Avalon - 3D Objects & Resources/Avalon.iso/misc/sixanimr.vws

Text File | 1995-01-01 | 56KB | 1,032 lines

The following text was originally posted to comp.graphics.animation by
Chris Williams <[e-mail]> on Thu, 13 Jan 1994 in
eight parts as "Reviews of six High-End UNIX animation packages".
Thanks Chris.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Tim Forcade passed this along to me to re-post on
comp.graphics.animation. This originally appeared in _Computer
Graphics World_. I'll be happy relay commentary. (This wasn't intended
to cover every single feature of every package. It's an overview of
six programs from a user's perspective.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

EVALUATING 3D ON THE HIGH END

A  hands on comparison of state-of-the art software for 3D graphics and
animation

>From the 2 part series published in Computer Graphics World (Oct-Nov 1993)
by Tim Forcade

Part One: Introduction
________________________________________________________________________

AUTHOR'S  NOTE
What follows is the introduction to an article I wrote for CGW on 6 SGI
based animation programs.  It is reproduced here as it appeard with the
following exceptions:   the article has been divided into 8 individual
files by introduction, program, and conclusion; all graphics and their
associated captions have been deleted; and the product comparison chart has
been deleted.

EDITOR'S  NOTE
In this two-part series, CGW contributing editor Tim Forcade takes an in
depth look at six leading workstation-based 3D modeling and animation
packages. Preparing the series was an enormous undertaking, as it took Tim
several months just to acquire all the software programs, get them up and
running on his system, and undergo some preliminary training with each
program. He then spent several weeks with each package, learning the ins
and outs of the different offerings.

In part one of this series, Tim offers some preliminary insights into how
these high-end packages compare and provides an in-depth look at three of
the offerings: PowerAnimator from Alias, Creative Environment from
Softlmage, and Explore from Thomson Digital Image. In part two of the
series, which will run next month, Tim will take an in-depth look at the
software offerings from ElectroGlG, Vertigo, and Wavefront as well as offer
his final conclusions.

Tim Forcade is a CGW contributing editor and president of Forcade &
Associates (Lawrence, KS), a multidisciplinary design and communications
firm.

________________________________________________________________________
As a graphiker who has worked with 3D since its beginnings in CAD through
its emergence on PC, Macintosh, and Silicon Graphics platforms, I have
attended numerous computer graphics conferences in order to study 3D
visualization and animation at the high end.

Watching live demonstrations and studying stacks of photographs and demo
reels, my sense of the sophistication of these programs increased. However,
the details of how the actual production processes for each program
compared to one another remained a mystery to me, accessible only through
the patient artists and animators willing to answer my unending streams of
questions.

The emergence of the Silicon Graphics Indigo, Indigo 2, and Indy
workstations as well as the dropping prices of high-end software and
support further motivated me to better understand these processes. It had
become obvious that the extraordinary tools available from companies such
as Alias, ElectroGIG, SoftImage, Thomson Digital Image, Vertigo, and
Wavefront as well as the power and sophistication of the Silicon Graphics
platform had become accessible to artists, animators, and designers in
large and small companies alike. As a result, I resolved to get hands-on
experience with each program and write an article that would begin to
demystify the process of 3D graphics and animation at the high end.

As I set out on this project, I was looking to develop an understanding of
the "feel" as well as the specific workings of each program. I also wanted
to develop a useful means of comparing each program. I wanted an experience
that would lead me to a clearer understanding of the state of applied 3D
computer graphics.

I conducted my research by devoting a period of months to training, working
with the programs, executing tutorials, and studying documentation. I
installed each program on an SGI Iris Indigo XS24 with Z-buffer, 54MB of
RAM, 1.4GB of hard-disk storage, and a Dial Box. This amount of disk space
allowed all six programs to be installed simultaneously, which simplified
access and facilitated program comparison. The hands-on experience was
enhanced with numerous conversations with technical support people, users ,
and, finally, visits to each manufacturer's booth at SIGGRAPH 1993.

I assumed that this approach would allow me to come to a clear conclusion
about which program was the best of the bunch. However, this has not
happened. All of these programs offer advanced mechanisms for the
production of professional-level 3D graphics and animation, and all offer
an unprecedented quality of feedback and interaction with the 3D process.
Any of these programs in the hands of a creative and facile graphiker
constitutes a unique medium a medium with character, complexity,
sophistication, and potential comparable to any existing media, traditional
or non-traditional.

Furthermore, I came to realize that the experienced graphiker could
undermine the usefulness of any qualitative ranking or "shoot out" between
these products. While it's true that all the programs have their
weaknesses, it's also true that each of the programs is so deep that for
every perceived weakness there is often a viable workaround that is open to
a capable user.

As you study the features on the accompanying product comparison chart, you
will note an interesting mix of functions as well as an outstanding number
of similarities between programs. There is no question that comparing
features can be useful for judging overall capabilities. However, rating
one program over another based strictly on features is as foolish as
stating a preference for one photograph over another based purely on the
shutter speed used. Moreover, because the vendors of these programs are
lock ed in a perpetual features war and must adhere to a breakneck
development cycle, any advantage in features that one vendor gains over
another is often a temporary advantage at best. The fierce competition in
this market forces a great deal of similarity between packages.

Does all this imply that there are no significant differences between
programs and that it makes no difference which program you purchase?
Definitely not. Though there is no clear "best" program, each program does
have some clear strengths and weaknesses. Where some programs offer more
complete modeling functions, others offer richer command sets for animation
or materials description and rendering.

