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- Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation,news.answers,comp.answers
- Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hookup!news.join.ad.jp!news.imnet.ad.jp!usenet.seri.re.kr!news.kreonet.re.kr!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!news.mathworks.com!gatech!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uwm.edu!newsspool.doit.wisc.edu!night.primate.wisc.edu!relay!relay2!relay-wo!dtix.dt.navy.mil!navair2.nalda.navy.mil!avalon.chinalake.navy.mil!archimedes!dejesus
- From: dejesus@archimedes.vislab.navy.mil (Francisco X DeJesus)
- Subject: comp.graphics.animation FAQ v3.3 (7 Mar)
- Message-ID: <animation-faq-3.3@avalon.chinalake.navy.mil>
- Followup-To: comp.graphics.animation
- X-Permission: Permission is granted to redistribute the whole or part of
- this document on three conditions: i) it's not done for profit;
- ii) the source of the material, and its authors, are acknowledged;
- iii) a pointer to where to find a current copy of the FAQ is provided.
- Summary: This posting is what currently passes for a
- comp.graphics.animation FAQ. It has information on computer animation
- for end-users, hobbyists, career animators, and programmers. Please
- read this FAQ before posting to comp.graphics.animation.
- Originator: dejesus@archimedes
- Keywords: Computer Animation, Resource, FAQ.
- Sender: usenet@avalon.chinalake.navy.mil (NAWS news admin)
- Supersedes: <animation-faq-3.2@avalon.chinalake.navy.mil> <animation-faq-3.1@avalon.chinalake.navy.mil> <animation-faq-2.11@avalon.chinalake.navy.mil>
- Organization: Science Applications International Corp.
- Date: Fri, 8 Mar 1996 17:23:28 GMT
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
- X-Copyright: (C) 1996 Francisco X. DeJesus and respective authors.
- Expires: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 12:00:00 GMT
- Lines: 1706
- Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.graphics.animation:31666 news.answers:66484 comp.answers:17450
-
- Archive-name: graphics/animation-faq
- Last-modified: 6 March 1996
- Version: 3.3
- Posting-frequency: Monthly
- Last-issue: comp.graphics.animation FAQ v3.2 (7 Feb)
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- "Well, what else you got?"
- "...OK, red throbbing balls! Moving in unison before
- your very eyes! Of course, with CHROME..."
-
- -- Flying Logos, Inc.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- INTRODUCTION
- ************
-
- Please read this FAQ before posting to `comp.graphics.animation'.
-
- Computer animation is a large and growing field, and people want different
- things from it; this FAQ tries to cover all bases, and as a result is rather
- thin on many of them! So feel free to contribute, or to offer suggestions --
- the FAQ will NEVER be complete or free of errors, but your help will make it
- better.
-
- -- Contents --
-
- * Introduction:: you're looking at it
- * Related Resources:: where your enquiries may be better directed
- * Miscellaneous Questions:: FAQ's that don't fit anywhere else...
- * Using Animation:: from the end-user's pov
- * Hobby Animation:: from the hobbyist's pov
- * Animation Media:: animation not on your VDU
- * Career Animation:: animation as a business
- * Animation Theory:: technical / programming information
- * Animation Software:: software you may want to use
- * About Box:: about the FAQ
-
- Changes
- =======
-
- Updated the entries for two software packages (Impulse Imagine and Renderize
- Live / Visual Reality). Also added some information concerning the status of
- Reboot's third season.
-
- Should I post to comp.graphics.animation?
- =========================================
-
- `comp.graphics.animation' is a forum for discussion of all things relating to
- computer animation. This includes, but is not limited to the following: (these
- are general guidelines ONLY!)
-
- * computer animation research
- * implementation of animation systems
- * animation software packages
- * animation-related hardware
- * computer animation in film and tv
- * working in the animation industry
- * net-accessible animation
-
- If you'd like to see the original charter for the group, as it first appeared
- in the usenet Call For Votes, you can find it at: URL:
- ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/control/comp/comp.graphics.animation.Z
-
- If your post is not of general interest (to `comp.graphics.animation'), but you
- think `c.g.anim' is the most specific, the most appropriate, or is likely to be
- the most fruitful forum -- don't hesitate to post. But `c.g.anim' is not for
- discussion of things for which there *are* more specific resources available
- (ie newsgroups, mailing lists, etc) and which are not of *general* *interest*
- to `c.g.anim' readers.
-
- If you're not sure, you may as well post -- the group's not moderated, and is
- frequented by mostly polite people -- you're not likely to get flamed, but
- please do spare a moment's thought before you post.
-
- The next chapter (see `Related Resources') lists some places you may find more
- suited to your particular query. Some questions about posting specific types of
- articles are also addressed in the `Miscellaneous Questions' chapter.
-
- Availability / Distribution
- ===========================
-
- The most current version of the FAQ in all its different formats is always
- available by FTP in
- URL: ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/FAQs/cga-faq/
- and the latest HTML version is at URL:
- http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/fx/cga-faq.html
-
- The plain-text version of the FAQ is posted the first week of every month on
- comp.graphics.animation, and the article (like all other `official' FAQs) is
- archived on `rtfm'
- URL: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/graphics/animation-faq
-
- All official FAQs, and then some, are available on the WWW (plaintext and/or
- HTML-ized) at:
- URL: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/FAQ-List.html
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- RELATED RESOURCES
- *****************
-
- ...or, does my post really belong in `comp.graphics.animation'?
-
- Computer animation, like its progenitor computer graphics, abuts on a large
- number of fields. There are a lot of crossover topics, and a lot of related
- resources other than this newsgroup. Please try and direct your questions to
- the most appropriate place!
-
- Graphics/Animation Newsgroups
- =============================
-
- comp.graphics.misc - general image generation, modelling
- comp.graphics.algorithms - algorithms for graphics
- comp.graphics.animation - you're looking at the FAQ right now!
- comp.graphics.raytracing - bouncing light around
- comp.graphics.visualization - scientific / data visualization
- comp.graphics.apps.wavefront - CG software from Wavefront
- comp.graphics.apps.alias - CG software from Alias Research
- comp.graphics.apps.lightwave - CG software from NewTek
- comp.graphics.apps.softimage - CG software from Softimage
- comp.graphics.apps.photoshop - Adobe Photoshop
- comp.graphics.packages.3dstudio - CG package from AutoDesk
- comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing - Raytracing software (POV, etc)
- comp.graphics.rendering.renderman - rendering via Renderman
- comp.graphics.rendering.misc - misc rendering discussions
- comp.sys.XXX.graphics \
- comp.sys.XXX \
- comp.sys.XXX.hardware.video } how do I do YYY on/under XXX
- comp.os.ms-windows.* /
- comp.windows.* /
- comp.multimedia - sound and text and vision
- alt.3d - SIRDS, holograms, etc. 3d perception.
- alt.movies.visual-effects - SFX for film and TV
- alt.graphics.pixutils - picture manipulation, conversion
- rec.arts.animation - discussion of traditional animation
- rec.arts.disney.animation - discussion of Disney's animation
- rec.arts.anime* - discussion of Japanese animation
- alt.animation.warner-bros - Chuck Jones and mates
- rec.video.{desktop,production} - video, desktop video
- sci.image.processing - sophisticated image manipulation
- sci.virtual-worlds* - anything about VR
- comp.compression - compression issues (JPEG, MPEG, etc)
- alt.ascii-art.animation - yes, vt100 animation
- alt.binaries.pictures.* - posts of pictures, anims, utils, etc
- fj.rec.animation - discussion of anime (in japanese)
- *.test (misc.test, etc.) - test postings (some people...)
- comp.*.advocacy - Mac vs PC vs SGI vs Amiga, etc...
-
- Web Resources
- =============
-
- These references are specific sources of information in various broad areas
- relevant to this FAQ. If you don't understand the syntax used here to specify
- where to reach these resources on the net, check out the 'About Box' section of
- the FAQ for information on Resource Specifications.
