Saturday, May 18, 2013 10:39 AM
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| Sr. Staff Writer - Sergio Rosa [nemirc] |
I’ve noticed that those who are new to game development have troubles choosing what game engine to use. I plan on writing a series of articles related to game making tools, to give a broad idea of what tools are out there. This time I will be discussing UDK. UDK is Epic’s Unreal Development Kit, a “lite” version of the widely known Unreal Engine 3. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Mari is a digital 3D painting program from The Foundry, designed to help users create textures for 3D objects. If you have used the likes of Mudbox or Bodypaint, you should find yourself at home using Mari. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 2 opinions posted |
A few months ago, I reviewed Golaem Crowd, a crowd simulation tool for Autodesk Maya. Golaem Crowd takes on different crowd simulation tasks, from generating and animating the crowd, to rendering. Recently, Golaem Crowd 2 was released, and it packs some nice features that make things a lot easier. If you are looking for a crowd simulation solution for Maya, Golaem Crowd may be exactly what you’re looking for. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Maya 2013 is the latest release of this digital content creation software, and packs some interesting features that cover different areas. Maya can be bought as a stand-alone software, or part of an Autodesk Suite that includes other packages, such as MotionBuilder and Mudbox. Maya 2013 mostly aims to improve workflow speeds, but if you’re a Maya user, you should definitely look to give Maya 2013 a try. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Softimage 2013 is the latest release of this digital content creation software from Autodesk, and packs some interesting features, mostly related to improving your workflow. The Feature that caught most of my attention is the new ICE crowd simulator, CrowdFX. Other additions, like the new shaders and modeling tools, can prove to be very useful as well. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
The Art of Gears of War 3 is a digital art book by Ballistic Publishing, part of the “The Art of the Game” video game art book series. The book provides a “behind the scenes” look at almost every visual aspect of the game. The book is divided into two parts: the first part consists of concept art, and the second part on production art. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
I am not a web designer, but just like everyone else, I’ve noticed this “web revolution,” where everything is going mobile and dynamic websites are built using HTML5. Flash has also evolved from a website creation tool to an application development tool. Flash Professional CS6 takes this evolution one step further... Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Adobe has released the Creative Suite 6, providing significant improvements in different areas. The company has also unveiled the Creative Cloud service, adding faster and easier synchronization and remote work using the power of the cloud. As regular readers may know, I am mostly into media production, so I will be focusing on that specific area, using After Effects CS6, Premiere Pro CS6, and the new Prelude CS6. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Golaem Crowd is a crowd creation tool for Autodesk Maya, and it manages everything from making, animating and simulating a crowd, to rendering. Based on my experience, the software allows anyone to make a complete crowd simulation quickly, but its workflow can be really tricky. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
MentalCore is a render management tool for Autodesk Maya developed by CoreCG, the “commercial software arm” of Oktobor Animation. Creating and managing render passes for Mentalray can be time consuming, but MentalCore makes it a lot easier. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
When I started into game development, the whole process was very obscure. Level design was one of the most obscure areas, and is one of the most important parts of game development. You could say that a bad level design can break the best game concept. For this reason, the book Level Design: Concept, Theory, & Practice by Rudolf Kremers has proven to be very useful. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
iPi Desktop Motion Capture should be on the top of your list if you’re an indie animators/filmmakers or game developers, as it will surely be a great time saver. You perform your motion capture based on video you have previously recorded, and iPi Desktop Motion Capture bases this process on recognizing and analyzing your performer’s movement on video, so you don’t need to use special suits, LED markers, and such. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
e-on Software recently released the complete line up of Vue 10. Vue can render landscapes, vegetation, architectural visualization, photorealistic animations, and anything that can take advantage of the software’s photorealistic lighting and rendering. For this article, I will be focusing on Vue 10 xStream, which includes the complete feature set, as well as interconnectivity with major 3D applications, including Maya and Softimage. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
If you've been following me these past years on Renderosity, you know I've been into animation, filmmaking, and storytelling in general. Now, I'm an indie game developer. Last year, I decided to change the direction of my animation studio and get into game development instead. In this article, I will discuss a little about our first game, SteroidS, how we designed it, and its "pizza-budget game development." Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
