martin
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Posts posted by martin
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Negro Art
I think the concept art around the term "Picaninny" is precious, and I think that Gale will do a great job with it.
My interest in "banned" art is similar. My most expensive original oil painting is by the Hildebrandt brothers (white), from the comic “Blackjack” by Alex Simmons (black), with the hero (black) holding two pistols over Hitler and Tojo with Japan’s Raising Sun and Germany’s Swastika in the background.
I have original art pages from comics that contain images of women that were wounded in the pursuit of justice, much like male superheroes are wounded.
What makes this art interesting is that it is rare – primarily because of social taboos that blanket all expression, even those that are valid and provocative.
Once, a customer made an animation about a chicken where the dialog was spoken with a hackneyed, down-home accent. Several viewers (white) took offence because they thought the accent was black. I reminded them it was a chicken.
Martin Hash
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On the issue of "displacement".
A material can also be used as a displacement, there's a checkbox on the material's instance.
A:M uses "subpixel displacement", or whatever the hell the competition's calling it. A:M has always used "subpixel displacement" (this apparently means that displacement occurs across the poly/patch, not just on the corners). A:M does limit displacement to 64 subdivisions/patch, so if you want a hairball, you're going to need a very dense model. (I think John is wrong about the 5-points not working with displacement - send in a failing project, John). Hooks crack with displacement but work, (a known bug that I haven't been especially motivated to fix).
Pixar uses another kind of pixel-level displacement, but it leaves cracks.
Martin Hash
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Antonio;
I don't mean to be rude, but read the postings I've made in this thread for the answer to your question.
Martin Hash
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triath5147, I must say, you are a trooper. You're one of those DO WHATEVER IT TAKES guys. I'll keep listening if you keep talking.
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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I'd like to see an example of this working. Forget the normals and uvs for now and just show me an animated sequence working in a game.When exporting this model with animation you simply use the stored normals and UV's again and everything should be okay !Can I suggest that James not wait until he finishes his super-secret idea for showing off those free models, and just PUT THEM UP!!!Actually, it's Dan's super-secret idea, and he's getting close. Still, there's no reason why James can't post the models to the Models page -- Jamesssss......
I gave James my "terrordactyl model over a month ago!I've noticed that James is doing his own animation with that terrordactyl -- Jamessss....
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Hey hashers;
This is valid topic (as long as the thread doesn't go bad) so I thought I'd lay out all the options, and Hash's position on each.
Very, very difficult. We've spent thousands of hours on this.Poly models are turned into splines and used in A:M.
Poly models are left alone but the spline-based animation features are not allowed.
A:M already does this. They're imported as "props".
I think a plug-in author can tackle this, but it won't be our small team of programmers. We'll provide advice and help as needed, but we will NOT be responsible.A:M exports into some kind of poly file for gamers.
A:M somehow supports poly models via a variety of hacks, maybe via a secondary poly pipeline that duplicates all of the features as best it can.
This is the most probable as far as programming goes, but it would take a commitment we are unable to provide, and frankly, most of the A:M advantage would be lost.
Hash stays focused on what we can do.Of course.
Yves Poissant does not work for Hash. When he does something for us, he does it for free because he loves A:M. If you don't believe my opinion because you think I am somehow biased, then simply ask him what he thinks? I know everyone here is a loyal hasher and intend no disrespect to A:M, me, or Hash.
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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Hello import/export-centric hashers;
Once again, let me repeat myself:
If you are a modeling person, and modeling is the most important thing to you, and polys is how you model, then Animation:Master is not for you. There are several great poly programs out there. You can still say, "Animation:Master is a great animation program - but I prefer to model in polys".
If you are a rendering person, and rendering is the most important thing to you, and polys is how you render, then Animation:Master is not for you. There are several great poly programs out there. You can still say, "Animation:Master is a great animation program - but I prefer to render in polys".
HOWEVER, if you are an animation person, and animation is the most important thing to you, and you accept that we know what we are doing, then Animation:Master IS for you. You can say, "I could probably model or render this in some other program - but I'm going to use Animation:Master!"