-
- 3DSite
-
- 3DSite (URL: http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/): a great CGI/animation WWW
- site. Industry resumes (submit yours!) and job offers, information on CGI
- production houses. Literature, references, discussion for animation (not
- just computer animation). Information on relevant hardware and software
- firms, software packages. Pointers to CGI organizations, labs, projects,
- and some VR pointers. IRC panels on animation and more. Maintained by
- Daniele Colajacomo (daniele@netcom.com). Thanks Daniele!
-
- GWEB
-
- GWEB (URL: http://www2.cinenet.net/GWEB/): An informal trade journal for
- the computer animation industry. Includes monthly interviews with industry
- luminaries, job postings, and information on production houses. Also
- information on relevant hardware and software. Maintained by Rob and
- Sharil (gweb@cinenet.net). Thanks!
-
- Avalon
-
- This FTP/Web site was created to be a 3D repository site for the 'net.
- It's primarily a stockpile of free 3D objects and models in various
- different formats, along with file format descriptions,
- conversion/display/plug-in utilities, and some textures and demo software.
- Although FTP access is still available, Viewpoint asks anyone with
- web-browsing capabilities to access the site thru their home page (URL:
- http://www.viewpoint.com/) for a *much* better interface to the archive.
-
- Comp.Graphics.Misc FAQ
-
- The `comp.graphics.misc' FAQ: graphics references, groups, standards,
- various algorithms, etc. HTML version available at URL:
- http://www.primenet.com/~grieggs/cg_faq.html Maintained by John T. Grieggs
- (grieggs@netcom.com). Thanks John!
-
- Other graphics-related FAQs can be found at:
-
- URL: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/graphics/top.html
-
- More Specific Resources
- =======================
-
- More specific resources are scattered throughout the FAQ in the sections
- dealing with the specific topic, so for instance for resources concerning
- animation file formats, see `Animation File Formats', and for resources
- concerning individual software packages, see `Animation Software'.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS
- ***********************
-
- Here are some of the FAQ's that are not answered elsewhere in this document. If
- there are any questions that you feel belong here, or wish to add to any of the
- answers, please don't hesitate to contact me.
-
- 001. Is it ok to post job offers to this newsgroup?
-
- Although not specifically mentioned in the charter, and there *is* a
- newsgroup for job offers (misc.jobs.offered), the general concensus is
- that yes, they are welcome.
-
- 002. Is it ok to post advertisements for software, services, etc to the
- newsgroup?
-
- Gray area. For the most part, this is bad netiquette. However, posting a
- short message with a pointer (email address, web page, etc) so those who
- actually want more information can go and find it without flooding the
- group, is ok.
-
- 003. I want to study [CG] animation for a career. Are there any good schools?
-
- Craig Slagel (Craig@craig5.demon.co.uk) has put together a "computer
- animation schools FAQ", which includes excerpts from many responses that
- have been posted to this question. It is posted to the newsgroup, and it's
- available via ftp at:
- URL: ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/FAQs/computer.animation.school.faq
-
- Also, GWEB (URL: http://www2.cinenet.net/GWEB/) has a nice page of
- schools, indexed by general locations.
-
- 004. What should I put on a demo reel?
-
- Quick answer: your best stuff. Keep it short (3-10 minutes max). Show the
- kind of thing you want to get a job doing (ie., be careful about including
- flying logos unless that's what you want to do).
-
- 005. How much should I charge for my work?
-
- Quick answer: how much are you worth, and how much are your clients
- willing to pay you? If you just want experience, you can charge little (or
- nothing), but your client(s) *will* get used to it, and it will be harder
- for you to convince them to pay you later if you want to do it as a
- business. Since the amount of work varies from one animation job to
- another, there's no clear-cut figure to give. Variables to consider are
- time needed to do the job, and what resources are required.
-
- 006. What is the best system for CG/animation?
-
- Flammable topic! Don't ask. If you must ask, be more specific... what type
- of CG/animation work do you want to do, what quality, will you be doing
- work with any other H/W and/or specific S/W package, and how much are you
- willing to spend in both time and money. Even so, every system has
- strengths, weaknesses, and advocates. Don't expect a concensus. Your best
- bet is to try out as many different ones as you can firsthand, and make
- your own decision.
-
- 007. What is the best software package for CG/animation?
-
- See above.
-
- 008. How do I contact ILM (Industrial Light & Magic)? Is there an email
- address?
-
- You don't, they call you :-) ...actually, they do have a P.O. Box number
- (probably more than one, really): P.O. Box 2009, San Rafael, CA 94912.
- They also have a net connection, but it's not "advertised", and those who
- know it are not going to give details. They wish to remain as anonymous as
- possible on the net... *please* respect their privacy.
-
- 009. What about ILM/Lucasfilm internships for students?
-
- (from the rec.arts.movies.production FAQ): Both Lucasfilm and ILM run an
- intership program three times a year for several months. Only the summer
- program is available to those who reside outside the United States. For
- more information contact Lucasfilm at (415) 662-1800.
-
- 010. Has anyone seen or know anything about the cartoon "Reboot"?
-
- Reboot is produced by Alliance Communications and BLT Productions in
- Vancouver. They use SGI hardware and Softimage software (along with their
- own propietary stuff for facial animation and lip sync). They don't use
- motion capture. They started production in 1994 (though the show's
- copyright lists a 1991 date), and the show just finished its second
- season. An "Unofficial" Reboot home page is at: URL:
- http://www.inwap.com/Reboot.html
-
- NOTE: Word is that a third season of Reboot will be produced and shown in
- Canada (starting in September), but ABC has decided to drop it from its
- Saturday morning lineup. No information has surfaced yet on who might pick
- up the series for US distribution in the fall...
-
- 011. I need an object/model/mesh of...
-
- See the `Related Resources' section of the FAQ as well as the specific
- sections for each software package below for info on FTP sites for freely
- available models.
-
- Additionally, there are several companies which sell ready-made or
- custom-made models in most formats. They usually advertise in some of the
- magazines listed in the "Journals" section (below). Here are a few of the
- well-known ones and where to find them on the web:
-
- Viewpoint Datalabs - URL: http://www.viewpoint.com/
- In addition to having their catalog online, Viewpoint also hosts the
- Avalon archive for the largest collection of free 3D models on the
- net (now with a cool HTML interface!)
-
- Acuris - URL: http://www.acuris.com/
-
- 3Name3D - URL: http://www.ywd.com/
-
- 3DSite (URL: http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/) also has a "model market"
- service available from their web page, and another similar service is
- Richard Tilmann's "MeshMart" (URL:
- http://cedar.cic.net/~rtilmann/mm/index.htm), and visit Harry H. Chang's
- home page at URL: http://www.loop.com/~hhc/ for some cool Star Wars
- objects (3DStudio format).
-
- 012. I need an image/texture/picture of...
-
- There are a few textures at avalon.viewpoint.com. There is also a huge
- collection of pictures (though most are not tileable) at URL:
- ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/multimedia/images
-
- There are numerous other ftp sites with clumps of pictures and textures
- out there... too many to list. Additionally, there are also several
- CD-ROM's out with tileable texturemaps and other images in most popular
- formats. If anyone has any good finds, please let me know and I'll list
- those here.
-
- 013. What is motion capture?
-
- Motion capture is a technique by which a performer's movements can be
- recorded digitally, and reproduced by a CG character either in real-time
- or after the data has been processed (depending on how the data is
- sampled). This allows for more realistic and natural motion in character
- animation. A variation of this technique uses an armature instead of a
- performer, and movements are made and keyframed the same way that
- stop-motion animators have been doing it for many years.
-
- 014. What resolution should I render my animations in?
-
- That depends greatly on what the final media will be. If it's going to
- remain on a computer screen (MPEG, Quicktime, etc), then factors to
- consider are disk space, playback speed, and memory requirements. If it
- will be transferred to video or film, best to ask whoever will be
- recording it for you, because it might depend on the recording device. See
- the section on `Animation Media' in this FAQ for a few more specifics.
-
- 015. So what do you know about Toy Story?
