Graphically: Solid A Step Above
Well it's out and barely a few hours old and I put some time into this long awaited FPS game for the PC.
Having enjoyed Far Cry on a number of levels visual, level design and game play) I was trying to minimize my expectations for Crysis. Partly because of the developers focus on the game engine for the past two years.
Taking on the enemy in the brush does elicit the shrub, branch and tree cutting we've seen in all the demos. Although I was able to take note, I was spending time scrambling to stay alive in the process.
Gameplay: Fun but Predictable
Unlike Far Cry you start out as part of a team. This doesn't really play into an NPC group as you soon find yourself going solo with the occasional team rendezvous.
Your "super powers" enabled by your suit never feel over empowering so there's a balance of tactical planning involved in knowing when and when not to use them. The tone is set by your squad leader at the start. Much as in Far Cry your stealth is key in staying alive which isn't a bad thing as you can flank enemies and decide to whether raise raise some hell. Getting the upper hand on the enemy and dispatching in creative ways is what Crysis looks to bring to the table.
In this way game play in this demo is in the tried and true mode of stealth or Guns- O -Blazin that has existed in previous FPS titles. Getting too aggressive with the enemy will get you pretty messed up and as your squad leader is ever so careful to remind you - the enemy will call in those reinforcements.
The game (DEMO) has its quirks. Being that you're a super soldier, the enemy at times can spot you at great distance. Getting peppered from off the coast by a gunboat I could barely see was one instance. Meanwhile the enemy at 5 paces didn't alert to fire in the brush where I was in a prone position. This is a demo and not the full game, but this is syndrome that happens in many FPS games and it happens in Crysis.
Some Welcome Addition and Some Omisions
OK I know this is not a sequel to Far Cry, but many of the ideas and objectives remain the same. Some ideas are new and another returns sans full implementation.
The quick key to alter your suit attributes is ideal in this game and is very easy to trigger. It has just the right amount of options without getting overwhelming in a tight situation. It's clear in this demo and how you decide to ultimately play the game that you will be jumping between modes often to accomplish your objectives.
Although it doesn't get contrived in the demo, I'm hoping it doesn't turn into a puzzle affair in the final release. Cloak - 20 steps - Super jump next 2 steps - Max Armor next yard - Cloak next yard etc. There's a difference in knowing when to use and being forced to use. Why this concern? Where Far Cry started out as an open ended adventure with multiple ways to approach or evade the enemy, the last levels ultimately turned into an on rails shooter
On the omision's side its a little more subtle. The zoomed binocular view in Far Cry to enable an audio feed of enemies at great distances. The things enemies were saying was often worth a good laugh and added a level of humor and even tactical advantage when enemies were aware of your presence. This is all gone and the binoculars are more straight forward. Your HUD now gives colored symbols to ascertain enemy awareness of your presence.
System Specs: 3 GHz Core 2Duo - 3 Gigs RAM ATI x1950
The game defaults to Medium settings at 1024x768 on my rig. The visuals aren't stellar by screen shot standards but hold their own against other fps titles out there. That being said I did experiment with increasing the resolution, and various settings above med only to get noticeably slower frame rates. So noticeable, its clear that the demos Crytek ran with were most likely run on Quad Cores like those mentioned in the Intel ad at the start of the demo. This is a bit of a let down as I know few people who game at 1280x1024 let alone 1024x768 which is where single core users may well be relegated to.
It's worth noting that STALKER held some promise with its real time effects and was able to maintain smother frame rates at higher resolutions than Crysis, but it's not entirely fair to compare the two engines. Crysis does offer vast levels of details in close areas where as STALKER was more open spaces.
Where is High End PC Gaming Heading?
It remains to be see how well Crysis does in sales. Crysis has a steep system requirement for PC gaming and PC gaming isn't what it used to be. Although Crytek is firm in their belief (now) in the high end PC market I'm sure they will be anxious to watch their financial returns.
Far Cry ended up becoming a PC benchmark favorite and a year after its release was bundles with hardware to showcase video competence. It's not hard to imagine that one or two years out that Crysis will be a benchmark favorite, but that isn't really what a game is meant to be.