I used to be an avid gamer a few years ago, but I have to say work kept me away from most of the games I wanted to play. Last December, I returned to the gaming scene, not as a gamer, but as an independent game developer. Being away from gaming also caused me to stay away from the indie gaming world, and that’s one reason I found the book "250 Indie Games You Must Play" so valuable. The book is described as a way to help "further understanding of the role indie games play in the entertainment industry." Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Autodesk recently released Softimage 2012, both as a standalone product, or as part of the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite. Softimage 2012 features a lot of performance improvements as well as workflow improvements, but I’d say Softimage 2012 is more about integration with the rest of the EC Suite applications... Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
I've been a Maya user for some time (the first version I tried was around 10 years ago), and while some releases could be considered as maintenance releases, others offer a lot to like, and that's the case with Maya 2012. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Mudbox 2012 is a digital sculpting software, and part of the recently released Maya Digital Entertainment Creation Suite 2012 (although it can be purchased as a standalone application). For those unfamiliar with Mudbox, it’s an easy to use application that allows you to sculpt and detail models that have been created in any 3D application. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Continuing my CS5.5 Production Premium review (in my last article, I reviewed After Effects CS5.5), this time I will be focusing on Premiere Pro CS5.5, while going a little into Audition CS5.5, the audio editing application replacing Adobe SoundBooth from CS5. With new and improved features in Premiere Pro CS 5.5, see why now may be a good time to upgrade. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Recently, Adobe released a new version of their well known Creative Suites: Adobe CS5.5. You can take this release as an "incremental update," but that doesn't mean it's lacking significant features. The new After Effects CS5.5 includes some nice 3D features, an outstanding footage stabilizer, and many performance improvements. Also, upgrading can now prove easier, thanks to Adobe's new subscription plans. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Mindbock is a small company dedicated to developing games for iOS. Their first product, Pest Fest, was released in mid-February, and that’s only the beginning for them. Read on as Sergio talks with the Mindblock team on the origin and development of Pest Fest. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
As you may know, I love 3D, 3D technology, watching 3D movies, and also 3D filmmaking. So, you can imagine it was very exciting when I learned about 3DF33D (www.3df33d.tv). 3DF33D, currently in Beta form, is a website that broadcasts 3D content, be it 3D video, 3D pictures, and even real-time 3D models in 3D. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
mocha Pro is the latest version of Imagineer Systems' planar tracking software. It combines the functionality of previously available products into one single package, making it easier since there is no longer the need to worry about different applications for different purposes. mocha Pro helps users rotoscope different features of any footage, and provides a set of spline masks that can be used for different purposes. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Buena Depth Cue v2 is a collection of plug-ins for 3D object manipulation in Adobe After Effects. It includes tools to generate depth maps, add atmospheric effects, map footage onto 3D objects and adding dramatic lighting to your 3D scenes. All of the plug-ins rely on users building the scenes with 3D Solids, so you can generate the depth information needed. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
CINEMA 4D R12 improves the workflow in different areas, such as rendering, and animation, while also offering significant changes in the core technology. For this review I will be focusing on CINEMA 4D R12 Prime. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
The Pixel Farm recently released PFMatchit, a 64-bit, node-based matchmoving and camera tracking application. I had the chance to see PFMatchit at SIGGRAPH 2010 a few months ago, where Ricky and I got a demonstration on how the software works. The first thing that got my attention was its node-based workflow, and that's what sets it apart from similar applications I've used, since it offers a more open, non-destructive, and even more efficient workflow. If you've used node-based compositing applications (such as Fusion, Nuke or Toxik) you know the advantages of using nodes. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
If you're working in the Stereo 3D arena, you know how difficult it can be to produce high quality content that doesn't give the audience a headache. Since there are no rules for 3D, you must rely on your proven knowledge, as well as finding a way to previsualize your content during production, instead of waiting for the final render to realize something went wrong. This is where the professional tools, like Neo3D, come in. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
At SIGGRAPH, I had the chance to meet Jim Tierney from Digital Anarchy. Jim was showing what was new in their imaging and video tools, including the upcoming CUDA-enabled Beauty Box, which I've reviewed in the past. Beauty Box is a plug-in for video applications that can be used to fix imperfections on the skin that your subject may have had during shooting. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
This August during SIGGRAPH I had the chance to see CityEngine 2010. The new version of CityEngine had some very exciting features oriented to users who are not very fond of writing lines of code. CityEngine 2010 adds the node-based workflow to help those users create their buildings. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