-
- The Pixar movie "Toy Story" is currently playing in theaters in the US.
- They have a deal with Disney to produce two more movies (and are
- reportedly already working on the next one). What the next one will be
- about is still a closely-guarded secret.
-
- There's a lot of inside jokes in the movie, mainly in the brands and
- company names seen, as well as references to several of the animators and
- Pixar's previous works in the titles of the books in Andy's room. For some
- more info on the movie, visit the web site HTTP: http://www.toystory.com.
- For information on the technical aspects of the film (resolution, number
- of objects, etc) see the August 1995 issue of Computer Graphics World.
- Another good article about the movie appears in the December 1995 issue of
- Cinefex.
-
- One last note: According to CNN, "Toy Story" came out as the #3 movie for
- US domestic box office performance in 1995 (behind "Batman Forever" and
- "Apollo 13", but ahead of Disney's "Pocahontas"). Congrats Pixar!
-
- 016. Where can I get the Pixar videos?
-
- Pixar reportedly sells them directly (in VHS format). Call 510-236-4000
- and follow the instructions, or you can try them at 1001 West Cutting
- Blvd., Richmond CA 94804. Fax: 510-236-0388. They are not currently
- available on Laserdisc except for a few bits here and there in general CG
- animation collections.
-
- Additionally, there are at least two (*unconfirmed*) sources for the video
- which includes "Red's Dream", "Luxo, Jr.", "Tin Toy", and "Knick-Knack":
-
- Expanded Entertainment
- 1-800-996-TOON extension 125 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm Pacific)
- $25 plus S&H
-
- Media Magic
- 1-800-882-8284 (credit card orders)
- (order #v145) for $25
-
- 017. Is there a program to convert {MPEG,FLI,MOV,QT,AVI,single images, etc} to
- {single images,AVI,QT,MOV,FLI,MPEG, etc}?
-
- Stephane Woillez (wos@prism.uvsq.fr) has put together a web page (URL:
- http://www.prism.uvsq.fr/public/wos/multimedia/) with several conversion
- utilities available for downloading. So far, this is the best single
- collection of such tools I know of.
-
- Mainactor (for Amiga) available on Aminet (in `gfx/edit', will read 14
- formats including GIF, IFF-ILBM, IFF-ANIM[5,7,8], MPEG, FL[CI], and write
- most of these (not GIF or MPEG) You can add sound effects and edit your
- animations too.
-
- 018. Is computer art "cheating"?
-
- The overwhelming opinion (of the informed public) is that no, it is not.
- Computer art is simply a new form, much like photography was when it was
- first introduced. Computers do little more than sit there and take up
- space unless a human uses them to create something. It is just a bad
- misconception when the media reports something was done "by" a computer,
- when it was a really a human being using a computer the way a painter uses
- a paintbrush. The computer is just a tool.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- USING ANIMATION
- ***************
-
- This chapter's for those who simply want to see the results of others' hard
- labour -- animation file formats and conversions, animation players and sites.
- Much of the information here is presented much better in the graphics file
- formats FAQ:
- URL: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/graphics/fileformats-faq
-
- Animation File Formats
- ======================
-
- See also: Murray, Vanryper, "Encylopedia of Graphics File Formats", O'Reilly &
- Assoc, 1994, ISBN 1565920589. It covers most 2-d and 3-d graphics file formats
- out there today. Murray also maintains an FAQ (see above) which covers much of
- the same material.
-
- [text by mark podlipec and others]
-
- For code that reads: DL, FLI, FLC, GIF, IFF, MovieSetter, PFX, Quicktime, and
- RLE animation formats, see the `xanim' entry in `Players', below. Other
- players' source may also be useful for these and other formats.
-
- AVI (PC): Resources: URL: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/ (RIFF AVI format. doesn't
- include compression format).
-
- DL: ??
-
- FLI, FLC (Autodesk) (PC): FLI support is for 320x200 images, and is a series of
- images and deltas. The colour map can be changed during the animation. FLC has
- a few additional chunks and supports larger image sizes. Resources: FLC article
- in DDJ'93 - `ftp://simtel20.../graphic/...' and URL:
- ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/format_specs/Autodesk_fli_and_flc_format.txt
- (specification of format).
-
- GIF (PC): A GIF file consists of a screen colour map and a series of images,
- each with an optional colour map. The images don't have to be at the origin and
- can be any size smaller than the screen size. This allows GIF animations to be
- created that only update the part of the screen that changes. GIFs (including
- transparent GIFs) are also discussed in the Comp.Graphics.Misc FAQ.
-
- GL (PC): (not to be confused with SGI's GL programming language)
-
- IFF ANIM (Amiga): The Amiga's IFF format was designed as a universal
- (extensible) data format. Many different data types and chunks can be found in
- IFF ANIMs. Many ANIMs include sound chunks or colour cycling. There are a
- plethora of compression techniques (with different tradeoffs) used. Most IFF
- ANIMs are meant to be double-buffered, with deltas applying to frames two
- distant. A looping ANIM means the last two deltas produce images that are the
- same as the first two. The Amiga has a large number of display modes (a couple
- of them, EHB and HAM are unusual; HAM is the hardest to emulate). Resources:
- (specification of format) URL:
- ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/format_specs/iffspecs.lzh
-
- MovieSetter (GoldDisk) (Amiga): A very flexible animation format. Animations
- are stored as a bunch of backgrounds, sounds and sets. Sets are smaller images
- that get placed on top of the background (with transparent pixels). A frame
- list at the end describes each frame. Each frame specifies which background to
- use (backgrounds can also scroll in different directions and speeds), and a
- list of sets to put on that background with depth information so characters can
- pass behind or in front of each other. Sound information is contained here as
- well to sync it up to the action. There is also colour cycling and specialty
- fades and wipes. Can come as one file or as three directories and a control
- file.
-
- MPEG (lossy): Resources: `faq://graphics/mpeg-faq', also in germany
- ftp://ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de/pub/msdos/dos/graphics/mpegfa??.zip' (covers
- specification, future, software (players, &c), hardware, incl. pointers to
- other information...); `post://alt.binaries.pictures.utilities/"WHERE TO GET
- MPEG UTILS"'; Luigi's MPEG FAQ (URL:
- http://www.crs4.it/~luigi/MPEG/mpegfaq.html); another WWW MPEG site (URL:
- http://w3.eeb.ele.tue.nl/mpeg/index.html); URL: ftp://ftp.crs4.it (MPEG, and
- other image compression techniques).
-
- PFX (PageFlipper Plus F/X) (Amiga): A series of deltas with a play list at the
- end. Supports colour map changes, nested loops and dynamic timing.
-
- RLE (URT) (Unix): One or more runlength encoded images, viewable with an X11
- viewing program. Tools for creating consistent colour maps and for many other
- operations are part of the toolkit.
-
- Players
- =======
-
- `display' v1.84 (PC) (Jih-Shin Ho). AVI, DL, FLC, GL, MPEG.
-
- `ftp://nctuccca.edu.tw/PC/graphics/disp*' (also on `simtel20')
-
- MPEG players for IBM, Mac, Unix, VMS, Next.
-
- See `post://alt.binaries.pictures.utilities/"WHERE TO GET MPEG UTILS"', or
- the MPEG FAQ at URL: http://www.cs.tu-berlin.de/~phade/mpegfaq/
-
- MPEG player for Atari, X11, IBM
-
- URL: http://w3.eeb.ele.tue.nl/mpeg/index.html
-
- `xanim' (X-Windows) (Mark Podlipec).
-
- DL, FLI, FLC, GIF, IFF, MovieSetter, PFX, Quicktime, RLE Official FTP
- site: `ftp://ftp.x.org/contrib/applications/xanim???.tar.Z'. WWW page URL:
- http://www.univ-rennes1.fr/ASTRO/fra/xanim.html
-
- DFV
-
- From the same person who gave you DTA (Dave's Targa Animator), comes
- Dave's Flic Viewer (?). Available in URL:
- ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/utilities
-
- For animation file format converters, see the 'Miscellaneous Questions'
- section.