Just like Epic, Id, and now Valve, the console market is exceedingly hard to ignore. High end PC gaming has always been niche and is suspect in supporting the financial requirements for next gen developers. PC gamings future for now is a majority of console game ports.
Demo Showcases a Good Game not the Greatest
The Crysis demo is a good solid game but not the best FPS game I've played. Visuals and hardware requirements aside there is not allot more that hasn't been brought to the table in other FPS games.
It should be interesting to see what the full game brings to the table.
Monday, October 29, 2007
First Person Nirvana
There is No Better Time to Enjoy First Person Shooters (FPS)
The last two months have seen a steady supply of FPS style games enter the market.
PC gaming was once the dominant domain for this game design type...no longer. The consoles have come of age and are now featuring the same level of detail in HD LCD or Plasma screens.
Some if not most of the games are using the tried and true formulas, but there are one or two with a unique approach. Next is a short list of games or demos out now that are worth looking into.
Team Fortress 2 (Console and PC)
Team Fortress 2 is an instant classic. This much delayed game has almost joined Duke Nukem Forever on most vaporware lists.
What's amazing about this title is that fact that Valve has included this game as well as other key titles in one box. The Orange Box (PC) has TF2, Half-Life 2, Half-Life2 Episode 1 and 2 as well as Portal. Half of these are more than worth the price of admission. Consoles get less (Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal) but its a still a solid deal.
Now TF2 is an online multi-player title. This is not a story driven title like the other titles mentioned. What's important to note is that TF2 takes game play and visual concepts to a whole new level. The game is the first PC FPS that looks and plays like a Warner Brothers cartoon on roids. The individual taunts are a must see. It's clear the development team did their animation homework.
The character classes are artistically rendered and animated. What's more important is that Valve took the time to balance each character with a unique group of weapons. One thing that gets old in online FPS games is that a certain class ends up dominating online play. Valve has taken the time to not only balance characters but to score each for what they do best. Of course kills are there, but assists are there as well. Medics are no longer the sacrificial lamb. Matched with the Heavy, the two are a very potent force. A very welcome change.
There is no Team Death Match or Death Match here, but TF2 is the first FPS that is above that formula. Interesting enough - it is about TEAM. In most if not all matches I've played online, the team that works together, gets the most wins.
If you're in the market for one, two, or three games for the price of one, it's hard if not impossible to pass up on the Orange Box.
Bioshock (Console and PC)
Bioshock is more original than most as its not cut from the same formula that most FPS titles are produced from. This is one title that actually tells a deeper story that unfolds as the player journeys through the ornate detailed levels.
The writing and voice acting in Bioshock are top notch. Coupled with the open ended combat in which weapons are customized, it doesn't take long before you are taken deep by the plot line. An added benefit is the fact that modifications and their effects will not be the same for two different players. Everyone will make different choices here, and be sure to experience and dispatch enemies differently.
There is also the twist in which you are faced with a moral dilemma. The story branches according to your decisions in how you deal with the Little Sisters. The game is not heavy handed here as it does not judge one way or the other. It simply allows the player to justify and
pursue the path that suits them.
So if you are looking for atmosphere and deep story line this title is one you should look into as it's heads above the rest from many other FPS titles.
Medal of Honor: Airborne (Console and PC )
This is a game that helps bring back the MOH franchise to some form of respectability.
Since the half baked MOH Pacific Assault was unleashed on unsuspecting gamers, no one expected to see the MOH franchise recover. Not so.
With MOH:A, EA manages to actually reinvent the fun of the original series while adding a creative open ended combat style.
Unlike other FPS titles, MOH:A actually lets you decide where you'll take the fight. Each level starts you dropping in chutes with your comrades and you guide yourself to a number of zones behind or withing enemy lines. This feature definitely is a huge step away from the "fighting on rails" detraction most often associated with FPS games.
While the rest of the game is more or less formula, the ability to fight on your terms adds a strategic value that makes this title one to look into.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii )
Of all the games, this is one that needs to be played to appreciate what Nintendo has done with interactivity. This game is a key example of what the Wii controllers can do to reinvent the FPS genre.
As you can imagine, the reticle on screen is controlled by your hand movement. You are hold the weapon in your hand as opposed to pulling on a joystick. It is a seamless experience of hand motion and on screen action.