April, Adobe released the new version of their Creative Suite: Adobe CS5, once again raising the bar on media production with their video applications. Some users, however, may need to upgrade their systems in order to fully take advantage of this new suite. In this review I will be focusing on Adobe After Effects CS5. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
The fifth and last day of SIGGRAPH is always the one when you're already extremely tired, and the whole event ends early (some things close around noon, the exhibit ends at 3:30 and the last tech talks end at 5:30). Those issues, however, don't prevent you from having fun. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Days three and four have been pretty intense. SIGGRAPH is one of those events where there's a lot to see and not a lot of time. Sometimes, I think it would be nice for the event to run a little longer so we can get to see more, but we all know that's impossible. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Today, it was the second day of the SIGGRAPH convention, and if I had to pick a word to describe it I'd say it was intense. Today, I took the time to experience some of the sections, such as the Sandbox and International Center, interacting with people and pretty much seeing what they have available outside the more technical talks and such. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
The most anticipated event of the computer graphics community took off today: SIGGRAPH 2010. Unlike previous years, this year's event began on Sunday (I seem to remember they explained why, but can't really remember the reason). If you happen to be here, I hope you enjoy your chance to meet the "people behind the pixels." Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Autodesk has released Softimage 2011, packing a variety of changes, ranging from core application enhancements to new features that should improve your workflow greatly. Softimage 2011 focuses a lot more on the underlying architecture than on toolset-oriented features, but in the end both changes offer a very robust application. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
In April, Adobe released the new version of their Creative Suite: Adobe CS5. With this new set of tools, they have once again raised the bar on media production with their video applications. Some users, however, may need to upgrade their systems in order to fully take advantage of this new suite. If I had to define Premiere Pro CS5, I would say it is a game changer. It has made the move to 64-bit computing, and is also taking advantage of modern GPUs. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Mudbox 2011 was released in April, and is available separately, or as part of the Autodesk Media and Entertainment Suites. It boasts a variety of new features and enhancements over its predecessor. For those who are not familiar with it, Mudbox is a digital sculpting application, and also meant to be used as a finishing tool to add small details to your models. Read on as Sergio looks at the exciting new Pose and Paint tools, as well as Mudbox's improved workflow with other Autodesk applications, as well as Adobe's Photoshop. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
Maya 2011 was recently released, and it packs a wide variety of enhancements and features, contrasting with the 2010 release (which I had called 'evolutionary' rather than 'revolutionary' in that review, since it focused on integration with bundled apps, such as Maya Composite and MatchMover). Maya 2011 offers a variety of features in key areas, like animation, rendering and dynamics. The new UI is also a welcome addition, making Maya more open and customizable. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
There’s been a lot of talk about GPU-rendering lately, as a way to speed up renders that will usually take hours to process, even in large render-farms. CPU speeds and cores increase dramatically, but they don’t drastically reduce render times. One of the available GPU-rendering solutions is MachStudio Pro, developed by StudioGPU. In this article, I will focus on using MachStudio Pro as a production tool. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Fixing skin imperfections is not something you can do just on pictures anymore. Enter digital anarchy's Beauty Box - a plug-in for Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro and Apple Final Cut Pro, that allows you to easily fix skin imperfections in any video footage. Though you can run Beauty Box on top of any of the software applications I mentioned, I will be focusing on the Adobe After Effects version for this review. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Real-time rendering is, as many adequately put it, a paradigm shift, allowing you not only to yield faster rendering times, but also making you rethink the way you work. Art And Animation Studio (AAA Studio) has developed FurryBall, a GPU-based solution that works directly in Maya, aiming to save you the extra work needed to send your assets to a different rendering environment. The idea is to offer an end-to-end solution by combining the power of Maya software and FurryBall. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
In December 2008, I had the chance to review CityEngine, a procedural city generator by Procedural Inc. Last year, they released CityEngine 2009, as well as dot-versions of the application. For those who don’t know, CityEngine is a software application that facilitates the creation of large-scale cities procedurally... Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 3 opinions posted |
Longtime Renderosity member, and former Bryce Moderator, Kirk Dunne (better known here as AgentSmith), recently sat down with Sergio Rosa to answer some questions on his recent work in film and how he got his start in 3D. As a 3D data and asset tracker on motion capture film productions for Robert Zemeckis' Image Movers Digital located in Los Angeles, he shares his experiences working on "Avatar" and "A Christmas Carol," and what it takes to get started in the industry. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 8 opinions posted |
