Merciful 2/Merciful - Disc 2.iso/software/i/imagine_tutorial.txt

Text File | 1995-10-14 | 85KB | 1,684 lines

                                  IMAGINE

        A PROFESSIONAL 3D ANIMATION RENDERING SYSTEM FOR THE AMIGA

                     TUTORIAL MANUAL BY RICK RODRIGUEZ

                          PRESENTED BY BEERMACHT

                             THANX FOR TYPING

                                MONEYPENNY



Table Of Contents:


Introduction                            1

The Basics                              1
Why Can't I Just Draw My Object?        2
The Coordinate System                   3
Building Blicks                         4
The Modelling Process                   4
Lights,Camera,Action                    5

Getting Around Imagine                  7

Quad or Full Screen Views               7
Coordinates                             7
Screen Resolution                       8
Grid Controls                           8
Screen Display                          9
Perspective                             9
Interactive Editing                    10
Alternate Modes and Pick Methods       10
Keyboard Equivalents                   12

Quick Start                            13

Warranty Information                   13
Back-Ups                               13
Hard Drive Installation                14
Starting the Program                   14
Your First Project                     15

Detail Editor                          27

Creating a Tutorials Project           27
Tutorial 1-The Letter A                28
Tutorial 2-Auto-Facing with Slice      33
Tutorial 3-Creating a Smooth Curve     36
Tutorial 4-Creating a Terrain          38
Tutorial 5-Creating a Flag             40
Tutorial 6-Spin vs.Sweep               41
Tutorial 7-Hide Points                 43
Tutorial 8-Conform to Cylinder         45
Tutorial 9-Conform to Sphere           46
Tutorial10-Attributes                  47
Tutorial11-Brush Wrapping              49
Tutorial12-Texture Mapping             53

Forms Editor                           55

Cycle Editor                           59

Tutorial 1-The Walk Cycle              60
Tutorial 2-Other Cycle Options         67

Stage Editor                           69

Tutorial 1-Path Creation&Editing       69
Tutorial 2-Assigning a Cycle Object
       to a Path                   70
Tutorial 3-Zooms,Hinges &
           Lighting Effects            73



                                     1


INTRODUCTION:
------------

Attempting the creation of a manual like the one you hold in your hands is
something of juggling act.On the one hand,it is our earnest desire to cover
every minute aspect of this software thoroughly so that there can be no
mistake as to its operation.On the other hand,we know that we frankly
haven't the time to do this.And ,to be honest,we know we haven't even begun
to test the limits of every feature in here.

Although we at Impulse have been trying to beat this software to death for
the past year,we know that the moment you get it in your hands,you'll be
attempting and accomplishing things we never imagined.

What you hold in your hands is a vain attempt to briefly illustrate the
potential offered to you by this software.Truly amazing things are
possible,but we have chosen to create more mundane exercises in the
interest of time and the hopes that you will supply all the imagination.
Like any fine tool,you'll get greater utility from this software if you are
willing to invest the time to study it and experiment with it.A lot of the
drudgery of the previous programs has been eliminated from this
software,but creating artificial realitites takes more than just Imagine;
it takes plain hard work and perseverance.
Have Fun!

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 computers screen is not quite as
easy.Each object in this artificial 3D space must be mathematically defined

                                    -1-

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
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

                                    -2-

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.
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

Imagines 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.

                                    -3-

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.

BUILDING BLOCKS

There are several basic elements which are common to every 3D object in
Imagine.These are the:
Axis,which represents an objects 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.

THE MODELING PROCESS

Every object or project may be somewhat different but there is a general

                                    -4-
standard flow for the modeling process which should remain consistent
throughout most of your work.
Presuming that you are building a simple object from scratch,you will most
likely commence your work in the Detail editor.In this module ,you will add
an axis to the work surface.You will then add points and add edges (or add
linbes,which accomplishes the two functions at one time) into the basic
shape of your object.Next,you will add faces to one of the two shapes.If
you care to,you can give your object deoth by molding it.When you've
extruded or spun the object to your satisfaction,you will define its
attributes and save the object to disk.
That's it!
In order to create more complicated objects,you can combine primitives like
spheres,cubes or cylinders or more organic shapes created with Imagine's
Forms editor.And Imagine is the first Amiga program to offer boolean
operations,which allow you to drill holes into objects and select just the
pieces you wish to keep or throw away.
In future chapters,you'll learn the specifics of each editing module and
its functions,but they all require a fundamental understanding of the 3D
coordinate system and the basic building blocks that make up the 3D
objects.

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 scenes global
settings,lighting and camera placement.
Only when all of these variables have been defined can Imagine create a
finished image.
Imagine begins with the fastest,most sophisticatedrendering engine
available on the Amiga,offering four kinds

                                    -5-

of brush wrapping,algorithmic texture mapping and a host of other features.
Putting these beautifully rendered scenes into motion is a snap with
Imagine's Stage Editor,which combines interactive controls with the
precision of a graphic script editor.

                                    -6-

GETTING AROUND IMAGINE

A great deal of time and thought went into creating a consistent
presentation for each of Imagines 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.

COORDINATES

As you jump from view to view ,you may need to know exactly where your

                                    -7-

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

Imagines 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
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.

                                    -8-

SCREEN DISPLAY

Imagines 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

                                    -9-

object s final appearance.
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

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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.

                                   -11-

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.

                                   -12-

QUICK START:
-----------

We assume most of you have ripped open the package,thrown this manual aside
and plopped in your disks.Therefore,some of the material in this section
may be unnecessary.However,for those of you with enough self control to
peruse this manual first,this chapter is intended to give you a quick trip
through Imagine's features.Within a reasonably short time,you'll have an
interesting animation playing on your computer screens,while those
impatient ones who acted too quickly will still mucking about with menus
and requesters.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Before doing anything else,please take the time to fill out and return the
warranty card enclosed in your package.This warranty card will make you
eligible to receive Impulse's software updates and information on new
product releases.Impulse is dedicated to providing its customers with the
best software and hardware products on the planet,but no company can
service customers it can't reach.

BACK-UPS

Before using Imagine,make sure to make a back-up copy and put away your
original disk in a safe place.
You will notice that Imagine is not copy-protected in any way.You are free
to make as many copies as you need for archival purposes.Impulse could have
opted to use disk or manual protection schemes,but it hopes that common
sense will keep you from spreading this product to your friends.Many
man-years have gone toward the develop-

                                   -13-

ment of Imagine and Impulse hopes that you understand the cost
involved.Impulse has attempted to price this product fairly so that it is
within the reach of any computer user.
Refer to your Amiga manual for information on duplicating a disk.

HARD DRIVE INSTALLATION

Duplicate your Empty icon.Drag the copy onto the hard disk partition where
you wish to install Imagine.Rename the "Copy of Empty" drawer "Imagine" or
some other appropriate name.
Insert your backup disk in a drive,double click on the disk icon to open
the disk window.
Drag the Imagine program icon (or ImagineFP for users with 68020 or above
processors) from the disk window to the Imagine drawer on your hard drive.
Open a Shell or Cli and type:
"Copy Imagine:Imagine.Config to DH#:Imagine."
Replace the # with the appropriate partition number.This will copy
Imagine's configuration file to your hard disk.
Imagine also includes two sub-directories named "Textures" and "FX".If you
wish to locate these on your hard disk,type.
"Copy Imagine:Textures/#? DH#:Imagine/Textures."
Replace the word Textures with FX to copy the FX sub-directory.