There are a number of uses of hand motions that mimic real world actions and the game never feels contrived in its use of these motions. Inserting key (push forward), Turn key (rotate wrist). It's amazing how intuitive and straight forward these actions become.
The only thing that I was lost on was the games use of jumping puzzles. This is something not in line with the interactive controllers. Right or wrong, the franchise and the platform (Nintendo) has a long history of gaming in which jumping is key. Being a FPS player since Wolfenstein 3D, the idea of jumping like a Mario Brother felt way out of place.
Beyond that detraction, the game delivers in interaction and visuals that do not disappoint. If Jumping solutions are an essential part in your gaming experience, then Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a game you should look into.
Unreal Tournament 3 (Console and PC Demo)
One of the most hotly anticipated FPS games for 2007 is the long awaited Unreal Tournament 3.
This is one of a few titles that can trace its follow up success based on solid game releases in the past. This does not even cover the fact that the UT3 engine has been licensed by numerous game developers because of its solid pedigree.
Because the game has only recently been released in a limited demo, it's still a little early to call it, but what can be seen so far is solid game play reminiscent of the original UT title from 1999. Epic has really done justice to the franchise by bringing back the play style that launched the title to success.
Visually the demo is too early to call. Although it is clear that there is a graphics and geometry increase, the demo's download size contributes to the lower resolution textures. So game play is the call on this one. This is a demo that is more than worth the download to get a glimpse as to what to expect when the full game is released.
The last two months have seen a steady supply of FPS style games enter the market.
PC gaming was once the dominant domain for this game design type...no longer. The consoles have come of age and are now featuring the same level of detail in HD LCD or Plasma screens.
Some if not most of the games are using the tried and true formulas, but there are one or two with a unique approach. Next is a short list of games or demos out now that are worth looking into.
Team Fortress 2 (Console and PC)
Team Fortress 2 is an instant classic. This much delayed game has almost joined Duke Nukem Forever on most vaporware lists.
What's amazing about this title is that fact that Valve has included this game as well as other key titles in one box. The Orange Box (PC) has TF2, Half-Life 2, Half-Life2 Episode 1 and 2 as well as Portal. Half of these are more than worth the price of admission. Consoles get less (Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal) but its a still a solid deal.
Now TF2 is an online multi-player title. This is not a story driven title like the other titles mentioned. What's important to note is that TF2 takes game play and visual concepts to a whole new level. The game is the first PC FPS that looks and plays like a Warner Brothers cartoon on roids. The individual taunts are a must see. It's clear the development team did their animation homework.
The character classes are artistically rendered and animated. What's more important is that Valve took the time to balance each character with a unique group of weapons. One thing that gets old in online FPS games is that a certain class ends up dominating online play. Valve has taken the time to not only balance characters but to score each for what they do best. Of course kills are there, but assists are there as well. Medics are no longer the sacrificial lamb. Matched with the Heavy, the two are a very potent force. A very welcome change.
There is no Team Death Match or Death Match here, but TF2 is the first FPS that is above that formula. Interesting enough - it is about TEAM. In most if not all matches I've played online, the team that works together, gets the most wins.
If you're in the market for one, two, or three games for the price of one, it's hard if not impossible to pass up on the Orange Box.
Bioshock (Console and PC)
Bioshock is more original than most as its not cut from the same formula that most FPS titles are produced from. This is one title that actually tells a deeper story that unfolds as the player journeys through the ornate detailed levels.
The writing and voice acting in Bioshock are top notch. Coupled with the open ended combat in which weapons are customized, it doesn't take long before you are taken deep by the plot line. An added benefit is the fact that modifications and their effects will not be the same for two different players. Everyone will make different choices here, and be sure to experience and dispatch enemies differently.
There is also the twist in which you are faced with a moral dilemma. The story branches according to your decisions in how you deal with the Little Sisters. The game is not heavy handed here as it does not judge one way or the other. It simply allows the player to justify and
pursue the path that suits them.
So if you are looking for atmosphere and deep story line this title is one you should look into as it's heads above the rest from many other FPS titles.
Medal of Honor: Airborne (Console and PC )
This is a game that helps bring back the MOH franchise to some form of respectability.
