IMAGINE A PROFESSIONAL 3D RENDERING SYSTEM FOR THE AMIGA REFERENCE MANUAL BY RICK RODRIGUEZ CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION The Coordinate System 3 Building Block's 4 Lights,Camera,Action 4 GETTING AROUND IMAGINE Quad or Full Screen Views 5 Coordinate Display 6 Screen Reolution 6 Grid Controls 6 Screen Display 7 Perspective Views 7 Interactive Editing 8 Alternate Modes and Pick Methods 8 Keyboard Equivalents 10 REFERENCE SECTION Project Menu 11 Project Editor 11 Detail Editor 11 Forms Editor 11 Cycle Editor 11 Stage Editor 11 Quit 11 Undo 11 Display Menu 11 Coordinates 11 Interlace 11 Grid On/Off 12 Grid Size 12 Redraw 12 Zoom In 12 Zoom Out 12 Set Zoom 12 Wireframe 12 Solid 12 Shaded 12 PROJECT EDITOR Project Menu 13 New 13 Open 13 Close 13 Rendering Screen 13 Rendering Subproject 13 New 14 Rendering Method 14 Picture&Pixel Sizes 14 Path for Stills 15 File Format 15 Amiga Viewmodes 15 Path for Movie 16 Movie File Format 16 Open 16 Delete 16 Modify 16 Stills 16 Generate 17 Show 17 Delete 17 Range 17 Info 17 Cleanup 17 Generate New Cells Only 18 Use Zone 18 Use Firecracker 24 18 Movie 18 Load 18 Play Once 18 Play Loop 18 Drop 18 Edit 19 Make 20 FORMS EDITOR Object Menu 20 New 20 #of Points 20 #of Slices 20 X-Y Cross Sections 21 X-Z Cross Sections 21 Load 21 Save 21 Snap to Grid 21 Mode Menu 21 Edit 21 Add 21 Delete 22 Symmetry Menu 22 Off 22 Front 22 Right 22 Both 22 90 Degrees 22 Select Menu 22 Click 22 Drag Box 22 Lasso 22 Lock 23 DETAIL EDITOR Object Menu 23 Load 23 Save 23 Convert IFF/ILBM 23 Group 23 Ungroup 23 Cut 23 Copy 24 Paste 24 Attributes 24 Object Name 24 Fastdraw 24 Phong 24 Color 25 Reflect 25 Filter 25 Specular 25 Dithering 26 Hardness 26 Roughness 26 Shininess 26 Index of Refraction 26 Texture 27 Brush 28 Color Map 28 Reflect Map 28 Altitude Map 29 Filter Map 29 Internal Genlock 30 Load/Save Attributes 30 Transformation 30 Rotate 31 Sclae 31 Translate 31 Alignment 31 Size 31 Position 31 World 31 Local 32 Transform Axis Only 32 Mold 32 Extrude 32 To Length 33 Length 33 Along Path 33 Path 33 Align Y to Path 33 Keep X Horizontal 33 Y Rotation 33 X and Z Scaling 33 X and Z Translate 33 Sections 34 Spin Angle 34 #of Sections 34 Sweep 34 Sweep Angle 34 #of Sections 35 Conform to Sphere 35 Sphere Radius 35 Object Radius 36 Conform to Cylinder 36 Cylinder Radius 36 Object Width 36 Mode Menu 36 Pick Group 36 Pick Objects 36 Pick Faces 37 Pick Edges 37 Pick Points 37 Add Faces 37 Add Edges 37 Add Points 37 Add Lines 37 Drag Points 37 Hide Points 38 Magnetism 38 On/Off 38 Setup 38 Radius of Influence 39 Minimum Radius 39 Percent at Radius 39 Magnetism Types 39 Functions Menu 39 Delete 39 Add Axis 39 Sphere 39 Ground 40 Primitive 40 Sphere 40 Radius 40 Circle Sections 41 Vertical Sections 41 Stagger Points 41 Tube 41 Radius 41 Height 41 Circle Sections 41 Vertical Sections 41 Stagger Points 42 Close Bottom/Top 42 Cone 42 Radius 42 Height 42 Circle Sections 42 Vertical Sections 42 Stagger Points 42 Close Bottom 43 Torus 43 Ring Radius 43 Tube Radius 43 Ring Sections 43 Tube Sections 43 Stagger Points 43 Disk 43 Radius 43 Sections 43 Plane 44 Width 44 Height 44 Horizontal Sections 44 Verical Sections 44 Interactive Transformations 44 Rotate 45 Move 45 Scale 45 x,y,z 45 X,Y,Z 45 Spacebar 45 Escape 45 CYCLE EDITOR 45 Object Menu 45 New 45 Load 45 Save 45 Pick Menu 46 Group 46 Object 46 Mode Menu 46 Pivot 46 Twist 46 Move 46 Add 46 Delete 46 Assign 46 Cell Menu 46 First 47 Last 47 Next Key 47 Prev Key 47 Goto 47 Next 47 Prev 47 Make Key 47 Unmake Key 47 Copy From 47 Remove 48 Animate Menu 48 Make 48 Free Ram 48 Play Once 48 Play Loop 48 Play Big 48 Animation Controller 48 Status Line 49 STAGE EDITOR Object Menu 49 Load 49 Add 49 Rename 49 Delete 49 Action 50 Add 51 Delete 51 Rename 52 Info 52 Cancel 52 Undo 52 Done 52 Highest Frame # 52 Actor 52 Normal Object 53 Start/End Frame 53 Filename 53 Numbers of Cycles to perform 54 Initial cycle phase 54 Reverse cycle motion 54 Transition Frame count 54 Light Source 55 Start/End Frame 55 Spherical 56 Cylindrical 56 Conical 56 Cast Shadows 56 Diminish Intensity 56 Red/Green/Blue Intensity 57 Transition Frame Count 57 Camera 57 Globals 57 Start/End Frame 58 Brush Name 58 Ambient R,G,B 58 Horizon R,G,B 58 +Zenith R,G,B 58 -Zenith R,G,B 59 Sky Blending 59 Genlock Sky 59 Star Field Density 59 Transiton Frame Count 59 Posn. 59 Tween Position 60 Start/End Frame 60 End Frame Position Values 60 Follow Path 61 Start/End Frame 61 Path Name 61 Children follow parent object 62 Align 62 Tween Alignment 62 Start/End Frame 62 End Frame Position Values 62 Align to Path 63 Start/End Frame 63 Keep Y Horizontal 63 Track to Object 63 Start/End Frame 64 Object Name 64 Initial/Final Y Rotation 64 Size 64 Start/End Frame 64 End Frame Size Values 64 Hinge 65 Start/End Frame 65 Hinge Object 65 F/X 65 Transformation 65 Rotate 66 Scale 66 Translate 66 Alignment 66 Size 66 Position 66 World 67 Local 67 Transform Axis Only 67 Make Path 67 Make Closed Path 67 Mode Menu 67 Pick Groups 67 Edit Path 68 Pick/Select Menu 68 Home 68 Select Next 68 Select Prev 68 Pick Select 68 Unpick Select 68 Unpick Last 68 Find by Name 68 Find by Requester 68 Frame Menu 69 First 69 Last 69 Next 69 Prev 69 Goto 69 Animate Menu 69 Make 69 Free Ram 69 Play Once 69 Play Loop 69 Play Big 69 THE CONFIGURATION FILE 71 -1- INTRODUCTION The information containde in this document details every menu and requester item in each of Imagine's program modules.Every effort has been made to describe each command as clearly and succinctly as possible so that the user may refer to this manual whenever in need of a refresher. It is worth nothing,however,that few commands in Imagine work independently.Achieving any desired effect may take various steps that involve items in several different menus.Likewise,all projects will require familiarity with at least three of Imagines modules. For this reason,Imagine's User Manual was designed as a tutorial guide.If you are unclear on any particular function,refer to the tutorial in the User's Manual which covers that particular command.In any case,With a program as complete as Imagine,it is impossible to cover every aspect of the software in the limited space available.Once the user has achieved some familiar with a specific tool,experimentation is the best method of gaining complete understanding. THE BASICS Navigating around our 3D universe is no big deal to most of us.Moving about and interacting with other objects is a basic skill that humans master very early in their lives.Unfortunately,translating this instinctive knowledge to a flat,two-dimensional plane like a computer's screen is not quite as easy.Each object in this artificial 3D space must be mathematically defined and then positioned.Even the simplest scene might involve thousands of calculations.Fortunately,Imagine and the Amiga take care of most of the math.As a user,you simply have to understand some of the ground rules. If you have worked with other 3D programs on the Amiga or other platforms,you may wish to skip ahead to next section.For those of you not -2- accustomed to thinking in terms of xyz coordinates,what follows is a brief introduction into the often confusing realm of three dimensional modeling and animation. WHY CAN'T I JUST DRAW MY OBJECT? Why not,indeed.Since its inception,the Amiga community has benefited from the availability of some of the microcomputer worlds finest paint and animation products.Virtually anyone with a modicum of artistic talent can create digital art with the Amiga and a paint program.Many artists who successfully master the techniques of two dimensional computer art logically want to explore the possibilities of translating their work into third dimension. But few traditional artists are prepared for the steep learning curve demanded by this new medium.And to make matters worse,no Amiga 3D program has given the artist the responsiveness or immediate feedback enjoyed in a paint program.Creating a three dimensional object is not as intuitiv as dragging a cursor around the screen.Assigning a color is not as simple as using the Fill tool.Therefore,with powerful animation features becoming standard in a paint programs,why bother with 3D at all? Used properly,so-called 2-1/2D animations can convey a convincong illusion of a third dimension;however,if one wishes to look at an entirely different view of an object,the artist will most likely have to redraw it.Animation programs like DPaint III manipulate pixels of color with no understanding of what the pixels themselves represent.Expanding an object soon enlarges its pixels to the point where the object is unrecognizable,while rotating a bitmap image can distort it beyond repair. In a three dimensional program,each object is defined by precise points which may be moved,rotated or scaled without affecting the integrity of the object itself.Therefore,although 3D object creation may be a tedious task,once an object has been defined,it may be reused in countless animations and viewed from any necessary angle without any further work on the part of the artist. -3- Mastering three dimensional art provides exeptional benefits for both the traditional artist,as well as the less artistically inclined.Exploring the application of collor,texture and lighting,stunning vistas are possible even for those without basic drawing abilities. THE COORDINATE SYSTEM Imagine's canvas is defined in three dimensions.As represented in the front view,they are: x(left to right),z(up and down) and y(in and out).Each location within this world has a discrete "address",represented by a three numbers.Each number equates to a position on one the the three axes. The precise cewnter of the Imagine world is 0,0,0.There is no limit to the extents of any axis,either positive or negative. To elaborate,presume we are looking at the front view.A value of -100 on x would indicate that a point is 100 units to the left of center.A z value of -100 would place a point 100 units below center.Presuming that the plane of our computer screen represents 0 on Y,a-100 value on that axis would place the point 100 in front of center.A positive 100 on Y would mean that the point is located 100 units inside the screen. Because a simple two dimensional plane is inadequate for representing those points which would be swirling around in front of and behind your head,Imagine presents the user with three orthogonal views.The front view represents the x,z scene we just described.The right view presents the y,z perspective.In this view,points on the y axis travel left to right.The top view represents the x,y perspective.In the top view,y values are indicated up and down. To place a point accurately in 3D space,it must be postioned by referring at least two of the ortogonal projections.Positiong points only in the front view will not guarantee that the points are placed properly along the y axis.Merely relying on the right view may mean that points you intended to place at the center of your object end up on either side of it. -4- BUILDING BLOCKS There are several basic elements which are common to every 3D object in Imagine.These