STARTING THE PROGRAM

From the workbench,open your disk or hard disk directory icon and double
click on the Imagine icon.A3000,2500 or other accelerated machine users
should click on the ImagineFP icon.
From the CLI or Shell,type "Stack 10000."Change directory to your Imagine
disk or hard drive directory and type "Run Imagine."

                                   -14-

In low memory situations,you may wish to omit the Run command.

YOUR FIRST PROJECT

If you haven't already done so,start Imagine now.After a moment,you will be
greeted by the Imagine logo.This is Imagine's title screen,the launching
pad for all of your projects.
Pull down the Project menu and select New.
A requester will appear.Selecting Disks will list all drives mounted on
your system.
Click on the floppy or hard drive partition you wish to use for this
exercise.If you have more than 3 megs of RAM,you may wish to utilize the
RAM disk for this project.If you are using floppy disks,be sure to have a
frsh,initialized disk ready for the tutorials in this manual.
Type in the name of your new project.Name this project "FirstProject".
After a moment,you will be greeted by the RenderingScreen.
Imagine has just created a directory and one subdirectory for your project.
If you named the project "FirstProject",your disk will now contain a
FirstProject.imp directory with Objects as asubdirectory.The imp. directory
also contains a file named "Staging" which is periodically updated
throughout your work.Imagine allows you to create multiple versions of your

                                   -15-

projects in varying resolutions and formats.These versions are called
Sub-Projects.At the top of the Rendering Screen you may define,open,delete
or modify a sub-project.Select New.
A requester will appear.Enter "FirstSub" as the filename and click on OK.
This action creates a sub-directory within the FirstProject.imp directory
called FirstSub.pix. All subsequent image and animation files created
within this sub-project are stored in this directory.
The program now displays the Rendering Sub-project Parameters requester,
which allows you to set the current rendering method,picture and pixel
sizes,file paths,file formats and viewing modes.We will accept all the
defaults.Select OK.
You are now back at the Rendering Screen.Pull down the Editor menu and
select Forms.
After a moment,you will be looking at the Form Editor's Quad view.This is
the default view for each editor in Imagine.Simply click on the labels
marked Top,Front,Side and Perspective to work on a full screen
view.Clicking on the current view's name will return you to the Quad view.

                                   -16-

The Forms Editor is used to create shapes which would be difficult to
create in any other modeling program.
We are going to create a simple animation of a red sphere metamorphosing
into a blue cube.Forms can be used to create far more complex shapes than
these,but you'll have plenty of time to experiment later.
Go to the Object menu and select New.
In the Forms requester,enter 12 for the number of the points and 8 for
number of slices.Select OK.
A rough approximation of a sphere will be visible in all four views.
Go to the Display menu and select Solid.The perspective view will redraw
and hidden lines will be removed from the wireframe.
REturn to the Display menu and select Shaded.Move to the Perspective view
and click once on the rectangular label on its left.The Quad view will be
replaced by a 16-color high resolution screen.Your sphere will now be
represented as asolid,flat shaded model.Return to the Quad view by clicking
once on the Perspective label at the left side of the

                                   -17-

screen.
To morph during an animation,we needed two versions of the object.From the
Object menu,select Save.Save your object as "Form.1".Imagine will allow you
to save your objects anywhere,but we stringly recommended that you
designate the Objects sub-directory of the FirstProject.imp directory as
your destination path.
Now we need to convert this form into a cube.Go to the Display menu and
select Grid Size.
Enetr 100 in the Grid Size requester.The grid will redraw to the larger
size.
Go to the Select menu and highlight Lock.this makes all edited points snap
to the grid's intersections.
Go to the Symmetry menu and select 90 Degrees.
The default method of point selection is Click mode,which only requires a
click of the left mouse button to pick a point.Go to the Select menu and
choose Drag Box.Now,in order to select a point,you must hold down the left
mouse button and drag a rectangular around the point(s) you wish to select.
Go to the Front view.Hold down the shift key and drag a box around the two
points in the lower right corner of the sphere.The points will turn red
along with their counterparts in the Right view.
Still holding the shift key,move the cursor to the grid intersection to the
right and click once.Release the shift key and the points will jump to the
grid intersections.Continue to do this to all the corners of the form until
both the

                                   -18-

front and right views depict a square with six points.You'll notice that
the Perspective view depicts a cylinder,which is the shape definded by
these forms.
Go to the Symmetry menu and select Off.
Now go to the Select menu and highlight Lasso.This pick method expects you
to draw a freehand lasso around the point(s) you wish to select.
Go to the Top view,hold down the shift key,and draw a lasso sourrounding
the four points in the top and lower right corner of the form which do not
currently intersect with the grid.The points will turn red.
While still holding the shift key,move the cursor to

                                   -19-

the top right grid intersection.Click once and release the shift key.All
the points will sanp and the right side of the form will become a straight
line.Repeat the same steps for the left side.
Your cube is now done .Select Save from the Object menu and name this
object "Form.2".
Go to the project menu and select Detail Editor.
This action loads the Detail Editor,the portion of the program in which you
will spend most of your time when modeling objects.Many of this module's
commands will be familiar to users of Turbo Silver.However,a great deal of
effort has gone into streamlining the interface and making it highly
interactive.
Go to the Object manu and select Load.
Load Form.1.
Pick your sphere by clicking once on its axis,located in the exact center
of the object.
Now go to the Object menu and select Attributes.
The attributes requester will appear.Click on the Color switch.The
Red,Green and Blue labels will become inghosted.Set the Red value to 190 by
typing in the number

                                   -20-

or using the slider bar.Set the Green and Blue values to 0.
Next ,select the Specular switch,set the sliders to 190,190 and 190.
Select the Dithering,Hardness and Shininess switches and enter 255 for
each.
Click on Phong to smooth the sphere.
Select OK to exut the atrributes requester.
Select Save from the Object menu.Saving the object as "Form.1" will
overwrite the previous file.
Go back to the Object menu and load Form.2. A yellow cube will overlap the
blue sphere.In Imagine's color coding scheme,blue or pink designates that
an object is picked,yellow designates that an object is selected and ready
to be picked.
Go to the Pick/Select menu and highlight Pick Select.This will turn Form.2
pink (picked) and Form.1 white (unselected).
Select Attributes from the Object menu.
In the attributes requester,click on Load.This presents a file requester.
Select Form.1 .This loads all the attributes you se-

                                   -21-

lected for Form.1 into Form.2 .
Select Color and change the values to 0 for Red and 190 for Blue.
Click on the Phong switch to make the object faceted.Click on OK to exit
the attributes requester.
Save your cube as Form.2 .Now we're ready to animate!
From the Project menu,select Stage Editor.
A requester will appear asking you whether you are sure you wish to quit
the Deatil Editor.Click Yes.
The Stage Editor is one of the most powerful animation tools ever attempted
on the Amiga.This is the area of Imagine where you set your camera angles
and lights and place all your objects in motion.
Select Load from the Object manu and load Form.1 .
Go to the Display menu and select Camera View.The perspective will redraw
and you are now seeing the pshere from the camer's point of view.It is
obviously too close.
Go to the Display menu and select Zoom Out.This widens the view in the
orthogonal windows without affecting the camera perspective.
The circle with the line protruding os the camera.In the top view,clickonce
on the camera to pick it.It will turn blue.
Type m for move.The camera will now turn yellow.This signifies that the
object may be transformed interactively.