Interestingly, however, these programs differ as much in the implementation
of their functions as they do in the functions themselves. Therefore, close
consideration of each program's user interface becomes vital to new and
seasoned users alike. How a program's tools are visually coded and made
accessible to the user not only impacts the initial learning curve but
continues to define, and potentially limit, both productivity and
creativity.

Given that the process of working with any medium is about experimentation,
the graphiker must, by definition, constantly push the limits of every tool
and function available. This process can be dramatically enhanced by a
responsive, flexible, and predictable work environment. And even though
features are regularly added to most programs, a given interface typically
undergoes relatively subtle change, if any change at all.

The other thing users should realize is that most of these programs may be
purchased in separate modules by function. This can result in significant
savings if, for instance, your needs do not include animation, allowing you
to get by with just the modeling module of a given program.

This modular approach also suggests that it might be possible to mix and
match modules from different programs say, a modeling module from one
manufacturer and an animation module from another. On balance, however,
this is not a good idea. Aside from the obvious expense involved with
maintaining multiple programs, translating data to and from different
programs can be complicated and time-consuming and may result in the loss
of those characteristics that you wished to access in the first place.

In contrast, when all your modules come from a single vendor, you gain
outstanding advantages in flexibility, speed, and ease of use ...
particularly for the less technical user.

As a final bit of advice, let me just remind you that, as you assemble your
system, be sure to take a hard, close look at the hardware requirements for
each program and factor into that the type of work you intend to do with it
now and in the near future. Consider the essentials, typically 24MB of RAM
for faster renders, 1GB of hard-drive space to accommodate numerous project
files and program swap space, and 24-bit color video for accurate preview
of lighting and materials. Also consider adding a CD-ROM an d DAT drives
for program upgrades, backup, and increased access to textures and clip
objects. By all means, avoid hobbling software this powerful with
inadequate memory and hard-drive space and insufficient display color depth
and speed.




Part 2: ALIAS POWER ANIMATOR 4.1

Alias Research Inc.
110 Richmond St. E.
Toronto, Canada M5C 1P1

Recognized for its powerful and flexible modeler, and deservedly so, Alias
PowerAnimator 4.1 demonstrates significant strengths in animation and
rendering as well. Its interface, based on numerous special-purpose pop-up
windows, is extremely flexible and allows the user to adapt the 3D
environment to best suit an individual working style.

Program documentation is exhaustive, with numerous comprehensive tutorials,
program manuals (cross-referenced and indexed), technical manuals, and a
178-minute training video. The structure of the tutorial manuals is
particularly well done, with foundations and command descriptions preceding
step-by-step procedures.

INTERFACE/STRUCTURE
Following login, the user is presented with the IRIS Workspace window
containing multiple Alias icons for the installed options. PowerAnimator is
loaded by mouse-clicking the Alias3 icon which displays its top-level menu
from which each module or function is accessed. PowerAnimator's principal
modules for modeling (Model), materials management and rendering (Render),
and animation (Anim) may be instantly accessed by mouse-clicking the
corresponding menu entry for each. Additional modules include Paint, Scan ,
a video import/export module, and a number of utilities.

The Alias interface defaults to four windows but will allow any number of
orthogonal, perspective, or Scene Block Diagram (scene hierarchy) views.
Each window has a series of view control icons arranged on its title bar.
These control the camera essentials such as zoom, pan, rotate and magnify,
which is particularly useful for quickly examining complex models or
hierarchies.

There are numerous special-purpose windows (and windows that spawn windows)
for many commonly used functions. These range from a Text Parameters
window, which is used to create text objects, to Render Parameters and
Deformation Control windows. Interestingly, any combination of windows that
has been opened in one module is preserved in the next. This allows the
user to carry essential tools to and from different program modules.
Furthermore, any window may be resized, stowed, or repositioned anywhere on
the screen.

All in all, the Alias interface is well organized and, for the most part,
has a smooth, intuitive feel. However, the addition of keyboard
equivalents, particularly for view commands and window selection, would be
desirable.

PROGRAM MODULES
Alias Model is a NURBS and polygonal modeler with a particularly responsive
feel. This is linked to a command set that makes even more complex modeling
procedures seem familiar and unusually direct. For instance, object cross
sections, which are drawn without regard to the number of control vertices
in them, may be quickly skinned, and complex curves may be drawn on
surfaces, easily creating trim lines.

Model offers a number of NURBS and polygonal primitives along with a list
of Build Surface commands such as extrude, revolve, skin, swept, birail,
and square.  Unusual commands include the Square Surf command, which
creates a 3D surface between four construction curves while maintaining not
only alignment but continuity between surfaces. This is excellent for
quickly creating complex transition surfaces that align and form
predictably.

The Model editing tools are also varied and unique. In addition to the
ability to edit individual control points, hulls, sets, and clusters, there
is also the ability to create freeform fillets, to project trim curves, and
to geometry map (project geometry). Functions like these simplify the
process of creating intricate surfaces that are accurate and render as
expected.

The Render module combines materials specification and rendering into a
single module. The Shader Lister window displays an array of square and
spherical samples of all shaders for the current scene. As in Model, the
process is unusually direct, with mouse clicks spawning special-purpose
windows that reveal all surface attributes for each shader. As additional
buttons for color and texture are pressed, additional windows pop up,
allowing the user to create essentially any type of 2D or 3D image map,
from si mple texture maps to intricate surfaces combining refraction,
reflection, displacement and incandescence

The program comes with a library of pre-defined surfaces, textures,
environments, and backgrounds, which includes special lighting effects such
as glow and lens flare. As surface attributes such as texture are changed,
shader spheres are quickly updated.