Since the half baked MOH Pacific Assault was unleashed on unsuspecting gamers, no one expected to see the MOH franchise recover. Not so.
With MOH:A, EA manages to actually reinvent the fun of the original series while adding a creative open ended combat style.
Unlike other FPS titles, MOH:A actually lets you decide where you'll take the fight. Each level starts you dropping in chutes with your comrades and you guide yourself to a number of zones behind or withing enemy lines. This feature definitely is a huge step away from the "fighting on rails" detraction most often associated with FPS games.
While the rest of the game is more or less formula, the ability to fight on your terms adds a strategic value that makes this title one to look into.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii )
Of all the games, this is one that needs to be played to appreciate what Nintendo has done with interactivity. This game is a key example of what the Wii controllers can do to reinvent the FPS genre.
As you can imagine, the reticle on screen is controlled by your hand movement. You are hold the weapon in your hand as opposed to pulling on a joystick. It is a seamless experience of hand motion and on screen action.
There are a number of uses of hand motions that mimic real world actions and the game never feels contrived in its use of these motions. Inserting key (push forward), Turn key (rotate wrist). It's amazing how intuitive and straight forward these actions become.
The only thing that I was lost on was the games use of jumping puzzles. This is something not in line with the interactive controllers. Right or wrong, the franchise and the platform (Nintendo) has a long history of gaming in which jumping is key. Being a FPS player since Wolfenstein 3D, the idea of jumping like a Mario Brother felt way out of place.
Beyond that detraction, the game delivers in interaction and visuals that do not disappoint. If Jumping solutions are an essential part in your gaming experience, then Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a game you should look into.
Unreal Tournament 3 (Console and PC Demo)
One of the most hotly anticipated FPS games for 2007 is the long awaited Unreal Tournament 3.
This is one of a few titles that can trace its follow up success based on solid game releases in the past. This does not even cover the fact that the UT3 engine has been licensed by numerous game developers because of its solid pedigree.
Because the game has only recently been released in a limited demo, it's still a little early to call it, but what can be seen so far is solid game play reminiscent of the original UT title from 1999. Epic has really done justice to the franchise by bringing back the play style that launched the title to success.
Visually the demo is too early to call. Although it is clear that there is a graphics and geometry increase, the demo's download size contributes to the lower resolution textures. So game play is the call on this one. This is a demo that is more than worth the download to get a glimpse as to what to expect when the full game is released.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Windows Vista: Microsoft What Happened?
Real Late and Real Bloated
1st I'll note I am not a Microsoft basher.
I have a strong belief that MS has progressed PC use through ease of use and accessibility. Something which when you consider the amount of PC's in the world is no small feat. Taking into consideration the thousands of different hardware and software combinations that exist, most iterations of Windows have had something to offer and worked effectively.
Now we have Vista which is several years late and has had key features removed. This Windows release without a doubt is very hard sell. Sure it is prettier but its requirements are absurd. If arguments in the past that MS was in league with PC manufacturers to exult users into upgrading their working systems for eye candy - this is it. There is little in the way of functionality that should compel individuals let alone businesses to upgrade.
XP Was Pretty Too
Yes XP was released with what many considered a visual makeover for Windows 2000.
Thats a good argument but XP also made networking and other user needed services easier to use than Win 2000. More importantly was stability. There were still many individuals and businesses using Windows 98SE. Windows XP served as a solid upgrade for many.
Driver Headaches
There was also the issues with driver support for XP when it was released. Something that is proving to be a problem with Vista. The difference here is that drivers are dealt with on a more critical level than any version of Windows before. This is in part of it is due to security, stability, and Digital Right Management concerns or DRM. Search Digital Rights Management for more details).
If you are a graphics or 3D professional, you should probably hold off as nVidia and ATI are still working out beta drivers for Vista. Vista no longer supports OpenGL natively, so its up to the hardware manufacturers to build capable OpenGL support. Any graphics or 3D program that benefits from acceleration or OpenGL will under perform with Vista..
Just Wait
If you really feel that Vista is in your future, the best thing to do right now is wait for Service Pack 1 or 2 to be released. It's by that time that Vista will most likely have matured.
1st I'll note I am not a Microsoft basher.