-
- Animation Sites
- ===============
-
- URL: ftp://ftp.univ-rennes1.fr/Images/ASTRO/anim/ -- Space anims
-
- URL: ftp://ftp.cnam.fr/pub/Fractals/anim/ -- Fractal anims
-
- URL: http://w3.eeb.ele.tue.nl/mpeg/index.html -- Various MPEG anims
-
- URL: ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/gfx/anim/Kinetic.lha (**DOWN**) -- Various
- Amiga anims (also on other aminet sites)
-
- URL: ftp://ftp.povray.org -- POV-anims (and all other things POV...)
-
- URL: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/nest/imager/imager.html -- MPEG animations done using
- hierarchical b-splines. For more on the modeller see `Dragon'.
-
- URL: http://archpropplan.auckland.ac.nz/People/Mat/gallery/animations.html --
- Mat Carr's animations
-
- URL: ftp://ftp.ridgecrest.ca.us/pub/users/dejesus/rednightmare.mpg -- Red's
- Nightmare (a nice take on Red's Dream - 3.6MB)
-
- URL: http://animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/ -- UCLA Animation Workshop
-
- URL: http://www.aw.sgi.com:80/Product/library/Animation_Gallery.html --
- Animation Gallery at the Alias|Wavefront Site (lots of cool stuff)
-
- URL: http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/IRL/ANIM/Anim.html -- WSU Computer Animations
-
- "Grinning Evil Death" (featuring a cockroach and a breakfast cereal superhero)
- and other computer animation is available in video stores as "The Computer
- Animation Festival, Volume 1". See 3DSite (URL: http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/)
- for more sites.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- HOBBY ANIMATION
- ***************
-
- This chapter's for those who want to make their own animations for fun.
-
- Animation Process
- =================
-
- [by charles king and angus]
-
- Things don't necessarily have to happen in this order (or at all), and there's
- room for plenty of feedback between them, especially in computer animation, but
- here's the basic flow. Although it's an advantage (both for the animator and
- the software) to integrate as many stages as possible in the one package, and
- most `animation' packages do so, in practice all packages have their relative
- merits and work may be swapped from package to package to exploit their
- strengths, especially in `high end' studios. This sequence assumes that the
- animation has already been scripted.
-
- *Model Design*
- *input*
- script
-
- *tool*
- Modeller
-
- *task*
- making the models to be animated
-
- *output*
- models
-
- *Animation Design*
- *input*
- models, script
-
- *tool*
- Animation Package
-
- *task*
- planning and tuning sequences of motion, action, interaction,
- lighting (very important!), etc...
-
- *output*
- animation script
-
- *Production / Rendering*
- *input*
- models, animation script
-
- *tools*
- Renderer front-end, Renderer
-
- *task*
- generating images from which the animation is to be
- constructed
-
- *output*
- images
-
- *Post-Production*
- *input*
- images, script
-
- *tools*
- Editor, Compositor, Paint, Image Processing, other SFX
- Packages
-
- *task*
- modifying, compositing, sequencing the images
-
- *output*
- final sequence of images
-
- *Transfer*
- *input*
- sequence of images
-
- *tools*
- various media, media i/o hardware
-
- *task*
- transferring the frames to the desired medium
-
- *output*
- the product
-
- Venues
- ======
-
- Conferences and other Events
- ----------------------------
-
- SIGGRAPH
-
- ACM's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics. Annual conference
- includes courses, vendor shows and demos, displays of the year's best
- animations, paper presentations, etc. SIGGRAPH '95 will be held in Los
- Angeles, California, August 6-11. There are numerous local chapters, and
- meetings held in each region. For more information, ftp to
- ftp.siggraph.org or check out their home page at URL:
- http://www.siggraph.org/
-
- Prix Ars Electronica: International Competition for the Computer Arts.
-
- This is an annual event. Information follows:
- ~$80k US in prizes for the animation category alone!
- General Info '94: (Peter Schoeber)
- mail: ORF-Prix Ars Electronica, Europaplatz 3, A-4010 Linz, Austria.
- phone: +43 (732) 6900-267, fax: -270, telex: +21616
- email: `schoeber@jk.uni-linz.ac.at'
- (if you have trouble reaching that address, try rito@rito.com)
- Animation Info '96: (Christine Schpf) phone: +43 (732) 6900-218
- For more info, check out their web page:
- URL: http://www.rito.com/prix/index.htm
-
- [note: I need more info on these...]
- Imagina
- EG w'shop (eg)
- CGI (cgs)
- Computer Animation (cgs)
- Graphics Interface
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANIMATION MEDIA
- ***************
-
- This chapter's about the various media an animation might end up on, and how to
- get it there.
-
- Both GWEB (URL: http://www2.cinenet.net/GWEB/) and 3DSite (URL:
- http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/) have information on animation hardware and
- software.
-
- Media Properties
- ================
-
- Video
- -----
- (NTSC PAL SECAM HDTV fields composite component synch RGB analog digital...)
-
- Video Formats
- -------------
-
- -format- -by- -use- -A/D- -comp...- -other-
- VHS JVC home analog composite 1/2"
- Video8/8mm Sony home analog ... 8mm
- Betamax Sony home analog composite 1/2"
- SVHS JVC prosumer analog ... 1/2"
- Hi-8 Sony prosumer analog ... 8mm
- ED Beta Sony prosumer? analog component ...
- M (M1)? Matsu industrial? analog ... ...
- U-Matic 3/4" Sony? industrial analog composite 3/4"
- Betacam Sony industrial? analog component 1/2"
- Digital Betacam Sony broadcast digital component compressed
- M2 Matsu broadcast? analog component ...
- U-Matic SP Sony? broadcast? analog ... ...
- Betacam SP Sony broadcast analog component ...
- D-3 Matsu broadcast digital composite ...
- DCT Ampex broadcast digital component compressed
- D-2 Ampex master on-air digital composite uncompressed?
- D-1 Sony master RGB digital component uncompressed
-
- other formats?
- other properties (image encoding techniques, sound quality, effective
- number of `lines', ...)
- notes: D-1 endorsed by SMPTE committee
- Matsu == Matsushita == Panasonic
-
- Film
- ----
-
- (8mm super-8 16,32,72mm anamorphic stock ...)
- normal film grain ~2500 lpi resolution.
- slow film <-> higher resolution.
- 32mm: 0.875" x 1.3125" (2:3)
-
- Media I/O
- =========
-
- (VCRs genlocks frame-stores film-scanners)
-
- *Film Recorders:* most film recorders have at least 2000 lpi resolution, 4000
- is typical. For optimum quality, your image should be a little over twice the
- resolution of the recording medium.
-
- *Screen-To-Camera:* a cheap (but surprisingly effective) option for images that
- can be displayed at full resolution on your monitor is to photograph the screen
- directly using a single-framing camera. Film better than super-8 is likely to
- be overkill. Any lights on your monitor should be taped over, and the whole lot
- should be put under a black hood (made of cardboard or anything else handy). A
- slow film (100 ASA or slower, the slower the better), f8 exposure, and loong
- exposures should eliminate any scanline artifacts.
-
- Resolution / Aspect
- -------------------
-
- film recorders: 2000+ lpi (4000 typical).
- 35mm: ~2500 lpi at .875" x 1.3125" ~= 2200 x 3300 pixels. (2:3)
- lpi == lines per inch.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- CAREER ANIMATION
- ****************
-
- This chapter's for those who want to make a career of computer animation.
-
- (See `Hobby Animation' for Animation Process, Software, Venues)
-
- 3DSite (URL: http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/) holds resumes, and has information
- on job offers, CGI production houses, organizations, laboratories and projects.
-
- GWEB (URL: http://www2.cinenet.net/GWEB/) has industry interviews, information
- on production houses, and job listings.
-
- Your Union
- ==========
-
- The Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists and Affiliated Optical Electronic and
- Graphic Arts, Local 839 IATSE (California) has an ftp site with copies of their
- negotiated awards, news, courses, etc: URL:
- ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/mp/mpsc839/ (email `mpsc@netcom.com' for more info).
