepared? Here we discuss about Animation, with special perspective on 3D animation.
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3D support in new Flash Player
I was reading different articles on internet about the new technologies in Multimedia field. During this I come across an interesting piece of information which I feel is interesting to you all. This is about the ‘alternativaplatform’ which is a Flash-3D-engine i.e. Alternativa3D.
‘Alternativa3D’ is developed by a Russian company which is working on this platform for more then 10 years(as they claim ), and cooperating close with Adobe and working in pre-release groups, and participate in developing of new Flash Player versions.
‘Alternativa3D’, which is intended for displaying 3D graphics in the Flash Player environment. You can use this technology in wider areas such as 3D websites to multiplayer browser games and applications for social networks in full 3D.
Alternativa3D version 7 has been widely used in the architectural and building sector, interior design and internet advertising. They are also providing servers for online gaming. AlternativaCore is a cluster of several Linux-powered Java servers. It is a ready to use core for creating real-time and turn-based multiplayer online games. This client-server solution helps in version control, high speed data transfer, load balancing system, store unlimited amount of data, faster and easier development of games, allows expansion, decreases expenses, support payment systems, social networks support etc. For more details just visit: http://alternativaplatform.com/en/alternativa3d/
The best thing is that Alternativa3D is free of cost, so just download it and explore the possibilities. But one thing to remember, you need to have a good understanding of Actionscript 3 and Flash.
Actually Adobe Flash team is working on technologies which make possible to create and play 3D games through Adobe Flash Player. Adobe team is working on a new set of 3D GPU accelerated APIs that delivers advanced 3D rendering in Flash Player and AIR. This API codename is ‘Molehill’. For more information just visit this link: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adc-presents/molehill-3d-apis/
Swift 3D plug-in: Convert 3D animation to vector
Friends, thanks for your encouraging comments on my articles. Some ask that why I am not updating my blog regularly, one reason for not writing on regular basis is due to less time availability. Due to recession and heavy work pressure, I do not have much time to write research articles. I don’t want to write those news items which you easily gets on every website, I try to write article after doing complete research on the subject.
Wait for my next article which will most probably on interactive 3D model. I am doing research on the same, and already made a really cool interactive 3D model. So just wait for my new article.
Here we talk about software (plug-ins) which helps to convert 3D animation into vector animation (i.e. Flash SWF). Isn’t it sound interesting?
Electricrain, a company made a software plug-ins for LightWave 3D and 3ds Max i.e. ‘Swift 3D LW’ ; and ‘Swift 3D MAX’. With the help of these plug-ins, users of 3ds Max and LightWave 3D can render their 3D scenes in high-quality, low bandwidth vector or raster Flash animations.
These plug-in are powered by industry-leading RAViX 4 vector rendering technology. Swift 3D plug-ins gives superior Flash integration and additional export formats including Adobe Illustrator, EPS, SVG and Toon Boom’s PNT format.
It is simple to use plug-in. You just need to install it (according to the installation manual), and it appears into your software as shown in below Figure.
You just select your output format i.e. swf, eps, ai etc. in the SWIFT 3D window and render it, you will get the desire output in vector format. WOW…quite easy and very useful. I have use lots of SWF files in my project and it is quite easy to show a 3D model/animation made in LightWave3D in Flash with full control. You just need to import the SWF (3D animation) file into your Flash project and your 3D animation would work perfectly in Flash without consuming much memory. Same thing happens with 3ds Max.
Just download a trial and enjoy it!
For more information, please check the link: erain dot com/products/plug-ins/
Reference/Image (First Image) courtesy: erain dot com
3D Arsenal™: Weapon to create your 3D visualization
Are you worried when your client wants hi-ended 3D animation for small section of your animation/video? Don’t you think that it would be great to have some amazing templates of 3D animation effects? A 3D animator knows how painful is to make a effective 3D Logo animation which has to be shown just for a second in an animation, for this he/she needs to develop all 3D background and other models with texturing, animations, effects and rendering. And above scenario is worst nightmare for a video editor who doesn’t know 3D.
Now, here is a tool which comes to rescue you and meets your tough deadlines. So don’t worry here comes a ‘Weapon of mass creation’ ….. 3D Arsenal™, by NewTek.
You can use 3D Arsenal™ with SpeedEDIT, TriCaster, VT. These are the other products by NewTek. But here I am only talking about using 3D Arsenal™ with LightWave 3D® as I am using it for my projects.
This is a kind of plug-in, which you can use with your LightWave 3D® software. You just need to install this plug-in into your system and you will find a 3D Arsenal™ tab in your LightWave 3D®. 3D Arsenal™ is having over 750 pre-built scenes which easily meet the needs of the video editor for the creation of 3D animation. It is a great tool for video editors to add dazzling 3D imagery to a project without the hassle of learning complex 3D software because 3D Arsenal™ does the work for you.