are the: Axis,which represents an object's center of rotation(every object you create from scratch in Imagine must begin with an axis!); Point,a distinct location in space,defined by units on the x,y and z axes; Edge,a straight line segment connecting two points ;and Face,a triangular area defined by any three points and two edges. No matter how complex your three dimensional object is,it begins with these simple building blocks. LIGHTS,CAMERA,ACTION Once an object has been modeled,it must be rendered.Rendering takes into account all of the objects surface attributes as well as the scene's global settings,lighting and camera placement. Only when all of these variables have been defined can Imagine create a finished image. -5- GETTING AROUND IMAGINE: ---------------------- A great deal of time and thought went into creating a consistent presentation for each of Imagine's editing modules.The same commands and keyboard equivalents control display parameters in every editor for maximum ease of use. QUAD OR FULL SCREEN VIEWS Imagine is the first Amiga 3D program to introduce the Quad View,which gives you the traditional front,right and top orthogonal projections along with a continually changing wireframe perspective. From Quad view,full screen views are only a mouse click away at any time.To see a full screen display,simply click the left mouse button in the rectangular label to the immediate left of the view you wish to enlarge.While in the full screen view, a similiar click on the label will return you to the Quad view.Or ,you may click on any of the views listed on the right side of the screen to jump to those views. -6- COORDINATES As you jump from view to view ,you may need to know exactly where your cursor is at any point.Imagine offers a dynamic coordinate display in the title bar which can turned on and off as you desire.To toggle this display,select Coordinates from the Display Menu.Each views respective depth coordinate is inactive in that particular view.For example,only the x and z coordinates are active in the front view.To manipulate points at a specific depth,use the Hide Points command in the Detail Editor. SCREEN RESOLUTION Imagine's default screen display is a highresolution,interlace(640x400). This mode offers the greatest detail for editing objects.The default colors for Imagine have been selected because they tend to minimize annoying interlace flicker.Those users who don't have Flicker Fixers or 3000 series Amigas may wish to select a non-interlace screen. From Display menu,Interlace toggles between 400- and 200-line resolutions. Your settings will be saved for the next time you load this project.If you wish to make non-interlace the setting to which Imagine defaults,see chapter on editing your configuration file. GRID CONTROLS The grid in the orthogonal views may be toggled on and off or set to your precise specifications. The deafult size for the grid is 20 units.to change this value,select Grid Size from the Display menu.Enter the new value and click on OK. The grid will resize itself in all views. Selecting Grid On/Off from the the Display menu toggles the grid on and off. Imagine offers a helpful "snap to grid" feature in the Detail -7- and Forms modules.Selected points will jump to the nearest grid intersections when Snap to Grid is selected from the Functions menu.Any points entered will automatically snap to grid if the Lock item is selected as the Pick Method from the Mode menu. SCREEN DISPLAY Imagine's orthogonal views have up to 16 levels of magnification and allow the user to jump to a specific magnification level at any time. Selecting the Zoom In or Zoom Out commands from the Display menu will double or halve the current zoom setting.Selecting Set Zoom from the Display menu will allow you to enter a custom zoom value. Occasionally,the Amiga's screen refresh will be interrupted by a complex task,particularlywhen cutting and pasting objects onto the editor.Selecting Redraw from the Display menu will restore all the views of your project. PERSPECTIVE The perspective view in Imagine adds a new level of functionality to the software,allowing the user to instantly see the effects of change to objects. The default format for the Perspective window is Wireframe.Imagine introduces a second wireframe mode offering hidden line removal called Solid. You may toggle between the two settings in the Display menu.Solid takes slightly longer to redraw than Wireframe,so you may wish to edit primarily in Wireframe and go to Solid only when you wish to analyze your perspective view.The perspective refresh is independent of your editing functions.You do not have to wait for the perspective to redraw before performing another function. The third perspective mode is Shaded,which provides a full screen,16-level gray,flat shaded view.This mode gives a coarse representation of your object s final appearance. -8- To enter this mode,select Shaded from the View menu and click once on the Perspective label to the immediate left of the Perspective view. INTERACTIVE EDITING The Detail and Stage Editors feature interactive editing commands that make object modeling and animation highly intuitive. Objects can be moved,rotated and scaled instantly with one keystroke and the move of a mouse. With your object selected,typing m,r,or s,turns it into a boundingbox. Holding down the left button and dragging the mouse moves,rotates or sclaes the objects,respectively. Movements can be limited to one or two axes by typing x,y or z to turn the desired axis channels off. If you wish to affect your object along only one axis,you may turn only that one channel on directly by typing Shift-X,Y or Z. To affect only an object's axis,select the object and type Shift-M,R,or S. The default condition for all transformations is World,which assumes that any movement,rotation or scaling occurs along the world's fixed axis.However,it is sometimes desirable to transform an object along its Local axis,the alignment of which varies depending upon any prior transformations it may have undergone.To toggle betwween world and local channels,type w and l,respectively. ALTERNATE MODES PICK METHODS Imagines offers various modes where only groups ,objects,points,edges or faces can be added or selected and three different ways to pick them. The default mode is Pick Groups.A group is comprised of various individual object which have been combined.Each -9- individual object in the group retains its axis of rotation and all attribute information.Groups retain hierarchical information based on the order in which they were grouped.The first object selected when the group was created is the group's parent.Purple lines join the parent object's axis with the other axes in the group.In group mode,selecting a child of the group will have no effect. In Pick Objects mode,individual members of a group can be picked and edited. With an object picked,Pick Faces permits editing of that object's individual faces.This is useful because Imagine permits individual pbjects faces to have their own surface color attributes. Pick Points allows selection of any or all of the many points which make up an object. The default pick method is Click,which simplky allows you to click directly onto the group ,object or point which you wish to pick.The color of picked objects or groups is red or pink.Picked points turn yellow.All color schemes may be changed by editing the Imagine.config file supplied with this software.See the section on the configuration file for more details. Imagine also offers a Drag Box for picking various objects or points.Hold down the Shift key,and drag out a box surroundung the axes or points you wish to select.The selected points will turn yellow,and the title bar will read Multi along with the number of points currently picked. Lasso offers yet another way to pick ,ultiple points,but,unlike the drag box,the points need not be contiguous.Hold down down the shift key and outline the points or axes you wish to select. To interactively manipulate the points selected by the pick methods:continue to hold the shift key;move the cursor to another position in one of the windows and depress and hold the left mousebutton.A yellow point will appear in the view.Release the shift key and the selected points will be attached to your cursor.Release the mouse button after you have made the desired move. -10- KEYBOARD EQUIVALENTS Virtually every command in Imagine has been give a keyboard equivalent.Pressing the Right Amiga key and the appropriate letter will result in the same effect as pulling down a menu and selecting a command. This offers a major time savings which will more than compensate for the time you invest to learn these keyboard commands.Each keyboard shortcut is listed alongside its menu equivalent.All keyboard commands are summarized elsewhere in this manual. -11- REFERENCE SECTION: ----------------- COMMONALITIES The Project and Display menus are the same in all four modules of Imagine. PROJECT MENU Project Editor-This menu selection calls up Imagine's Rendering Screen, where the user will define,load or close all projects and render all images and animations. Detail Editor-Selecting this launches the Detail Editor,the primary module for creating or modifying objects. Forms Editor-This module is used for creating organic primitiv shapes which are refined in the Detail Editor or can be imported into the Cycle Editor. Cycle Editor-this starts up the Cycle Editor,Imagine's cycle animation generator. Stage Editor-This menu selection takes the usewr to the animation design and scripting module. Quit-Exits the program. Undo-This item undoes the last action taken.UnDo operatios on a first in-first out basis. DISPLAY MENU Coordinates-Selecting this menu item turns on a dynamic coordinates display in the title bar.Use this feature to precisly position points oer objects in all three views. Interlace-Toggles the editor between 640x200(non-interlace) and 640x400 resolution.The latter resolution is recommended for finer deatail,but produces jitter which may be distracting.Interlace flicker may be eliminated on a Amiga 3000 models an d higher with a multisync monitor and productivity mode.Owners of earlier Amigas can purchase a Flicker Fixer,which also requires a multisync monitor.Altering the colors of your editing screen can also significantly diminish flicker.See the section on Imagine's config. file for more information. Grid On/off-This command toggles the grid on or off.The deafault setting for Imagine is Grid On. Grid Size-Selecting this item presents a requester which enables the user to customize the width of the grid.The default size is 20. Redraw-After extensive editing,it may be necessary to refresh your screen display.The Redraw command refreshes all screen views. Zoom In-Selecting this item zooms in the display by a magnitude of two. Zoom Out-This item zooms out the display by a magnitude of two. Set Zoom-The default setting for the zoom is 1.Selecting this item allows the user to define a specific zoom value. Wireframe-This is the default setting for the perspective window. Solid-Selecting this