Once again, the addition of keyboard equivalents for window control would
go a long way to reducing screen clutter and speeding program interaction.
Hardware preview renders may be performed at various quality levels, and
final renders may be raytraced for precision or raycast for speed.

The Alias Anim module supports animation by keyframe, shape interpolation,
deformation, and skeletal inverse kinematics. Alias' animation process can
be as simple as aligning an object to an arbitrary 3D curve or as intricate
as manipulating dozens of channels  corresponding to numerous object
translations or shader parameters. Anim does an excellent job of managing
these complexities  through its Action and Animation Preview windows.

The Action window combines a listing of each animation channel with a graph
displaying a corresponding NURBS curve for each. From here, the user may
selectively adjust the speed and quality of motion for each individual
channel. The ability to randomize selected motions is particularly useful
for imparting a more natural sense to transformations and shader
parameters. Alternatively, the Time Editor allows manipulation of object or
hierarchically level issues such as sequence start, end , and duration.

Animations may be previewed in all windows or in the special Preview
window. The Preview window, in addition to providing control over playback,
provides viewing optimization and Play Blast, which allows wireframe or
quick rendered playback at 30 or 24 frames per second.

CONCLUSION
Alias' reputation for sophistication in modeling is well deserved. Alias
Model is outstanding. It is exceptionally smooth and responsive  and
features NURBS and polygonal geometry combined with editing tools that are
extremely well implemented and easy to use. Even particularly complex
modeling operations involving intricate surfaces are carried out quickly
and with excellent feedback.

PowerAnimator's Render and Anim modules offer comparable flexibility and
ease of use through their multiple pop-up windows. For instance, Render's
Shader Lister window is an exceptional solution to working with the
intricacies of image mapping and surface parameters.

Although program interaction could be improved with the addition of
keyboard equivalents, the interface remains remarkably direct and
intuitive. Moreover, its extensive documentation, tutorials, and training
video combine to speed learning and provide an excellent learning resource.




part 3: THE SOFTIMAGE CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT 2.65

SoftImage
3510, boul. St-Laurent, Suite 500
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2X 2V2

The most outstanding characteristic of the Softlmage Creative Environment
is the depth of animation functions provided by the combination of its
Motion, Actor, and Character modules coupled with Softlmage's elegant user
interface. This combination supports not only sophisticated and precise
keyframe animation but also advanced functions such as wind, flock
animation, and collision simulations, all with complete access and
consistent control through its user interface.

The Softlmage documentation includes program foundations, command
descriptions, procedures, and illustrated tutorials, which are
comprehensive. Though not essential, additional tutorials as well as more
illustrations to accompany selected program procedures would be welcome.

INTERFACE/STRUCTURE
Softlmage consists of six modules for modeling (Model), animation (Motion),
dynamics (Actor), character animation (Character),materials editing and
rendering (Matter), and display and utilities (Tools). All these modules
share  a consistent user interface. Switching instantly between modules is
as simple as mouse-clicking on the desired module in the title bar or using
a keyboard equivalent.

Essential program functions such as object transformations, loading
primitives, camera and lighting controls, and basic animation functions are
available from all modules. This saves time, minimizes distractions, and
generally enhances the work process. The mouse is the primary method of
program control. The current state of each mouse button, along with program
prompts, is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Keyboard alternatives
for view commands and geometric transformations enhance program interactio
n in all modules.

All program functions (menu cells) are stacked vertically on either side of
the viewing area. Selected menu buttons reveal additional options or dialog
boxes, many of which stay on screen, speeding multiple revisions of
material qualities or lighting. Program modules display up to four views of
the current scene. Any view may be quickly changed to an orthogonal,
perspective, or schematic, which displays the current scene's hierarchical
structure. Furthermore, any view may also display a DopeSheet that lists
blank frames and keyframes and allows the user a useful alternative means
of visualizing and editing motion sequences.

PROGRAM MODULES
The Model module provides the ability to create detailed models using a
variety of splines, patches, metaballs, and polygonal entities. Splines may
be revolved, extruded, or skinned and the results merged and zipped
together to form complex objects. Model's editing tools are numerous and
include spline extraction and deformation. Proportional or weighted point
and cluster editing offer a degree of control over Bspline geometry that
makes the lack of NURBS less sorely missed. A particularly useful editing
fo rm is the lattice. This is a user-defined 3D volume of points that may
be used to reshape patch or polygonal geometry.

Matter combines materials specification, mapping, and rendering into a
single module. It supports local and global 2D and 3D image mapping, alpha
channel masking, and mixing of relative levels of texture, bump,
reflection, and transparency mapping. Animations and single frames may be
hardware-rendered or rendered to disk using wireframe, hidden-line depth
cue, or raytracing. Although it lacks some of the intricacies of other
materials editors such as a shader language, Matter's tools are well
adapted to the process and capable of producing complex and striking
imagery.

The animation process in Softlmage is distributed over three
modules Motion, Character, and Actor that work together to provide forward
and inverse kinematics, skeletal animation, and dynamics functions of
outstanding variety and sophistication. Essentially any geometric form,
surface attribute, or camera or lighting variable may be easily and
precisely animated.

Motion, Softlmage's keyframe animation module, supports editing by function
curve or interval for each animation variable. Function curves are used to
represent all animated attributes, and Motion's function curve editing
tools provide excellent control over keyframes, motion paths, and motion
segments. Motion's expanded list of constraint functions coupled with the
ability to activate and deactivate them for specific sequences is extremely
useful for creating motion that is both exact and realistic looking . It
also accepts input from multiple external devices. Up to 256 channels may
be input for real-time capture of motion or audio data. This results in raw
function curves that may be mapped to animation parameters and further
adjusted to achieve the desired motion.

