Rodney

Hmmmm... I think you should try that out one of these days! Pics are indeed postable in the NUF. *Added: I am not suggesting posting Work In Progress graphics in the New Users Forum... The WIP area is the best place for that any day!

Wade, According to you you got some answers via Greg's demo. If there is anything else we need to nail down... we can do it. A good place to continue the dicussion though might be in the New Users Forum. Unless, of course, you are gonna show us more of your project!

Zack, Glad to see you back on your feet again and posting good updates! I'd like to report here that I just loaded v11.0f and it is behaving most extraordinarily. Solid... and zoom zoom zoom fast! Maybe the load just cleaned the cobwebs out too! I'm testing everything I can to see if I can find anything amiss but... I am having a real blast! Your strat is looking fine too I must say! I can't wait to see some reflection in the surface of it... although I know that is probably a ways away. Keep on posting updates Zack! I'm liking the level of detail you've got in it thus far.

That was fun... I didn't get to see all your movie the last time so getting the rest of the story was a real pay off. Glad nothing like that ever happens to me!

I like! You are doing something interesting with the splines around the eyes... but it doesn't seem to be a problem... in fact that seems to add to the expression in animation a bit. We want more! (Don't they all)

Will, Very nice.... and very quick! Hope you screen cap all the time as you work as that could really pay off..... for us! Haven't had time to line by line your tutorial but what I see of it is outstanding! Bravo! I hope that'll get a lot more people using the UV Editor... as I'm sure it will. Good Stuff!

Will, Very nice! The world awaits your UV Editor revelations. Can't wait!!! I am curious about how the legs will turn out with the decal image you show above. Or perhaps you have another decal where you pick up the back (inner side) of the legs. Inquiring minds want to see your Balrog too!

Matt, First, Congrats on your new job as sheriff in #hash3D land! Having you as a moderator of chat is a very fine choice! Thanks for your detailed response. Thanks for not only getting good information out but also delivering it with style! In the past I've noticed a lot of the legendary A:M Masters build their models in halves. It has been awhile but I think a few of the SIGGRAPH tapes demonstrate the technique. Hope you'll take the time to post a couple of your some of your older pics too! I've seen your minotuar and knight in armour among other images... I looked in your posts but couldn't find it... Is it true that your current work is being done in v8.5 or another version other than v11? In any case... excellent modeling!

Philip, Very cute! Well done. The animation is simple and direct. Two Questions: Is the character made for a professional or a personal project? Are you creating more actions/animation with him? In other words I'd like to know more about your character and what your plans for him are/were!

Simply incredible. Unpredictable from start to finish... Facinating... A tour de force of interesting imagry! Bravo! Encore!

TB, COOL. Of course you know I love 2D too though... Animation:Master does, if fact, make an excellent 2D image creator. Any plans to run with Flash??