item displays the perspective view with hidden line removal on. Shaded-Selecting this item activates a full-screen,16 level gray,flat shaded mode for the perspective view.To view -13- this shaded perspective,click once on the Perspective label to the left of the view window. THE PROJECT EDITOR: ------------------ PROJECT MENU New-Select this command to launch a new project.A file requester will appear.Enter your new file destination and name.Imagine creates a directory named FILENAME.IMP on your destination disk.Within this .IMP directory are two sub-directorties named OBJECTS and STILLS.Imagine will use these as the default locations for the objects and pictures you create within this project.Imagine's output may be redirected at any time in the sub-project window.Imagine also creates a file named Staging within the IMP. directory,which stores all information from the Stage modules.Once a new project has been created,the user is confronted with the Rebdering Screen. Open-When you wish to return to a project that has already been created,select this menu option.Select the destination disk and file you wish to access. Close-Select this item to choose working on a project without exiting Imagine. RENDERING SCREEN Rendering Subproject-As a project is developed,it may be desirable to render that scene or animation in various screen resolutions or display modes.The rendering subproject allows the user to quickly change rendering parameters and choose alternate destination paths so that various versions of the same project may be saved. -14- New-Selecting this item displays Rendering Subproject requester. Rendering Method-Imagine offers six methods for a project.The following list is arranged in order of complexity.B/W Wire creates single bitplane picture or animation with hidden line removal,comparable to Solid wireframe perpsective mode used throughout the program.B/W Shade creates a flat shaded representation of the scene in either 16- or 32-levels of gray.Color Wire creates a 16-color wireframe with hidden line removal.Color shades creates a 16- or 32-color flat shaded image or animation.Textures,brush maps and object attributes are not active in this mode.Scanline offers smooth shading in any resolution.All attributes except shadows and reflection are represented.Trace offers full raytrace rendering with shadows and reflections.Raytracing exacts the highest penalty in rendering speed. Picture&Pixel Sizes-Imagine allows the user to select custom screen sizes and aspect ratios for finished images up to 8000x8000.This is useful for those interested in taking their work to film recorders or high resolution display boards (Note:at present,there is no way to view images which exceed standard Amiga resolutions on the Amiga).Enter the desired screen width and height in terms of screen pixels.For some high resolution displays such as Truevision's Targa and Vista boards,the X and Y aspect ratios must be adjusted to be displayed properly.Adjust these only if you are certain of the aspect ratio of your output board.As new output boards are released for the Amiga,Impulse will publish a list of aspect ratio conversions.Selecting -15- Presets restore all parameters to their default condition. Path for Stills-The default location for images created by imagine is the Stills sub-directory of the current project's.IMP directory.If you wish,you may Type in a new location for your output.The output directory must already exist. File Format-Imagine supports five different file formats.All image files will be identified by the filetype and a four digit extension that represents its frame number,i.e. RGBN.0001 or ILBM.0101. RGBN and ILBM 12 bit formats will display images in up to 4096 colors in HAM mode.RGBN format is Impulse's proprietary image file format.Images created in RGBN may be edited in Diamond and Light,Impulse's 24-bit paint program.ILBM 12-bit files are compatible with all IFF paint and animation programs which support HAM mode.RGB8 and ILBM 24-but files contain all the necessary data to display up to 16.7 million colors with the appropriate display card,like Impulse's Firecracker 24.File sizes of 24-bit images can exceed one megabyte,so make sure to have plenty of storage space available before rendering!Imagine will also permit creation of Separate Red,Green and Blue files for color separation and use with certain external devices.Each file contains 8 bits of color information and will be indicated by the .R,.G or.B extension. Amiga View Modes-RGBN and ILBM 12-bit files may be viewed in any Amiga resolution.Selecting HAM displays up to 4096 colors with a minimum horizontal resolution of 320 pixels.Selectong HIRES will display files in up to 16 colors with a horizontal resolution of 640 pixels.Lace doubles vertical resolution to 400 pixels with screen interlacing.For overscan resolutions,adjust the Width and Height for Picture and Pixel Sizes (see above). -16- Path for Movie-The default location for animation files is the .ANI sub-directory in the current project's .IMP directory.To change this location,enter the destination in this requester.The destination directory must already exist. Movie File Foramt-Animations may be saved in two formats: Anim OP5 and Impulse's proprietary Imagine format.Anim files are compatible with most Amiga programs.Imagine animations are compatible with Turbo Silver SV animations and may be edited using Movie commands (see below). Open-Selecting this comman presents a file requester.The user must select a previously created sub-project. Delete-When a sub-project is no longer necessary,select this command to delete it. Modify-If the user wishes to alter rendering parameters without creating a New sub-project,select this command to display and modify the sub-project rendering parameters. -17- Stills-This area of the Rendering Screen displays commands related to rendering individual scenes which make up a project.Directly below Stills is a dynamic slider bar which allows the user to scroll beyond the 70 frames visible in the frame counter.This slider resizes itself to correspond to its relative position within the project.The frame counter represents each individual still in the project and is set up in groups of ten.An individual frame may be selected by clicking directly upon that frame number.Multiple frames may be selected by holding down the shift key while clicking on the desired frames. Generate-Select the frame(s) you wish to generate and then click on this command to render the still(s) based upon the parameters defined in the sub-project rendering parameters screen. Show-Select the still(s) you wish to display and Imagine will automatically load and display them.Click once on the screen to view the next image or return to the Rendering Screen. Delete-Select the frame(s) you wish to remove and click on its item to delete them.Subsequent files will automatically be moved in the frame counter. Range-Selecting this item will produce a requester which asks for the beginning and ending frames of a range.All scenes betwwen these two numbers will be selected automatically. Info-The info command will provide an approximation of the rendering time necessary to trace the selected frame. Cleanup-This item renumbers frames to eliminate gaps created by the Delete command. -18- Generate New Cells Only-This command skips any frames which have stills residing in the current Stills directory.De-selecting this command will overwrite all existing stills. Use Zone-Selecting this item presents a wireframe representation of the selected frame.Use the left mousebutton to draw out a rectangular area.Imagine will only render images located within the defined zone until either the commmand is deselected or another zone is defined. Use Firecracker24-The Firecracker 24 is Impulse's 24-bit high resolution display card,avaiable in configurations of 512x482 and 1024x482.Imagine will output 24-bit images directly to the board for ease of use.To animate images created in 24-bit,Imagine currently supports the BCD 5000 frame edit controller. Movie-This set of commands controls playback of animation created by Imagine. Load-Once an animation has been created,you must first load it with this item before being able to view it. Play Once-This command plays back the loaded animation once and then return to the Rendering Screen. Play Loop-This command plays the current aniamtion in an endless loop.Press the Escape key to exit the animation. Drop-When you no longer wish to view an animation,select this command to drop it from RAM. -19- Edit-By default,Imagine will only create simple looping animations.Edit allows users to create more complex scripts from the same frame data.After an animation has been generated,Selecting this command opens a simple text editor where the user edits the current project's Movie script.Movie is a simple command language which should be familiar to Turbo Silver users. The Movie for a 12-frame animation would read as follows: MOVIE PLAY 1-12 FOREVER If you wanted the animation to play backwards,the Movie would read as follows: MOVIE PLAY 12-1 FOREVER To play the frames forwards and then backwars endlessly,you would first create a sub-routine or scene and then follow it with the movie play command. SCENE ABC PLAY 1-12 PLAY 11-2 MOVIE PLAY ABC FOREVER Movie also supports playing back individual frames or scenes for a specified number of times. MOVIE PLAY 1-12 4 TIMES -20- After editing the Movie script as desired,exit the text editor and select Make. Make-this command generates an animation from the currently selected frames in the frame counter.If stills have already been generated for any frames and Generate New Cells Only is selected,Imagine will compile the animation without re-rendering those frames.If a Movie file has been edited (see Edit),Make will generate an animation based on that script file. THE FORMS EDITOR: ---------------- OBJECT MENU New-Selecting this command presents the user with a requester for number of points and slices and x-y or x-z cross section. # of Points-This determines the number of points in the object s circumference. # of slices-This allows the user to specify the -21- number of cross-sections in the new object. X-Y Cross Section-Select this to create slices along the Z axis. X-Z Cross Section-Select this for slices in the Y direction. Load-Presents a requester allowing you to load a previously created Forms object.Objects created in the Detail editor or Turbo Silver may not be loaded into Forms. Save-Saves the current object as a Forms object.This object can be loaded into forms later for more modification or can be impoerted into the Detail editor. Snap to Grid-Selecting this item will cause all currently selected points to snap to the nearest grid intersection.This command will have no effect if points are not selected.to use snap to grid interactively,use the Lock mode in the Select menu. MODE MENU Edit-This mode allows you to move points in any of the three views. Add-To add points to your cross-section,select this mode,then click on a point.Two points will be added symetrically to your