                                   -22-

Use the cursor down arrow to shift the top view forward.
Nowhold down the left mousebutton and drag the camera further away from the
sphere.Press the spacebar to accept your modification.The camera's view of
the sphere will be smaller,but the sphere will no longer be centered
correctly.Type r and x,for rotate on x axis.
Now fo to the Right view and tilt the camera slightly so that it has a
better orientation.Press the spacebar to see the result of your action.This
method of pointing the camera os ok for wide views of many objects,where
slight inaccuracy in centering may not be apparent,but for a single
object,this is quite tedious.It is macuh easier to track the camera to the
target object so that the program will take care of centering
automatically.
Go to the Object menu and select Action.This presents the Action Script,
which represents the heart of Imagine's animation system.
Click once on Delete.The highlighted button will turn red.Place your cursor
at the intersection of Frame 1 and the Camera's Align var.Frame 1 and the
word Align will turn red.Click once and the blue align bar will vanish.
Select Add and return to the same position.Click once.The title bar will
read:"Starting frame is 1.Choose ending frame."
Click again in the same position.A new align bar is placed on the script
and a Specify requester appears.Select Track to Object.The Track to Object
info requester appears.Enter Form.1 as the object name and

                                   -23-

click on OK.
Select Done.the Stage Editor will reappera and the sphere will be perfectly
centered in the Perspective view.Select Action from the Object menu.Now we
need to declare the number of frames in our animation.
Change the number in Highest Frame # to 30.Thirty frames will now be
enetered into the frame counter.
Select Add and move the cursor to the intersection of Frame 2 and the Actor
line next to Form.1 .Click once .This is the starting frame for the new
actor.
Go to Frame 30 on the same line.This its ending frame.A file requester will
appear.Load Form.2 .
the Object File info requester now appears.Enter 28 in the Transition Frame
count.This means that the program will calculate 28 intermediate frames
between the beginning and the ending forms.Select OK.Select Done.
At the Stage Editor,select Make from the Animate menu.
The Start,End,Step requester allows you to set the starting and ending
frames and the number of frames to step.Accept the defaukt by pressing
Return.
Your aniamtion preview will begin calculating in the perspective view.
Select Cancel if you wish to quit the preview calculation.

                                   -24-

When the generating is complete ,go to the Animte menu and select Play
Loop.Your wireframe will play back at approximately 30 frames per second.
Use the slider to adjust playback.When you're done viewing your preview
,select Quit.Now we must set lights for our aniamtion.Select Action from
the Object menu.At the Action SCript,select Add and go to the Frame 1,(new)
Actor intersection.Click once on 1 and 30.The Specify Type requester
appears.Select Light Source.Select Ok in Light Source info to accept the
defaults.A light source now exists in the 30 frames.
Select Info. Click once in the light's Posn.bar. In the the Position Info
requester,type -1000 and 1000 for Y and Z respectively.Select OK.
Select Done.
At the Stage Editor,pull down the Project menu and select Save Changes.
After disk activity has ended,select Project Editor.This return you to the
Rendering Screen.To speed up our rendering,let's modify the default
parameters we selected for our Sub-project.
Select Modify.Enter 96 in both the Width and Height entries.Select OK.
Click on Range.Press Return to accept the Start,End and Step values. Select
Make .A requester will ask if you want Imagine to delete the individual
images when it is completed.Select Yes.The program will now begin to
generate an animation.The title bar at the top of the screen will display
the

                                   -25-

progress of each frame.
When the animation is complete,select Load.When the animation is loaded
into memory,select Play Loop.Your animation will play back smoothly.Adjust
playback speed with any of the function keys.To exit your animation,press
Escape.To close this project without quitting the program,select Close from
the Project menu.
You've just seen a glimpse of the incredible power within Imagine.We
recommend you spend as much time as necessary with each module rather than
attempting to understand everything at once.The Reference Manual provides
succinct definitions of each menu and requester,so you should spend some
time reading it thouroughly.

                                   -26-

DETAIL EDITOR:
-------------

Those of you familiar with Turbo Silver will feel right at home with
Imagine's Detail Editor.This module contains many of the same commands and
keyboard equivalents of Turbo's object editor.However,many new,powerful
features have been added and many commands have been streamlined to greatly
improve Imagine's functionality.

Imagine offers a vast array of tools with which to build objects of every
kind.But building an object is a complex process with many steps often
involving various of these tools.Rather than provide a dry definition of
each menu item,this chapter will present many tutorials which utilize most
of the features in the detail editor.Where necessary,more information will
be provided about the theory behind the various tools.Refer to the
reference section for succinct definitions of each command.

CREATING A TUTORIALS PROJECT

As this manual progresses,objects created in this section will be used
again in subsequent tutorials.Therefore,it is a good idea to either format
a fresh disk to store the tutorials and objects or create a drawer on your
hard drive for easy access.If you haven't already done so,start Imagine.At
the project editor screen,select New from the Project menu.Click on Disks
in the file requester.A listing of all the drives and devices mounted on
your system will appear.Use the drag bar to the right of the requester to
reveal other devices.Select the destination for your tutorial files.This
name will appear alongside Drawer.Enter "Tutorials" as the filename.Click
on OK.This

                                   -27-

action has just created a Tutorials.imp directory on your destination
disk.Assuming you assigned Df1: as your drawer,your title bar now reads
DF1:Tutorials.Pull down the Editor menu and select Detail Editor.

TUTORIAL ONE-THE LETTER A

What better place to get started than the beginning of the alphabet?
This tutorial will describe how to build and extrude an object from scratch
and will use Imagine's add lines,add faces,lock (snap to grid),grid
resizing and drag points functions.
Note that the title bar reads: "Detail Editor:Pick Groups." This is the
default setting for all the editors.As you select different settings from
the modes menu,the title bar will change to indicate your current status.
From the Functions menu ,highlight Add with the left mouse button.A
sub-menu will appear just below and to the right.Highlight Axis and release
the button.An axis will be placed on your worksurface.Click on the Front
label in the lower left corner of the screen.Your quad view will now be
replaced by a full screen front view.
Your axis is currently yellow,which means it is selected and ready to be
picked.You may only manipulate an object when it is picked! Click once on
the center of the axis and it will turn pink.This is Imagine's method of
color coding.White objects are unselected.Yellow objects are selected. Pink
or blue objects are picked and ready to be edited .An alternate method of
picking your axis is to go to the Pick/Select menu,and highlight Pick
Select.From the Mode menu ,highlight Pick Method and se-

                                   -28-

Lect Lock from its sub-menu.This now snaps all points entered to the grid
intersections.Go to Mode menu and select Add Lines.This command allows you
to place on the worksurface and automatically attaches edges betweeen
points.Now create the outline for the letter A using nine points.When
completed,your outline should look like this: This is a decent first
attempt,but the bottom of the A isn't lined up properly due to the current
grid size.Go to the Display menu and select Grid Size.Enter 10 and hit
return.The grid is now halved.
Go to the Mode menu and select Drag Points.Click on and drag the offending
points to the adjacent grid intersections so that they line up properly
with the diagonal formed by the inner portion of the A's base.
Return to Add Lines mode and place a triangle in the center of the outline.
This will be the hole created by the crossbar.If you'd like,you can halve
the grid size again so that you can align the triangle to the same
diagonal.When all is said and done,your A should now look like the one to
the right(sorry).Select Save from the Object menu.Save your outline as
"Aout.obj".
The next step in building an object is to add triangular faces so that
Imagine's