I have a strong belief that MS has progressed PC use through ease of use and accessibility. Something which when you consider the amount of PC's in the world is no small feat. Taking into consideration the thousands of different hardware and software combinations that exist, most iterations of Windows have had something to offer and worked effectively.
Now we have Vista which is several years late and has had key features removed. This Windows release without a doubt is very hard sell. Sure it is prettier but its requirements are absurd. If arguments in the past that MS was in league with PC manufacturers to exult users into upgrading their working systems for eye candy - this is it. There is little in the way of functionality that should compel individuals let alone businesses to upgrade.
XP Was Pretty Too
Yes XP was released with what many considered a visual makeover for Windows 2000.
Thats a good argument but XP also made networking and other user needed services easier to use than Win 2000. More importantly was stability. There were still many individuals and businesses using Windows 98SE. Windows XP served as a solid upgrade for many.
Driver Headaches
There was also the issues with driver support for XP when it was released. Something that is proving to be a problem with Vista. The difference here is that drivers are dealt with on a more critical level than any version of Windows before. This is in part of it is due to security, stability, and Digital Right Management concerns or DRM. Search Digital Rights Management for more details).
If you are a graphics or 3D professional, you should probably hold off as nVidia and ATI are still working out beta drivers for Vista. Vista no longer supports OpenGL natively, so its up to the hardware manufacturers to build capable OpenGL support. Any graphics or 3D program that benefits from acceleration or OpenGL will under perform with Vista..
Just Wait
If you really feel that Vista is in your future, the best thing to do right now is wait for Service Pack 1 or 2 to be released. It's by that time that Vista will most likely have matured.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Vista : Worth the Upgrade?
Vista on Approach
If you do any form of graphics, animation or video, you know how precious your memory and graphics resources are. You've probably optimized your WinXP Pro system(s) to maximize your resources to deal with hungry applications you need to run in concert to get most any job done.
Now we have Vista coming right around the corner. It goes on sale next week on January 30 (2007). An OS that is some 5 years behind schedule. I'm not going to go into the delays or even features of Vista but more into its practical memory requirements.
As I write this I have 35 processes running and a total of 313MBs of 2 Gigabytes of memory in use. 35 processes is allot but with a Avast (virus protection),Creative X-Fi Platinum and an nVidia graphics card utilities running and two Firefox windows. These add up. I'll stop and pause right here to let it be known I am no MS basher. I have been a supporter of MS since the DOS 3.0 days. The company has definitely made operational and competitive mistakes over the years.
With Vista I feel that MS is headed to a new low point in the companies history. Vista for me as a media developer is looking like the Windows ME in the new OS age. All looks and little functionality appear to be the cornerstone of Vista. Remember the 313MBs I mentioned earlier. Well going from the varied reports of various tech and blog sites, Vista will consume around 600 MBs or more on its own sitting idle. Thats before installation of any hardware utilities or applications.
I run the Adobe Creative Suite version 2 on two Core Duos with 2 MB ram and can tell you that Photoshop CS2 is not the smoothest/fastest version of Photoshop Adobe has ever made. Running Photoshop and Image Ready can easily take my systems up to 1.6 GB of my 2 GB limit before cutting to my scratch drives for assistance. Doing simple math the 600 MB needed to run Vista would hurdle my 2 GB ram usage with the first few high resolution images I loaded.
Looking Back
Before I jumped my systems to Windows XP Pro I was suspect of the gloss that XP held over Win2K. It also looked like a glamor version of Win2K without the merit or substance. Of course when I switched over I ran into the various operating quirks that were slowly ironed out in the subsequent SP1 and SP2 updates. Now Windows XP Pro is a solid OS. I have never seen a "Blue Screen of Death" in 5 years. This is across a wide variety of systems.
I do have a free copy of Windows Vista for Business headed my way. Courtesy of buying a recent copy of XP Pro from Newegg.com. When I get the copy I plan on sitting on it. I can wait for SP1 and maybe even SP2 before installing it. For now XP Pro offers enough of what I need and the stability to handle my newest bloated applications.
If you do any form of graphics, animation or video, you know how precious your memory and graphics resources are. You've probably optimized your WinXP Pro system(s) to maximize your resources to deal with hungry applications you need to run in concert to get most any job done.