Motion also provides Wave and Flock animation through its Effects menu.
Wave is used to create animated circular, planar, and spherical wave
functions for attachment to scene objects, causing them to ripple or sway.
Flock animation consists of a variable particle system where source and
destination 3D meshes are used to define the motion properties and massing
of multiple copies of a user-specified object.

Character is a new module designed to speed the process of creating
character animation. Its symmetry and propagation controls allow the user
to manage multiple cyclic sequences that may be reflected bidirectionally
across an object. The Actor module further frees the animator from the
tedium often associated with producing complex sequences. Parameters such
as gravity, collision, or wind as well as physical properties such as
density and elasticity may be specified before running a simulation, which
automatically generates the motion paths for the scene objects.

The Tools module combines utility programs for file and project management
with a still-frame and flipbook viewer, an autotracer, a basic compositor,
and scanner access. Additional utilities include import and export of
numerous bitmap and geometry file formats, output to film recorders, and
record/frame grab using an Abekas video recorder.

CONCLUSION
Softlmage 2.65 is very much an animator's program, providing one of the
most advanced and complete command sets for animation available. This
includes not only numerous ways to apply motion but, more importantly,
numerous ways to precisely refine it.

In addition, its interface exhibits a remarkable mix of organization and
responsiveness. Even esoteric functions are accessible. This goes a long
way in assisting the graphiker in the understanding and use of such diverse
animation tools.

Its modeler furnishes a selection of spline and polygonal geometry along
with unique editing tools that are well adapted to most modeling tasks.
Rendering and materials management, though lacking refinements such as a
custom shader language, are nonetheless capable and easy to use.





part 4: TDI EXPLORE 3.0.1

Thomson Digital Image (TDI)
29 Rue Ganneron, Paris, France 75018

Although recently acquired by Wavefront Technologies, Thomson Digital Image
continues to enhance Explore and offers it as a stand-alone product in
Explore 3.0.2, which will be shipping by the time this article is
published.

Explore's most outstanding attributes lie in its modeler, 3Design, which
offers sophisticated NURBS and polygonal modeling, and in IPR (Interactive
Photorealistic Rendering), a unique application that allows interactive
adjustments to object materials and lighting to be instantly viewed using
selected scene views. Furthermore, it features its own custom
surface-description language, which expands IPR's capabilities even
further, thus providing exhaustive control over all surface material
attributes.

Overall, TDI Explore is very well documented with extensive tutorials,
illustrations, and step-by-step procedures as well as explanations for most
of it's functions. In addition, TDI's Tips and Tricks newsletter provides
regular explanations of such esoteric procedures as how to produce water
caustics effects or how to environment-map bump-mapped objects.

INTERFACE/STRUCTURE
You can load TDl's Explore program, which displays 10 icons arranged along
the top of the screen, by typing "explore" and a current working project
name from within a shell window. Each icon corresponds to a special-purpose
module for modeling (3Design), texture mapping (Mapper), animation (Anim),
materials editing (IPR Interactive Photorealistic Renderer), displaying
animation sequences and still images (Display), and rendering (Render).
Additional icons provide access to project management tools and such
optional modules as Paint, Dynamics, and Particle.

Explore's structure, which consists of stand-alone modules, though well
adapted to a systematic approach, strictly compartmentalizes the animation
process. For instance, though the user may view a hardware render of the
current scene in any window from any interactive module (such as 3Design,
Mapper, or Anim), there is no provision for either preview rendering or
final rendering of the scene from within these modules. To produce a
render, the user must save the script from the current interactive module,
in voke the Render module to produce an image, and then invoke the Display
module to view the result. In spite of this, Explore is responsive, modules
load quickly, multiple modules may be loaded and executed simultaneously,
and model and animation files work seamlessly with all modules.

Explore supports multiple orthogonal or perspective viewports, with SGl's
three-button mouse as the principal method of program control. Menus pop up
with a right or left mouse click over any view to provide all program
functions. The addition of program prompts, especially for complex
operations, would be welcome.

The interface very effectively exploits user input from both the Dial Box
from Silicon Graphics as well as from a list of keyboard shortcuts to its
command set. The Dial Box option consists of a small box that provides an
array of eight "volume" controls or dials to which object variables such as
translation may be mapped. The process of using Explore is distinguished by
the interaction between user, mouse, keyboard, and the Dial Box. This
interaction is desirable because of the increased precision and flexibility
as well as the enhanced user feedback it provides.

PROGRAM MODULES
The TDI modeler, 3Design, offers a range of 2D and 3D primitives as well as
sophisticated NURBS and polygonal modeling. 3Design's tools constitute a
modeler of excellent functionality. Curves may be offset, arrayed, joined,
cut, or projected onto an existing object or surface or extracted from an
existing object. Furthermore, they may be extruded, lofted, revolved, or
swept along multiple paths, forming 3D surfaces. Editing tools are equally
complete and provide a useful mix of tools to shape, cut, subdivid e, join,
attach, and group both NURBS and polygonal geometry.

Models previously saved individually or as groups are then loaded into the
Anim module where all interactive motion scripting, lighting, and the
camera are created and modified. Anim allows animation along a curve, shape
interpolation, shape deformation, and skeletal animation. Animation is
accomplished using curves that are subdivided into one or more components,
one for each trajectory. Function keys, which pop up the camera view,
graphs window, and hierarchy window, speed motion-path editing and enhance
feedback. This combination provides precise control over simple motion such
as that of an object's scale or rotation as well as over complex motion
such as the motion of dozens of animated surface color and texture
attributes.