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANIMATION THEORY
- ****************
-
- This chapter covers the basics of what computer animation is about according to
- graphics academics (well, it's meant to).
-
- Types of Computer Animation
- ===========================
-
- 2-D
- ---
-
- Most computer animation takes place in the 3-D world, as our world is itself
- basically 3-D, and model interpolation becomes a problem in fewer dimensions,
- due to a lack of context. 2-D animation packages mostly replicate the processes
- of cel-based animation, where "key-frames" are used to plot the course of the
- animation, and the "inbetweens" (interpolating the keys) are filled in later
- (by an animator, not the computer). The main difference is that the images are
- created using pixel-based, rather than oil-based techniques. "Morphing" is
- probably the major 2-D animation technique in use today. Like most other
- computer work used for SFX in film (wire-removal, compositing, other
- retouching, etc), it is largely a matter of image manipulation (image
- processing) rather than image creation (computer graphics), although morphing
- *is* an animated technique, unlike many other SFX `graphics' techniques.
-
- A good starter on morphing by Valerie Hall (1992) is at URL:
- ftp://marsh.cs.curtin.edu.au/pub/graphics/bibliography/Morph/morph_intro.ps.Z
- It references more detailed works for those interested, and she's also written
- a morphing article in DDJ (1993).
-
- 3-D
- ---
-
- Almost all `computer animation' done today is done within the "event-based" or,
- interchangeably, "track-based" computer animation paradigm, which is based
- loosely on the key-framing system used in cel-based animation. Most computer
- animation systems today are built around time-varying parameters, known as
- "tracks", which determine the state of the animation world at any time. Tracks
- take the place of the variables which determine the state of a static scene:
- they're `animation variables'. A track's value at a given time depends on the
- "events" (<time, value> tuples) that define the track's state, and on the
- interpolation technique being used [see `Interpolation']. Events are
- conceptually similar to the key-frames of cel-based animation, but allow much
- more flexibility due to their finer grain (state-variable, rather than
- world-state). Although tracks may not be independant, they may usefully be
- treated as such, leading to the "hierarchical animation" technique espoused by
- Lasseter [see `References'], where the gross motion of a model is animated
- first, followed by animation of progressively finer detail. The number of
- tracks that need to be dealt with, and their often compicated
- interdependencies, make animating anything of reasonable complexity a big job
- both in terms of time and effort. Hence most of the subsequent research in
- computer animation.
-
- Particle System
- ---------------
-
- A particle system is usually different than a track/keyframe-based animation
- system, and more like a state machine. They are particularly good for
- simulating and animating natural phenomena, such as rain, fire, smoke, etc.
-
- Particle systems work by defining states and rules of behavior for each
- particle or group of particles. A particle can usually be anything, from a
- point to an object. Objects and particles can usually emit other particles, and
- thus you can go to a new level of complexity that isn't feasible with
- keyframing. Instead of exploding an object into five large pieces, a particle
- system makes it simple to blow it up into hundreds or thousands of smaller
- pieces, without having to define individual motion for each one. The pieces can
- emit other particles, so they can have smoke trails, etc.
-
- Particle systems are also a good way to animate groups of animals such as herds
- and flocks of birds, by treating each individual member as a particle and
- defining actions such as "follow the first particle" and having forces that
- make each particle repel each other at a close distance. Throw in a little
- randomness and other general rules and you start to get group motion that looks
- realistic. If you want the group to move thru a specific path, you could just
- keyframe the "leader" particle, as opposed to keyframing hundreds of individual
- elements.
-
- Inverse Kinematics
- ------------------
-
- "Kinematics" is the science of movement: position, velocity, acceleration, and
- their rotational equivalents. "Forward kinematics", used in the context of an
- articulated structure (something with joints), is determining the positions of
- the links given the joint angles between them -- ie starting at the `top' of
- the hierarchy, we work our way along it, applying the relevant transformations,
- until the end-positions are known -- it's easy for the programmer, and it's the
- way things are normally done. However, it's quite difficult for an animator who
- simply wants the hand of a model to be `here', or `there' -- what the animator
- has to do is adjust each of the joints in the structure in order to arrive at
- the desired position. "Inverse kinematics" reverses the situation, making
- things easy for the animator by allowing an end-effector to be dragged wherever
- desired, but hard for the programmer/computer because the problem is
- underconstrained (many configurations of the joints may produce the desired
- end-position, which one is used?) and ill-conditioned (small changes in the
- end-position can mean large changes in the joints).
-
- Rotoscoping
- -----------
-
- [NOTE: these are two replies to a question specifically asking about the
- rotoscoping techniques used for the Lightsabers in the "Star Wars" movies and
- don't go into detail about current digital methods, but the principles are
- basically the same.
-
- From Craig Good (good@pixar.com): Rotoscoping is animating directly to live
- action footage. One way to do it is to make blowup prints of each frame from a
- shot and lay the animation cell over the top. It's then a matter of "tracing"
- or matching your effect to the picture. It's essentially painting the light
- saber into Luke's hand in every frame.
-
- Sometimes the rotoscope animation effect isn't directly seen on the screen. In
- "Return of the Jedi" it was impossible to use blue screen in the dark, glossy
- Emperor's throne room, so mattes were hand drawn to hold out the windows where
- stars and ships would be composited in. Look at it some time and think about
- tracing all of those "dental tools" and googaws hanging from the ceiling which
- pass in front of the windows during long tracking shots. I heard that the
- animator who did that sequence nearly went insane.
-
- Another technique which gets called Rotoscope these days is matching a 3D
- computer graphics element to a live action plate, frame by frame by eye.
- Generically it refers to just about any kind of animation effect being matched
- to live action by direct reference to the image in the frame.
-
- It has also been used in animated films since very nearly the beginning. Ralph
- Bakshi relied on it heavily in "Lord of the Rings", and you can find examples
- of it in Warner Brothers classic cartoons and in many others. It always looks
- different than free-hand drawn animation, standing out as looking "too smooth"
- and a little too life-like. It's a cheap way to produce certain kinds of
- animation, but usually not a very good way.
-
- From Hal Hickel (hal@pixar.com): The type of Rotoscoping referred to here is
- done in the following way: A positive registered print is made from the
- original negative for the scene that fx animation will be added to. The
- registered print is loaded into the camera of an animtion stand (often an
- Oxberry or Mechanical Concepts, or a dedicated roto stand). The camera has been
- fitted with a light source and prism which make the camera function as a
- projector, projecting the image from the print down onto the table top of the
- stand. So basically you've got the equivalent of a really big darkroom
- enlarger. The camera can be advanced one frame at a time in either direction.
- The rotoscoper places a cel or piece of punched paper down on the pegs on the
- table top, and can see the image of the first frame projected onto the paper.
- He/she can then create artwork that matches exactly to that frame. Then he/she
- advances the camera one frame and puts down a new cel. When the artwork is
- complete, the print, prism, and lamp are removed from the camera, it is loaded
- up with raw stock and the artwork is shot just like any other drawn animation.
- What that artwork is depends on the effect that is desired and how it will be
- added to the live action plates. It can be simple black on white (ink on paper)
- drawings that will be reversed in optical and burned in with diffusion, or it
- could be back-lit artwork that is colored and diffused right on the animation
- stand. Of course much of what is described here is the old fashioned way.
-
- Interpolation
- =============
- To be done.
-
- * 1-d interpolation
- * 3-d rotation interpolation
- * euler angles and gimbal lock
- * quaternions
-
- References
- ==========
-
- For general computer graphics references, check out the comp.graphics FAQ. In
- particular, "Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice" and "Digital Image
- Warping" both have relevance.