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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The people that tried to make export plugins, although I greatly appreciate their efforts, and this is not a bad reflection on them, but the plugins were always flawed and incomplete.
Actually, the programmers who did those plug-ins are very good. The amount of work required for A:M polygon-import/export compatibility is staggering, and of the highest difficulty. Anybody willing to take that on should be thanked and encouraged. Send them some money along with your requests for additional features - that's the best route.
And, all of you people who use A:M NO-MATTER-WHAT, you're the cream in my coffee. Whenever I see an explanation of how to take A:M models to a particular game engine that involves five steps, I'm in awe of the loyalty that inspired such ingenuity. Maybe Hash can help get that down to three steps?
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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Hello A:M supporters who only want the software to be better;
Any company that thinks it can write a polygon-to-spline converter for input into
Animation:Master is welcome to do so. Hash has provided all of the programming hooks necessary for import. However, Hash has no plans to write such a converter ourselves.
Let me repeat myself:
If someone wishes to write an importer - we're here for you, but we won't do it.
I'm not trying to be rude, just honest. It may sound like Hash refuses to support polygons but it's only necessity speaking. We can barely keep our own features working.
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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Is it possible to use expressions in A:M to drive the opacity of textures via bone or spline deformation? In Jason's book, it's possible in Maya to drive the bump channel (node) - so, that when the character raises his eyebrows, the crease or wrinkles in the forehead (bump map) appear.
I'm surprised no one has already jumped in and answered this question...
so I will.
This exact example was what "relationships" were designed for. The percentage of bump can easily (too easily some people might say) be related to a bone's movement. Maybe johnl3D (the "tinker gnome") can make you up a little project.
"Expressions" in A:M are a type of mathematical relationship, like gears turning: i.e. as big gear turns once, little gear turns 2 times as fast.
"Scripting" in A:M is a relationship that uses a programming language. Petr Sorfa did a lot of work in this area, but there was little interest so he kind of ran out of steam. He's still around though, waiting for the chance.
Good to see you here,
regards,
Martin Hash
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I always want to thank Yves when he jumps in there.
Anyway, sales are good (especially good for the time of year), so Ken's marketing efforts must be working (Marshall's East Coast sales are also helping). Randy is at Apple trying to get the last of the big issues taken care of for the OSX 10.5 version. Dan is porting 11.5 to OSX as we speak. Bob is moving on to cloth. OpenEXR is linking in 11.5, but "render layers" have stalled a little bit while we figure out what to do with them, (I think I'll pass them off to Dan, who likes that kind of thing). Noel is diddling with blobbies (hopefully, they'll look more like flowing water, we'll just have to see what you guys do with them). Niels V11 arcticPigs looks awesome. I'm speaking at an Internet conference on Kauai (damn, I get all the tough jobs!).
We seem to have enough demonstrators for SIGGRAPH, but we need animations! There's going to be food at the this year's party. Hopefully, Vern can come and get drunk, (Steve said he'd bring some women's shoes.) James is out of detox.
Martin Hash
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"poly modeling" is actually two distinct things:
1) Point sampling via lasers, cameras, humans (wow! tedious), where each point lies on the object's surface, but it takes A LOT of points to describe most shapes, and no matter how many points you use, zoom in a little closer and it's not enough. The shear amount of points means humans can't deal with the surface directly, so they have to use abstractions (tools). Everything is slowed WAY down, and it makes the tools clunky.
2) Box modeling (SDS) where the amount of points is reduced but the points you do use don't lie on the surface. Try to model by tracing over a photograph with box modeling. How many steps does it take to do anything? Plus, most SDS models have a fixed subdivision, and most turn into pure poly models before animation, so we're back to clunky tools again.
Notice how "tools" is common to both types of poly modeling. Those are poly tools, specific to poly modeling and poly animating. Sleek A:M tools wouldn't work. A:M tools rely on small data sizes and the continuity of the surface, and because the A:M tools are few and easy to use, beginners catch on faster, and professionals (oops, I used the "p" word) have better work flow.