cross-section. -22- Delete-Select this mode and click on the point you wish to be deleted. SYMMETRY MENU Off-This is the default setting. Front-This allows you to move points in the front view while manipulate their corresponding siblings simultaneously. Right-This allows you to move points in the right view while simultaneously affecting their siblings. Both-To move points symmetrically in both the front and right views,select this mode. 90 Degrees-This mode allows movement of points in either the front or right views while also affecting their corresponding points in the form. SELECT MENU Click-In this mode ,each point must be selected individually by clicking directly upon it with the left mouse button.To select more than one point in click mode,hold down the shift key while selecting the points. Drag Box-To faciliate the selection of multiple points,enter Drag Box selection mode.Holding down the left mouse button ,drag a rectangular box around the points which you whish to select. Lasso-Sometimes,you may wish to select points which are not contiguous.Selecting Lasso enables you to encircle only those points which you wish to select.You must complete your lasso by closing your two ends for a selection to take effect. -23- Lock-Selecting this mode will enable the Snap to Grid function.All points manipulated while lock is selected will snap to the nearest grid intersection. THE DETAIL EDITOR: ----------------- OBJECT MENU Load-Presents a requester for loading previously constructed objects from Imagine's Detail or Forms Editors or Turbo Silver versions 3.0 and above. Save-Saves the currently selected objects or groups in the Detail editor format.Objects saved in Detail may not be loaded in the Forms editor. ConvertIFF/ILBM-Imagine will convert graphics created in IFF paint programs into 3D objects.For best results,pictures should be single bitplane,high resolution (640x400).The user must select whether the program will only create the outline of the object or whether the program should attempt to automatically fill the imported object with faces. Group-This command creates a group consisting of at least two objects.To create a group,click on the axis of the object which will be the parent of the group,hold down the shift key and click on the remaining objects to be included in the group.Select this command and an orange line will be drawn from the parent to its offspring. UnGroup-This command will split the selected group into its component objects. Cut-Removes the currently selected object or group from the worksurface and places it into the copy buffer.The object will remain in the copy buffer until another object is copied or cut. -24- Copy-Makes a copy of the selected object or group and places it into the copy buffer.The object will remain in the copy buffer until another object is copied or cut. Paste-Copies the contents of the copy buffer onto the worksurface.Because Paste places the new object in the exact location from which it was copied,you must move the original in order to reveal the duplicate. Attributes-In order to define an object's approbiate color and material values,pick it and select its item.The Attributes Requester contains all the information necessary to define appearance of an object. Object Name-Each object in Imagine may have a unique name.If two axes or other similiar primitives are created during the same session,Imagine automaticallly numbers them,i.e. SPHERE and SPHERE.1 .It is highly recommended that you name each object descriptively, i.e. NOSE or RT_FOREARM instead of AXIS.27 . Fastdraw-Selecting this switch replaces your object with a bounding box.This is helpful when working with complex groups of objects or when refresh speed is critical. Phong-This switch tells Imagine's shader whether -25- the current object is to be smooth or faceted.Default is faceted. Color -To set the current object's surface color,select this switch and then enter a value for Red,Green and Blue.Valuees may be typed or selected interactively with the color sliders.Because Imagine calculates images at up to 24 bits per pixel,the program allows the user to select from 256 values per color.A dithered representation of the color is shown at the right of the requester.Note:in true raytrace mode ,the rendered surface color is highly dependent on reflectance,filter and other surface information. Reflect-Select this switch to define your object's reflectance values.Imagine allows the user to set independent values for Red,Green and Blue reflectance.This feature allows an object to reflect only certain portions of the color spectrum.Setting the RGB values too high (above 150) may result in objects which are too reflective and therefore nearly invisible.True reflectance is available only in Trace mode.Imagine also enables reflectance of more than one color value with the Reflect map.See Brush for more details.For solid model rendering,Imagine offers enviroment mapping to simulate reflection.See Globals in the Stage Editor. Note:in raytracing,an object's reflection has greater influence over its rendered color than the object's surface color setting. Filter-Objects in Imagine may be transparent for all or part of the color spectrum.Select Filter and set the appropriate values for Red,Green and Blue.True transparency is available only in Raytrace mode ,although Scanline will approximate transparency with less precision.It is also possible for objects to filter more than one color.For more information ,see Filter Map under Brush. Specular-This setting determines the intensity and -26- color of hot spots on an object's surface.Specular ity is the degree to which light in a certain part of the color spectrum is reflected off the object without being absorbed.Settings of 255 on the Red,Green and Blue sliders would result in a very defined,white highlight as most computer graphics users have come to expect.Selecting a specularity setting which is closer to the object's surface color will result in a more natural highlight. Dithering-For objects rendered at Amiga resolutions,dithering is an extremely useful blending technique which simulates many more colors than are actually present.Selecting this switch activates the value slider.The higher the setting,the greater the dithering.Generally,most objects should be highly dithered.Metallic surfaces ,however,are more convincing with much lower dithering values. Note:objects intended for 24-bit output should have NO dithering. Hardness-This value interacts with the specualr setting described above.An object's hardness describes how light is pread out across its surface.Hard objects with high specularity will have small,very bright highlights. Lowering the hardness value spreads that specular highlight out over a larger portion of the surface. Roughness-An object's roughness also affects its appearance by spreading out surface highlights and giving objects a rough ,textured appearance. Roughness is useful for creating rock-like surfaces. Shininess-A high shininess setting gives objects a glossy,plastic appearance. Index of Refraction-Light bends or refracts when it passes from one material to another.Each material has a specific index of refraction.The default setting is 1,the index of refraction for air.Below are some common materials and their in- -27- ices: Glass: 1.66 Crystal 2.00 Water: 1.33 Salt: 1.54 Quartz: 1.55 Emerald: 1.57 Diamond: 2.42 Generally,the higher the index of refraction the longer the trace time. Note:index of refraction is only applicable when raytracing objects with some filter value. Texture-A texture map is an algorithmic pattern that is applied evenly across an object's surface.Imagine includes various types of textures,including wood,checks,disturbed,etc. .Each object can have up to four texture maps applied to its surface.To apply a texture,click on one of the four texture boxes in the attributes requester.This calls up a file requester.Load the texture you wish to aplly.The Texture Info Requester appears.The name of the currently selected texture appears in the Name box. Selecting Apply to children will apply texture attributes to all objects in the group.Below this are 16 enty areas for specific texture information.Enter only the areas which apply to your currently selected texture.To determine exactly how the texture is applied to -28- your object,select Edit Axes or Transform Axes.With Edit Axes,you will be returned to the editor surface,where you can interactively rotate,move or scale the axis which represents the texture.Transform Axes presents the Transformation Requester,allowing changes to be entered numerically. Selecting OK saves the settings,while Drop strips the Texture from the object.Cancel forgets all changes and returns to the Attributes Requester. Brush-Brush mapping is a powerful technique for describing every aspect of a surface except its basic shape.Each object may have up to four brush maps applied simultaneously.Applying a brush map to an object is similiar to Texture mapping (see above).All brush maps begin with an IFF or ILBM picture.Imagine supports the following kinds of brush maps: Color Map-Graphics created in any IFF or ILBM paint program may be imported and decaled onto an object's surface.The color map replaces all color,reflectance and filter information entered in the attributes requester.Specularity and dithering setting will affect the appearance of the mapped object.Generally,low dithering settings will maintain the integrity of the original brush. Reflect Map-Multi-colored objects reflect light from different portions of the color spectrum.The reflect map allows Imagine's raytracer to reproduce this phenomenon by overriding the single color reflectance values set in the attributes requester.For example,a red,green and blue striped Christmas -29- ornament would reflect red light from its red stripes,and blue from its blue stripes,etc. When a multi-colored IFF brush is applied as a reflect map,the colors in the brush each reflect light within their color spectrum.With reflect maps,it is a good idea to set the object's surface color to 0,so that the surface and reflectance values don't mix to create a third unpredictable value. (Note:reflect maps will have no effect in scanline mode.) Altitude Map-Creating regular,pitted surfaces is very difficult in a polygonal object modeler like Imagine.The altitude map enables the user to design a countoured surface with an IFF paint program and causes the triangles of the mapped object to conform to the map's gradations.To create an altitude map,design an IFF picture with a gray palette.Areas of the picture which are white will not affect the mapped object.The darker the area,the more pronounced the effect on the object.Scaling the map axis on Y determines the extent of the map's impression.As an example,assume your map s Y axis is set to 20.Those areas of the map which are black will force the surface polygons they contact to "indent" for 20 units.A middle gray tone would result in an impression of 10 units.For the altitude map to work properly,color transitions in the IFF picture should be smooth as possible.Therefore,several middle tones should always seperate black and white areas. Filter Map-The filter map is similiar to the reflect map,because it replaces the single colored filter value of the attributes requester with mutiple filter values.Begin with an IFF picture,wrap it to an object as a filter map and each different color in the picture will filter that light.For example,create a stained glass pattern in a paint program and map it onto a plane to create easily create the effect of a stained glass window.