                                   -29-

renderer will know which outline defines a surface and which outline
defines a hole.
Make sure your objects is still picked and select Add Faces from the Mode
menu.
Now carefully click on two points at the top of the outline and the point
which defines the top of the triangular hole.Two edges will be drawn which
extend from the top of the letter to the top of the hole.
Continue to triangulate the surface of the A until it is completely
filled.Make sure not to place a face on the hole in the center of the A.
When completed,your A will look something like the one to the left.If your
triangles are orientated differently,this shouldn't be a problem.Imagine's
renderer handles acute triangles easily;however,it is worth nothing that
the greater the number of regular triangular faces you add,the better the
result in your finished image.
To make certain that you haven't missed a face on the A's surface,select
Pick Face from the Mode menu.
Hold down the right Amiga key and type N.This will select the first face
you created on the A's outline.Continue typing Rt. Amiga-N and cycle
through every face on the object.You can cycle backwards by typing Rt.
Amiga-B.If you have created an unwanted face (covering the hole,for
example),select the face and then choose Pick Select from the Pick/Select
menu.With the face picked,select Delete drom the Functions menu.
Return to Add Face and complete any faces which were missing from your
object.Return to Pick group mode.Once your object is complete ,click once
on the front

                                   -30-

label to return to the Quad view.Your A is now a solid object visible in
the Perspective window.Of course,by looking at the top or right views,you
see it's a sad excuse for a three-dimensional object.We mow want to make
your A outline a solid shape with depth along the Y axis.
From the Object menu,select Load.Load the Aout.obj you created previously.
The outline and the filled objects overlap one another.From the Pick/Select
menu ,select Pick Select.The outline is now picked.
Pull down the Object menu and select Mold.The Mold Requester will appear.
Click on Extrude.The Extrude Requester appears.Imagine permits the user to
extrude objects to a specific length along the Y axis or along a
user-defined 3D path.Our A will employ the default To Length extrusion.
The default Length for extrusions is 100.Type 50 and hit return.The extrude
tool offers sophisticated effects like rotating the outline as it extrudes,
as well as scaling or translating it during the course of the extrusion. To
take advantage of these effects,it is a good idea to have more than three
sections or slices in the extrude.For our purposes,however,the default of
one section is all we need.
Select Perform.The outline is now extruded and the filled object serves as
the A's front face.Now we need to duplicate the front face and attach it to
the A's back.
From the Pick/Select menu,choose Next.The filled face will be selected.
From the Object menu,select Copy.Now Paste from the Object menu.A yellow
(selected) duplicate will appear on the screen.
From the Pick/Select menu,choose Pick Select.With the duplicate face
picked,got to the Object menu and select Transformations.We want to move
the second

                                   -31-

face 100 units in Y.
Select Translate in the Transformations requester.Enter 100 in the Y entry.
Exit the Transformations requester by selecting Perform.Look to the right
view and you will see that the axis of this second face is located at the
back of the A.
Now got to the Pick/Select menu and choose All.The extruded outline and the
two faces will be selected.
Select join from the Functions menu.This combines the three objects into
one.Our letter is finished.To get a better look at it,go to the Perspective
view and drag the lower slider slightly to the right.This rotates the point
of view on the vertical axis.
The default for the perspective window is wireframe.To utilize hidden line
removal,go to the Display menu and select Solid.To see an even better
reprsentation of your object,select Shaded from Display menu and click once
on the Perspective label.A full screen,flat-shaded view will be displayed.
To rotate your viewpoint along the horizontal axis,drag the vertical slider

                                   -32-

up and down.
Return to the Quad view.
Select Save from the Object menu.A file requester will appear.Select
Tutorials.imp/Objects as your destination drawer.Name this object
A_1.obj.Save your object.At this point,you may wish to build other letters
of the alphabet or some other similiar shapes which can be extruded.

TUTORIAL 2 -AUTOFACING WITH SLICE

Creating faces manually os ok for simple objects like our letter A,but it
can become quite cumbersome for large.complex shapes.Imagine is the first
Amiga program ever to offer Boolean operations,which allow objects to cut
holes in one another.
An added benifit of having the boolean Slice command is that automatically
adding faces to objects is now possible.
Load the Aout.obj you created in the previous tutorial.Go to the Functions
manu ,highlight Add and select Primitive from its sub-menu.This calls up
the Primitive Type requester.Select Plane.This presents the Plane
Parameters requester.Click on Ok to accept the defaults.What we will now do
is create a "cookie cutter" out of the A outline which will punch a hole
out of the plane.

                                   -33-

In order to do this,we must first extrude the outline.The slice command
does not work with two flat objects!
Select the A outline.Go to the Mold requester and select Extrude.Change the
default length of the extrude to 10.Exit the Extrude requester.Select the
Plane.Type m for Move.A bounding box will appear in place of the
plane.Using the mouse,position the planeso that it is precisly in the
middle of the extruded A outline.Type sto scle the plane so that it is
larger than the A outline.Press the spacebar to accept the changes to the
plane.With the plane selected,hold down the shift key to enter Multi mode.
Select the A outline.From the Object mneu,select Slice.After a moment,a
cancel requester is visible,the computer is calculating the boolean
operation.You may get a requester which reads:"Error:an edge is too close
to an edge,or too near to a face."This means that Imagine is unable to

                                   -34-

determine where a new edge should be created.You can generally correct this
condition by selecting the plane and moving it in the appropriate direction
to avoid any edges or points overlapping.When the operation is
complete,your two objects will be replaced by a group consisting of the
many components created by the slice command.In group Mode,select All from
the Pick/Select menu.
Select UnGroup from the Object menu.Now you may select the individual
components which you wish to keep or discard.
Cyclethrough the objects by typing Right-Amiga N until you find the filled
A object.From the Pick/Select menu,select Unpick Select.Now all the objects
except the filled face object are picked.
From the Functions menu,select Delete.All the picked objects will be
deleted.Click on the filled object to pick it.Select Transformations from
the Objects menu.

                                   -35-

Click on Position and enter 0 in the x,y and z entries.Exit the
Transformations requester by selecting Perform.Load the Aout.obj again.If
the two objects don't overlap precisly in all three views,select the
outline,and position it at 0,0,0 using the Transformations requester.
Once the outline and the filled face overlap precisly,select All from the
Pick/Select menu and Join from the Functions menu.
This method of facing is probably too cumbersome for a simple shape like
our,but if you have a very complex outline with hundreds of points,
autofacing with the slice command can be a life saver.

TUTORIAL 3 -CREATING A SMOOTH CURVE

Up to now,making rounded edges or gradual slopes has been next to
impossible.Combining Drag Points and Magnetism makes it a snap.Make sure
that your grid size is set to 20.Add an axis.Select the axis and enter Add
Lines mode.Enter Lock mode.Magnify the front view.

                                   -36-

Enetr a straight line made up of 20 evenly spaced points.De-select Lock
mode.With the line object selected,enter Drag Points mode.Go to the Modes
menu,highlight Magnetism sub-menu amd select Setup.In the Magnetism
Parameters requester,enter 400 for the radius of influence.Set the Percent
at Radius to 0.Select Bell for Magnetism Type.Click on use to return to the
detail editor.Now click on the center-most point in your line and drag the
mouse.The line will turn yellow and follow the cursor,creating a smooth
bell-shaped curve.When you are satisfied with the shape of your
line,release the mouse button.Continue to pick and drag additional points
until your curve looks like the one below.Return to object mode and save
this objects as

                                   -37-

"Curve.obj."