Softimage 2010 is the latest version of this 3D animation package, and also the first X.0 version to be shipped by Autodesk. This release focuses on workflow and speed improvements, and also integration. The software has gone through optimizations on its core architecture, and also now includes Face Robot as part of its default toolset, instead of it being a separate application. I’ve been interested in Softimage for some time, but I’ve never had the chance to try it out till now. Since I don’t have any previous Softimage experience, I am reviewing the software from a Maya user point of view. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Ever since I had the chance to review CINEMA 4D for the first time, I knew it was the perfect example of a program that combines power and simplicity. CINEMA 4D Release 11.5 follows the same concept, while delivering very nice new features. The new release features updates in animation, the exciting new Picture Viewer, and the new MoDynamics in the MoGraph 2 module. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
From the moment I used Mudbox for the first time as a sculpting and detailing app, I knew it would be difficult for any other app to replace it. Mudbox is an application that makes sculpting feel natural, mostly thanks to its extremely intuitive user interface. Recently, Autodesk released Mudbox 2010, adding some very nice features. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Last month Autodesk released Maya 2010 along with the rest of the Media and Entertainment applications, including the new bundled "Entertainment Creation Suites" and the "Real-Time Animation Suites." Maya 2010 itself now includes Toxik 2010, MatchMover 2010, and Backburner, showing this Maya release is more about integration than new features, so I would say Maya 2010 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 4 opinions posted |
If you’re like many Poser users, you will usually rely on third party content, and you will usually get your hands on more and more content as days go by. The problem is that after a few weeks, or months, your Poser library will have grown exponentially, making it difficult for you to find that specific character or prop you’re looking for. Some users will create different libraries to store content separately, but this only means more libraries to manage. Sergio Aris Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 7 opinions posted |
In May of 2008, I had the chance to review Argile, a digital sculpting and painting software package from the French company N-Sided. Right now I will be reviewing the recently released Argile 2. If you’re not familiar with this software, I would recommend you read my original review first, as I will mostly focus on the new features here. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 3 opinions posted |
Ever since I’ve been using a 3D mouse by 3DConnexion, I have a hard time going back to the standard “keyboard + mouse 3D space navigation,” as I’ve become very dependent on the device. Recently, I’ve been testing the SpacePilot Pro, the latest addition to their 3D navigation devices. Up to a certain point, all the navigation devices are the same, as they all are used to navigate your 3D scenes. The real difference comes with the extra features, as the more expensive editions will offer speed control as well as customizable buttons. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 2 opinions posted |
I have to admit I absolutely loved the Wacom Intuos 3 since the first day of use, and that’s the reason I got excited when I heard Wacom was going to launch the Intuos 4. Even though I’m “obsessed about my pen” this review is not going to be biased, as there isn’t a single product I’ve found to be 100% perfect according to my point of view. Just like any other piece of hardware, there are some things to like about the Intuos 4, but also some things to dislike. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 2 opinions posted |
Using 3D assets in Adobe Photoshop CS4 has evolved since the previous version, in a way thanks to the implementation of the GPU power to speed up the application. Manipulating 3D objects in Photoshop CS4 is not any slower than manipulating them in your 3D application of choice. You can also use the Adobe Dynamic Link to take them into other applications. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
I’ve been using Poser for almost 10 years, and yet the last thing I usually do in it is animate. And if you take a look at my Poser Pro review posted last year, you will know why. The tools in Poser are not friendly enough to make a good animation in a decent amount of time, and that’s what made me wonder if Character Animation with Poser Pro by Larry Mitchell was actually a good idea. That was obviously before I even read the book. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 3 opinions posted |
Cinema 4D R11 was released in September 2008, and it includes several new features and enhancements that make this software even more powerful. Furthermore, C4D R11 still retains the same ease of use as its predecessor. Read on as Sergio takes a look at everything that makes CINEMA 4D R11 a solid release for animation. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 3 opinions posted |
Adobe's Creative Suite 4 gave us significant improvements in different areas, with this new release being focused on different ways to offer a faster workflow. If you’re a user of the Adobe CS product line, you will absolutely love this release. On the other hand, if you work with media production using any other product line, you’ll find a lot of nice features that will make you want to switch to Adobe CS4. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