Poly models are often 100 times bigger than Hash models. Poly animation files are equally huge. "arcticPigs" is a good example of a spline implementation over the Internet. Can't touch it with poly models: both geometry and animation.
Even after saying all that, we could probably chunk something up for low-res poly models to work okay with A:M, but then what? We couldn't match the tools in a poly program - people would still be dissatisfied, except Hash would have expended its tiny development team trying to compete with millions and millions of dollars of poly investment. We can hardly keep the software running as it is.
Then there's the marketing aspect. I said there were a dozen good poly programs, but there probably used to be 100 and, ultimately, there will only be one. A:M is differentiated by being THE spline program, so there can be two winners: poly (probably Maya) and spline, Animation:Master.
Since it all boils down to the artist anyway, just make a choice and stick with it.
Martin Hash
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Splines vs. Polys?
I have a Ph.D. in computer graphics. However, if I try to describe any advantages splines may have over polys: LW, C4D, Wings, etc. people will come out of the woodwork calling me a liar. Some people prefer chisels and blocks of stone. Who am I to say. If you like polys, there's got to be a dozen good poly programs out there - don't waste your time with A:M. If you like splines, we're here for ya man.
Martin Hash
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Rich;
That's a great rig!
As an aside: Noel once spent some time trying to get the "motion capture" plug-in to convert Actions created for one rig to work on another. There have been a couple of new rigs lately that make me want to resurrect that project.
Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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Steven;
Wow! I think everything on the site is cool. These are the kind of "out of the blue" animations that make my skin tingle when I first see them. I just love this business. Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Martin Hash
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The bad thing about scaling in the modeler is that the materials must be scaled also.
Scaling in the Choreography actually doesn't take any longer to calculate because the scale factor is embedded in the matrix just like anything else.
Richard's explanation was very good. So, if you are building your character from scratch, follow the advice in this thread, but if you are using existing models, scale them in the Choreography.
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Thank you for your concern, but "Wish Lists" are the prerogative of the "A:M Fellows". To become an "A:M Fellow", see the "A:M Fellows Constitution" at the top of the "Fellows" area. You can also submit feature ideas to hash@hash.com (thanks Ken).
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Hello Art;
What a great attitude! I couldn't help but chime in to support your endeavor, so...
How about hats?
Put a fire, police, soldier, sailor, nurse, etc. hat on a character and you tell a lot about it.
Thanks,
Martin Hash
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But it produces blurred images and thus, some details could disapear or get considerably faded away.Actually, weighted circular area sampling produces MORE detail of images in Animation. Here is why:
However, it does produce blurred images - that's why it isn't always on. In the case of animation, where motion blur is desirable, the directional nature of this blurring is positive, but static elements will be blurred. Almost all post-processing is image blurring: bloom, film-grain, depth-of-field, lens flares, motion blur, HDRI, etc., etc., etc. People like blur, that's the reason there's so much interest in separating out the render elements (diffuse, specular, mirrors, etc.) - so they can be degraded to varying degrees before recompositing. That's the art.
Martin Hash
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I want to thank every one of you who participated in our discussions and surveys during the past week. We will leave the polls tacked up for a while to remind all who might forget, just what the majority of our forum-using customers think and want. However, remember that the largest share of A:M customers do not use any forums. Hash is probably going to have to represent their interests since we are the only ones who have contact and know their needs.
The spontaneity of the logo contest was surprising, and encouraging. It is gratifying to know that A:M customers are quite willing to help out when and where they can.
There will be more sanctioned criticism threads in the future, but for now we'll let things get back to normal traffic patterns.
Help out Ken like you've been helping me.
Again, my sincere thanks,
Martin Hash
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Elena;
For various reasons, the Hash team is permanently fixed (18 years and counting). David Rogers is the guy you should be talking to. He has full Hash access and support. If he can't do it, no one can.
Martin Hash
New Features request, where?
in (2003-2004)
Posted
While it is true that Hash is swamped by feature requests, it is interesting to note that insights and observations that result in smoothing the user's experience are rare. Almost all feature requests are of the "big" variety. (As it turns out, even "medium" are "big".) We do look out for simple feature requests that are easy to do. Send them to support@hash.com.