How to Import 3DS meshes into 3D Gamestudio

I made this screencast as to how to optimise 3DS meshes with regard to importing them into Conitec's 3D Gamestudio. When I first used Gamestudio I found it a delay to work out how to import 3ds meshes especially with a texture. I hope this may save you some time.



n.b.-One point I did not mention is that the 3ds mesh should be at 0 , 0 , 0 coordinates. If not it causes a problem when moving or scaling the meshes in WED (Gamestudio Level Editor). The pivot centres, seem to remain at 0 , 0 , 0 in Max while the mesh remains

It helps greatly if people comment or rate the tutorial. I higher resolution version 1024x768 is available for a small donation.

This screencast will be part of my 'Making of Cadiz' instructional videos which will take you through how I made the Cadiz exe that can be downloaded from my site-

http://www.croftongraphics.co.uk/Cadiz.rar

An interesting 'chaos' programme while youtubing....

I found this video while 'youtubing' late tonight-



The programme can be downloaded here-
http://www.btinternet.com/~ndesprez/

It uses mathematical equations to model obects, as they user says 'strange attractors' I think they are based on Chaos theory. I will try to look at the programme, in the FAQ apparently no export option at the moment. It would be great to be able to export these shapes to a 3d modelling package or try to optimise them for a game engine. Or even use a CAM to make them in real life (real expensive too!).

Toe dipping with programming....

As a 3d artist and also part time artist making real things, I often feel restricted by the limitations of programmes such as 3ds max to enable more interactivity.

I use 3d Gamestudio A7, with the help of a scripter when needed.
However, I have been looking into Java

and also Actionscript 3 with the free programme http://www.flashdevelop.org/

I also have just found this site- http://processing.org/
'Processing is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions. It is used by students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production.'

This all seems great and I hope to go through it all. I often wonder why 3d and 2d digital artists are not educated/self educated with scripting/programming.

Fair enough, for mammoth programming tasks you leave it to the pro programers. However, for easier work that would include most interactivity for digital artistic displays, knowing just some code or knowing how to put pre made code blocks together is a great tool for 3d and 2d artists.

After all, architects are usually trained in part of there course with regard to materials/structural loads etc. Even, sculptors, furniture designers etc need to have at least some training and discipline in engineering principles.

When I studied interior design, my favourite architects were the ones who integrated engineering into their works such as Sir Norman Foster or Santiago Calatrava. If I can remember correctly, Calatrava was trained in both architecture and engineering. Which allows him to push structural expression to its limit.

So why not digital artists? Let us go for it, what do we have to lose?

A good open source screen capture software...

I came across this youtube video while searching for a good screen capture/screencast software that is open source. Camtasia is quite pricey and with all my 3ds max upgrades for subscription and pc depreciation, I decided to see if I could find a pretty decent open source screen capture software to save the pennies. This youtube video explains the best settings for the software-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHX-ArCTCD8 he also has some other really good tutorials.

On that video tutorial you will find valuable settings for the latest version of CamStudio
which I believe is 2.5 beta, correct me if I am wrong-

http://camstudio.org/blog/general/camstudio-25-beta-1-released

The guy 'jimmyrcom' who gives the tutorial has top ranking and a lot of really useful screencasts on a broad range of IT applications, I would recomend checking his stuff out.

Making of Realtime Cadiz coming soon....

I am embarking on videocast productions for knowledge transeferel to fellow humans!
One of the first ones I plan to make is the making of the Cadiz project.

In order to make good quality screencasts, I need to get a good quality microphones, so have been searching sites such as Amazon. I think I have found one that is ok and not too pricey, I mean the quality has to be good but Im not going to be singing on it just yet, just talking.

Some of the vidcasts will be free and donation based, others will be able to be purchased with paypal. I want to balance the videocasts with creative inspiration and technical information.

I dont just want to make it purely technical. There are a lot of good purely technical casts out there. I want to share my knowledge of 3ds max and numerous other solutions that I have gained over the past 9-10 years.

Also, the Cadiz exe with the download link in the previous post has been re edited as some programming had to be changed so it works with more ATI cards, Chris B recognised the problem and quickly solved it. I would recommend him to anyone needing a programmer/scripter- http://www.swollen-eyeballs.org/

Cadiz Realtime 3D Exe now as a download....

I have put my Cadiz realtime exe online as a download, please respect its copywrite but feel free to enjoy and comment on-

http://www.croftongraphics.co.uk/Cadiz.rar

I am also making a screencast about the making of this Cadiz project that will give some cool tips and techical information regarding how this was made. The full screencast will be able to be purchased via paypal while free clips will be on youtube.

Here is another screenshot-

Abstraction and balance...

I am currently working on abstraction drawings with a view to develop these compositions into sculptural reliefs. I will post some examples soon.

Although they are largely non representational, many of their shapes and forms have been influenced by living in the highlands and also cultural infuences from film and technology.

I have no hesitation to make marks and then rub out again and again, to discover the underlying balance with each piece. While very faint marks leave a history of previous marks. Working on them, I try to free my mind from concentrating on them as it were a tight illustration, and sometime conciously bash out parts of it that I feel are contrived.

I am currently interested in making the compositions to have a kind of balance and 'pleasing' feel that will enhance interiors. All very modernistic from the 1950s school of thought.
However, I strongly hope these pieces not too have a pastiche feel to them sand be raw and very much of this age. Somewhow integrating internet and technological aesthetic forms of today with an underlying raw natural form and rythym underneath.

Watch this space for some examples....

Crofton Graphics Blog started...

This blog is aimed as an extension to my business as part of my plan to extend Crofton Graphics beyond just offering a service to a place on the www for resources, advice and also to enable me to link up with other people in my industry.

In the future, I will be creating video casts to explain certain concepts and technical solutions in programmes such as 3DS Max, Z brush etc. Many of these will be free. Other resources will be sold for a small amount of money and will be able to be purchased online.

I often feel its a shame with small internet businesses such as my own, one has to somewhow offer a cold window that just tries to sell my work and get more work. I want to do more than this.

As some of you may know, as well as offering a design service, I work on art works including abstract sculpture, drawings and also architectural pen and ink sketches. I really beleive that these balance my more technical 3D work and both disciplines reinforce each other.

I really recomend people out there just to pick up a brush, pen, charcoal, clay and make a mess. It really frees ideas up whether you class yourself as an artist or not (whatever 'artist' means).

Finally, 3D, design and art creation is a passion for me. If this blog starts to sounds like a terrible 'round robin' business promotional blog please let me know!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my realtime recording below of my latest realtime 3D level which is a simulation of Cadiz, the exe can also be downloaded from my site.