TUTORIAL 4 -CREATING A TERRAIN

Clear the editor screen with the Delete command.Add a Plane primitive.Pick
the plane and rotate it on its x axis so that it lays flat.Enter Drag
Points,Magnetism mode.Select Magnetism,Setup and enter these parameters:
radius of influence=40 ,percent at radius=0.Select cone magnetic type and
random radius.From the top view,hold down the shift key and select a point
located near the center of the plane.
Still holding the shift key,move the cursor to the right view,above the
plane.Hold down the left mouse button and release the shift key.A set of
points will spring toward your mouse button.Release the mouse button when
you have

                                   -38-

created a nice peak.Continue to select and drag points to create a rough
landscape.If you wish ,change your magnetic setup to create a greater
variety of peaks and valleys.Save the plane as"Landscape.obj".

                                   -39-

TUTORIAL 5 -CREATING A FLAG

Load the object you created in the previous tutorial named Curve.obj. Copy
this object.Paste the copy onto the editor.Go to Transformations.Select
translate and enter 200 for the Y axis.This command will move the copy 200
units in the positive Y direction.Select Perform.At the editor screen,pick
both objects.From the Object menu,select Skin.In a moment,the two lines are
joined to create an object resembling a waving flag.

                                   -40-

Save this object as "Flag.obj".

TUTORIAL 6 - SPIN VS. SWEEP

Imagine offers two methods of creating symetrical objects which appear to
be lathed about a vertical axis.The Spin and Sweep functions are very
similiar,but their difference must be understood in order to achiever the
desired result.
Add an axis.Pick the axis and enter Add Lines mode.Set Grid Size to 10.
Enter Lock mode.In the front or right views,carefully draw out the shape of
half a wine glass.Create a set of points ten units to the right so that our
glass will have an inner surface.Return to object mode Turn Lock off.

                                   -41-

With the object picked,select Mold.Select Sweep.In the Sweep Data
requester,select Perform to accept the defaults values.Your wine glass is
complete.Save this object as glass.obj.Clear the worksurface with the
Delete command.The next object we will attempt to create is a pawn.Add an
axis.Pick the axis and enter Add Lines mode.In the front or right
views,carefully draw out the shape to the left.Make sure that the top and
bottom points are aligned with the Z axis.You may need to toggle Lock on
and off to align the points for the base of the pawn.Return to object
mode.With the object picked,select Mold.In the Mold requester,click once on
Spin.Click Perform to accept the Spin Data defaults.Your pawn is
complete.Save this object as Pawn.obj.

                                   -42-

TUTORIAL 7 -HIDE POINTS

Up to now,we've limited our point editing to the simplest of outlines.But
often necessary to edit points or faces on objects with hundreds of points.
Imagine makes this difficult task muach easier with the Hide Points
command.Load the Pawn.obj you created in the previous tutrial.You'll notice
that near the bottom of the object there is a flat projection.We want to
change this feature to amke our pawn look a little different.Had we caught
this earlier,we could have altered the pawn's outline prior to spinning.Now
it's too late and we don't have time to rebuild it.What can we do? If you
look up at the top view,it is virtually impossible to define which points
make up this section of the pawn.Enter Drag Points mode.Now select Hide
Points.In this mode,you will be able to drag a box around the points you
wish to hide from  view.In front view,drag a box around the points at the
top of the pawn.After a

                                   -43-

moment,the points you have selected vanish and you are returned to Drag
Points mode.If you look in the top view,you still can't clearly define the
points which make up the area you wish to alter.Select Hide Points once
again and draw a box around the base of the pawn.You are returned to Drag
Points mode and the only points left visible on the screen are the two
concentric circles which make up the area we wish to edit.Enter Pick Points
mode.Make sure you are in the Click pick mode.Go to the top view
and,holding down the shift key,multiple select the points which make up the
inner circle.Still holding down the shift key,move to the right view.Place
your cursor slightly above the line defining the circles.Click and hold the
left mouse button,then release the shift key.The points of the inner ring
will jump up to your cursor.Move the mouse until the points are aligned as
illustrated and release the mouse button.Enter Object mode and the pawn
will redraw itself with the changes you created.Save this object as
"Pawn2.obj".

                                   -44-

TUTORIAL 8 -CONFORM TO CYLINDER

In this tutorial we will use Conform to Cylinder to create a ring from a
flat plane.Add a primitive plane.Set the plane's Width to 200 and its Hight
to 50.Create 20 horizontal sections and 2 vertical sections.Select Ok to
create your plane.Pick the plane.Select mold.Select Conform to cylinder.
Enter 50 for cylinder radius and 200 for object width.Select Perform to
accept your entries.Our plane is now a perfect band.

                                   -45-

TUTORIAL 9 -CONFORM TO SPHERE

The Conform to sphere cammnad attempts to do the impossible.Try for a
moment to consider the problem of gift-wrapping a basketball.Three quarters
of the gift look great ,but there's that messy area where the paper bunches
up and you habe to cover up with a ribbon or something.Chances are you won't
have a ribbon to cover up that problem when using Imagine.Conforming any
object to sphere is possible ,but when attempting this with something which
has sharp corners,expect to experiment to achieve acceptable results.
This tutorial demonstrates the adequate settings for a head-on view of the
conformed object with the minimum amount of distortion to that object.If
you need to close the sphere,see Reference Manual for alternative settings.
You may also consider creating a second object for the rear hemisphere and
then group or join the two together.Add a primitive plane.Set the
horizontal and vertical divisions to 20.Select Ok to exit the plane
parameters requester.Pick the plane.Select Mold.Click on Conform to sphere.
Set the sphere radius to 50 and the object radius to 50.Select Perform to
accept your entries.

                                   -46-

TUTORIAL 10 -ATTRIBUTES

Up to now,we've created a multitude of objects,but have dealt strictly with
the objects geometries.The properties which govern any object's appearance
are known as material attributes.Generally,these attributes determine how
light which falls upon an object's surface is reflected,transmitted or
absorbed.
An object's color defines what light is reflected or absorbed at its
surface.For example, a bright blue object absorbs all but blue light.
Frequencies of light which are not absorbed are reflected.When that light
reaches the eye ,the mind perceives a specific color.
Light that is not absorbed may be reflected as specualr or diffuse.Specular
reflection occurs on the surface of very smooth and shiny objects.On
materials like plastic,reflective light bounces off the surface with
virtually no change to the light's color.On the other materials,the
reflected light interacts with the property and takes on some of the
object's surface color.
A diffuse or soft object spreads light out evenly along its surface.This
results in a matte or dull appearance.Hard objects do not spread light out
as much and therefore tend to have small,very bright highlights.
The atrributes requester places all of the pertinent object surface
information at your fingertips.Simply select the appropriate switch for
color,reflection,filter or specular and enter a value from zero to 255 for
red,green and blue.Dithering,hardness,roughness and shininess are entered
with the Value slider.
Eacvh face in an object may have different color,reflect or filter
value.Objects may not be both smooth(phong) and faceted.Specular
value,dithering,hardness,roughness and shininess may not be set for
individual faces.
In this exercise we'll quickly mak a striped ball.

                                   -47-

Add a primitive sphere.Accept the defaults for Sphere Parameters by
clicking OK.Pick the sphere.Select Attributes from the Object menu.Enter
190,190,0 for red,green and blue color values.Set specualr to 190,190, 190.
Set dithering,hardness and shininess to 255.Select phong.Exit the
attributes requester by selecting OK.Enter Pick Faces mode.Select Drag Box
for Pick method.Holding down the shift key to enter multiple select
mode,draw a box about the two middle sections of the sphere.
While stil in Pick Faces mode,select Attributes.
Select color and enter 190,190,190.Select OK.Return to Object mode.If you
wish to add more stripes,repeat the above steps for additional sections of
the sphere.Save your sphere as Ball.obj.
To verify that your ball is striped,you may wish to

                                   -48-

render this object now.