Motion scripts created in Anim may be loaded into the Mapper application.
Here the user combines various paint, rendered frames, and scanned images
to create image maps for texture, bump, or transparency mapping. These are
applied to each object using projection methods such as planar, spherical,
or cylindrical projection. Mapper allows the interactive preview of
projection type and map position, which is displayed on each object's
geometry. Additional control is provided for a number of output channels,
tiling, and masking.

Specially rendered animation frames loaded into the IPR module may be
viewed and interactively edited to modify all scene materials, textures,
and lighting. Simply mouse-clicking over the desired material brings up a
detailed list of all material attributes for that object. When any
attribute is changed, the object is instantly updated to reflect the
change. This includes reflection, refraction, and shadow qualities. IPR
also provides multiple libraries of pre-defined materials (many with
animated attribute s) and a playback device for preview of animated
textures. Finished IPR frames may then be raytraced to produce finished
animations or still frames.

IPR is clearly Explore's most outstanding and unique module. It
dramatically speeds and enhances materials and lighting design by
minimizing the necessity of rendering and re-rendering 3D previews to
determine specific scene qualities.

CONCLUSION
TDI Explore 3.0.1 is clearly aimed at the power user, one who is well
acquainted with both the Unix operating system and TDl's strict process
flow. Explore's excellent modeler, outstanding Interactive Photorealistic
Render module, and render and motion scripting combine to provide a program
of extraordinary depth.

Expanded system prompts, particularly for complex operations would be a
welcome enhancement, as would access to preview and final rendering from
within the Model, Anim, and Mapper modules. However, Explore's use of the
SGI Dial Box and its extensive use of function keys and keyboard
equivalents do provide more than adequate feedback in addition to precise
control of its interactive processes.





part 5: GIG3DGO

ElectroGIG USA Inc.
30 East Huron Plaza, Suite 3807
Chicago IL 60511

GIG 3DGO from ElectroGlG is available in several software bundles. Its
numerous modules cover a range of functionality, from modeling with solids,
to compositing procedural image maps, to animating based on multiple field
types such as chaos, vortex, and turbulence. The fact that all of these
modules integrate fully into the general interface, providing both
incremental and consistent access to options, is one of this program's
strongest points. But perhaps 3dGO's most outstanding attribute is it's
modeling capability. These modules include a mix of model types, solids,
NURBS, and iso-surfaces not found in other packages.

GlG's program documentation is well structured, organized, and more than
adequate, too. There are numerous tutorials and step-by-step procedures.
Each of the manuals is indexed and contains concise command descriptions
with illustrated examples. The program also features on-line,
context-specific help. Though not essential, a video tutorial would be
welcome.

INTERFACE/STRUCTURE
Logging in automatically loads the GIG 3DGO workspace. The basic program
includes tools for solids modeling, materials creation and editing,
raytracing, and keyframe animation. Additional modules are available for
NURBS modeling, (Nurbsmodeler), iso-surface modeling (Sculptor),
vector-field animation (Flowmotion), image-map creation (Mapfactory), and
textural raytracing (Raysketcher); there are also various conversion
utilities.

3DGO has an interface that's as unique as its diverse mix of functions.
Upon login, the user sees a sparse screen layout consisting of three camera
views and a menu area in the lower-left screen quadrant. The menu displays
30 multicolored rectangles arranged in four columns. The far-right column,
which has 17 rectangular buttons, is the main menu for all GIG modules;
these rectangles group the tools by function. The interface has a
distinctly modal structure. Combine this with its unique color coding, and
you get an uncluttered workspace with effective visual cues for the current
process, be it modeling, working with a camera, or lighting adjustments.

You can enter all object, camera, and lighting transformations via the
three-button mouse or keyboard. In addition,  you can quickly position
and toggle any camera view (at the current settings) between orthogonal and
perspective views. This is extremely helpful, particularly when
interactively positioning geometryrelative to camera views.

If you need assistance, context-sesitive help is provided via the Help
button. Clicking a menu box brings up a brief description of the command,
its purnose, and often some tips for usage.

Program Modules
The basic 3DGO program features a solids modeler with text and five
primitives: ball, cone, cylinder, cube and torus. With freeforms, you can
interactively create extruded, rotated solids or freeform patch objects.
Freeforms also are a fast, flexible, and intuitive method for creating and
editing essentially any solid form. Feedback is excellent; the results of
profile edits are updated instantly in multiple views.

GlG's Boolean operations are also unusually well implemented and easy to
use. Here, you only need to specify and position the geometry, select the
desired Boolean operation (such as union or difference), and render to view
the result. Interestingly, this process may be repeated any number of times
before the solid is fixed, making it easy to get precise results.

The GIG Sculptor module is an isosurface modeler that bears a slight
resemblance to metaball modelers, which use variable influence elements to
efficiently model natural and organic forms like the human body. Sculptor
dramatically expands on the metaball approach, though, by providing
multiple iso-surface primitives. Choices include ball, cone, and cylinder;
you can also choose "blended" Boolean operations for union, subtract, and
intersect, all of which seamlessly integrate themselves into the 3DGO
environment.

Sculptor allows more than just blending of geometry. It also allows
animation and blending of each primitive's surface attributes, without the
need to convert into polygonal geometry. The ability to mix familiar
iso-surface primitives, combined with the number of unique editing
variables available (such as attack, decay, and weight), make Sculptor
unequaled in its modeling capability. Even more importantly, by combining a
dramatically different approach to the 3D process while maintaining
usefulness, this m odule represents a significant step forward in 3D
modeling in general.