A couple of years ago, the 3D industry began to hear news of a “ZBrush killer” called Mudbox. After a private beta, Mudbox was released by Skymatter, and in 2007 Autodesk acquired it to make it a part of their Media and Entertainment products branch. During SIGGRAPH 2008, I had the chance to see Mudbox 2009 (the first Autodesk release) in action, and I realized that Mudbox, now being part of Autodesk, was the best thing that could ever happen. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
This past August we had the chance to witness the launch of Maya 2009, the 10th major release of Maya 3D software. While it’s keeping up with the latest trends in the animation and cinematography industry, I do think that some aspects of Maya need more attention as well. Stop in and see for yourself if this anniversary release is right for you. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 2 opinions posted |
Almost anyone who has ever wanted to make a film has dreamed of setting up a scene with a big city, be it a modern or ancient city. I even did it once for a short film some years ago, and I ended up manually placing a countless number of textured cubes, but the result was far from satisfactory: My city actually turned out to be a small town with only a few buildings...Things would have been different if CityEngine had been in my toolset. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 7 opinions posted |
Psunami is a procedural water generator by Red Giant Software. Although versions for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut and Motion exist, I will be focusing on the After Effects one for this review. In computer graphics there are different ways that you can create oceans, ponds or lakes: from a plane with animated displacement maps or deformers, to procedural generators. What Psunami does is take into After Effects the work that you’d usually do inside a 3D application. Product Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 3 opinions posted |
Even if you don't use it, you must know Poser because it's the most widely used human/figure generator available today. SmithMicro's Poser Pro delivers a new set of features that may be appealing to some users, although some others may not find them to be compelling enough to upgrade. However, with some of the biggest improvements in rendering features, it may be just what you need, and there are several upgrade offers and special prices available for current Poser users. Product Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 7 opinions posted |
If you’re a movie fanatic, there’s a chance you’ve heard of “A Scanner Darkly” or “Walking Life.” What made these movies special from a visual point of view, is the fact that they turned the movies into cartoons. I’ve even heard of people trying to emulate the look of the film using any tool they have available. However, that’s proven to be rather difficult and time consuming. This is where ToonIt! can make your life a lot easier. ToonIt is a plug-in that lets you take any real-life footage and turn it into a cartoon without much effort. It runs in AfterEffects, Premiere Pro, Avid and Final Cut. Product Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Last august at SIGGRAPH, I had the chance to meet with 3DConnexion, a company that makes 3D navigation devices that work on different applications. During the last couple of weeks I’ve been using the Space Explorer navigator as part of my usual workflow, and while it takes some time to get used to it, you end up wishing that all your applications offered 3D navigator support. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 2 opinions posted |
Frantic Films VFX, serving as the lead provider of visual effects for the stereoscopic summer blockbuster, "Journey to the Center of the Earth", used Autodesk's 3ds Max and in-house Flood software to astonishing effect. Sergio Rosa caught up with Frantic Films' visual effects supervisor, Chris Harvey, to discuss the work that went into the film. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
SIGGRAPH is now officially over...the student volunteers are leaving, the teardown has begun, and everybody is either hanging around using their computers or just leaving. I am a little sad that it's over, but at the same time I feel relieved as I am barely able to stand on my feet. SIGGRAPH 2008 is over. Hopefully, we'll see each other next year in New Orleans. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
This SIGGRAPH, I had the chance to meet part of the Animation Mentor crew. They are all amazing people who share your interests in one way or another. As a matter of fact, that's one of the things that I love about SIGGRAPH, the fact that you can meet all different kinds of people but they all share the same passion for something. I spent nearly an hour with Animation Mentor, interviewing Carlos Baena talking about the school, their goals and what happens behind the red curtain. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer |
If you’re into high-end computer graphics and feature films, even if you don’t actually work in that specific branch, you must be somewhat familiar with how the characters and creatures for feature films are made. There are many books and resources that cover separately, the elements of creature creation. However, Maya Feature Creature Creations tries to be a one-stop resource when it comes to creating realistic creatures. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
Sergio takes us through days 2 and 3 of an exciting SIGGRAPH 2008. Here he gives us a look at what Maxon, Autodesk, and T-Splines have been up to, among other things. Be sure to check back for more of Sergio's blog, as it is updated. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer |
SIGGRAPH 2008 opened its doors Monday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. As always, the activities run from early in the morning till 6 PM. However, the SIGGRAPH life doesn't end at 6... Be sure to check Sergio's Blog throughought this week for regular updates! Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 5 opinions posted |
