SIGGRAPH is Looming !

SIGGRAPH is almost here. 7 days and counting... That's for the exhibition. A lot of people start arriving that Sunday so I am gonna say 5 days and counting. Classes start Monday and registration is open on Sunday. God help you if you didn't pre-register ! Anyway... The blog will pick up as it approaches. There will be many press releases to keep track of so stay tuned.

Lagoa Introduces TEAMUP Public BETA Program

Lagoa Multiphysics is an amazing dynamics program that works in conjunction with Softimage. Now they have something new up their sleeve. Herein their press statement:


The state of physics simulation changed considerable since Lagoa came out. I'm quite happy to see so many new tools that make simulating Visual Effects more real.
  However, I realized that the problems in the computer graphics industry are much deeper than the tools themselves. So based on meeting many of you and hearing feedback I decided to make something to truly improve the experience of creating 3D content.
Back in 2010, shortly after launching Lagoa I realized how difficult it is for an artist to use a physics software like Lagoa. First you need an initial investment of thousands of dollars for equipment and software. Secondly you need the investment of time to learn a tool like Softimage. Finally to pull it all together you need to buy and learn yet another rendering software... so you can make it look good.
Taken together, this makes the art of 3D content creation inaccessible to most users.


The new kid on the block - TeamUpTeamUp was born out of the combination of efforts between me and Arno Zinke whose reputation on Optics simulation speaks for itself. Our mission is to make 3D content creation, and the results - like real life.
I've put together a team of very talented Software Engineers, Researchers and Digital Artists to build a new set of technologies that make content creation much more fun.

TeamUp is a new kind of platform that lets you bring in your assets, then use physically based cameras, materials and lights to interactively edit your 3D scenes.

It would be easy if we had stopped there, but we decided to make it truly collaborative.  You can edit 3D scenes simultaneously with colleagues, or show your clients and get feedback on your work from any device, from anywhere.
As valued Lagoa users, I'm extending an invitation to you, to participate in the beta and launch of the TeamUp platform. Please register now for the beta.
There's a lot more to TeamUp and the Multi-Optics technology, we hope you like it.Siggraph 2012If you are coming to Siggraph, signup to get details on our exclusive demos and after-show parties!
best regards,


Thiago da Costa

CEO / co-founder
TeamUp Technologies
getteamup.com

Cat Lotto returns with version v1.2

Cat Lotto (search Catlotto no space) is not in version v1.2. Besides some small bug fixes, our new feature is the ability to vary the speed of the mouse in Manual mode. This sometimes helps to coax a stubborn kitty into picking lottery numbers for you. You can get a free demo version to test out HERE

Cat Lotto was designed with a few things in mind. Firstly, cats can sense things like earthquakes long before we can. It stands to reason that they MAY be better at picking lottery numbers than humans. Doesn't it?  Secondly, we allow the user to configure the lottery to their own specific local lotteries, no matter where they may live on earth.
Cat Lotto starts where other lottery programs fall short. We allow you to pick your own numbers, let the computer do it, or let your favorite Kitty Kat do it.  We give your cat,  Let's call her "Fluffy", a little incentive to swat at the screen. When she does she picks ever randomized lottery balls that will hopefully give you the winning number combination to your fortunes.  Give her some time... She's thinking !
This, of course, is all based on the customization you set in the program. We make it easy to set the parameters you need for any type lottery.  Each lottery is a little bit different depending on if you live in the United States, India, or Italy. It even differs slightly between states in the United States. With that in mind, we have devised the SETTINGS panel to allow you to specify your lottery picks to the rules of the lottery you are playing. We have even included provisions for DAILY numbers type lotteries and SPECIAL BALL Lotteries such as Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries as well.  We covered all the angles so Fluffy can pick your winning numbers in almost any type of lottery you are playing.
Certainly, if Fluffy is not co-operating with your desire for fame and fortune, you can pick your own numbers or have your Ipad  pick them. This is all based on your specific customized lottery parameters. While we can't guarantee winning numbers, we know it's a lot of fun. Try it today. It's a blast.

The Return of SPORE

 

I wrote about this years ago, but finally got around to doing it. I output a creature created in SPORE and imported it into Maya for rendering. To be honest, it got easier to do since leaving this project alone for a few years. If you want to do the same go to the Spore site HERE for the gory details. I kid really. It's rather simple thanks to Maxis' forward thinking. They assumed quite rightly that people with more than a passing fancy for the game were going to be interested in doing just that.

  

 The collada file format is used internally in SPORE. This means that files exported from SPORE can be read directly into MAYA natively with (.dae) collada import. I used Maya 2013 to do this. I can't say if native support for collada is available in previous versions of Maya, but plugins are available for download if not. Once exported/imported the model comes in fully rigged and textured. NO KIDDING. Here you can see the exported model in Maya.

 Below you can see the UV map for the textured creature in Maya

 

 Renderings of the imported collada SPORE model within Maya

Neat huh !

The Cult of the MakerBot

  

 

The alternative to taking your 3d model to a service like Ponoko or Shapeways is to own your own machine. But ... "Hey aren't these machines prohibitively expensive?", you say.  You would think so. Enter MakerBot from MakerBot industries with a low cost solution for the determined hobbyist. For $1,300 you can now get into the world of 3d printing. I kid you not. I have known about MakerBot industries for a few years now and have watched them grow from a garage type shop making kits to cranking fully operational version machines out to order.

 

 

 The great thing is that this is a geek company with a geek attitude catering to geeks. You can't really beat that combination. All the parts, and supplies you need are available from MakerBot. For a relative pittance you can get into the wonderful hobby for yourself.

 Not so much a hobby as it has become a cult similar to the cult of Apple. There are forums and blogs enough to keep you well informed on the latest and greatest info on how this tweak and that tweak can make a difference in your "making". There is even MakerBot TV that covers news and tutorials and everything else MakerBot.

 \

 There is a lot of information and minutia out there for everyone. There are even some stand out Hero/Artist types that are making a name for themselves even as a new art form seems to be materializing. The below image is a photo of a MakerBot sculpture done by one of the more well known users. It's creepy and fun. There is just so much possibility here once you own one of these babies. So save your change.

One of the neatest additions to the MakerBot world is the Thingiverse This is a blog, repository and exchange for 3d models for 3d printing. It's just another great resource for your own creativity. I venture a guess that a Makerbot is in my near future. It's just a matter of time. Do you hear me SANTA?

Another 3d Printing Source

I found another 3d printing place called Ponoko. They do pretty much the same thing that Shapeways does but a little different. They let you print your 3d things. They seem to have a slightly funner attitude about things. No pun intended. They have a "3D App Gateway" which is a fancy way to say they link to programs that let you create 3d objects for printing. Check that out. The companies listed have all used Ponoko's 3d api to create a 3d printing business. This includes Autodesk's 123D.  They have a variety of materials and like Shapeways you can buy a sampler pack of possible materials for use in printing your model. Check them out HERE

SIGGRAPH EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS TODAY

SIGGRAPH EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS TODAY...

                                                 Nuff said here.

A Starfield Generator to Create the Heavens

Mass Digital has been around since at least 2003. Nice to see I am finally getting around to stumbling upon them. Starpro their product generates accurate star maps of our galaxy.

Maas Digital's StarPro is the best way to render beautiful, astronomically correct star fields - now available for Adobe After Effects, The Foundry Nuke, and NewTek Lightwave 3D.
StarPro works with any 3D package that can export camera motion to After Effects or Nuke, including Maya, 3D Studio Max, Softimage, and more! It seems like a fun program just to play around with. Starpro has been used in some high profile projects already Take a look Here