To edit materials, you use the Attributes menu. Here, you can choose from
buttons that control diffusion, specularity, reflection, and transparency.
Text entry boxes are provided for typing in surface parameters, such as
color, intensity, or specular index. Alternatively, you can use multiple
sliders for color control.

There is no interactive preview of changes to these surface attributes.
However, the program does provide a number of render quality choices
through a graduated Resolution Chart (accessible through the render menu).
Then there is Raysketch, an optional module that produces textural or
painterly raytraced images. It uses a series of 12 texture brushes or
patterns, which replace the single pixels used in raytraced renders. In
addition to providing unique textures, Ray-sketch renders more quickly than
raytraci ng, making it useful for screen previews. Raysketch may be used
selectively or in combination with raytracing.

The Mapfactory module expands 3DGO's basic materials editing functions with
a library of procedural image maps. You can combine these maps with
user-scanned or rendered images and then composite them to form numerous
custom images for texture, transparency, or reflection mapping. The results
of adding, subtracting, multiplying, or sending maps to individual color
components may be saved as new maps or applied to the currently selected
geometry.

Keyframe animation in 3DGO includes object transformations, light sources,
cameras, and some object attributes, such as color. The animation module
provides function curve and sequence editing for both transformation and
deformation channels as well as control of acceleration and deceleration.

Conclusion
The fact that you can purchase GIG 3DGO incrementally from numerous
special-purpose modules makes it a compelling choice for graphikers on a
tight budget. Animation capabilities cover the essentials, and they are
flexible and useful for numerous applications in video and multimedia.
Additionally, 3DGO provides a program structure and interface that is easy
to learn and apply.

Still, 3DGO's most outstanding feature remains its modeling tools. These
offer uncommon utility by incorporating excellent editing processes along
with the ability to create unique geometric forms all in a single
affordable program.

Welcome additions for power users would include a means for creating,
editing, and viewing complex scene hierarchies. It would also be nice to
get keyboard equivalents for frequently used commands.




part6: VERTIGO V9.5

Vertigo Technology Inc.
1030 West Georgia St., Suite 1010
Vancover, BC Canada V6E 2Y3

By the time this article is published, Vertigo will be shipping version 9.5
of its 3D animation program. With this upgrade, you can choose from 15
modules, which provide such functions as b-spline surface modeling as well
as morphing and depth compositing.

Vertigo's most outstanding attribute, though, is its tie to Pixar's
RenderMan. In fact, Vertigo provides the most complete support of the
RenderMan specification available in a commercial modeling and animation
product. This includes access not only to shaders but also to accurate
lights and cameras. Furthermore, it allows the majority of RenderMan
variables to be animated.

As for documentation, Vertigo rewrote all of it for the 9.5 release. In
addition to this, a series of five- to 45-minute tutorial videos covering
modeling, animation, rendering, postproduction, and selected special
effects will be available as of press time.

Interface/Structure
The Vertigo installation program optionally sets up a user account, which
at login brings up the Vertigo Manager menu. The menu provides access to
Vertigo modules and user programs. All modeling, animation, materials
specification, and rendering areaccomplished from within the Vertigo
Animator program. Additional utilities for rendering, compositing, and
displaying animtions are provided as optional special-purpose modules for
blob objects (MetaBalls), morphing (T-Morph), and deformation.

Vertigo's interface consists of four viewports (one main view and three
subviews), a textport, a tools area, and a potentiometers area. Viewports
provide orthogonal and multiple camera views; while editing, all work is in
the main view. (A graphical hierarchical display of parent/sibling
relationships would be a welcome addition here.) You can switch the camera
views instantly between a number of formats from Panavision to NTSC
video for both the aspest ratio and the viewport.

With the potentiometers, you can control all object transformations as well
as view translation, orbit, roll, truck, and zoom. This proportional
control closely resembles multiple 2- and 4-axis joy sticks and provides
close interaction with scene elements.

Any number of cameras may be saved and used with the Camera Cuts tool,
which provides a shot list for each camera. You can also use this tool to
indicate easily which cameras will record specific ranges of the current
animation. This is invaluable for speeding the production of transitions
for compositing sequences.

Vertigo's command set is accessible through a combination of pull-down
menus as well as through the textport in-command line format. The textport
also acts as a program console, displaying system prompts and providing
useful program feedback. A mouse click in the textport enlarges it to
display an expanded list of the previous 18 system messages.

If you want to customize the interface, you can do so with ease using the
Options menu. This menu provides access to most system variables, such as
setup for the potentiometers' scales and rates. The interface combines both
interactive and Iris Workspace, which lets you drag and drop animation
scripts and launch Vertigo Animator; this also simplifies ASCII text
editing of motion scripts or deformation effects.

Program Modules
Vertigo supports polygonal, b-spline, and blob/metaball objects. A library
of 35 Bitstream fonts is available, including special characters; you can
also define the font's scale, bevel, attributes, and kerning.

B-spline objects are created as extrusion objects using a lofting process
that combines both extrusion and lathing of 2D cross-sections along an open
or closed path. You also can use the lofting process to create and combine
multiple path deformations, including bevel, scale, and twist.
Additionally, you can specify any number of steps either along the lofting
path or around the sections at any level. This provides a simple method for
interactively determining detail requirements for a given form.