TUTORIAL 11 -BRUSH WRAPPING

Located within the Attributes requester are four brush switches which allow
you assign IFF picture of any resolution to objects.These brushes can
replace the surface color of your object,indicate elevations on the
object's surface,or define specific areas of transparency or reflectance.
In this tutorial,we will show how to wrap an IFF brush as a color map onto
an object we created previously.You will need to provide the Iff picture of
your choice.Load the object you created earlier called "Flag.obj".
Pick the object.The first thing we have to do is reorient this object so
that it isn't lying flat.Type r,X for rotate on the x axis.The object will
be replaced by a bounding box.In the right view,hold down the left mouse
button and rotate the object until it is standing upright.When you are
satisfied with your transformation,press the spacebar to accept the change.
Your rotation of the object has caused its axis to become reoriented.It is
always a good idea to keep your axes in the same alignment as the global
axis.
Type R,X,w to rotate the axis so that Z is vertical and Y is horizontal.
Press the spacebar to accept your changes.If you have trouble aligning the
axis precisly,select Transformations.Select Alignment and set all the
values to 0.Select Transform Axis Only and exit the requester.With the
object and its axis now aligned properly,the next step is to move its axis
so that it is centered properly

                                   -49-

within the object. (Note:this step isn't necessary for the proper mapping
of a brush,but it is generally easier to control placement of an object
when its axis of rotation is located at its center.)
Type M for move axis.Using all three views,drag the axis so that it is
centered on the flag.Press the spacebar to accept your changes.Select
Attributes from teh object menu.In attributes requester,click on the Brush
switch.A file requester will appear asking you to define the disk path and
name of the IFF file you wish to apply to this object.Enter an appropriate
name.At the brush requester,select Edit Axes.The now familiar bounding box
appears,but this time it is located within your onject.This bounding box
represents the IFF brush you designated.
First type m and drag the axis so that it is in the lower left corner of
the flag.If we were to leave the axis in this orientation,our IFF map would
appear as a postage stamp on this corner of the object.
Scale the brush to a more acceptable size by typing s and dragging the
bounding box in any view until it extends slightly beyond the limits of the
object.
The flag is not the same size on all axes.You will selectively have to turn
axes on and off to adjust the z and y sizes of the brush in order to
properly match our object.Make sure that in the right view,the brush's z
axis comes into contact with the flag's left most edge.
When you are satisfied that the bounding box approximates our illustration
above ,press the spacebar to accept your settings.
The brush requester lists the types of brushes available to you ,as well as
the method for wrapping.The defaults of color map and flat x and z are
acceptable.Select OK.
At the attributes requester,select OK to return to the editor screen.Save
your object as "Flag2.obj".
Let's quickly render this object to see how we did on our wrap.From the
Project menu.select Stage Editor.At the Stage Editor,Load Flag2.obj.
From the Display menu,select Camera View.The

                                   -51-

flag is too large in the screen.Zoom out the orthogonal views.
In top view.pick the camera and type m.Drag the camera back as far as you
can without shifting the view.Accept the change by pressing the spacebar.
Enter the Action script.Select Add and move the cursor to the section
labeled "(new)".Place tthe cursor at the intersection of frame 1 and
Actor.Click twice with the left mouse button.Select Light Source as the
object type.Select Ok to accept the defaults.Select Info.Move the cursor to
Lightsource.1's Posn. bar.Click once with the left mouse button.Enter -1000
for Y and 500 for z in the position info requester.Select Ok to exit.Select
Done.If you are satisfied with your camera view of the flag,Save Changes.
Exit the Stage Editor by selecting Project Editor.At the project editor,we
need to define a new sub-project.Select New.Enter an appropriate disk path
and anme in the file requester.At the modify sub-project parameters
requester,select OK to accept the defaults.Move to the Stills section of
the project editor,select Frame 1 and click on Generate.A countdown at the
top of the screen will inform you of the progress of your rendering.
When the rendering is completed,select Show to display your picture.T
oreturn to the project editor,select Cancel from the pull down menu.

                                   -52-

TUTORIAL 12 -TEXTURE MAPPING

Texture mapping in Imagine is very similiar functionally to brush wrapping.
The primary difference is that textures are algorithms which modify your
object's surface.Rather than supply an IFF picture,you enter the necessary
size and color information to determine the appearance of the texture.
Each object may have up to four textures applied at any time.In this
tutorial,we'll map a plane with the Linear texture.
Add a primitive plane at the default size.Pick the plane.Select Attributes.
In the attributes requester ,set the plane's color to 190 on red,and 0 on
blue and green.Set dithering to 255.Select Texture 1.A file requester will
apear.Enter the destination path as the Textures directory supplied with
your Imagine program disk.Load the Linear texture.
The textures requester contains all the entries relevant to this texture's
definition.For Transition on Z,enter 100.This means that the color change
will take the entire height of our 100 unit plane.For color,enter 190 on
blue.Select Edit Axes.

                                   -53-

The texture is represented as a bounding box .Type m and position its axis
at the lower left corner of the plane.Type s and scale the axis to cover
the entire plane.Press the spacebar to accept your changes.
Select OK to return to the attributes requester.Select OK to return to the
editor screen.Save this object as "Linear.obj".
When you render the plane,it will have asmooth color transition from red to
blue.

                                   -54-

FORMS EDITOR:
------------

One of the limitations of the object creation methods described to this
point is that complex,organic shapes are very difficult to achieve.Points
,edges and triangular faces are fine when it comes to defining a shape that
you intend to extrude or revolve about an axis.But how do you create the
unique curved surfaces that define a human being or an asteroid?
To date,the answer for mosthas been: don't even try.Ambitious 3D artists
achieved limited success by combining various primitives to simulate these
organic shapes,but this method takes a great deal of time and often
resulkts in many unnecessary points and faces.
The Forms Editor is Imagine's answer to this problem.This unique module
allows the user to design new primitives based on contour modeling which
then serve as idela organic building blocks.
Not every application will require the Forms Editor,but this module wil
enable you to quickly and easily define shapes that closely resemble the
real world along with figures that defy description.
You've already had a taste of how the Forms Editor works in the Quick Start
tutorial,but that form was rather mundane.This brief tutorial creates an
object that is out of this world.
If you haven't already done so,select Forms Editor from the Project menu to
enter the Forms module.Pull down New from the Object menu.Select OK to
accept the defaults for the form.Go to the Symmetry menu and select 90
Degrees.From the Select menu,choose Lasso.In this mode,you can select
multiple points by drawing a freehand lasso around them.
You may wish to enlarge the front view for greater accurancy.

                                   -55-

Hold down the shift key to enter multiple mode and draw a lasso in the top
left quadrant of the front view,beginning with the point second from the
top.Enclose every second point until you reach the point in the precise
middle of the form.Bring the lasso back up to create a closed loop.Still
holding the shift key,move the cursor up and to the left of the selected
points.Click and hold the left mouse button anbd release the shift key.The
selected points will spring toward the cursor.Release the mouse button when
you have an approximation of the view illustrated.Return to the Quad
view.Our form is looking pretty strange,but we're not done yet.In the right
view,select ev-

                                   -56-

ery other point in the lower left quadrant.Move the selected points inward
as illustrated-Go the top view and select every other point in the
form.Move the selected points as illustrated.Now look at your form.We don't
know what it is,either,but we hope this gives yoiu a sense of how simple it
is to cretae anything you can imagine with the Forms Editor.

