A:M 98

[KJ'd Beast]

I purchased a copy of Jeff Paries The Animation: Master Handbook way back when and I'm finally getting around to reading it.

 

I am dabbling with the demo version A:M 98 (V6.??)

 

How much of a difference is there between the version I'm using in the book and the current version as far as the interface is concerned, specifically short cut keys and modeling and animation methods and implementation?

 

I don't want to spend a lot of time relearning the interface if it has changed significantly because I would rather buy the current version if that is the case.

 

Thanks.

 

Keith

[Fuchur]

I purchased a copy of Jeff Paries The Animation: Master Handbook way back when and I'm finally getting around to reading it.

 

I am dabbling with the demo version A:M 98 (V6.??)

 

How much of a difference is there between the version I'm using in the book and the current version as far as the interface is concerned, specifically short cut keys and modeling and animation methods and implementation?

 

I don't want to spend a lot of time relearning the interface if it has changed significantly because I would rather buy the current version if that is the case.

 

Thanks.

 

Keith

 

v6 is 10-11 versions away. It has changed A LOT.

I think '98 is RELATIVELY near to the current version (isn't that the first version where a character could be created in one modelling-environment, etc.?), but there is a reason why I have written that in uppercase.

Keep in mind we are talking about more than 10 years of development here! In software-terms this is really a very very long time.

 

I would absolutely recommend to get the current version.

It would just not make much sense to work with such a old version. Nobody can help you if you run into trouble anymore (I doubt that there is anyone who still has that version installed).

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[robcat2075]

I have that book! The essential concepts presented in it regarding splining (although I don't think 5-point patches were invented yet) and rigging(I don't think CP weighting existed then either) and materials and lighting are mostly still valid.

 

However the few times I've gone back to resurrect a project done in that version I've found i don't recognize much about the interface.

 

A:M does look rather different now and much for the better!

 

A:M is faster, stronger and more reliable now.

 

But if you want to use it try a little bit of modeling just to see how fun it is, I think that's safe.

 

Still, for $79 you can zoom from 1998 to the far off future of... 2012!

[John Bigboote]

Lot of changes and improvements in the 12 years I have used this software... yet the fundamentals of splining and modelling are still sound. The MOST compelling improvement over the years is that the software does not crash with regularity like it used to, I would compare it to Adobe products today for crashibility.

[KJ'd Beast]

I have that book! The essential concepts presented in it regarding splining (although I don't think 5-point patches were invented yet) and rigging(I don't think CP weighting existed then either) and materials and lighting are mostly still valid.

 

However the few times I've gone back to resurrect a project done in that version I've found i don't recognize much about the interface.

 

A:M does look rather different now and much for the better!

 

A:M is faster, stronger and more reliable now.

 

But if you want to use it try a little bit of modeling just to see how fun it is, I think that's safe.

 

Still, for $79 you can zoom from 1998 to the far off future of... 2012!

 

 

I took the $79 leap of faith into the world of A:M at the cost of cancelling my Xbox Live yearly membership of $99.

 

To quote from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

 

"You chose wisely."

[robcat2075]

I took the $79 leap of faith into the world of A:M at the cost of cancelling my Xbox Live yearly membership of $99.

 

To quote from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

 

"You chose wisely."

 

 

Welcome back to A:M!

 

(That Xbox stuff was never going to catch on anyway... )