Paul, Will Do! I really value the experts opinions and will need them to have any chance for a successful digest. I doubt very much that anyone would read a bunch of sad stabs from yours truly... I'm a fan and a hobbyist... I yield to the experts. Aren't you glad that is the case! I have contacted several in the community about contributing and have yet to recieve a negative reply. Obviously, some are quite busy and have said they'll support where possible as time allows but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One thing slowing me down is that I talked with everyone before about contributing to *A:M Magazine*. Since A:M Digest is quite a different concept I feel somewhat obligated to contact everyone again to solicit A:M Digest material. May sound strange but... there you have it. I value everyone's privacy too... so If you aren't hearing from me it isn't that I don't seek your inputs for A:M Digest... It may be that I don't want to bother you unneccessarily. The first issue should give more information on how to submit to A:M Digest. For those with specific interests and expertise, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Progressing slowly but making progress little by little. It seems that each time I think it might be a good time to post on A:M Digest related happenings the timing just hasn't been right. Just to let everyone know where we are at this time here is a little update. The year is being broken down into themed issues. 12 themes in twelve issues. Underneath those 12 themes are 52 basic sub-themes. For instance: One theme (currently expected to be issue #4) is the "History" Issue. Four sub-themes start to emerge: - Hash Inc History - Community History - Animation:Master Features and Progression - Year in Review (and on to the future) I know that is a bit too generalized but thought I would give everyone at least something to think about. Especially you old timers... Do you recall something that others might find interesting. An example under Community History: Within the Community theme there is space for the legendary users of A:M to say their piece about what they have done and are doing with A:M. There will be space for new users too! So anyone who would like to promote what you are working on... or just say "I'm a part of the A:M Community" there should be space to do just that. Other sub themes aren't hard to guess. Just look at the current (and past) feature list. Then look at the Image and Animaiton contest themes... lot of potential there! Here are a few possibilities: A:M Forum/Community Navigation Anime Booleans Chat Choreography Coloring/Textures/Materials Comic Books/Heroes Contol Point Weights Customizable toolbars, menus and keyboard shortcut keys Decal View (UV Editor) Displacement Materials Distortion Boxes Dynamic Constraints Expressions Gaming Hair Hash Fellows Lighting (Reflective Blend/Reflection Filter/Soft Reflections/Fresnel Term/Light Attenuation etc.) Magnet Mode Mechanical Modeling Modeling Multiplane/Compositing Music/Sound Integration Netrender Non Linear Animation Optimum System Setup Plugins/Wizards Post Effects Programming Props Rendering/Render Settings/Multi-Pass Rigging Solutions SciFi/Fantasy Shading SIGGRAPH/Trade Show schedule Software Development Kit Sprite Emitters Support Timeline and Project Workspace Toon Rendering User Groups User Interface/Navigation Webpages and Establishing a Web Presence Well, that's not 52... but you get the idea... Once any specific sub-theme gets enough good information/articles to 'complete' a themed issue it will be put on the official schedule. So, deadlines are on a sliding scale to help everyone get involved. Do you see something I've missed? Would you like to contribute to a certain theme or lend your expertise to an specific area? I look forward to hearing from you! Let's get published! Rodney

Ross, Okay... Okay.... I take it back.... I was wrong. He is no Killer Bean! I think you've got a great character goin' on! Lookin forward to seeing more of him too. Especially if there is some detective type theme somewhere in there.... Love those eyes too!

Ecto, I know you go way back in A:M and are quite familiar with how A:M works... I've seen some of your earlier work. A question If I may... You showed us a sketch of your character... Do you draw out the spline placement as well before you work in A:M or do you just dive in and spline? Also, Any comments on the reasoning behind building only half a model versus creating it whole? You obviously prefer that method!

John, Every time I see one of your projects I am known to exclaim, "Wow... I need to do something with that effect!" Problem is... I can never seem to figure out how in the world to add the effects you come up with into a project of my own! They just don't fit in! Just wait though.... someday... all this will fall in place for me... and I'll be able to grab from the treasures you've put together. Hope I'm rich enough by then to hire you as a technical (FX) director though! Cause I probably still won't know just how to incorporate your ideas into a project. Ah.... but one can dream!

Any movie with Thom in it is alright with me! You have some good narrative skills there. Too short though... I wanna see what happens next!!!

Quite seriously.... those are awesome! A beautiful render of excellent artistry. More poses? A:M Digest cover? Please!!!

That is obviously just a photo of a few kids toys... So... where are the 3D models???

It may be old but it certainly isn't dead! I think everyone is just taking a breather before round 2 starts. There are also other plant type threads sprouting up all over the place that have the floor at this time to complement the work by Marcel. Here are three*: Tree growth Animation Toon Flower Model with Sliders Creating Leaves with Hair Too much fun! ...and there are other areas that fit nicely into the realms of greenery; Grass for instance: Grass from Hair in v11 *Edited

Just rememeber Will... the customer is always right! HEHE! Lovely... just lovely!

Yay! More Heroes! Ethan... I'm looking forward to seeing more of your character!

Nice! Very nice. Thom getting to do cool stuff again too! You might want to lower the brightness a bit... and possibly add a bit of color as has been suggested.... otherwise looking good to me!

Awesome work guys! Charting new territory while creating great art! Hope Marcel can find time to drop in and post a comment or two. His contributions to this would be most welcome!

Not sure what super secret activities Vern is up to these days but the New Filter I believe has been certified "Vern-free" by some to top security people in the biz. The filtering feature allows you to locate words in the Project Work Space (PWS) that otherwise might be hard to find. I haven't used filtering so can't comment much on it's utility in production with A:M. For those with more complex projects I would imagine it could be quite useful!