VR Modeling a "Reality"?

[fae_alba]

So on LinkedIn in a few animation groups I've been pushing A:M. On one group a get feedback from the CEO of leonar3do, which advertises itself as

 

"Leonar3Do is the easiest way to create and visualize virtual 3D objects in real space while sitting at your desktop. Leonar3Do is an integrated software and hardware platform that offers a unique, truly immersive VR exprience in the sense that you are able to see and interact with your virtual objects in real 3D space."

 

the site is Leonar3do

 

This blokes response to me on LinkedIn was

 

Have you ever tried Leonar3Do yourself, personally?

If not, I would like to offer you one, for a month, for evaluation purposes.

We would be able to send you one under a Temporary Loan Agreement.

 

We would be very pleased to receive your comments and development ideas!!

 

So my question is....is this a tool that anyone could envision using in A:M? They have an sdk, we have an sdk...it should be possible to create an interface in A:M for this tool...what are your thoughts?

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

The models look like they were splined with the fattest crayons that could be found. Now, I would be interested if they had a (insert your idea of a cool character here) or something that looked halfway decent that you could really ANIMATE and not just move the model from one point in X-Y-Z to another without and actual movement from the model. It looks like you can model a cartoony frog move the whole model from point A to points B, C & D - but it's just a stiff stuffed frog - no leg movement, no blinking, no puffing of air sacks, etc..

 

Software wise; it looks to still be a fetus, capable of only the most mundane tasks. It's aconcept that has not even hit puberty and needs a lot more development - I wouldn't even bother with it for free as I feel it would be a waste of time, better spent in AM or PhotoShop - working to complete an actual Project that actually made me feel proud. I would rather be able to export my AM Animations to VRML or XML than buy this...this.....thing. NOT that I', complaining that I can't - who knows - maybe I can but don't know how.

 

IMHO

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

[robcat2075]

I'm sure it's possible. A:M would have to be able to generate the realtime 3D display to see with their glasses, but that's possible. There are probably a lot of issues of scaling and placement and zooming ... perhaps that's what their SDK assists with.

 

But i dont' see this as being highly useful. It's very easy to precisely tweak and nudge CPs and bones with a mouse resting on a surface (clicking and releasing the mouse button won't change the cursor position even a little bit), but I find it harder to be precise with a pen on my Cintiq (pressing and releasing a "click" inevitably creates a small unwanted shift).

 

Now add to that the complication of holding your hand in 3D space with no support at all... and doing that for hours as you work. It seems unlikely to be satisfying.

 

It looks like you are working on an actual object, but there's none of the physical feedback from actually holding it.

 

I can see a controller like this being useful for end-presentation where an architect or designer wants to show a model to a client and let them look around it and where precise modeling control would not be needed.

 

That's my take on it.

[fae_alba]

I'm sure it's possible. A:M would have to be able to generate the realtime 3D display to see with their glasses, but that's possible. There are probably a lot of issues of scaling and placement and zooming ... perhaps that's what their SDK assists with.

 

But i dont' see this as being highly useful. It's very easy to precisely tweak and nudge CPs and bones with a mouse resting on a surface (clicking and releasing the mouse button won't change the cursor position even a little bit), but I find it harder to be precise with a pen on my Cintiq (pressing and releasing a "click" inevitably creates a small unwanted shift).

 

Now add to that the complication of holding your hand in 3D space with no support at all... and doing that for hours as you work. It seems unlikely to be satisfying.

 

It looks like you are working on an actual object, but there's none of the physical feedback from actually holding it.

 

I can see a controller like this being useful for end-presentation where an architect or designer wants to show a model to a client and let them look around it and where precise modeling control would not be needed.

 

That's my take on it.

 

 

that was my first impression as well....it would take a lot of coding/dev work to bring this to life...but.. i can also see where it would help in modeling as well, assuming that the precision was there.

[Fuchur]

>> that was my first impression as well....it would take a lot of coding/dev work to bring this to life...but.. i can also see where it would help in modeling as well, assuming that the precision was there.

 

If you ask me, that is more suited for 3d-Painter-Applications not for the approach A:M is using for modeling.

 

In the end it is very likely possible (Steffen got the 3dconnexion-devices to work with A:M very well) but it would mean a lot of work for a very small persongroup who really likes to wear those glasses all the time and that really wants to work that way... like that it is more or less unlikely so not impossible that it will be implemented in the near future...

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[pixelplucker]

Probably pretty expensive for what it is. The spacemouse serves me really well and think they are around $40. Doesn't take up much space and you can even emulate mouse, keyboard and joystick inputs with the new drivers.

 

http://www.3dconnexion.com/supported-software/anywhere.html

 

As with all these devices, how a program focuses on the object for rotation is the part that takes the most getting used to. AM focuses on the selection which can get goofy if you try to rotate without having any selection. AM also seems to stick a little from rotating out of a dead on side, top or bottom views.

The focus on the selection in AM is pretty solid. I have other programs that tend to drift from the focus as you work.

 

I wonder how annoying it can be wearing those glasses and waving your arms around for a good part of the day?

 

There is another system that uses an articulated armature with force feedback giving the sensation your touching the model. It was originally developed for the dental industry. I think that it would be fairly useless in AM since AM isn't a sculpting program.

 

I think it is more of a novelty and a slight step up from the wired gloves they had way back when.

[robcat2075]

VR...

 

One day back about 1995 my manager came by my desk and he didn't look well.

 

"I just went to a meeting with [our VP] and she showed us this Virtual Reality thing. It looks really bad but she says we're going to do all our courses in VR now."

 

Did you tell her you didn't think it would work?

 

"She didn't call me there to ask my opinion. She was telling us that she's signed a multi-million dollar contract with

and that our department will provide the people to work on it."

 

It was a huge debacle, largely because "telecom training" is mostly about learning the many text commands that a tech enters into a terminal to control the network switches and only slightly about moving boxes around in 3D space. But they were sure it was The Next Big Thing

 

After about a year and half with a crew of ten working 100 hour weeks no projects got completed.

 

Fortunately I wasn't part of that crew. There were several other people in our department who were envious of my "fun" animation tasks so they jumped at this thing and did everything they could to keep me out. They thought they were going to be the next Pixar.