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- Path: sparky!uunet!mailgate.mobil.com!dlpcbc!awful!lerami!dalsil!whitley
- From: whitley@dallas.sil.org
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
- Subject: Re: ALADDIN
- Message-ID: <1992Nov16.164207.53@dallas.sil.org>
- Date: 16 Nov 92 16:42:06 CST
- References: <1992Nov12.192017.2331@ils.nwu.edu>
- Distribution: usa
- Organization: Summer Institute of Linguistics, Dallas Center
- Lines: 61
-
- In article <1992Nov12.192017.2331@ils.nwu.edu>, tsui@ils.nwu.edu writes:
- > this was sent out to the DCTV mailing list, thats why i'm emphasizing DCTV:
- >
- > Okay, I've had a week to play with this program and I think I should give a
- > little review on it:
- >
- > For starters, this is a great DCTV product. It can output to Opalvision,
- > Firecracker, and Resolver also but since DCTV is our format of choice I'll
- > concentrate on that.
- >
- > Literally shitloads of different 3D options. I'm not a pro at 3d but have been
- > playing with DRAW 4D PRO for awhile. ALADDIN is a serious upgrade to that
- > program. Here's a list of things I've used so far:
- >
- > animated texture maps (series of DCTV format frames sequentially numbered, the
- > program automatically compiles them)
- >
- > amazing ripple and wave effects (many options)
- >
- > reflection mapping (no ray tracing but the can be faked very easily this way)
- >
- > unlimited colored animated lights
- >
- > morphing (in combination with animated texture maps dissolving from one to
- > another)
- >
- > endless layering of animations (any format)
- >
- > and others.
- >
- > The animation layering is very powerful for compositing layers of DCTV
- > animations and images on top of each other. This can do a very cool
- > multi-plane looking animation (like the Fleischer Bros. POPEYE cartoons). All
- > the composited animations were 2D and composited in 3D space. I did one
- > animation of water rippling in suspended space with a video animation fading in
- > and out as it plays (the animation was a series of frames digitized from DCTV).
- >
- > The fact that you can use DCTV images directly without having to convert to
- > IFF24 is a huge plus, especially for those with limited hard-drives.
- >
- > The program can load any size textures (24bit, standard IFF, and DCTV) and is
- > very easy to texture map. There's also procedural maps and bump mapping.
- >
- > I think the best thing about the program is that there is a universal interface
- > to change different elements (textures, animation, morphing, etc). Once you
- > learn one element, its very easy to use all the other tools and features.
- >
- > I hope this helps others, like I said, i'm not a huge 3D expert but this
- > program has many tools to help even 2D animators.
- >
- > btw, I am not affiliated with the company (ADSPEC) in any way, they're just
- > really reliable.
- >
-
-
- Does the program still write objects in ProDraw clip format? I am considering
- this program as an addition to my DTP setup.
-
-
- Rick Whitley Whitley@a1.dallas.sil.org
-
-