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                                   -58-

CYCLE EDITOR:
------------

The single most difficult type of animation on the Amiga or any Computer is
also the one most would-be animators wish to achive--character
animation.Because of the global nature of animation controls in most 3D
programs,the process of creating a simple walk is slow and arduous.
In real filmmaking,a director may carefully work with an actor on his
blocking (his critical positioning in a scene so that actions are visible
to the camera),but the director would seldom,if ever,have to teach an actor
how to walk.The film director can usually concentrate on other actors,art
direction and camera and light placement and rest assured that the actor
will remember how to take a step.
Essentially,this is the situation the Cycle editor is intented to emulate.
Once you have created basic cycles of running,walking,sitting or
jumping,you can "teach" these to other actors and concentrate on the
larger picture when actually creating an animation in the Stage Editor.
It's important to note that cycles aren't limited to character
animation,either.The Cycle Editor can be equally useful in creating a
flying logo.But where this Imagine module really shines is in the
effortless creation of heirarchical animation.
To illustrate the concept of hierarchies in animation,consider the series
of steps required to accomplish a simple task such as reaching out and
picking up a pencil.The motion might begin with a swing at the shoulder
which would cause the entire arm to rotate.Then,the forearm would bend
outward at the elbow.The wrist might turn and the hand open.The fingers
would reach outward and then grasp the pencil.The entire motion might work
backwards to get the arm back at its starting position.
This motion would be a nightmare if the animator had to move each body part
individually.This is why the

                                   -59-

concept of the hierarchy is critical.
If our arm were defined in a proper hierarchy,the shoulder would be the
parent object.It child would be the upper arm.The upper arm's child would
be the forearm.The hand would be the forearm's child.Each finger would
consist of at least two children.The knickles would all be siblings sharing
the hand as parent.
When the shoulder moves in any way,every other object in the arm moves with
it.Because it is the lowest member of the hierarchy,a finger might move
entirely independently of any other objects in the arm,while moving the
hand affects its five children,the fingers.
Only hierarchical control makes complex motion possible.But to
date,defining a hierarchy was nearly as difficult as animating by hand.The
Cycle Editor creates hierarchies interactively,making this as simple as
connecting dots in a child's coloring book.
By thinking of your object in terms of a skeleton made up of individual
segments (bones or body parts),you can quickly map out that object's
hierarchy of movement.

TUTORIAL 1 -WALK CYCLE

This tutorial utilizes every function in the Cycle Editor.Once you have
completed this exercise,you should be (a held)able to perform every step in
creating cycles of your own.If you have not already done so,begin the
program now.
Cycle objects are really groups of objects joined in an interactively
created hierarchy.Before we can create a cycle object,we must have created
the objects which will be grouped together.Each object in the hierarchy may
be different,but for simplicity,our cycle object will be composed entirely
out of one simple tube primitive.
Enter the Detail Editor.

                                   -60-

From the Functions menu,select Add Primitive.When the Primitives Types
window appears,click once on Tube.The Tube Parameters requester appears.Set
the Radius to 25 the height to 200.Click on Ok.
Pick your tube and save it as "Segment.obj".Go to the Project menu and
select Cycle Editor.The axis centered in all three orthogonal views is the
cycle object's axis of rotation.The status line in the title bar will
provide several important pieces of information: the current cell
number,the cell's status and the current editing mode.If the cell number is
followed by asterisk,that cell has been designated as a key cell.By
default,the first and last cells of any cycle are key cells.
When you first enter the Cycle Editor,your edit mode is Add.This mode used
when defining the individual segments which make up a cycle object.
Move the cursor over to the axis in Front view.With the left mouse
button,click and drag downward from

                                   -61-

the axis.A yellow four-sided polygon will stretch as the cursor moves
further from the axis.This polygon represents a segment of the cycle
object.Release the mouse button.The segment will turn white.
Notice that at the bottom of the segment is a point.Click on this point abd
drag a new segment out to the right.Release the mouse button.
The segment you have just defined is a child of the first segment.If you
wish to,you may add a child to the second segment by clicking on its
control point.Segments can be attched in any orientation,but they must
always spring from either the axis of roation or a previously created
segment.
Go to the Object Menu and select New.This action clears out the views and
allows you to create a new cycle object.
In the Front view,add segments in the configuration shown at right.
To position your segments properly,you may wish to go to a full screen

                                   -62-

front view,but make sure to return to the Quad view when you are done.
Go to the Mode menu and select Assign.Your status line will change to
indicate the new mode you've entered.
Now move your cursor to the control point of any segment and click once
with the left mouse button.
A file requester will appear.Select "Segment.obj",the tube you created in
the Detail Editor.After a moment,look at the Perspective view.A tube will
now be visible in the area defined by the segment you selected.Continue to
Assign the same object to each segment in the hierarchy.Your finished
object should look like this(sorry).

                                   -63-

Now we're ready for some action!
The Cycle Editor is a key frame animator,which means that it expects you
to enter the extremes or kex frames of a motion and the program fills in
the blanks or "inbetweens".
These are the key frame positions which define a basic walk cycle.
In order to position our cycle object in each of these positions,you must
use the Move,Pivot and Twist modes.Go to the Modes menu and select
Pivot.Note that in the Right view,our cycle is only a line.Manipulating any
of the segments takes a bit of trial and error.It is a good idea to click
on the segment you wish to manipulate in the front or top view and move it
slightly.This should make its control point visible and accessible to you
in the right view.
The three keyframes positions depicted above represent frames 0,5 and 9 of
a walk cycle.Manipulate the segments in your object to match those of the
first key position.
(Note: All objects in Imagine follow paths along their Y axes.As you design
your hierarchy in the front view,remember that you are actually looking at
the figure's back.Therfore,for

                                   -64-

your figure to travel "forward",your cycle must be drawn left to right and
bottom to top in the right and top views,respectively.Also,try to keep the
stride to a maximum of 40 units for this exercise.We will be placing this
cycle object on a path in the Stage Editor and you must know how far the
object can travel in a given number of frames for the motion to appear
realistic.)
When you are happy with the position of your object.select Goto from the
Cell menu.Enter 9 in the cell number requester.Your status line now reads
cell 9.Adjust your object so that it matches the third keyframe position.
After you are satisfied with the positing of your objects,Goto frame 5.
Pose your object in the second key position above.Because we had previously
created only the first and last cells in our cycle,keyframes were
automatically designated.Frame 5 is not automatically recognized as a
keyframe position unless you designated it as such.Select Make Key from the
Cell menu.Now select Last to jump to frame 9.
Select First to jump to frame 0.

                                   -65-

To view a preview of your cycle,select Make from the Animate menu.
A cancel requester willappear amd the cycle will begin to generate in the
perspective window.
When the rendering is complete ,view the animation by selecting Play Loop
from the Animate menu.Control the speed of playback with the animation
requester.Stop the playback by selecting Quit.To view a full screen
preview,select Play Big from the Aniamte menu and then Play Loop.To adjust
playback speed while viewing a big animation,drag down the animation window
to reveal the cycle editor and animation requester.
What we have defined up to now is only half of a walk cycle.The next two
key positions (frames 13 and 17) use the opposite leg and arm positions to
complete the walk.When you are satisfied with your walk cycle,SAve this
object as "Walker.obj".

