[geeks] Final Fantasy

[Joshua D Boyd]

On Wed, May 29, 2002 at 10:52:04AM -0400, Kurt Huhn wrote:

> I'm going to have to find a good modeler that I can use on Irix. 
> Lightwave 5 is good for scene creation, but the modeler doesn't quite
> work like I want it.  I hate to say it, but my brain really likes
> Rhino3D - it's a shame it only runs on Windows :(  Blender seems good,
> but again, my brain no-likey. 

Well, there is always the way that the models for ice age were made.  Good
old clay and a microscribe (http://remtek.com/remtek/microscribe_rhino.htm).

Actually, as that page describes how to do, Blue Sky used the point clouds
to create NURBS in Rhino and SuctionCup (apparently proprietary to Blue Sky).

Really, I was surprised that they used NURBS.  They used some darn 
sophisticated modelling for the snow, then they use NURBS?  NURBS are awefull
for characters.  SuctionCup just demonstraights how awefull. It is a program
for attaching NURBS objects to each other so that a chest and arm can be 
two seperate objects that are blended to look as one (this is done to deal 
with the complexity problems NURBs have).  

Personally I'm a fan of Subdivision surfaces (called MetaNURBS in Lightwave).
The only stand alone modeller that I know of for them, though, is Nichimen
Nendo (recently called WingedEdge Nendo, now called izWare Nendo,
http://www.izware.com/nendo/index.html).  And hey, Nendo is available for
Solaris for only $99.  

When Subdivision surfaces aren't available in the animator/renderer, I prefer
the idea of modelling with subdivision surfaces, then exporting as polygons.

Blob modelling is also decent, but I'm not very adept at it.  To use it as
a good general purpose technique requires more prep time.

Anyway, previously, you mentioned modelling for wood work though, didn't you?
This is one area where NURBS aren't bad.  A good implicit surface toolkit
(extrusions, subtractions, etc) may be better, but NURBS aren't bad.

-- 
Joshua D. Boyd