Once you find 3D Arsenal™ tab inside LightWave 3D®, just click that 3D Arsenal™ tab, and select a pre built 3D scene from template. Selected pre built scene loads into your LightWave 3D®. You just need to type text on Logo’s place so yours text become new logo. You can also edit textures, design of anything in the templates according to your needs. This has the facility to add videos into surfaces of 3D models such as backdrops, screen etc. You can place a dancing girl video with alpha channel in between the virtual sets. Take your video shots with blue/green screen and use pre-made customizable 3D environments provided in 3D Arsenal™. Map your video onto plasma screens, dancing TV’s, video walls and more, to give your productions a real primetime look.
After mapping logo or video into pre-built scenes you just need to render your project and you will get final 3D animation output… Isn’t it very easy. Instead of creating each thing in 3D you just need to map the required video/logo etc. into pre built templates.
As a multimedia expert and 3D designer, sometime I didn’t like all of the templates as I want to draw my own scenes through my creativity, but yes 3D Arsenal™ is really helpful for those who don’t know how to operate complex 3D software and want 3D scenes in their projects.
3D Arsenal™ is a product from NewTek company, maker of LightWave 3D®. For more information on 3D Arsenal™ please visit www dot newtek dot com/3DA/
LightWave 3D through my view
Love 3D animation, good that means you are also interested into the softwares used to make 3D stuffs. I am sure you heard about many softwares which is used to create 3D like 3ds Max, MAYA, Ligtwave 3D, etc.
Details about other softwares are easily available on Internet with good tutorials, but if we talk about LightWave 3D, we didn’t find good stuffs/tutorials on Internet. In India, LightWave 3D is not very popular and you hardly find people who worked on LightWave 3D. I got chance to work on LightWave 3D during my work assignment, still I am using the same. In starting of my project I had tried to search some good tutorials on LightWave 3D, but not succeeded. I got only Newtek company (makers of LightWave 3D) tutorial section, which was not working during that time. Luckily, I got some video tutorial on Newtek website and also with the copy of my LightWave 3D.
Approach of 3D in LightWave is little bit different as compare to 3ds Max and MAYA etc. Cost wise differences between these three softwares are:
Autodesk 3ds Max 2009: $ 3990 (with Subscription Electronic Download)
Autodesk MAYA Complete 2009: $ 2590(Windows with Subscription Electronic Download)
Autodesk MAYA Unlimited 2009: $ 6490(Windows with Subscription Electronic Download)
LightWave v9 Full with Printed Manuals: $ 995
In LightWave 3D software you will get two different section i.e. Modeler and Layout; one is for modeling and other one for Animation and texturing (advance use).
Let’s discussed about the Modeler first.
Modeler
It meant for modeling and generation of 3D models and characters.
This program has different sections such as ‘Create’, ‘Modify’, ‘Multiply’, and ‘Construct’, ‘Detail’, ‘Map’, ‘Setup’, ‘Utilities’ and ‘View’.
Inside theses sections you will find all options of creating a box, ball, toroid, gear etc., which will be useful for creating 3d models. Other useful actions such as Boolean, Bevel, Extrude, Lathe and others are also present.
In Modeler, you can also adds lots of Plugins, some useful plug-in such as ‘3D Arsenal’ (wait for my next article on 3D Arsenal). Inside Modeler, one can create models and apply textures of different kinds. Modeler has Surface preset, which is very useful and easy for texture mapping, you can assign textures with just a click, nice feature.
A different approach of Lightwave 3D in comparison with other 3D softwares is layer systems just like Adobe Photoshop.
Create a 3D model, name it and also name its surfaces. After completing your model, you need to go to Layout. For Layout you need to click the button on the right side corner of the screen. On this menu, you will find options such as ‘Switch to Layout’; ‘Synchronize Layout’ and ‘Send Object to Layout’. After a click you will be into Layout….
Layout
Layout is meant for animation and effects purpose only. After coming here you can’t change the model or do alteration; if you want, than you need to go back to Modeler with the help of button on the top right side of the screen.
In layout mode you will not find layers, the new thing here is camera, lights, animation timeline and animation panel on bottom with other useful tools. Here you can use functionality such as Bones, IK etc. And with the Render tab you can render animation with different option settings available.
Tabs under Layout modes are ‘Items’, ‘Modify’, ‘Setup’, and ‘Utilities’, ‘Render’, ‘View’ and ‘Modeler Tools’. These tools help to provide lights, camera and dynamic objects settings in a scene. IK, Bone management and Pivot point positioning is also possible in Layout mode. Lightwave script and Plug-in support is available in Utilities tab.
Here, in this mode you will find surface editor same as Modeler. So you can change the surface color/texture at any time. Important point in Lightwave 3D as compare to 3ds Max and other tools is that, when you create any object give its surfaces name. This will solve lots of complexity during texturing. And if your surfaces are having names, just select any specific surface and you can change the texture or color for that particular surface.
Finally my view is that Lightwave 3D is cost wise very cheap as compare to other 3D software and also very effective. Important thing, you can get Cloth, Hair and other effects totally free, which is very costly and comes separately in other 3D softwraes. This is just a small description of Lightwave 3D from my view. For more and specific details about Lightwave 3D please visit Newtek website: http://www.newtek.com