                                   -66-

TUTORIAL 2-OTHER CYCLE OPTIONS

The Cycle Editor is ideally suited for making complex character
animations,but virtually any kind of object motion can be defined.For
simplicity's sake this tutorial will employ primitive spheres,but the
objects could just as easily be letters in a logo.Select New to Clear the
cycle editor.Enter Add mode.In the front view,draw out segments in the
configuration depicted at right(sorry).Enter Assign mode.Assign the object
you created earlier named Ball.obj to the three upright segments.The two
horizontal segments serve as spacers.In the perspective view,you'll see
that the three spheres are too close to one another.Select Move.

                                   -67-

Stretch both spacer segments until the perspective view shows the spheres
spaced properly.
Play with different configurations of your cycle object and create various
key frames.You'll see that the cycle editor opens up a whole new way to
look at animation.

                                   -68-

STAGE EDITOR:
------------

If you've already completed the quick start and brush wrapping
tutorials,you have some understanding of how the Stage Editor functions.
But there are many features to this module which may not be apparent at
first.This chapter will attempt to cover some of the outstanding new
features offered to the user.

TUTORIAL 1-PATH CREATION & EDITING

Oneof the easiest and most powerful tools in Imagine is the Stage Editor's
path creation.Paths of any complexity can be created in a few simple steps.
If you haven't already done so,enter the Stage Editor.
From the Object menu ,select Add Open Path.A file requester appears.Enter
an appropriate disk path and name this path "OpenPath".After a moment,the
path appears on the editor as astraight line with an axis.Pick the path.
Pull down the Mode menu and select Edit Path.Edit Path mode activates the
Path menu and allows you to interactively manipulate the points in the path
as you would any other object.The path is redrawn in white and each end is
an axis.The axes represent control points for transformations.In the top
view,click on the top point.Type m and move the control point over to the
right.

                                   -69-

The entire path will redraw itself into a smooth curve.Press the spacebar
to accept cour change.Click on the bottom point in the top view.Go to the
path menu and select Split Segment.A new control point is added at the
exact center of the path.Pick this point and go to the front or right
views.Type M and drag the path upwards on the z axis.
Type r for rotate and rotate the control point along the y axis.An object
aligned to this path would automatically turn in the direction indicated by
the axis.Pick the middle control point and select Delete Point from the
Path menu.The path will be recalculated between the two remaining points.
Return to Pick Groups mode.You will be asked if you wish to save the
path.Enter No.Delete the path.

TUTORIAL 2-ASSIGNING A CYCLE OBJECT TO A PATH

Add an OpenPath.Select an appropriate disk path and name the file
"Path.obj".The default size for a path is 100 units.You'll recall that our
Walker.obj took two steps for a total of 80 units.We need to scale the path
so that it is easily divisible by 80.Pick the path.Enter Edit Path mode.In
the top view,pick the top point and select Transformations.Select Position
and enter 80 for Y.Select Perform.Pick the next point and select
Transformations again.

                                   -70-

Select Position and enter -80 fir Y.Exit by selecting Perform.Your path is
now 160 units long,so the cycle object will be able to traverse the
distance in two cycles of 17 frames apiece.Enter Pick Groups mode.Re-save
the path as "Path.obj".Load the cycle object we created earlier as
"Walker.obj".Pull down the Object menu and select Action to enter the
Action Script.Set the Highest frame number to 34.Select Info.Click on the
Walker.obj's Actor bar.In the object file info requester,enter 34 as the
end frame and 2 for the number of cycles to perform.The actor bar now
extends for 34 frames.Select Delete.Click on the Walker.obj's Posn and
Align bars.Select Add.Go to the intersection of Walker.obj's Frame 1 and
Posn.Click once.Move right to Frame 34 on the same line and click again.
Select Follow Path in the Specify Type requester.Enter Path as the path
name in the Follow Path Info requester.Exit by selecting OK.Go to the
intersection of Walker.obj's Frame 1 and Align.Click once.Move right to
Frame 34 on the same line and click again.Select Align to Path in the
Specify Type requester.Selct Keep Y horizontal in ALign to Path info
requester.Select Ok to exit.Select Info.Move to the Path's area and its
actor line.Click once.Enter 34 as the End Frame.Select OK to exit.Select
Delete and move to the Camera's align bar.

                                   -71-

Click once.Select Add.Insert a new align bar for the camera in frames 1-34.
Select Track to Object in the Specify Type requester.Enter Path as the
Track to Object Object Name.Select Done.If you don't have a clear view of
your action in the perspective viewmfirst make sure that Camera View is
selected in the Display menu.Next move to the top view,Zoom Out and
reposition the camera so that it can view the entire path.
Select Goto and press Return for the camera view to recalculate.Select Make
from the Aniamte menu.Accept the defaults for range and step.After the
preview is done generating,select Play Loop.
If you wish to render you animation,select Save Changes from the Project
menu and then exit the Stage Editor.

                                   -72-

TUTORIAL 3-ZOOMS,HINGES AND LIGHTING EFFECTS

Among the amazing features of the Stage Editor is the ability to change
focal length of your camera during a shot.As any experienced filmaker or
videographer knows,yooms can be quite useful and give a very different
sensation than trucking in and out.
Hinge objects serves as anchors to other objects and modify their
trajectories.For example,if an object sits at -100 on y and is hinged to an
object at 0,it will travel in a parabolic arc is asked to move forward to
+100 umits on y.This feature is terrific for tracking camera shots and
moving lights.
Imagine now features three varieties of lights and these may be
morphed,tracked and hinged just like any other object.This makes possible
dramatice lighting effects that greatly enhance the "production" value of
your animation.
The last tutorial in this manual is rather complex because it features all
three of these effects.In addition,we threw in the Walker.obj and path.obj
for good measure.
To recreate the animation,simply enter the Action script editor and
duplicate the illustrated script.(sorry)

                                   -73-

The following are the entries for each bar in the action script.

Camera Posn Frame 1:0,-750,200;Frame 2-34:750,-750,200
       Align Frame 1-34:Track to Object "Plane"
       Size Frame 1:4,32,32;Frame 2-34:16,32,32
       Hinge Frame1-34:"Walker.obj"

Globals Actor Frame 1-34:Ambient,100,100,100;
                         Horizon,50,0,50;
             +Zenith,125,0,0;-Zenith,0,0,125;
             Sky Blending 255.

Plane Actor Frame 1-34
      Posn Frame 1-34:0,0,0
      Size Frame 1-34:206.5976,132.2225,206.5976

Walker Actor Frame 1-34:No. of Cycles,2
       Posn Frame 1-34:Folow Path "Path"
       Align Frame 1-34:Align to path,Keep Y horizontal
       Size Frame 1-34:8,8,8

Path Actor Frame 1-34
     Posn Frame 1-34:0,0,0
     Align Frame 1-34:42.6,0,0

Light Actor Frame 1-34:Cyclindrical,Cast Shadows
      Posn Frame 1:0,-750,200;Frame 2-34:750,-750,200
      Align Frame 1-34:Track to Object "Walker.obj"
      Size Frame 1-34:75,32,32
      Hinge Frame 1-34:Walker.obj

                                   -74-

When you're done entering these values,you'll have a 34-frame animation of
our walker climbing our rough-hewn terrain,tracked by search light as the
camera zooms back and flies around the precipice.
To render the animation,Save Changes and exite to Project editor.We
strongly advise you to produce some small test frames before committing to
generating the entire anim.Feel free to experiment with our settings and
throw in more objects,lights and frames.

This is where we get off.Hope you enjoy the rest of the ride!

                                   -75-