Maya is a complex software, and getting the right information can be vital. There are plenty of books that cover the different aspects, such as modeling, rendering and scripting. However, Maya Plugin Power focuses on something completely different: Maya plugins. Book Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer |
"I never took any formal training in visual effects, I learned most of the basics on my own. It's something that I was always interested in, so when I was young and finally got a computer that could do that sort of thing, I became immersed in it." Read on as Sergio gets Ryan talking about his recent work in the television series "Heroes", his Emmy win for Stephen King's "Battleground", and just what it takes to make it in the industry. Interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 4 opinions posted |
Sculpting software and 3D software that includes sculpting capabilities are becoming more common. These applications can be used to deform models more easily, or to add finer details to them (using bump maps, normal maps or displacement maps). Now comes N-Sided with their recently released Argile, a sculpting and finishing application. Product Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
"Poser users are always looking for ways to make things easier to streamline their workflow. As a matter of fact we all do the same, regardless of what tool we use, and Decal Master is one of those small tools that aim to make your life easier." This week, Sergio reviews the Texture Editing Bundle, by Renderosity Vendor texgabry. Read on to learn more about this combination of the products, DecalMaster and TexturePaintHelper. Product review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr Staff Writer - 4 opinions posted |
When I became a moderator for the Renderosity Maya community, I came to realize how important it was to have different resources for both newcomers and advanced users. As you may have realized, there are plenty of books available that are related to Maya in one way or another. For this particular article I’d like to share my experiences with a recently released book by Tereza Flaxman titled "Maya Character Modeling and Animation: principles and practices" Book Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 1 opinion posted |
It is very likely that you have read about virtualization and how it can make IT's life a lot easier. Virtualization has also become useful for people upgrading their operating systems, since they can still run their old applications on their new system, inside a virtual environment. Even better, people can run applications inside virtual systems without the risk of that application ruining their main system. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer - 7 opinions posted |
With a focus on workflow, additional tools, and many other enhancements, Autodesk's Maya 2008 proves to be a sound release. Read more as Sergio takes an in depth look at Maya's exciting new features. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer |
Adobe Ultra is an application specially developed to help you work with green screen (or blue screen) footage. It's meant to make it easier to key out the green screen of almost any kind of footage, thanks to its toolset and automatic keying. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Sr. Staff Writer |
Sergio Rosa continues his in depth review of CS3 Production Premium with a look at: Premiere Pro, Soundbooth and Encore. Discover the true power of CS3 Production Premium and find out if Adobe's latest program suite belongs in your artistic toolset. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
A lot of expectation had been created around the CS3 Premium packages since they were first announced around 5 or 6 months ago. The software sets come in different flavors you can choose from, whether you are a graphic designer, filmmaker, web developer, etc. My focus throughout this series of articles will be the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium software set. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
The first version of Toon Boom Storyboard was released some months ago (you may remember my Storyboard review in February), and it was meant to be used as a preproduction tool, helping you to visualize your story and share it with everybody in your production team. A few months ago, Toon Boom Animation released not one, but two new versions of Storyboard: Toon Boom Storyboard and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 4 opinions posted |
When it comes to computers, the technology has reached a point where we have opened doors for nearly any possibility you can imagine, especially when it comes to 3D graphics. It was obvious it was only a matter of time before people started using 3D technology on the web. Article by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
Surely anybody who works with 3D graphics has heard about Cinema 4D, be it thanks to BodyPaint (a unique tool that lets you paint textures onto 3D objects), or to the fame it has earned for being user friendly. What actually makes Cinema 4D user friendly is the workflow and how it helps you get the job done by placing the right tools when you need them. Review by Sergio Rosa - Staff Columnist - 4 opinions posted |
Windows Vista is far from becoming old news. Pretty much everyone is hearing something (good or bad) about the OS very frequently. I have to admit that I wasn't at all excited about Vista, especially due to all the hype around it (and the talk about Aero being the only thing worth mentioning). However, after being bombarded with news about the new features and countless messages from Mac fanatics claiming that Vista was just a Mac OS X copycat, I decided to take a look at what everyone was talking about. Sergio Rosa - Staff Columnist - 18 opinions posted |
Last month Reallusion released iClone 2.0, the latest version of their acclaimed real-time animation software. If you've been following the program, you surely have realized how much it has grown since it was released a year ago (this is the third version in the one-year timeframe). For those that don't know it yet, iClone is a real-time 3D animation tool that lets you quickly make your own short movies, music videos, and even teaching videos. Review by Sergio Rosa - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