(Note:filter maps are most effective in trace mode,but will work to some extent in scanline mode.) To aplly a brush map to an object or group,select -30- Brush from the Attributes requester.A file requester will appear.Load the appropriate IFF or ILBM file. From the Brush Info rquester,select the Type of brush map and the Method of wrapping.Flat X and Flat Z apply the brush to the respective axes without attempting to conform it to the object s shape.Wrap X and Wrap Z attempt to mold the brush around the object s respective axes.Any combination of X and Z settings may be selected.Picking Apply to Child Objects will wrap other members of the group.Edit Axes and Transform Axes present interactive and numeric methods of positioning the brush relative to the object being wrapped. (Note:for an object to be wrapped properly,the brush axis must be scaled to the correct aspect ratio of the original and sized large enough to cover the entire surface of the mapped object.) Internal Genlock-Choosing this setting will render the object in the zero color so that genlocked video images will be visible behind it. Load/Save Attributes-Once a desirable set of attributes are created ,they can be saved directly from the attributes requester.A file requester will appear asking for an apropriate directory and name and the program will record an axis with all current attributes.This axis can be loaded at any time and its settings will be automatically entered into the attributes requester. Transformations-Selecting this command presents the user with the transformation requester.To use the requester ,click in the action indicated to the left and enter the appropriate nu- -31- meric value in the x,y and z entries to the right.Select World to base the action on the world's fixed axis or local to base the action on the object s or group's variable axis.Selecting Transform Axis Only will not affect the object or group,except for its axis of rotation. Rotate-This revolves the group,object or axis by the amount indicated in each of the x,y and z entries.A value of 360 in any of the axes would indicate a complete revolution. Scale-This increase the group or object's size on any axis by the indicated amount.for example,a value of 2 on local x would double an object's width. Translate-This moves an object,group or axis by the indicated amount on any axis.For instance,entering -20 in the Z axis would move the object -20 units in the Z direction. Alignment-After a series of rotations,it is often difficult to tell how your object or group is oriented.Selecting alignment presents the curent orientation of each of the axes.Selecting 0 for all three local axes would return an object to its original orientation. Size-This command only affects an object or group's axis.The default axis size is 32 on x,y and z.Resizing an object's axis is sometimes necessary if you wish to see its local orientation more clearly in the orthogonal views. Position-Select this to determine the exact location of your object.When a new axis is loaded,its default locations is 0,0,0.Once an object is created,moved and saved,it is loaded at the position where it was saved. World-This setting bases rotations and alignment -32- upon the world's fixed axis.In this manner,x can always be considered left to right ,z up and down and y in and out in the front view. Local-This setting bases rotations and alignment on the object or group s axis.Even though an object has been totated,it may still be stretched by entering the desired value in the appropriate axis and selecting local. Transform Axis Only-All changes selected in the Transformations Requester may be applied only to the object or group's axis with this setting. Mold-This item is selected when you wish to extrude,spin or sweep an object or conform it to a sphere or cylinder. Extrude-To create a solid object from a two dimensional outline,select this item.Outlines may be extruded along the Y axis in a straight line for a given distance or may follow a three-dimensional path. -33- To Length-This is the default setting,most useful for making "cookie cutout" shapes like letters,etc. Length-This value determines the depth of the extrude in Y. Along Path-Select this to have the outline extrude along an existing path. Path-Enter the name of the path which you wish your outline to follow. Align Y to Path-Select this if you wish your outline to turn naturally along the path.This creates rounded corners. Keep X Horizontal-Paths in Imagine can rotate along any axis .Select this setting of you wish to maintain the X orientation of your outline. Y Rotation-In extruding your object,you may wish to rotate it along the Y axis.Enter the degree of rotation in this requester. X and Z Scaling-Your extrusion may taper in either or both the X and Z directions.A value of 1 represents no scaling. X and Z Translate-The extruded object may be translated in either or both the X and Z directions to give a sheared appearance. -34- Enter the amount of units,positive or negative,which the object offsets in each direction. Sections-This setting represents the number of slices in the extruded object.If you don't intend to individually color or manipulate the extruded portion of your object,you may wish to set this value to 1. Spin-Symmetrical objects which appear to be spun on a lathe are created with this tool.All spins are executed along the Z axis. Spin Angle-This setting determines the degrees of rotation about the Z axis.An amount less than 360 degrees will result in an open object. # of Sections-This defines the number of segments in the spun object.The greater the number of sections,the smoother the finished appearance of the object. Sweep-This tool is functionally similiar to spin.The main differnce is that points along the Z axis are anchored as an object is swept.Sweep Angle-Determines the degree of ro- -35- tation along the Z axis. # of Sections-Sets the number of line segments in the swept object. Conform to Sphere-This tool bends an object along its X and Z axes a user-defined radius.Conform to shere is a very handy tool for creating objects like globes with accurate map data.The principal behid conform to sphere is similiar to taking a flat sheet of paper and stretching it around a ball.Although it is possible to wrap the ball completely,the back side of the sphere will not be as "tidy" as the front hemisphere.To verify this,try conforming a 100x100 plane around a sphere by setting the sphere and object radius to 100 and 25 respectively.This is the"perfect" conform.but notice that the four corners of the plane intersect behind the sphere.This will most likely be unacceptable;therefore,we suggest conform to sphere is used with objects that don't have regular corners like a plane. Sphere Radius-Set the radius of the sphere -36- around which you wish to bend your object.Generally .the radius should be about twice the width of your object's radius. Object Radius-Set this value to one half the object's overall width. Conform to Cylinder-This tool twists an object along its Z axis around a user-defined radius.This is very useful for creating effects like the Universal Studios logo.which stretches around the earth.Unlike Conform to Sphere,Conform to Cylinder does not distiort the object along its x axis.By rotating the axis of the object to be conformed along y,interesting effects may be achieved because the object conforms at an angle. Cylinder Radius-For the object to conform completely around the cylinder,set this to one-fourth the object width. Object Width-For the object to conform around the cylinder for 360 degrees,set this to one-half the object width. MODE MENU Pick Group-A click on the parent object's axis will select all other objects in that group. Pick Objects-In this mode,clicking on any object will se- -37- lect it independently of any other objects in its group. Pick Faces-Once an object is seleted,entering this mode allows you to cycle through the various faces which comprise the object. Pick Points-Individual points of the selected object may be picked in this mode. Add Faces-This mode allows you to create faces on the selected object.Click on any three points and they will be joined by edges to create a triangular face. Add Edges-After entering points ,use this mode to connect them with line segments.After clicking on the first two points,the program will assume that the next point selected is attached to the first two.If you wish to select two unrelated points,enter pick objects mode and return to add edges mode. Add Points-After an axis or object is added to worksurface,add points to it by selecting it and entering this mode.For each mouse click the program adds a point.In order to accurately place a point in three dimensional space,it is necesarry to position it in more than one view.Position your cursor in the apropriate position in the top,right or front views,enter add point mode and click in the other corresponding view. Add Lines-This mode combines Add Points and Edges modes.Each point added to the surface is automatically connected by an edge. Drag Points-To manipulate points interactively,pick the object you wish to edit and select Drag Points from the Mode menu.The object will change color and all points will be indicated by white squares.Click on the point you wish to move and,while holding down the left mouse button,drag the point.The selected point will turn yellow and all edges and faces attached to it will move with the cursor.To drag more than one point at a time ,hold down the shift key and select the various points you wish to drag.Without releasing the shift key,move the mouse to another location and press and hold the left mouse button.Release the shift key and the multiple points will spring to the cursor.The points will not be released until the left mouse button is released. Hide Points-While in Drag Points mode,select this command to reach points that might be otherwise be obscured.Hide Points allows you to draw abox around the area which you wish to remove from your view.All those points within the area you defined will vanish and remain hidden until you return to Pick Object or Pick Group mode. Magetism-While in Drag points mode,you may affect the magnetic attraction of your pointer. On/Off-This sub-menu toggles the magnetic mode on and off.when magnetism is activated ,status bar will read"Drag Points,Magnetic." Setup-Select this sub-menu to enter magnetism parameter. -39- Radius of Influence-This value indicates the maximum area which the magnetic mode will affect. Minimum Radius-This setting only takes effect in Random Mode(see below). Percent at