Now we have Vista coming right around the corner. It goes on sale next week on January 30 (2007). An OS that is some 5 years behind schedule. I'm not going to go into the delays or even features of Vista but more into its practical memory requirements.
As I write this I have 35 processes running and a total of 313MBs of 2 Gigabytes of memory in use. 35 processes is allot but with a Avast (virus protection),Creative X-Fi Platinum and an nVidia graphics card utilities running and two Firefox windows. These add up. I'll stop and pause right here to let it be known I am no MS basher. I have been a supporter of MS since the DOS 3.0 days. The company has definitely made operational and competitive mistakes over the years.
With Vista I feel that MS is headed to a new low point in the companies history. Vista for me as a media developer is looking like the Windows ME in the new OS age. All looks and little functionality appear to be the cornerstone of Vista. Remember the 313MBs I mentioned earlier. Well going from the varied reports of various tech and blog sites, Vista will consume around 600 MBs or more on its own sitting idle. Thats before installation of any hardware utilities or applications.
I run the Adobe Creative Suite version 2 on two Core Duos with 2 MB ram and can tell you that Photoshop CS2 is not the smoothest/fastest version of Photoshop Adobe has ever made. Running Photoshop and Image Ready can easily take my systems up to 1.6 GB of my 2 GB limit before cutting to my scratch drives for assistance. Doing simple math the 600 MB needed to run Vista would hurdle my 2 GB ram usage with the first few high resolution images I loaded.
Looking Back
Before I jumped my systems to Windows XP Pro I was suspect of the gloss that XP held over Win2K. It also looked like a glamor version of Win2K without the merit or substance. Of course when I switched over I ran into the various operating quirks that were slowly ironed out in the subsequent SP1 and SP2 updates. Now Windows XP Pro is a solid OS. I have never seen a "Blue Screen of Death" in 5 years. This is across a wide variety of systems.
I do have a free copy of Windows Vista for Business headed my way. Courtesy of buying a recent copy of XP Pro from Newegg.com. When I get the copy I plan on sitting on it. I can wait for SP1 and maybe even SP2 before installing it. For now XP Pro offers enough of what I need and the stability to handle my newest bloated applications.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Lightwave 9 Coming Soon?
Waiting and Waiting for Lightwave 9
It's been a while since Lightwave 9 was expected to ship and it looks it will be a little bit longer before the final version ships out. What can people expect vs what people want to see is an age old issue with Lightwave over the years.
There are those that have had their fill and there are those that hang on and look forward to using the features promised in the marketing videos and flyers.
Lets go Forward to the Past
There is no need to candy-coat that Lightwave 9 will not be the uber, ground shaker that long time hold outs are expecting. This may be more the transitionary model that showcases what the new team is looking to accomplish. After the mediocre reception in LW8, LW9 is expected to prove itself as a turning point release. Of course this isn't aided by the fact that market forces continue to produce ever more productive tools that further push some of Lightwaves features back in time.
That is Lightwaves biggest issue. Implementation of features others have had for years. Going forward to catch up with the past.
Newtek needs to pull out all the stops. Not one LW9 feature should be released in a semi-functional state. Jay Roth's SIGGRAPH position that features lists alone don't make a program sound, features that work as advertised do, should be on everyones mind. Lightwave has a loyal following but even they have adopted using exterior apps to fill in LW's short comings. NewTek needs to deliver a solid application without excuses.
Even if Lightwave 9 is a solid/stable release, the market continues to innovate at break neck speed. Somewhere at sometime Newtek will need to retool and build Lightwave from the ground up. There simply not practical to build up on such an old code base. The innovation potential in the market three years out virtually demands a new design. The only question remains is if NewTek is up for it.
It's been a while since Lightwave 9 was expected to ship and it looks it will be a little bit longer before the final version ships out. What can people expect vs what people want to see is an age old issue with Lightwave over the years.
There are those that have had their fill and there are those that hang on and look forward to using the features promised in the marketing videos and flyers.
Lets go Forward to the Past
There is no need to candy-coat that Lightwave 9 will not be the uber, ground shaker that long time hold outs are expecting. This may be more the transitionary model that showcases what the new team is looking to accomplish. After the mediocre reception in LW8, LW9 is expected to prove itself as a turning point release. Of course this isn't aided by the fact that market forces continue to produce ever more productive tools that further push some of Lightwaves features back in time.