-
- For information on animation (computer and general) books, try DeBry (URL:
- http://www.xmission.com/~grue/animate/index.html) and 3DSite (URL:
- http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/)
-
- A recently started collection of off-the-cuff reviews of animation books is at:
- URL: http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/~aland/reviews/reviews.index.html
-
- Information about a mailing list for animators (of all persuasions) and
- wannabees is at URL: http://www.xmission.com/~grue/animate/index.html
-
- A good place for information and papers on Collision Detection is at URL:
- http://www.cs.unc.edu/~manocha/collide.html
-
- Books (Industry)
- ----------------
-
- Morrison, Mike, "Becoming a Computer Animator", Prentice-Hall, 1994.
-
- covers computer animation history, technology (and how to keep up with
- it), techniques. with tutorials, interviews with industry luminaries,
- buyer's guide (s/w and h/w), how to find work, getting an education. a
- chapter ea. on: television, motion pictures, visualisation, forensic,
- games. incl. 600Mb CD-ROM of PC & Mac animation and software.
-
- "International Directory of Computer Animation Producers", Pixel, 1994.
-
- 800+ separate listings of producers in 44 countries. listings include
- company profiles. also lists animation schools. see Pixel, in
- `Organizations', below, for ordering info.
-
- "The Roncarelli Report on the Computer Animation Industry", Pixel, 1993.
-
- market status and strategic analysis for the global computer animation
- industry. an annual.
-
- Shaddock, Philip, "3d Modeling Lab", Waite Group, 1994.
-
- includes disk with v2.0 of Imagine (see `Impulse - Imagine').
-
- Books (Computer Animation)
- --------------------------
-
- Leister, W, M\"uller, H, and St\"o\3er, "Fotorealistische Computeranimation",
- Springer-Verlag, 1991. ISBN 3-540-53234-X.
-
- text in German. introductory text for both artists and computer
- scientists. covers: animation , modelling, rendering, video,
- post-production. includes 60-page glossary. [thanks Wolfgang Leister]
-
- Vince, John, "3D Computer Animation", Addison-Wesley, 1992.
-
- introductory animation theory for programming.
-
- Watt, Alan and Watt, Mark
-
- "Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques", Addison-Wesley, 1992. an
- excellent text, covering important implementation theory and details.
-
- Whitney, John, "Digital Harmony".
-
- ?. storyboarding.
-
- Books (Animation)
- -----------------
-
- Arijon, Daniel, "The Grammar of the Film Language".
-
- ?. storyboarding.
-
- Culhane, Shamus, "Animation: from script to screen", St. Martin's Press, 1988.
-
- ex-disney animator describes the whole animation process. including
- production details, setting up a studio, storyboards, character animation,
- and more. culhane manages to fit a lot into relatively small book.
-
- Halas, John, "Visual Scripting".
-
- ?. storyboarding.
-
- Hoffer, Thomas, "Animation: a reference guide", Greenwood Press, 1993.
-
- ?
-
- Muybridge, Eadweard, "The Human Figure in Motion", Dover Press.
-
- ISBN 0-486-20204-6
-
- Muybride, Eadweard, "Animals in Motion", Dover Press. ISBN 0-486-20203-8
-
- muybridge spent years taking sequences of strobe photos of animal and
- human movement. the photos are a great help for anyone trying to make
- something move properly. some more good books for the coffee table
-
- Russet, Robert, and Starr, Cecile, "Experimental Animation".
-
- ?. storyboarding.
-
- Thomas, Frank and Johnston, Ollie "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life",
- Abbeville Press, NY, 1981.
-
- a look at many of the techniques and approaches used by the Disney
- studios. occasionally referred to as `The Animation Bible' (due to its
- size and the value of its contents). the Disney `rules of animation' and
- many other useful rules-of-thumb are included. lots of pretty piccies make
- it good for your coffee table, too!
- NOTE: A reprint this book is currently available, ISBN 0-786860-70-7
-
- ?, "The Cinema as a Graphic Art".
-
- ?. storyboarding.
-
- Foley, Don and Melora "So you want to be an Animator" and "Animation and 3D
- Modeling on the Mac".
-
- Macintosh-oriented. Excerpts can be found at:
- URL: http://www.idsonline.com/business/3dfoley/home.html
-
- Journals
- --------
-
- "Cinefex", Cinefex.
-
- *The* special-effects industry magazine, with reviews of how the SFX in
- major films were done. Increasingly, this means computer animation.
-
- "Computer Artist". "Computer Graphics", ACM/SIGGRAPH.
-
- SIGGRAPH's journal. Proc. SIGGRAPH is published in one issue. some special
- issues are also of note.
-
- "Computer Graphics Forum", Eurographics (EG).
-
- Eurographics' journal. Proc. Eurographics is published in one issue.
- rarely contains anything of note for animation.
-
- "Computer Graphics World", CGW.
-
- a graphics industry magazine. product reviews, industry news. Web page at
- URL: http://www.cgw.com/
-
- "The Journal of Visualization and Computer Animation", ?.
-
- "Pixel -- the computer animation newsletter", Pixel.
-
- `inside' news on the computer animation industry.
-
- Proc. "Computer Animation", Springer-Verlag / CGS.
-
- proceedings of CGS's computer animation conference
-
- Proc. "Computer Graphics International", Springer-Verlag / CGS.
-
- proceedings of the second-largest graphics conference
-
- Proc. "Eurographics", see "Computer Graphics Forum".
- Proc. "Eurographics Workshop on Animation and Simulation", Eurographics.
- Proc. "Graphics Interface".
-
- proceedings of an important graphics conference.
-
- Proc. "SIGGRAPH", Addison-Wesley / ACM Press / ACM/SIGGRAPH,
-
- see "Computer Graphics". proceedings of the largest graphics conference
-
- "3D Artist", Columbine, Inc.
-
- desktop 3d graphics for and by independent artists: tips and tricks, 3d
- news, reviews, classifieds. Web page at URL: http://www.3dartist.com/
-
- "The Visual Computer", Computer Graphics Society (CGS).
-
- a good graphics journal. Web page at URL:
- http://www-ci.u-aizu.ac.jp/VisualComputer/
-
- An extensive list of computer graphics journals, including ordering and other
- information is available from Ville Walveranta (vvw@netcom.com).
-
- Organizations
- -------------
-
- ACM/SIGGRAPH -- The ACM Special Interest Group on Graphics.
-
- Home page at URL: http://www.siggraph.org/
-
- Computer Graphics Society.
-
- Eurographics.
-
- Pixel -- the computer animation news people, inc.
-
- 109 Vanderhoof Ave, Suite 2, Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 2H7. (416) 424-4657.
- (Fax) 424-1812. PO Box 1674 5325 Sheridan Drive, Williamsville, NY, USA
- 14231-1674.
-
- Papers
- ------
-
- Lasseter, John, "Principles of Traditional Animation Applied to 3D Computer
- Animation"
-
- Computer Graphics, July 1987, Proc. SIGGRAPH '87. Lasseter relates the
- disney principles of animation (see Thomas and Johnston, above) to
- computer animation, and introduces `hierarchical' animation while he's at
- it.
-
- Course notes from "Animation Tricks" (course offered at SIGGRAPH '94).
-
- Lecturers were Chris Wedge, John Lasseter, Jim Blinn, and Ken Perlin.
-
- Shoemake, Ken, "Animating Rotation with Quaternion Curves"
-
- Computer Graphics, July 1985, Proc. SIGGRAPH '85. an early quaternion
- paper. there are probably better ones, anyone?
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANIMATION SOFTWARE
- ******************
-
- GWEB (URL: http://www2.cinenet.net/GWEB/) and 3DSite (URL:
- http://www.3dsite.com/3dsite/) both have information on animation software.
- SGI's WWW site (URL: http://www.sgi.com/) has pointers to applications that run
- on their machines.
-
- The following fields in the product listings have been excised in the posted
- version for the sake of brevity: Platform, Company, Cost, Notes. A separate
- post follows with the full software listings.
-
- 3-d Package Reviews
- ===================
-
- Reviews of the following six high-end UNIX animation packages are now available
- by ftp from avalon: ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/misc/six-anim-reviews.gz
- Originally published in Computer Graphics World Oct-Nov 1993, internet
- distribution thanks to Chris Williams Jan '94.
