Discover The Beauty Of Creating Your Own Virtual Universe
So have you ever wondered how 3d graphics are made and what tools are used to make them - and how you can get in on the action? Hi, my name is V. Lancaster and I would like to introduce you to my little corner in the Virtual Universe. I would like to share with you my experiences in creating 3d graphics for the website 3D WallPaper Art
In the "so-called good old days", creating 3d environments and worlds required experience in programming - and supercomputers. If you've ever seen classics like "TRON" and "The Last Starfighter", then you know what I mean. But today, that is (thankfully) not necessary.
All that is required is one or two decent 3d programs - which are not very expensive, a fairly fast home PC or Mac - which would really be a good asset - and some good old fashioned imagination - this last requirement is mandatory - but don't worry, imagination and creativity are attributes that you will develop with time and experience.
Bryce
Let's start off with one of the easiest programs to learn, which you can get for practically free these days - I'm talking about the classic 3d program called Bryce. This program has a very easy and intuitive interface and you can learn all of the intricacies of this program in less than one month.
There are many Bryce tutorials on the net and the program allows you to import various object formats from other 3D programs. In other words, you will never run out of resources for this program. This is a great program for anyone who is new to 3D and since it is not expensive - compared to other graphics programs - you can even give it as a gift to someone you love:)
There's one disadvantage to this program however. If you create a complex scene, one with lots of lights, reflections, complex textures, etc., expect your rendering time to be slow. Rendering, by the way, refers to the actual time it takes for your 3d program to process a picture from the 3d scene that you created.
I must admit that I don't use this program any more, since I've moved over to other 3d programs, such as Vue and Lightwave. But Bryce is still a great program for beginners.
Vue
The next program that we'll focus on is a fantastic 3d environmental program called Vue. I utilize this program along with Lightwave 3D for allot of my 3D wallpaper images.
My first experience with Vue started off with Vue v4.0 a few years ago and I fell in love with it instantly - that's also the time when I stopped using Bryce. As of this writing, I am currently using Vue 6 Infinite.
The Vue interface is clean, intuitive and very responsive - especially if you have a "Power PC". Like Bryce, its a program that allows you to create 3D environments - but these environments can be VERY realistic. Vue was actually used for some scenes in the movie "Pirates Of The Caribbean 2" - and that by itself says allot about the program.
Vue provides you with an extensive library of objects that you can use for your 3D creations - and everything is editable. You can also now take objects and animations from other programs, like Poser, and incorporate them into your Vue projects.
What I really like about this program is the fact that it is easy enough for beginners, but it also has the tools and capabilities that professionals need to create fantastic 3d worlds. If you are really serious about creating your own 3D worlds, then this program is a must-have.
Like Bryce, there are many Vue tutorials and resources that you can download from the net - and you can also get lots of tips and tricks from Vue's ever-growing community of 3D artists.
By the way, Vue's render engine is faster that Bryce. So there's another reason why you should get your hands on this fantastic program :)
Poser
If you want to include 3d characters into your 3d scenes, but you do not have the time or the patience to create your 3d characters from "scratch", then Poser is the program for you.
As of this writing, the price of Poser is at approximately $250.00 - not a hefty price to pay if you consider the tons of additional features that come with the program.
I've been using Poser since version 4 and I see no reason why I should turn my back on it. I've used this program for allot of my little projects and I would continue to use it until something better comes along.
The program provides you with a very easy and intuitive way to work with and modify your 3d characters - and you get a good amount of 3d characters to choose from.
Also, each 3d character can be modified in whatever way you wish - from body shape and structure, to clothes, shoes and even accessories. There's a good amount of content that comes with the program - but you are not just limited with preset content; you can also download Poser-related content from Content Paradise and other related websites. If you are good at 3d modeling, you can also create and sell your content on these sites.
One of the best things about this program is its ability to fully integrate your Poser characters and scenes - including animations - into Vue. This is a fantastic feature. Here's an example. I can create an environment in Vue and also create a "walking character animation" in Poser, then I can import the entire Poser animation into my Vue scene.
What do I get as my end result? A complete scene with my 3d character walking through my Vue-generated environment. This makes complex animations relatively easy to create.
Like the other programs, you can find lots of Poser Tutorials and additional Poser content on the web. As for the speed of the rendering engine? Well, I consider it to be fairly fast. For my PC, I only experience speed reductions when I am rendering certain types of materials, like Strand Hair, for example.
Lightwave
Well, now we're starting to get onto the "Heavy Hitters" side in 3D programs. When you are talking about High-End 3D Programs for T.V Games and Movies, these are the names you should know;
3D Studio Max
Lightwave
Maya
SoftImage XSI
There are others of course, but these programs are the "Big Daddys" of 3D. What's the latest CG movie that you've watched? What's the latest 3D game that you've played? Well guess what? At least one of the programs mentioned above had a part to play in its creation. If you are really serious about entering the world of 3D, you would need to learn at least one of these programs.
I'm not going to get into a discussion as to which program is the best. That would be like asking the never-ending question about which computer is better; PC or Mac, etc, etc, etc....
All 3d programs have their pros and cons. Most studios use a combination of programs so that they can get the best performance and features from each one - and of course, some studios make their own proprietary programs - but that's another story.
The best way to know for yourself is to download trial versions of these programs so that you can get a feel for each one of them.
I am a LightWave user. I would soon begin using SoftImage XSI - but that's another story. So, how did I get into Lightwave? Last year (2007) the school that I'm currently teaching at began offering a course in 3D - before then, there was no such thing as a 3D course being offered in my country (That's what you get for living in the "3rd world" - but I digress).
So the teacher once again became the student.
Now I use LightWave on a regular basis and I've been able to do allot with it. If you've never used Lightwave before then you should know this: Lightwave is not 1, but 3 programs;
(1) The Modeler - which is used to create your 3d models,
(2) The Layout - which is used to create, animate and render your 3d scene,
(3) The Hub - which acts as a bridge between the other 2 programs.
Lightwave, being a program that has 3 modules, does take a little getting used to, but once you become familiar with the workflow, you would find yourself easily flowing between Modeler and Layout to perform your various tasks.
Unlike some other programs, the interface is not "graphics-heavy"; its interface is comprised of a range of grouped commands that are displayed as text - instead of graphic buttons - therefore it uses less RAM than 3D Studio Max, for example.
If you've ever watched TV shows such as StarGate, BattleStar Galactica and Babylon 5, then you've witnessed the power of Lightwave. The full version of Lightwave currently sells for less than $1000.00 and allot of studios (both big and small) use this program for its relatively cheap price, its versatility and its rendering power. This is an excellent program that can get you started with production-quality creations.
It obviously goes without saying that you would definitely find endless links, resources, plugins and tutorials for Lightwave on the World Wide Web.
Apophysis
This program does not exactly fall under the category of 3D, but it is indeed one of the best programs that I've used for Fractal Art. So what in the world is fractal art - well, every fractal artist would have a different opinion, but to me, fractal art is about freedom of expression using geometric shapes.
The shapes and patterns that you can make with fractals is endless and there are lots of programs that you can use to create fractal artwork. My favorite is Apophysis - wow, that's a mouthful.
Conclusion
So there you have it, these are the programs that I use to create my 3D artwork. Creating 3D worlds is a passion for me and it has been a pleasure sharing this passion with you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave your feedback via the form on the bottom of this page. See you in the virtual universe :)
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