That is Lightwaves biggest issue. Implementation of features others have had for years. Going forward to catch up with the past.
Newtek needs to pull out all the stops. Not one LW9 feature should be released in a semi-functional state. Jay Roth's SIGGRAPH position that features lists alone don't make a program sound, features that work as advertised do, should be on everyones mind. Lightwave has a loyal following but even they have adopted using exterior apps to fill in LW's short comings. NewTek needs to deliver a solid application without excuses.
Even if Lightwave 9 is a solid/stable release, the market continues to innovate at break neck speed. Somewhere at sometime Newtek will need to retool and build Lightwave from the ground up. There simply not practical to build up on such an old code base. The innovation potential in the market three years out virtually demands a new design. The only question remains is if NewTek is up for it.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Maestro v.1.0 for Lightwave 3D
Where to Start?
What an incredible plugin Maestro has turned out to be.
At version 1 it is hands down the best plugin I have ever used for character rigging.
Within an hour of rigging bones for my character in Modeler I was ready to animate in Layout. The hot spot interface is extremely intuitive and after a few minutes I was able to get clear fluid motions. This is proving to be as good and simple as it gets.
I have purchased other rigging plugins before and each eventually offered some technical limitation and design short coming. I was beginning to believe that I was going to be out of the character animation loop indefinitely. With Maestro not only is this not the case anymore, but I am already planning to build up work around it. Simply put there are no hidden animation complexities in its UI and associated operations.
Maestro effectively takes all the voodoo out of bones and rigging them to your characters. There are a good number of default bone rigs that can be adjusted to suit most any biped and quadruped model. There is even an effective facial morph system included.
I have yet to utilize all the assets this small but powerful program offers. I could easily write pages on the benefits, but I think I can summarize in writing that this is the best $120 I’ve spent in a long while.
Rough Around the Edges
There are few quirks in this first version and they can’t go without notice in an otherwise stellar debut by this Stillwater Pictures program.
• There is no install program. So for the uninitiated, unraring or unzipping files into appropriate directories can be frustrating.
• You also need to put the Maestro program in the same directory path as your models.
• There are also some details in the PDF documentation that need to be corrected, clarified, and updated for clearer understanding of the tutorials.
• Registering the program requires you to forward your emailed payment information to support@stillwaterpictures.com before you can get your user name and password. Some may or may not catch that readme file in the plugins directory.
Conclusion
Overall the program is a must have for inexperienced and experienced Lightwave users alike. For people like myself who struggle with bones and IK it’s a big plus. For experienced riggers, this can only help to speed up their setup processes. Since the program operates entirely within Lightwave, there is no import export exercises to take away from the creative process.
Read more about Maestro here
What an incredible plugin Maestro has turned out to be.
At version 1 it is hands down the best plugin I have ever used for character rigging.
Within an hour of rigging bones for my character in Modeler I was ready to animate in Layout. The hot spot interface is extremely intuitive and after a few minutes I was able to get clear fluid motions. This is proving to be as good and simple as it gets.
I have purchased other rigging plugins before and each eventually offered some technical limitation and design short coming. I was beginning to believe that I was going to be out of the character animation loop indefinitely. With Maestro not only is this not the case anymore, but I am already planning to build up work around it. Simply put there are no hidden animation complexities in its UI and associated operations.
Maestro effectively takes all the voodoo out of bones and rigging them to your characters. There are a good number of default bone rigs that can be adjusted to suit most any biped and quadruped model. There is even an effective facial morph system included.
I have yet to utilize all the assets this small but powerful program offers. I could easily write pages on the benefits, but I think I can summarize in writing that this is the best $120 I’ve spent in a long while.
Rough Around the Edges
There are few quirks in this first version and they can’t go without notice in an otherwise stellar debut by this Stillwater Pictures program.
• There is no install program. So for the uninitiated, unraring or unzipping files into appropriate directories can be frustrating.
• You also need to put the Maestro program in the same directory path as your models.
• There are also some details in the PDF documentation that need to be corrected, clarified, and updated for clearer understanding of the tutorials.