Radius-This value,from 0 to 100,represents the amount of magnetism at the furthermost point within radius of influence. Magnetism Types-There are four magnetism types available: Cone creates a pronounced paek at its center;Dome creates a flat plateau at its center; Bell creates a typical bell curve;and Random Radius is used with any of the above settings to create random shapes based upon the setting for minimum radius.The latter is useful for making mountain-like forms out of a flat plane. FUNCTIONS MENU Delete-This command will delete the currently selected object or group. Axis- This is the most basic object in Imagine.Each object must have an axis ,which represents its center of rotation.To create a new object,first add an axis ,select it and then beginning adding points,edges and faces.An axis may also serve as a light source and camera target. Sphere-The sphere is a primitive object which may not be edited .The sphere may sized,but it may not be scaled in less -40- than three directions at once.The sphere is very memory efficient and traces rapidly.If you need a globe in your scene which won't be needed for anything else,this primitive is a good choice. Ground-The ground is a primitive which stretches for infinity in the x and y axes.The ground has also no z value.Its default location on z is 0,but may be placed anywhere on that axis. Primitive-Imagine will allow the user to create six editable primitive types.With primitives,as in all objects,the more points and faces ,the better the rendering.Unfortunately,adding more points that neccessary may slow down the rendering process and users with limited may be severely handicapped.The primitive objects are. Sphere-This sphere is entirely user definable and may be scaled at will. Radius-This is half the sphere's diameter.The default value is 50. -41- Circle Sections-This value is equal to the number of points in the sphere s circumference.The greater the number,the smoother the sphere. Vertical Sections-These represents the crosssections or slices in the sphere. Stagger points-This setting offset the points in each vertical section and dramatically improves rendering. Tube-This primitive is a simple cylinder object.Radius-Set this to half the tube's diameter. Height-This is the tube's extent on the Z axis. Circle Sections-Adjusting this number determines the number of segments that mak up the tube's shape.The greater the number of sections,the smoother the tube. Vertical Sections-If you desire to break your tube into sections or color in different strips,you may wish to alter the default number of vertical sections. -42- Stagger Points-This setting alternates the points in each vertical section,enhancing rendering. Close Bottom/Top-The default setting for the tube is hollow.If you wish to close it ,select either or both of these settings. Cone -A cone is a primitive comprised of a group of points which converge at one location. Radius-This is half diameter of the base of the cone. Height-This is the extent of the cone on the z axis. Circle Sections-The number of points in the cone's base. Vertical Sections-The cone may be bisected any number of times to faciliate coloring or editing. Stagger Points-This setting alternates the points in each vertical section,enhancing rendering. -43- Close Bottom-By default ,the base of the cone os open,choosing Close Bottom automatically triangulates the base. Torus-The torus is a donut-shaped primitive. Ring Radius-this value represents half the diameter of the torus center ring. Tube Radius-This value represents half the diameter of the rings which revolve around the torus center. Tube Sections-this is the number of points on the torus ssurface. Stagger Points-this offsets the points on each subsequent tube section to enhance rendering. Disk-A disk is a simple ring primitive with faces already defined. Radius-Half the disk's diameter. Sections-The number of points in the disk s -44- circumference. Plane-A flat rectangular primitive useful as a surface of any kind. Width-The plane's size along x. Height-The plane's size on z. Horizontal Sections-Thge number of points along x. Vertical Sections-the number of points along z. INTERACTIVE TRANSFORMATIONS The Detail editor has various interactive transformation commands available at any time with a single keystroke.These commands only affect selected objects or groups.After typing -45- the apprpriate keystroke,the object will become an orange bounding box until the spacebar is depressed to accept the change or escape key is depressed to abort it. Rotate (r for object/group,R for axis)-Use the mouse to rotate the object on any combination of axes. Move (m for object/group,M for axis)-Use the mouse to move the object in up three axes in the appropriate view. Scale (s for object/group,S for axis)-Use the mouse to scale the object in any combination of axes. x,y,z-Typing these after r,m,or s toggles the respective axes on and off. X,Y,Z-Typing these after r,m,or s turns on the respective axis while automatically turning off the other two. Spacebar-Accepts the result of the transformation.The bounding box is replaced by the object in its new orientation. Escape-Aborts the transformation.The object is restored to its original status. THE CYCLE EDITOR: ---------------- OBJECT MENU New-This command places a new axis on the worksurface and places you in Add mode. Load-Select this command to load a group previously created in the Cycle editor.Objects from Forms or Detail may not be loaded from this requester. Save-This requester saves a group with its cycle anima- -46- tion data so that it may then be loaded into the Stage editor. PICK MENU Group-Selects the entire group. Object-Allows selection of an individual object within a group. MODE MENU Pivot-Enter this mode and select an individual segment.Pivot allows left to right and up and down rotations of a segment in any of the three views. Twist-This mode rotates the segment selected along the vertical axis in any of the three views. Move-Use this setting to translate the group in any of the views.Selecting the control point of any segment with move allows you to sclae the segment to any size. Add-To add segments to an axis or group,enter this mode.Each segment must connect to the axis or another segment in the group.To maintain the same x,y and z orientation as in Detail and Forms,add segment top to bottom in the Front view,left to right in the Right view and bottom to top in the Top view. Delete-Enter this mode and select the control point of the segment you wish to delete.This deletes the segment and any offspring. Assign-Clicking on the control point while this mode summons a requester which allows you to assign an existing object from Forms or Detail to a particular segment.The same object may be assigned to more than one segment.Imagine automatically -47- scales the object according to the size of the segement. CELL MENU First-This takes you to the first frame in the cycle. Last-Skips to the last frame in the cycle. Next Key-Jumps to the next frame identified as a key frame. Prev Key-Jumps to the previous key frame. Goto-Selecting this command allows the user to set the number of frames in the cycle.The current key frmane is copied into all newly created frames. Next -Forwards to the next frame in the cycle. Prev -Steps to the prior frame in the cycle. Make Key-Select this command to make the current frame a key cell.changes to this frame are recorded automatically each time one is made. Unmake Key-Use this command to delete a key frame from the middle of a cycle.Imagine will interpolate between the previous key frame and the next key frame to calculate a new position for the current frame. Copy From-Copies a key frame from one position in the cycle to another.Enter the number of the key frame you wish to copy.The current frame must have been declared a key frame for Copy From to work. -48- Remove-This command deletes the first or last key frame from a cycle. ANIMATE MENU Make-This command creates a wireframe preview of your current cycle. Free RAM-Once you have viewed an animation ,select this command to clear it from RAM. Play Once-This plays the cycle once. Play Loop-Plays the cycle various times and presents the user with a timing requester. Play Big-Select this item prior to playing back your preview.The animation will be displayed full screen.To access the animation timing requester,drag down the animation screen with the left mouse button. Animation Controller-While your animation preview is playing back,this timing rquester gives interactive control of speed of playback.Stop pauses playback at the current frame.Step advances the animation by one frame.Back rewinds the animation one frame at a time.Rewind takes the preview to the first frame. -49- STATUS LINE The title bar in the Cycle Editor contains valuable information regarding your current cycle,including the current frame number,its status and the current mode.For instance,if your status line reads,"Cell 0*,Add,"it means your current frame is 0,it is a key frame and you are currently in Add mode. THE STAGE EDITOR: ---------------- OBJECT MENU Load-To load an "actor" object onto the stage,select this command. Normally ,actors will be loaded in the first frame of an animation;however,if you wish to have an object "pop" into your scene,go to the specific frame and then select Load.Objects may also be added as actors in the Action script (see Action). Add-Virtually all objects used in the stage will have been created previously in the Detail,Forms or Cycle editors.Stage allows the user to add only three types of objects: axes.lights and paths.An Axis is added when either a tracking or hinging object is neede (see Action for more information on these actors). Rename-For the purpose of clarity,any actor may be renamed with this command.Select the object or group,choose Rename and the New Name requester will appear.Clear out the name you wish to replace and type in the object s new name.press Enter to accept your change.Objects may also be renamed within the Action script. Delete-This command deletes an object from the animation.Use caution with this command because no matter what frame the command is invoked ,the object or group is moved from the entire animation. -50- Action-The core of the Stage editor's aniamtion controls are located within the Action script editor.Selecting this command loads the Action Script.The Action Script screen presents all the information necessary to create even the most complex of animations. Across the top of the screen are Action commands.Beneath these is a frame counter.In all,the counter may display 50 frames at a time.As the Highest Frame # is increased,frame numbers appear in the counter.A slider at the bottom of the screen allows the user to scroll the counter to access frames which are off the current screen. Along the left side of the screen are the Actors in the current animation. to the right are the six control channels available for each actor.As information is entered for specific actors in each of these control channels,a colored timeline extends for the number of