The modeler also provides numerous unique deformations that apply
Effectors such as circular waves or noise functions to selected geometry.
Because each Effector consists of a small ASCII text file, advanced users
can easily edit them to create custom effects. Each Effector can be
interactively positioned relative to its linked geometry to produce
deformations. You can use the results alone or in combination; you also can
animate them to produce rippling or moving surfaces. Vertigo freeform
deformations pro vide an additional means of manipulating geometry. Place a
lattice around a selected geometry, and you can distort or bend it.

Materials, lights, backgrounds, and environments are created and edited
using the Attributes module. In this module, you can access a number of
pre-made surfaces, or you can create your own. Light types include an
unlimited number of pointlights and spotlights (with falloff), illumination
lists, and negative illumination for removing light in selected areas. The
interface provides an array of 16 spheres, to which individual materials,
lighting, and atmospherics are applied. As each edit is made to any mater
ial property (using the potentiometers and sliders), you can quickly render
and view the results. Interestingly, only the lower half of the sample
sphere is updated until you accept the changes. This provides an extremely
useful reference point while making subtle adjustments.

Although Vertigo's native renderer effectively covers essential scanline
rendering with textures, reflections, and transparency, it is its
comprehensive support of RenderMan that makes it so unique. Vertigo
provides access to any RenderMan shader by scanning the shader's header,
which in turn lists all declared parameters. Each parameter is accessible
through the Vertigo interface; edits to any material parameter are updated
to the screen using RenderMan's renderer. Access to RenderMan globals and
esoterica also is provided through the interface. Most RenderMan parameters
are supported, including output to file or framebuffer, motion blur, depth
of field, and bucketsize. Furthermore, you can render to screen and display
RenderMan's textures and lighting seamlessly.

Vertigo's animation supports keyframe animation of objects, textures, bump
maps, lights, and cameras. Each animated scene member has a spline motion
curve, for which you can control continuity, tension, and bias. Motion
scripting, which is useful for creating inverse kinematics or for
simulating movement based on real-world parameters, is provided via
Vertigo's Functional Channels module. With this module, you can apply
mathematical or conditional formulae to any functional channel.

Conclusion
Vertigo provides comprehensive modeling, rendering, and animation
capabilities as well as numerous optional modules. The user interface is
functional and consistent, too. Overall, the program's open structure,
scripting, and accessibility to many functions in ASCII format make it
attractive to new and power users alike.

Vertigo stands out in its support of RenderMan, particularly when used
together with NetRenderMan. This combination offers the best of both
worlds: the power of a Silicon Graphics platform for modeling and
animation, combined with the ability to perform rendering on a
multi-platform "render farm," consisting of relatively inexpensive drone
computers, such as PCs.




part7: ADVANCED VISUALIZER V3.0.1

Wavefront Technologies Inc.
530 East Montecito St.
Santa Barbara, CA 931033

Advanced Visualizer 3.0.1 is Wavefront's most current offering. Its
outstanding attributes are an open file structure, powerful scripting, and
overall adaptability to the power user. Visualizer's most notable modules
are Dynamation and Composer. Dynamation lets you control and interact with
physically based simulations; you can control particle emission as well as
collision objects, which use gravity, friction, and turbulence. Composer is
a remarkable module: It integrates the layering of animated sequences and
still frames with special effects, transitions, and morphing.

On the support end, Wavefront documentation and tutorials range from
excellent for its Dynamation module to almost entirely lacking in
step-by-step procedures or tutorials for both its Model and Preview
modules. Furthermore, its "Advanced Visualizer Training Guide" and "Getting
Started" video are simplistic, and they fail to take the user through many
fundamental and essential procedures in lighting, camera control, texture
mapping, and modeling. As such, most users probably will need at least one
comprehensive Wavefront training course as well as ongoing support
(particularly for those new to 3D).

Interface/Structure
Typing "director" from a shell window loads the Director (interface), which
displays a menu bar and Launcher icons; these icons bring up each installed
module. Director manages all Wavefront modules and user projects. It also
controls various utilities and processes, from scheduling the rendering of
multiple animation sequences to creating 2D text primitives.

Wavefront modules include modeling (Model), materials editing and creation
(Property), animation (Preview), rendering (Image), image composition
(Composer), and display/playback of images/animations (Display). Additional
modules, such as Dynamation, as well as user-defined programs that do not
have launchers are accessible from the user-defined pull-down menu.

Overall, though, Advanced Visualizer lacks a uniform graphical user
interface; nor does it have a consistent visual language for identifying
its functions, processes, and screen interfaces. For example, some modules
use pull-down menus (Dynamation, Composer), some combine pull-down menus
with icons (Property), others use multiple columns of menu and submenu
buttons (Model, Preview), and still others consist solely of
special-purpose dialog boxes (Image, Display). However, considering the
program's open structure and powerful materials and motion scripting, along
with the fact that you can access the full command set from a Unix shell
window, the interface offers clear advantages to the seasoned power user.
That's because with this type of access, those who want to specify precise
spectral properties for real-world materials or write custom translation
utilities for custom geometric forms can do just that.

Program Modules
You can access the Model module's command set either through a mouse-driven
interface or a Unix shell window. You actually get to the command set
through a series of menu and submenu cells, which are arranged in columns
around a central viewport.

The viewport provides access to as many as four perspective and orthogonal
views. Local control for view transformations is provided at each window,
and a View menu supports global view functions, such as display of normals
and axes. A seperate text window is also provided for keyboard entry of
commands and object transformation values.