• Registering the program requires you to forward your emailed payment information to support@stillwaterpictures.com before you can get your user name and password. Some may or may not catch that readme file in the plugins directory.
Conclusion
Overall the program is a must have for inexperienced and experienced Lightwave users alike. For people like myself who struggle with bones and IK it’s a big plus. For experienced riggers, this can only help to speed up their setup processes. Since the program operates entirely within Lightwave, there is no import export exercises to take away from the creative process.
Read more about Maestro here
Other Blogs
http://pcentertainment.blogspot.com/
http://scifitwist.blogspot.com/
Websites
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Vue 5 Infinite: Part 1
Why Use a Landscape Modeler?
http://www.e-onsoftware.com/Products/VueIndex.php
One application that many people are aware of is Bryce. This is the program that was made available at the retail level and enjoys a sound following by artists and hobbyists alike. For all of Bryce’s possibilities both the interface and the rendering times could prove to be a challenge. Unfortunately Bryce’s development stalled at version 5 and is now owned by DAZ3D. They are working on version 5.5 with few details of what to look forward to. http://bryce.daz3d.com/
There are a number of other landscape generation programs out there and I’ll just mention a few here so you can research which one works for you. As with most software packages there are basic and pro versions available.
- Worldbuilder Version 4 http://www.digi-element.com/wb/
- World Construction Set Version 6 http://www.3dnature.com/wcs6info.html
- Mojoworld Version 3 http://www.mojoworld.org/
- Terragen http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/
There really is no right or wrong in making a decision here. Buy what works for you and accomplishes the look and feel you are trying to achieve.
Other Blogs
http://pcentertainment.blogspot.com/
Websites
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
ZBrush 2.0
2D and 3D Combined
ZBrush sells for $489 on the Pixologic site. Depending on your level of interest that is either a steal or a bit too expensive for hobby use. For me, ZBrush is a valuable utility that bridges the work between my other applications and is worth the price of admission. If you are a Poser user you may be interested to know that ZBrush is great for creating morphs for Poser models.
ZBrush really empowers new users with its use of ZSpheres. These innovative three dimensional balls are at the root of ZBrush’s 3D strengths. By arranging a group of interconnected spheres you can create very organic shapes in half the time it would take in more expensive 3D applications. Creating basic humanoid and animal forms are really fairly easy. Of course the ZSpheres menus have a number of settings that offer different interactions that form geometry. So creating your optimal shapes is best done after a few tutorials.
Conclusions
ZBrush is great as a stand alone application or an addition to your current tool set. It really does reduce the time it takes to produce quality organic 3D models, all without requiring a super powerful PC.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Computing Nirvana or Mega Hype
One Holy Grail of CG animation and Gaming is the Central Processing Unit (CPU). No media developer, CG artist, or gamer can ever get enough speed. Every generation of processor boasts some rate of speed increase which can save precious time rendering or make someone more competitive.
I’ll also note here that this is the next processor that will run Sony’s Playstation 3 (PS3).
Monday, February 07, 2005
CG Start
Stand Divided
There are people who would not stoop down so low as to use specific programs for fear they would cheapen their final works or standing in a community. Mention the software title Poser, and you’re sure to get an eyeful on certain forums. Meanwhile other forums are entirely built around the program and are highly successful.
Would it be a surprise to learn that not all CG artists like the trend of CG use in films? Is it safe to say sometimes less is more? Get some insight and ideas on how the communities take to the latest
Making Games Must Be the Easiest Job
Days of drawing pictures on computers mixed with idle time drinking fancy coffee all while pulling in a great salary. Man who wouldn’t want a job like that?
The gaming industry pours millions of dollars per title and makes more revenue than
However, if a recent attempt to push for a class action lawsuit against Electronic Arts is any sign, nothing could be further from the truth. Imagine seven day work weeks with half day Sundays for the ones in good standing and you begin to see an entirely different picture.
That’s not to say there aren’t opportunities to be had. Welcome to the world of game Mods. How the creative artistic genius of everyday game players can often alter or dramatically change the PC games people play. For a lucky few, the rewards really can be a dream come true.
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These are just some of the topics that I will cover in an effort to help the public better understand CG Graphics, Gaming and Beyond.
Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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