frames in which the actor is affected. Much of the animation control of the Action Script is posibble to duplicate interactively in the Stage editor.Some effects like point and attribute metamorphosis,for example,are impossible without the Action Script. -51- Add-With Add selected,Actors,Positions,Alignment,Size,Hinge and F/X timelines may be added to the current animation. As the mouse curso moves around the screen,frame numbers and control channels are highlighted.Clicking once at the intersection of a particular frame with a given control channel adds a timeline at the specific frame.Bear in mind that control channels are somewhat hierarchical.Position,alignment and size are irrelevant if an actor has not been added. To add an actor to the Action script,select add,move the cursor down to first available actor position at frame one.Click once with the left button.The title bar will read:"Starting frame is 1. Choose ending frame." If you have changed the Highest Frame #,click once the last frame.If you haven't added any frames,click again on the frame one. The Specify Type requester will appear.Select Normal Object.Now select the object you wish to add from the file requester.The Object File info requester appears.Select OK. Timelines for actor,position,alighnment amd size are automatically added for the frames you declared. Delete -Control channel timelines may be deleted by selecting this command and clicking on the appropriate line.This is necessary if you wish to change any of the default settings for action channels of fixed actors like the camera and globals. -52- Rename-Selecting rename and clicking on the object name in the left column will bring up the New Name requester.Clear out the old name and type in the new one.Accept the changes by pressing Enter.Rename is very helpful when keeping track of the various elements of an animation.Try to use logical names like "Target" for camera's tracking object. Info-This command returns the actor,position,alignment and sizing info requesters for the respective control channel-Each timeline may be shortened or lenghtened by adjusting the start and end frame values.All changes made to the info requester will be reflected in the final animation. Cancel-If you are unsure about the changes you have made to the animation within the Action Script,selecting Cancle exits the script without any changes to the existing animation. Undo-This command undoes your last operation. Done-Selecting this item returns the user to the Stage editor.All changes made in the Action Script will be reflected in the animation. Highest Frame #-Enter the number of frames in your animation in this requester.Enetring a number lower than is currently displayed will automatically cut excess frames out of your animation and adjust all timelines accordingly. Actor-These are the objects or groups which make up your animation.when you first enter Action Script ,the camera and globals are already ser.These are "fixed" actors.A fixed actor's various timelines do not need to extend be- -53- yond the first frame of an animation to exist throughout.But the various timelines are useful for these actors,and enable "morphing" effects like camera moves and zooms and global sky and horizontal color changes. When an actor is added,the user is prompted to click on the last frame the actor appears.In most instances,this is the last frame of the animation.start and end frames may be changes at any time.Next,the Specify Typ requester appears.Imagine distiguishes between two types of "variable" actors:normal objects and light sources.These actors are only present in the frames indicated by their Position channels. Normal Object-Selecting this item from the Specify Type requester brings up a file requester.Once the user selects the object he wishes to load,the object file info requester appears. Start/End Frame-The start and end frames represent the frames the user selected when adding the actor.these may be changes at any time.Imagine will prompt you if the frame number you select is outside the number of frames deckared for your animation. Filename.The complete path and filename for your actor is listed in this space. -54- Numbers of cycles to perform-This is meaningful for cycle objects created within the Cycle Editor.For example,assume you have an object with a ten-frame cycle.If you have a 30-frame animation,you could enter 3.0000 and your object would repeat its cycle three times.If you have an uneven frame count,like 27 frames,in your animation,Imagine will re-tween the cycle so that ist will play out three times over the 27 frames.If you enter only 1.0000,the cycle will be tweened once over 27 frames.If you leave this entry at 0.0000,the first frame of the cycle would be repeated over the entire animation.To force Imagine to play the cycle as you designed it,divide the number of frames in your animation by the cycle's frame count.In other words,for a 10 frame cycle to play oout accurately over 27 frames,it would play 2.7 cycles. Initial cycle phase(0.0 .. 1.0)-This entry allow a cycle to begin somewhere other than the first frame.For example,an entry of .5 would start a ten-frame cycle during its fifth frame. Reverse cycle motion-Selecting this switch force the cycle to play backwards.Other cycle-related settings will still take effect. Transition frame count-The setting represents one of the most powerful animation controls in Imagine.The transition frame -55- count is the number of frames it will require to morph one object into another.To achieve a smooth object transition,assume you have created a 30 frame aniamtion.Add an actor only in frame one.Then add the second actor on the same line in frame two through 30.Enter 28 in the transition frame count.The actor's points and color attributes will morph from frames two to 29. (Note:for morphing to be possible,the starting and ending objects must be comprised of same number of points!) Smaller number in the transition frame count will result in a quicker morph.A transition of one would cause one object to "pop" to another. Light Source-The other variable actor which may be added to an animation is a light source.Imagine supports up to 32,000 light sources in a scene and these can be spherical,cylindrical or conical.Lights may or may not cast shadows.Light sources may also be morphed to different colors.A light source must be present for Imagine to render a scene. Start/End Frame-The start and end frames represent the frames the user selected -56- when adding the actor.These may be changed at any time.Imagine will prompt you if the frame number you select is outside the number of frames declared for your animation. Spherical-A spherical light is an omni-directional light source,similiar in effect to a light bulb. Cyclindrical-A cylindrical light is defined by two measurements:its length(y) and radius(x).The cylindrical light is similiar to a spotlight.Only those objects which fall within its path are illuminated by a cylindrical light source.To set the size of a cylindrical light,select its size channel.The z parameter has no effect on the light source. Conical-A conical light source is also defined by its length and radius.but the light emanates from a single point at the light's origin. Cast Shadows-Not all light sources in Imagine cast shadows.To speed trace times,the default for light sources is no shadows.Selecting this item will cause any of the different light sources to cast shadows in full trace mode. Diminish Intensity-Light sources may exhibit attributes of lamps or suns with the command.The default setting means that the light emanating from the source is equally bright no matter how far the target. -57- Selecting Diminish Intensity means that the light will have reduced influence the further it is from an object. Red/Green/Blue Intensity-Light sources may be colored in any of 16.7 million shades.The default setting for light sources is white.Be careful of using colored light because its effect are difficult to predict. Transition frame count-Light sources may morph in color,intensity or shape.To understand how to morph an object,see Transition frame count under Normal object. Camera-The camera is treated as a"fixed" actor.Even if the Action Script shows the camera only in the first frame of an animation,the camera will continue in the same position for the entire length of the project.All other actor controls (position,align,size,hinge and f/x) may be applied to camera. Globals-These settings define the world in which you place your animation or scene.Globals is also a "fixed" actor.Any global setting designated only in the first frame will -58- continue for the entire length of the animation.Global settings may be "morphed" by placing a second set of global information later in the animation and setting an appropriate transition frame count.While in Add and Info mode,selecting the Globals actor produces the Globals Info Requester. Start/End Frame-The default end frame for globals would be last frame of the scene;however,setting an earlier number allows transition effects.If a second Global actor isn't added following the last frame,the first actor s setting will be applied through the end of the animation. Brush Name-In order to simulate refletion in scanline rendering mode,you may load an IFF/ILBM picture that serves as the sky,horizon and ground you wish to reflect.This brush will automatically be mapped onto the surface of objects with some amount of reflectivity in their attributes.This gives a convincing sense of reflection,but remember that the objects will not reflect the "enviroment",not one another. Ambient R,G,B-This setting allows you to create an ambient light of any color.Use ambient light sparingly,as it tends to wash out the image.In addition,colored light will affect the rendered appearance of your objects. Horizon R,B,G-Choose a color between 0 and 255 on the red,green and blue sliders to set your horizon. +Zenith R,G,B-Assuming that you are looking at your front view,this setting allows you to choose the colors of the top-most portion of your -59- scene. -Zenith R,G,B-From the front view,this setting selects the colors below the horizon. Sky Blending-Imagine takes the color settings for horizon and positive and negative zeniths and creates a color gradation.This value may be set bettween 0 and 255 for maximum dithering(blending).Users who wish to create 24-bit images should not use any blending. Genlock Sky-If you wish to superimpose your Imagine images over live video,selecting this setting will make the zeniths and horizon black or color 0. (Note:although they won't be visible,zenith and horizon settings will affect the appearance of reflective objects!) Star Field Density-This feature is not implemented in the current release of Imagine.(0.9) Transition Frame count-If you add a globals actor after frame one of your animation,use this setting to control the amount of frames in the transition between the two global settings.This feature makes it possible to create sunrise and sunsets,lightning and other natural phenomena.Bear in mind that color transitions can be unpredictable.Getting a smooth color shift may require creating intermediate settings with addititional global actors. Posn.