Most 2D and 3D modeling and editing is accomplished in Model, along with
materials assignment at the group, face, object, or vertex levels. Model
provides a mix of 2D and 3D primitives, including polygons, circles,
b-spline patches, cube, cylinder, cone, and spheres. Using the mouse or
tablet digitize functions, you can draw and edit 2D open and closed line
segments, which can be used to extrude or revolve 3D objects. Selecting
either digitizer function brings up a single viewport along with a column
of men u buttons specific to the process. Support for cardinal and Bezier
curves, circles and arcs, and point editing is provided. Additional Model
functions include Boolean equations as well as numerous deformations, such
as skew, twist, taper, and bend.

A distinguishing characteristic of Model (and Preview as well) is its "a la
carte" approach to many of its functions. For instance, primitive or
user-created geometry will render as faceted unless you apply the
Auto-smooth command. This function lets you specify an angular tolerance,
which limits smoothing and thus retains a selected level of detail between
adjacent polygons. It would be useful if there were an option for creating
automatic smoothing as well as other optional program defaults in further
releases.

Preview is the Wavefront animation module that, like Model, is accessible
through either mouse- or command-driven modes. This module provides
keyframe animation of objects, lights, and cameras. The interface resembles
the Model module, with a series of menus and submenus arranged in columns
around a central scene view.

Essential to Wavefront's animation process is the use of the Object list:
Objects, lights, and cameras, plus their associated channels and hierarchy,
are specified, color-coded, and added to both the current animation and its
associated edit list via this function. (An extremely useful addition would
be a graphical display of the animation hierarchy that could be edited.)
>From the edit list, translations such as position, rotation, and
deformation for each scene member may be edited.

Property Editor lets you create and edit materials, lights, and atmospheric
effects. Furthermore, you can combine such materials attributes as
transparency, reflection, refraction, ambient, and shininess through a
series of sliders. Twelve render windows display test renders of each edit,
and a Recall button recalls the parameters of any previously test-rendered
material, light, or atmosphere. By far, Wavefront's most outstanding module
is Dynamation. With this module, you can quickly set up and simulate
complex, physically based 3D animations using particles or geometry. This
module dramatically simplifies the creation and preview of timevarying
effects, such as explosions, fire, and smoke. The learning process is made
easier, too, by the inclusion of numerous example files and an extensive
tutorial.

Conclusion
The fact that Advanced Visualizer is a powerful, functional program is
certainly not at question. Further support comes from the Wavefront
"Ripples" catalog, which contains more than 200 pages of compatible
third-party hardware, programs, utilities, and custom scripts. However,
questions do arise when considering Advanced Visualizer's accessibility to
anyone but the power user. The limited tutorials for modeling  and
animation, along with the program's inconsistent user interfaces, do it an
enormous disservice. An improved balance between functionality and
accessibility, particularly for Model and Preview modules, would be a
significant improvement. In spite of this, the program's Model, Preview,
and Property modules as well as its powerful script ing combine to provide
a depth an functionality that in the hands of a sea soned power user can
produce som outstanding results. It will be interesting, given Wavefront's
recent acquisition of Thomson Digital Image, to observe the impact that
TDl's excellent 3Design (modeler), Anim (animation module), and IPR
(Interactive Photorealistic Renderer) will have on subsequent versions of
Advanced Visualizer.





part8: conclusion

First and foremost, get some hands-on experience with the program(s) that
seems most appropriate to your project requirements and budget. Although
access to these programs has been difficult, this is changing. The number
of national and regional computer graphics conferences where you can try
out these products is growing. Plus, the "Creative Imaging Center" in
Camden, Maine, offers classes in 3D illustration and animation, featuring
each of these programs (including the three covered in last month's
feature), on Silicon Graphics workstations. The center offers classes that
compare some of these programs, too.

Keep in mind as you look at each program that you are evaluating an
artist's medium a medium that's defined not only by its abilities, but by
its limitations. Study closely the demonstration images and animations from
as many of the various manufacturers as possible. Look beyond the surface
of the images and study the essential characteristics behind them the
lighting, movement, and texture that give a program's images their unique
"look." Is the light and shadow quality soft, rich, and natural, or is it
brassy and rough? Saying that one renderer is "better" than another is like
saying charcoal is "better" than oil paint: It is the graphiker alone who,
through close examination of any medium, can determine its expressive and
useful qualities.

Also keep in mind that the language of the 3D process, like the technology,
is changing. In almost the same way that a generic word like "plastic" has
been replaced by the brand name "Plexiglas," a term such as "Boolean
operation" no longer retains its strict technical definition; rather, it
encompasses more of a broad functional connotation. For instance,
traditionally speaking, you can only accomplish Boolean operations using
constructive solid geometry. However, many surface modelers offer a
functional e quivalent that goes by the same "Boolean" label.

You should also consider how easy or difficult the program is to use and
the profound impact that this can have on your organization. Look closely
at each program's interface, training materials, training costs, and
documentation. The most powerful software available will be useless if the
only animator who understands its intricacies becomes ill, goes on
vacation, or (God forbid) quits. Also ask about maintenance and upgrade
costs for your specific site. Do not assume that maintenance purchased for
one lic ense applies to the other dozen licenses in your studio.

Recognizing how program configurations differ is also important. Given the
bewildering number of modules, functions, and configurations available, be
sure to get a clear picture of exactly which functions go with which
modules; then make sure you know the precise pricing for each module.
Requesting several program configurations may help you understand a
proposed system's current functionality as well as its future
expandability.

Make no mistake: High-end 3D packages developed for the Silicon Graphics
platform give animators access to unique tools and techniques along with a
level of interaction that is in a class by itself. Taking advantage of this
potential clearly requires time and effort to understand and apply. But
your efforts will be well spent.