M.A.I.L. :: View topic

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

I recently posted here asking what programs were used to create the images for the tutorials. Well, I've managed a first image of a simple ring, but it aint nearly as good as the ones i've seen all over the internet. Here it is:

This was done using blender. I would be curious to know how you do yours, and i would also greatly apreciate any help or tips you guys might have for me.

Criterion · Joined: September 25, 2003 Posts: 353 Submissions: 11

Not sure how you did that, but it sure looks like a bunch of metaballs to me (appears a bit... lumpy?). If you did it that way (which boggles my mind why you would), try the easy way next time, with a basic torus shape Smile

. I need to grab a new copy of blender and check it out. Been over a year since I played with it.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke

DarkSkye Designs

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

.........

Yep, it's a bunch of metaballs. Very Happy

I did it that way becose I knew no other way. I'm just starting to make 3d images lol. I know this may sound a bit stupid, but how do I make a torus lol? Coif LoL

First: Edit: Found it... It was nearly too easy, I guess I have to learn to look with my eyes and not my feets. And no, this is not suposed to be funny.

Second Edit: Alright, this does bring me a bit foward, but i'm also backward one step becose the iner diameter is not large enought to acomodate many rings...

Third edit: Maybe a mini tutorial on how you draw thoses?

Criterion · Joined: September 25, 2003 Posts: 353 Submissions: 11

Well, I'll see what I can come up with for you if no one with previous blender experience chimes in. I don't use blender, no reason against it other than I have a lot of other software packages to choose from that I have much more experience with. For the images I have done here, I've used Bryce, just cause it's quick and easy, and I have it currently installed as I've not done any contract work requiring use of the big guns lately hehe Smile

. I'll see what I can figure out though. You might try looking though the tutorials on the Blender site.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke

DarkSkye Designs

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

If you have another program, I don't mind as long as it's free (don't have the money). I don't know much about blender, so it's not like if I had to learn something anew.

cohort · Joined: September 26, 2002 Posts: 509 Submissions: 14

I'll put up a tutorial on ringmaking in blender later..

"If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." ? Anatole France

Melfis · Posted on Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:51 am

Use bryce or poser..both have ring shapes in them

Criterion · Joined: September 25, 2003 Posts: 353 Submissions: 11

None of the other software I use is free. Cost ranges from around $100 up into the thousands. You might check out Wings 3d as it's supposed to be pretty good, but the learning curve is not quite as steep as blender (blender is *very* good, but it really is a pro level piece of software... and it does have about the steepest learning curve I've seen yet in a modeling program), just do a google search for free 3d modelers and you should get a handful of matches. My advice would be to check several out and see what you like Smile

. Some of the free software I've seen does not include a renderer, but usually you'll find a plugin or a built in function that will export to pov-ray (free and very good renderer).

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke

DarkSkye Designs

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

Problem is exactly what I said... I don't have much money. I'll go and try wings (which uses pov-rav to make the rendered images) Anyhow, blender is not so hard once you get a bit around it, but it is a very touchy tool needing a lot of patience

MaxumX

wow..that is diferant..may i give you a sugestion..try using 3DSudioMax 6.0( www.3dmax.com ) just get there demo and try it i think you'll find it much ezer to use..

opps was nothingking about it go to descreet...for the addy

maille Code V2.0 T8.3 R6.4 Ep.f Fper Mfe.s Wsg$ Cpw$ G0.25-2.5 I0.5-30 N31.31 Pa Dacdjw Xa27g37w1 S94

Criterion · Joined: September 25, 2003 Posts: 353 Submissions: 11

Actually that is not the addy for 3DS Max. the website you want to go to is http://www.discreet.com/. I've not seen any demo/trial for Max, but they do have a new product (which came out after I cut my ties to them, so I don't know much about it) called GMax. That would surely be worth a try.

(edit... my bad, it appears there is a trial for 3DS Max)
(edit again.. well it appears that Gmax does not render.. nor does it export in easily usable formats.. that put's it out of the running for ease of use)

If you have the bandwidth, my top suggestion would be get the Maya free edition. Maya is awesome, and pretty easy to use Smile

.

One other suggestion.. old but good.. full version of Truespace 3.2 http://forms.caligari.com/forms/ts3all_free.html. Lots of people like that. Will surely do what you need Smile

.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke

DarkSkye Designs

Blackeagle13 · Posted on Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:00 am

I <3 POV RAY

www.povray.org

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

I have the bandwith for it, don't worry about that. I can download at a maximum rate of 1mb each 2.2 second.

Edit: Forget that, i'm downloading at a rate of 2 mb a second right now.
Second Edit: Maya is powerfull, i'll agree to that, but it's a much more complicated then blender. I can't even find the object window anymore.

Enalung · Joined: July 30, 2004 Posts: 27 Submissions: 0

Well, I found the window I was searching for quickly enought. Here are my first tests with maya. It's nice, only thing I don't like is that the program leaves it's mark in front of my image.

I'm going to try Truespace 3.2 next and maybe wings if I get the time.

cohort · Joined: September 26, 2002 Posts: 509 Submissions: 14

The easiest one in which to build a single ring, imho, is POVray, since you can choose any two of the following four: Ring inner diameter, Ring outer diameter, Ring median diameter, Ring cross section width.

So, you can specify ID and Cross section, which puts you dead on with the AR that we specify around here..

Second, IMHO, is blender. Take a bezier or NURBS curve, offest the center so it's on the right edge (x+1 blender unit), then take a second NURBS or Bezier circle and scale it up, in editmode, to your AR value. Assign the first circle as the BevOb, and away you go.. (I'll be writing this up, complete with screengrabs, in a bit.)

Mind you, because you're dealing with hard numbers in POVray, once you get the basic ring, you have to do alot of pfutzing to get the rings to line up the way you want -- adjust a number, run the raytrace, lather rinse repeat.. With the graphical apps, like blender, you can drag the ring around until it fits.

"If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." ? Anatole France