-The position control channel is necessary for every actor on stage except globals.Whenever an actor is added to the stage ,a position timeline is added automatically.This position channel convey the precise final location of the ac- -60- tor's axis in the animation.If you wish to have the actor follow a path,you must Delete the default timeline and then Add a new position channel.This brings up the Specify Type requester.The user must then select Follow Path (see below for more information).For simpler movements,you may select Tween Position. Tween Position-Selecting tween position brings up the Position Info requester. Start/End Frame-These numbers represent the first and last frames governed by the position timeline.these may be edited at any time. End Frame Position Values-This is the location of the actor's axis in the last frame of the timeline.To translate an actor for a specified distance without creating a path,you must do the following: Declare the highest frame #. Add the actor for frame 1. If necessary,modify the actor's position channel with the Info command (see Info). -61- On the same Actor channel,Add the actor for frames 2 through the end of your animation.Make your transition number equal the total number of animation frames less two. Add a position channel for frames 2 through the end of your animation. Select Tween Position from the Specify Type requester. Enter the final position of your actor. When you render your animation,your actor will move smoothly from his starting to stopping position. Follow Path-The process described above is effective when wishing to translate an object over a simple distance,but Follow Path represents a much more powerful method of assigning actors to a complex motion paths.When selected,the user is presented with the Follow Path Info requester. Start/End Frame-These entries represent the frames in which the actor will begin and end its travel along the path. Path Name-Enter the path name in this requester.The path must added as an individual actor! Children follow parent object-Selecting this item will insure that objects within a group will follow the path at an equal distance from the group s parent object. Align-This control governs all rotational alignment of your actors.This might be as simple as having an actor rotate on the z axis over the course of an animation or as complex as banking,pitching and yawing as it follows a path.The alignment channel also controls tracking objects.The type of alignment is selected in the Specify Type requester. Tween Alignment-This is the simplest method to set alignment.Teh degree of rotation entered will be immediately reflected on the Stage editor.If two alignment settings are entered,the program will "morph" between those settings over the number of frames designated. Start/End Frame-These entries represent the number of frames in which the actor will be governed by alignment settings. End Frame Position Values-Set the -63- appropriate degree of rotation for the actor's x,y and z axes. Align to Path-If an actor is assigned to a path,this command will rotate the actor along global z in order to keep the actor moving"forward".Without path alignment,a character whose path suddenly veers left slide to left instead of turning.If the path turns left again,the character will appear to be traveling"backwards". Start/End Frame-This designates the first and last frames in which the actor aligns to a path. Keep Y horizontal-Most often,objects will rotate along x when following a path,like a car riding up a hill.However,some objects remain horizontal as they move along,like helicopters.This command forces the actor to maintain its horizontal alignment. Track to Object-This command will most often be used with the camera,where it is desirable to have it fixed to some specific target.Track to object also is valuable if you wish an object to remain at aome fixed position relative to another which is moving. -64- Start/End Frame-These are the first and last frames in which the actor will be tracked. Object Name-This is the name of the actor which is being tracked.The object name must be unique and must exist in the script for tracking to take effect. Initial/Final Y Rotation-While an object is tracked,the tracker(usually the camera) may rotate along its y axis.These values represent the degrees of rotation along that axis. Size-Actors may also be scaled dynamically throughout an animation with this control.For the camera,size represents the focal length,which may also be modified. Start/End Frame-These are the first and last frames in which the actor will be sized. End Frame Size Values-These represent the axis at the end of sizing.For the camera,focal length is determined by the x and y settings.Y represents the distance from the focal point.A setting of half the Y value in the X would return a normal focal length.Larger settings for X result in wider angle camera views.Smaller X values present tele-photo camera views. -65- Hinge-The hinge is an actor which constricts movement of the hinged object. For example,if a moving object is hinged to a stationary object,the moving actor will be constrained by the hinge and move in a parabolic arc about the hinge.The further the distance between actor and hinge,the larger the arc.The smaller the distance,the tighter the arc. Start/End Frame-Select the beginning and ending frame of the hinge effect. Hinge Object-Designate the name of the actor which will serve as the hinge. The actor must exist as part of the current script for the hinge to take effect. F/X-These controls are seperate,programmable routines which will be released peridically by Impulse.The first available F/X is Explode,which literally breaks an object apart into all its component triangles.Contact Impulse for more information on ordering F/X. Selecting Done on the Action Script will return you to Stage Editor.Note that many of the position and alignment controls of the Action Script are possible interactively on the Stage.Bear in mind that interactive changes must take place at the last frame of any existing timelines.In other words,if your object is tweening from one position to the next over 30 frames,changes entered at the Stage in Frame 2 will be ignored.Changes to the final position will cause the entire animation to be re-tweened. Transformation-Selecting this command presents the us- -66- er with the transformation requester.to use the requester,click in the action indicated to the left and enter the appropriate numeric value in the x,y and z entries to the right.Select world to base the action on the world s axis or local to base the action on the group's axis.Selecting Transform Axis Only will only transform the group's axis of rotation. Rotation-This revolves the group or axis by the amount indicated in each of the x,y and z entries.A value of 360 in any of the axes would indicate a complete revolution. Scale-This increase the group's size on any axis by the indicated amount.A value of 2 on x would double a group's width. Translate-Moves a group or axis by the indicated amount in any axis. Entering -20 in the Z axis would move the group -20 units in the Z direction. Alignment-After a series of rotations,it is often difficult to tell how your group is orientated.Selecting alignment returns the orientation of each of the axes.Selecting 0 for all three axes would return a group to its original orientation. Size-This command only affects a group's axis.The default axis size is 32 on x,y and z. Position-Select this to determine the exact location of your group.When a new axis is loaded,its default location is 0,0,0.Once an object is created,moved and saved,it is reloaded at its last position. -67- World-this settings bases rotations and alignment to the world's fixed axis.In this manner,x can always be considered left to right,z up and down and y in and out. Local-This setting bases rotation and alignment on the object or group s axis.Even though a group has been rotated,it may still be stretched by entering the desired value in the appropriate axis and selecting local. Transform Axis Only-All changes selected in the Transformation Requester may be applied only to the group's axis of rotation with this setting. Make Path-This command generates a special object from at least two picked axes.To make a path,add an axis and position it at the starting point.Add another axis and move it to the ending position.Rotate the axes on their local Z,so that their Y's line up properly.Pick the starting axis,hold the shift key and pick the ending axis.With both axes picked,select Make Path. A line will be drawn between the two points and the program will recognize the resulting object to be a path.Any number of axes may comprises a path.Any rotations along x or y will cause the path to turn accordingly. Make Closed Path-This command is identical to Make Path except that it joins the first and last axes to make a closed loop. MODE MENU Pick Groups-This is the default mode of operation for the Stage Editor.Children of groups may not be manipulated individually on the Stage. -68- Edit Path-With a path selected entering Edit Path mode will allow you to interactively reposition or align the path's component axes. PICK/SELECT MENU Home-This command selects the first actor added to the stage. Select Next-This command cycles through actors in the order they were added to the stage. Select Prev.-This command cycles through actors in reverse. Pick Select-After an object is selected with one of the above commands, Pick Select allows it to be transformed. Unpick Last-Particulary in multiple select mode,it is sometimes necessary to unpick the last object selected.Use this command to do so without affecting the other picked objects. Find by Name-This command presents a Name Requester.Enter the name of the objectyou wish to select.The views will center the object and the actor will be selected and ready to be picked. Find by Requester-Selecting this command presents a requester that lists all actors on stage along with pertinent size information.clock on the group you wish to select and the orthogonal views will automatically center it on your screen. -69- FRAME MENU First-This command jumps directly to the first frame of the project. Last-This command jumps to the last frame of the project. Next-Select this command to advance to the next frame of the project. Prev-Choose this item to rewind one frame in the project. Goto-Selecting this item presents a frame number requester.Enter the specific frame you wish to view. ANIMATE MENU Make-This command creates a wireframe preview of your current cycle. Free RAM-Once you have viewed an animation,select this command to clear it from RAM. Play Once-This plays the cycle once. Play Loop-Plays the cycle various times and presents the user with a timing requester. Play Big-Select this item prior to playing your animation preview on order to see a full screen playback.Slide down the preview in order to access the animation controller.