-
- * Alias Animator (see `Alias - Animator')
- * ElectroGIG 3DGO (see `ElectroGIG - 3DGO')
- * Softimage Creative Environment (see `Softimage - Creative Environment')
- * TDI Explore (see `TDI - Explore')
- * Vertigo Revolution (see `Vertigo - Revolution')
- * Wavefront Advanced Visualiser (see `Wavefront - Advanced Visualiser')
-
- [note that the reviews are quitee a bit dated... for more current information
- on each one of these packages, contact the developers and/or ask on the net]
-
- 3-D Packages
- ============
-
- This listing is probably incomplete, due to the fact that new packages are
- coming out almost every day it seems. Any additions or extra information on
- currently listed packages will be appreciated.
-
- This is an abridged version of the "Animation Software" chapter. Hopefully by
- next month I'll have it updated with all the current information I have
- available and split it off into a separate FAQ. If you have any relevant
- information on any package listed (or not!) here, now's a good time to let me
- know!
-
- Only the resources available for each package is listed in here. As such, I've
- removed the "Resources" header, so on packages that have none only the name
- will appear.
-
- 3D Choreographer
- ----------------
-
- Home page at URL: http://www.spadion.com/anicom/
-
- 3D/EYE *TriSpectives*
- ---------------------
-
- Home page at URL: http://www.eye.com/
-
- AERO
- ----
- AERO web page.
- URL: http://www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/bv/aero/aero.html
- Available by FTP at URL: ftp://ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/AERO/
- Alias|Wavefront *PowerAnimator*
- -------------------------------
-
- The Alias|Wavefront Web site: URL: http://www.aw.sgi.com/
- An independent Alias WWW site: (in German?)
- URL: http://www.uni-wuppertal.de/computer/software/grafik/Alias/,
- and associated ftp site
- URL: ftp://ftp.uni-wuppertal.de/pub/graphics/Alias/
- The Alias FAQs at:
- URL: http://www.uni-wuppertal.de/computer/software/grafik/Alias/FAQ/welcome.english.html
- The `comp.graphics.apps.alias' newsgroup.
- For a review, see `3-d Package Reviews'.
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mailto://listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu//"subscribe alias-l Your_Name"'.
-
- Alias|Wavefront *Advanced Visualiser*
- -------------------------------------
-
- For a review, see `3-d Package Reviews'.
- The `comp.graphics.apps.wavefront' newsgroup.
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mail://listserv@psuvm.cac.psu.edu//"subscribe wavefr-l <yournamehere>"'.
- There is a 2-way gateway between the mailing list and the
- newsgroup.
- A WWW site at URL: http://www.aw.sgi.com/
-
- Alias|Wavefront *Explore*
- -------------------------
-
- ex TDI *Explore* (see `TDI - Explore')
-
- For a review of TDI Explore see `3-d Package Reviews'.
- The `comp.graphics.apps.wavefront' newsgroup, which is predominantly
- concerned with the Advanced Visualiser.
-
- Autodesk *3D Studio*
- --------------------
-
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mailto://majordomo@autodesk.com//"subscribe 3dstudio-L <your-full-email-address> (Your Real Name)"'.
- `comp.graphics.packages.3dstudio' newsgroup
- There's an occasional FAQ:
- `post://comp.graphics.animation/"3DS FAQ"'.
- You can find objects here:
- URL: ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/objects/3ds/
- And utilities (IPAS plug-ins, etc) here:
- URL: ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/utils/3ds/
-
- Caligari *TrueSpace*
- --------------------
-
- ex Octree *Caligari* on the Amiga
-
- A home page under construction is at:
- URL: http://www.netnet.net/users/truespace/
- There's a Compuserve forum.
- The mailing list: send SUBSCRIBE to `truespace-request@cs.uregina.ca'
- Caligari is `<caligari@aol.com>'.
- Mike Morrison's `Becoming a Computer Animator' (see `Books
- (Industry)') includes a CD-ROM with the v2.0 demo version on it.
- There's a demo version and some other stuff available by FTP here:
- URL: ftp://ftp.netnet.net/pub/mirrors/truespace/
-
- ComputerEasy *3-D Design Plus*
- ------------------------------
-
- Digital Creations *DCTV*
- ------------------------
-
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mail://DCTV-request@nova.cc.purdue.edu//'.
-
- Dragon
- ------
-
- Get the modeller (SGI binary only) and some models from
- URL: ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/pickup/forsey/
- Some animations using the modeller are here
- URL: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/nest/imager/imager.html
-
- EAI *Vislab*
- ------------
-
- WWW page at URL: http://www.eai.com/ (**DOWN**) (still under construction?)
-
- ElectricImage
- -------------
-
- WWW page at URL: http://guppie.cac.psu.edu/EIAS/EIASwelcome.html
-
- ElectroGIG *3DGO*
- -----------------
-
- For a review, see `3-d Package Reviews'.
- ElectroGIG's WWW page at URL: http://www.gig.nl/1/Online/
-
- Hash *Animation Master*
- -----------------------
-
- ex Playmation, ex Animation Journeyman (Playmation still sells)
-
- For direct help/information email `animmaster@aol.com'.
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mail://listserv@netcom.com//"subscribe animaster-l"'.
- A WWW URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ga/gavingav/Home.html
- A more current Web page: URL: http://www.hash.com/~hashinc/
- FTP some information
- URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ga/gavingav/Hash_Info
- Or simply FTP around at URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ga/gavingav/
- There's also stuff here
- URL: http://www.xmission.com/~gastown/animation/index.html
-
- Impulse *Imagine*
- -----------------
-
- To subscribe to the mailing list, send a message to:
-
- Listserv@sjuvm.stjohns.edu
-
- ...with the following body:
-
- SUBSCRIBE IMAGINE [First Name] [Last Name]
- (Do not include Brackets)
-
- Philip Shaddock's `3D Modeling Lab' (see `Books (Computer
- Animation)') includes a copy of v2.0 on disk.
-
- A demo of the current (4.0) version of Imagine is available for
- downloading from the Web site:
- URL:http://www.coolfun.com
-
- NatPix *Blizzard*
- -----------------
-
- A WWW site URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/natpix/html/natpix.html
- Get the demo version by FTP
- URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/na/natpix/blizdemo.2.9.tar.Z
-
- NewTeK *Lightwave 3D*
- ---------------------
-
- A WWW site URL: http://www.newtek.com/
- An FTP site at URL: ftp://tomahawk.welch.jhu.edu/pub/LW
- newsgroup: comp.graphics.apps.lightwave
- To subscribe to the mailing list:
- `mail://lightwave-request@bobsbox.rent.com//"subscribe lightwave-l <your-email-address> (<your-real-name>)"'.
-
- ObjViewer
- ---------
-
- Get a Macintosh binary over the WWW
- URL: http://www.hut.fi/~jmunkki/ObjViewer.sea.bin
-
- Radiance *Movieola*
- -------------------
-
- RealSoft *Real 3D*
- ------------------
-
- Home page at: http://ns1.win.net/~real3d/
- There is a demo and other goodies at
- URL: ftp://uunorth.north.net/pub/realsoft/
-
- Renderize *Live / Visual Reality*
- ---------------------------------
-
- Platform
- PC Win (Visual Reality), UNIX (Renderize)
- Company
- Visual Software Inc
- 21731 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 310
- Woodland Hills, CA 91364
- USA
-
- Cost
- about $259 US for the PC version
- Notes
-
- Resources
- URL: http://www.vissoft.com
- Compuserve GO VISSOFT
-
- Side Effects *PRISMS*
- ---------------------
-
- SoftF/X for Windows
- -------------------
-
- Web page at URL: http://bytebybyte.com/
-
- Softimage *Creative Environment*
- --------------------------------
-
- For a review, see `3-d Package Reviews'.