Probably your story is similar to that of many animators around the globe. Not everyone can afford an education at the big schools, and sometimes there isn't even a small school where you live. You may guess that you are on your own since there's no other way to learn. This article is meant to give some input about getting started in animation, from the basics to the software. Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 12 opinions posted |
I take off my 3D animation hat one more time to talk a little about Toon Boom Studio, a 2D animation package created by Toon Boom Animation. Toon Boom Studio comes in two flavors: the Express version (aimed for beginners) and the full version. For this review I will be focusing on the second one. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 2 opinions posted |
Preproduction is one, if not the most important aspects of production. However, sometimes it's overlooked. A part of preproduction is storyboarding, where artists put on paper all the picture frames to visually tell the story...This is where programs such as Toon Boom Storybard come in. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
A few years ago, Pixologic released a tool that changed the way some people approached modeling: ZBrush. ZBrush could be considered one of a kind because of its ability to manipulate objects with a very high level of detail. That has now changed... Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 8 opinions posted |
2D animation is often associated with traditional hand-made animation. These last years Flash animations have also invaded the 2D animation realm. This visual style has gained so much momentum that even 3D apps such as Maya, LW, MAX and even Poser have incorporated cell-shading and flash export capabilities... Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 5 opinions posted |
Ballistic Publishing has quickly gained the respect of the CG community. Their books cover a wide variety of topics, from general CG art, to matte painting, to modeling. In this article I will discuss a little about one of their newest books, "d'artiste Concept Art". Book review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
"Earlier this year I wrote an article about a real-time animation software that promised to revolutionize the way animation was made. The name of that software was iClone. See what has developed and what's to come... Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 2 opinions posted |
"In my Maya 8 review, I mentioned that one of the new features in this release is the capability to create Geometry Caches for your animated models. What the Geometry Cache does is bake all the deformers and animation onto a cache. The animation is then read from the hard disk instead of being calculated for each frame." Tutorial by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
A few months ago Reallusion released version 4.5 of CrazyTalk. If you attended SIGGRAPH you may have had the chance to play with it, but if you didn't and you are a CrazyTalk fan, this article might interest you. If you don't know what CrazyTalk is, you may also read on so you know more about it. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 8 opinions posted |
"Autodesk finished the acquisition of Alias in January 2006. Since then, there had been questioning on whether or not Autodesk would continue developing Maya. This SIGGRAPH, Autodesk answered that question by unveiling Maya 8 3D software. Maya 8 comes packed with some nice new features, and a special gift for 64 bit PC users." Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 7 opinions posted |
Camera tracking with Moujou Besides animation, one of my biggest interests is filmmaking. Being so passionate about the computer animation field, I am always looking for new things to do and new techniques to explore. These last months I grew very keen to make a movie that would combine live action footage and computer generated elements. Review by Sergio Rosa [Nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
A Codec Moment Have you ever found yourself wondering which codec to use for your animation? Check it out, as Sergio takes a closer look at some popular codecs, and provides a few examples. Are you having a Codec moment? Article by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 13 opinions posted |
| Animation Alley: Maya 7 Render Layers "Rendering in layers can bring you many benefits that sometimes are overlooked..." Join Sergio, as he explains how you can use Maya's render layers to full effect, making for easier work, and possibly even cutting your render time! article by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
Want to create your own digital identity? Find out what Reallusion's iClone can do for you! Read on as Sergio shows just how easily you too can create and animate your own digital identity. review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 9 opinions posted |
Check it out as Sergio gives you a closer look at this exciting new Maya plug-in. See if it is just what you need to put the 'muscle' in your work! review by Staff Columnist - Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - 5 opinions posted |
Continuing from last week...Sergio presents more of the story of Studio C, a VFX studio located in Guatemala, which recently worked on The Chronicles of Narnia. Read more about the keys to their success. interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
Bringing a monumental adventure like The Chronicles of Narnia to the big screen is no easy thing. It requires a lot of work, not only on the directing side but also on the visual effects. This is part one of a two-part interview, where Sergio gets an inside look at the work of Studio C, a VFX studio located in Guatemala. interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 5 opinions posted |
This week, join Sergio, as he reviews T-Splines, a plug-in for Maya. T-Splines is a brand new modeling system that tries to marry the best of the Polygons and NURBS worlds to create a very versatile system that promises to make the modeler's life easier. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
Last week Sergio gave you the inside scoop on Alias Maya 7 and its Full Body IK system. This week he delves into Maya 7 and the updates to Mayas BlendShape deformer, explaining how this powerful deformer is an impressive way to make new morphs for your characters. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 1 opinion posted |
Recently released, Alias Maya 7, is considered by many to be one of the most remarkable releases to date, with exciting updates to the existing tools and improvements to its functionality. Find out why Sergio feels that the most important additions to the software is the ability to use MotionBuilder's Full Body IK system. Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 2 opinions posted |
Sergio reviews the sequel to the widely acclaimed Final Fantasy VII game the biggest event in the CG Industry for 2005 Final Fantasy VII Advent Children the movie. Read on to see what sets this CG adventure apart from the others... Movie Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - staff columnist - 19 opinions posted |
Sergio explores the world of award-winning Akiko Ashley. In a video game industry world dominated by males, Akiko�s creative talent shines brightly, as one of the Partners, and Executive Producer, of Luminetik Animation Studios. Interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - staff columnist - 8 opinions posted |
Just in time for your spooky Halloween renderings Sergio, brings you a short and sweet five-minute tutorial on creating a pumpkin from scratch, and then, with a little magic, he shows you how to zap it into a ghost. Join our very own Harry Potter, as he shows you how to create a head for your headless horseman! Tutorial by Sergio Rosa - Staff Columnist - 4 opinions posted |
Recently Peru released Piratas en el Callao [Pirates in Callao] adapted from a children's book of the same name Piratas is considered to be the first Latin-American 3D movie. Sergio took time out from his Animation Alley duties, to review Piratas for you ... Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
This week Sergio [nemirc], continues his lessons on Posing, as he explains the importance of balance, and how you can apply it to your CG animations! Be sure not to miss this outstanding tutorial in Sergio's Animation Alley series. Article by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Featured Columnist - 7 opinions posted |
Teen filmmaker phenom, Ian Hubert [Mrdodobird], asks What happens when you wake up before you stop dreaming? Sergio seeks the reality from Ian, in an in-depth interview, that reveals the behind the scene secrets of Ians newest fantasy sci-fi adventure film Ideality. Interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Staff Columnist - 7 opinions posted |
Have you always dreamed of becoming a Professional Animator? Yearned to earn a degree in Animation? Go to classes in your pajamas? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have to read nemirc's interview with Bobby Beck, AnimationMentor.com's CEO/President ... Interview by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Renderosity Staff Writer - 7 opinions posted |
Our Animation Alley guru, nemirc [Sergio Rosa], takes you on a fascinating journey through a Real-Time Spray-Paint Simulation in Maya. Join nemirc as he discovers the hidden secrets to the Visual Special Effects (VFX) within the Tom Cruise movie The Minority Report. Tutorial by nemirc (Sergio Rosa) - Staff Columnist - 3 opinions posted |
Animation Alley's nemeric [Sergio Rosa], reviews volume-one of the Gnomon Workshop's instructional DVD Visual Storytelling with Iain McCaig: Anatomy of a Story . Review by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] Featured Columnist - 2 opinions posted |
This week Sergio [nemirc], goes over the fine points of working with Arcs, and how you can apply them to your CG animations! Another can't miss tutorial in Sergio's Animation Alley series. by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Featured Columnist |
Animation Alley's nemirc [Segio Rosa] brings you his professional opinions of Star Wars Episode - III - Revenge of the Sith from a Computer Graphic Artist's viewpoint! Great input and fantastic screen grabs provided by the good people from LucasFilm. by Sergio Rosa [nemirc] - Featured Columnist - 25 opinions posted |
Last week Sergio [nemirc], went over The Twelve Principles of Animation, and how you can apply them to your CG animations! This week he gives you tips and tricks on The Art Of Posing posing your figures, and how to apply them to the Principles of Animation ... Sergio Rosa [nemirc] Featured Columnist - 10 opinions posted |
Are you a budding CG short film maker? Are you striving to improve your animations? Our Animation Alley guru, Sergio [nemirc], gives you the basics of The Twelve Principles of Animation, and how you can apply them to your CG animations! Sergio Rosa [nemirc] Featured Columnist - 7 opinions posted |
Sergio takes time off from his Animation Alley column to conduct the first article in our new series Street Artists featuring street artists from around the world Those unconventional artists who make a living creating art on the streets of our cities. A special thanks to Shelamay for her creative input. nemirc (Sergio Rosa) - Staff Writer - 8 opinions posted |
Shade 7 Professional is a 3D design tool brought to you by the people of Curious Labs. After spending some time getting hands-on experience with this program, nemirc, gives us his thoughts about the package from the standpoint of a Maya animator and Poser 4 user. by Sergio Rosa (nemirc) - 7 opinions posted |
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