- There are a number of softimage-related mailing lists at
- `softimage.co.uk'. These are the lists: `2d, 3d, discussion,
- eddie, mental, particles, pfx'. To subscribe, mail to the listname
- with `-request' added to it, with the subject `subscribe'. For
- example, to subscribe to the `3d' list, use:
- `mail://3d-request@softimage.co.uk/subscribe/'.
- There's also a Web site
- URL: http://delphi.beckman.uiuc.edu/softimage/
-
- Specular *Infini-D*
- -------------------
-
- Strata *StudioPro*
- ------------------
-
- Symbolics *S-Products*
- ----------------------
-
- S-Dynamics, S-Geometry, S-Render, S-Paint, S-Record, S-Colorize, ...
-
- TripleI *ARKAttack*
- -------------------
-
- TurboSilver
- -----------
-
- Vertigo *Revolution*
- --------------------
-
- For a review, see `3-d Package Reviews'.
-
- Vision Images *Revelation 3d*
- -----------------------------
-
- Wavefront (see Alias|Wavefront)
- --------------------------------
-
- 2-d Packages
- ============
-
- 2-d packages included here are for 2-d animation, and multimedia and
- video presentation and editing.
-
- NOTE: There is reportedly a review/comparison of several 2-D packages
- in the July 1995 issue of NewMedia magazine. Here's a short list forwarded
- to me by artsbox@aol.com (thanks!):
-
- {good}
- 3D Choreographer - $149 - (919)967-2890
- Animation Paintbox - $199 - (310)981-2771
- Animator Pro - $595 - (800)879-4233
- Animation Works - $495 - (408)982-0200
- {better}
- Animator Studio - $795 - (800)879-4233
- AXA Animation Series - $4,280 - (714)757-1500
-
- Autodesk *Animator Pro*
- -----------------------
-
- aka Animator Studio (?)
-
- AXA
- ---
-
- CAS *Animo*
- -----------
-
- Contact CAS as `admin@cam-ani-co.uk'.
-
- Deluxe Paint
- ------------
-
- Disney *Animation Studio*
- -------------------------
-
- Fantavision
- -----------
-
- Gold Disk *Animation Works*
- ---------------------------
-
- Hanna-Barbera *Animation Workshop*
- ----------------------------------
-
- Linker
- ------
-
- Macromedia *Action!*
- --------------------
-
- MetroLight *Annie*
- ------------------
-
- MotionWorks *ProMotion*
- -----------------------
-
- Vision Images *Animator Broadcast*
- ----------------------------------
-
- Softimage *Toons*
- -----------------
-
- Morph Packages
- ==============
-
- DMorph
- ------
-
- Find it by FTP as this
- URL: ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/incoming/utilities/dmorf112.zip
-
- Elastic Reality *Morph Plus*
- ----------------------------
-
- SPMorph
- -------
-
- Order full version from Scott Pultz (scott@eskimo.com).
- Available by FTP from:
- URL: ftp://ftp.eskimo.com/scott/spmorf20.zip
-
- RMorph
- ------
-
- Available by FTP from:
- URL: ftp://ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/ibmpc/rmorf/rmorf3.zip
-
- WinMorph
- --------
-
- Available by FTP in `ftp://phoenix.oulu.fi/...' and also on
- `garbo.uwasa.fi' and `ftp.funic.fi'.
-
- Xmorph
- ------
-
- Available from the X11R6 contrib applications directory.
-
- Renderer Front & Back Ends
- ==========================
-
- `3DPATH.ZIP'. Define several control points and the number of
- frames between the points, and it would generate an animation based on
- that info by changing the camera position.
-
- SIPP rendering library -> PPM frames. [`ppm' toolkit] -> `GIF or
- something'. [`fbmtofli'] -> FLI animation. Find them all with
- `archie'.
-
- link GIF, TGA, PCX images together to make a FLI or FLC anim: Dave's
- Targa Animator (DTA), available from:
- URL: ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/utilities
- and on other sites (find one near you with `archie').
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- THE ABOUT BOX...
- ****************
-
- This chapter is mostly about the FAQ itself.
-
- Creating this FAQ
- =================
-
- The FAQ is written and maintained in HTML as the source format. I use Netscape
- for previewing it and to generate the ASCII and PostScript versions.
-
- To Do
- =====
-
- If you take use FAQ as a resource list, it will help answer a lot of those
- Frequently Asked Questions. However, there are a few which I see pop up from
- time to time which haven't made it to the FAQ yet. I hope to add them (with
- answers!) under the Miscellaneous Questions section. Some I could use help
- with:
-
- * more info on flocking and behavioral animation
- * info on onionskinning
-
- And these are a few things internal to the FAQ which I hope to do soon:
-
- * finish updating the full "Animation Software" chapter and post it as a
- separate FAQ.
- * add Subject: lines to allow "rn" navigating thru ^G
- * Add renderers to the Software chapter (Pixar's prman, BMRT, POV, etc)
-
- Resource Specifications
- =======================
-
- URLs
- ----
-
- A URL is a Uniform Resource Locator. URLs are an artifact of the World Wide Web
- (WWW)... for more information on URLs and the Web, check out the WWW FAQ at
- URL: http://sunsite.unc.edu/boutell/faq/www_faq.html
-
- Hopefully in the HTML version of the FAQ, all the real URL's will be marked up
- as such, while pseudo-URLs (see below) and other bogus ones will not (and
- should appear as plain text). In the ASCII/PS versions, look for real URL's as:
-
- URL: http://anyplace.site/this/file.html
-
- ...and fake, incomplete, or pseudo-URL's as:
-
- `ftp://noplace.site/not/here.txt'
-
- If you find a reference in this document that is incorrect or simply
- unreachable, please let me know!
-
- FTP URLs
- --------
-
- References to anonymously FTP-able files look like the following.
- ftp://site/path/document
- ftp://avalon.viewpoint.com/pub/format_specs/iffspecs.lzh
- ^ftp-site ^path ^document
-
- `/pub' at the root of the path is often assumed. Some FTP references given in
- this document are incomplete, indicating a directory to browse in or whose
- whole contents are relevant, or some degree of uncertainty (these have a
- trailing slash ('/'), ellipsis ('...'), or Unix-style wildcards) Many FTP-able
- files are mirrored on other sites to reduce bandwidth; use `archie' to find a
- copy near you.
-
- Mailing List pseudo-URLs
- ------------------------
-
- References to mailing lists are pseudo-URLs, and look like the following:
-
- mail://address/subject/"body"
- mail://listserv@netcom.com//"subscribe animaster-l"
- ^who to mail to ^what to put in the message body
-
- Note that the second (subject) field is often blank (as it is in this example),
- as is the third (message body) field.
-
- Acknowledgements
- ================
-
- The really -BIG- thanks, of course, goes to Angus Montgomery
- (angus@godzilla.cgl.rmit.edu.au). He's the one who made the FAQ happen, and
- it's his work I continue to build on.
-
- Other thanks go to:
-
- Sean Brandenburg Ken Baer Matt Carpenter
- Mark Crawford Kim Davidson Marc Edgar
- Luigi Filippin Andy Gough Eric Haines
- Paul Hertz Jih-Shin Ho Dudley Hunkins
- Colin Jensen Charles King Ole Villumsen
- Jean-Marc Krattli Alan Larson Nadine Leenders
- Wolfgang Leister Jeff Massie Colin Millerchip
- Akira Mito Mike Morrison Jimmy Ning
- Mark Podlipec Scott H. Pultz Frank Roussel
- Wolfram Schwenzer Steve Siegel Harry Sokol
- Erik Timmerman James Tizard Chris Trimble
- Chris Williams Rob Zimmelman Craig Good
- Daniele Colajacomo Hal Hickel
-
- ...and countless others who contribute daily to the "signal" portion of
- comp.graphics.animation.
-
- Aloha,
- --
- _____ _ _
- | ___/< \/ > F.X. DeJesus /SAIC/ dejesus@vislab.navy.mil - fx@imt.saic.com
- | __| > < --------------- http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/fx/ ---------------
- |_| <_/\_> "Like the man says, there are no problems, only solutions!"
-