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View Full Version : I thinking of purchasing AM for use a online community, should I?

isomaster
03-30-2003, 08:21 AM
Ive been reading through this forum and now deciding on the purchase of AM. So I guess I have a few questions.

First off, Im not buying this to animate the next pixar animation full length movie. Im wanting to create an massive online avatar chat room and want to use pre rendered 3d animated characters that will move around the virtual city (isometric pre rendered 3D). So i guess in reality Ill be creating game sprites. And I also wish to create beautiful short intro and cutscene movies.

The community client is written in Flash MX so we will use these animation files in flash.

So my questions are...

Would you advise this purchase of AM or something more like lightwave? I don't want to create 3D polygon looking characters. I wish for the characters to look more organic.

Does AM have the ability to export animation as a series of .jpg or .bmp files?

I was reading the feature list and it spoke about a built in chat room in the software, is that chat area very active?

I know AM is unstable, but exactly how unstable is the newest version?

Im a programmer and I have done alot of 3D work in programs like milkshape 3D for low poly modelling for our past 3D engines, but due to this is an online chat room we are wishing to create we want something that can be 3D, but is really 2D so that more users can enjoy it. So with that said, Im looking for something (software wise) that can handle this.

Your Thoughts?

Thanks,
Cedric
Bugle
03-31-2003, 12:11 AM
It should work nicely, in fact I think there's a plugin that exports directly to flash - something penguins, it's called. I'm sure other folks can advise you further. But I'd say, yes, for character graphics designed for the web , A:M is quite able.

You'll find you can reuse animations and models a lot so once you get the project underway it should become easier as you go.
isomaster
03-31-2003, 01:45 AM
REALLY!!!!

a AM plugin that exports swf? This is excellent, Does anyone by chance have a url to the site?

Cedric
Goon
03-31-2003, 02:09 AM
you should be albe to get it off of their site. its called Artic Pig or Artic Pigs.
onikaze
03-31-2003, 02:18 AM
actually the arctic pigs is for realtime 3d veiwing and I haven't heard about it in a while.
plug your looking for is at
http://www.kci-group.com/z/index.htm

the other plugs there a pretty great too. in fact I've been thinking of buying a couple just to thank him for the free Zevel plug.:D


anyway
Later
My Fault
03-31-2003, 02:28 AM
As much as I love AM, don't write off Lightwave for doing organic stuff, it's actually quite capable. AM is certainly less costly to get in to, but Lightwave would offer a greater ability to import things if necesarry.

Anyone have any good examples done with Marcel's plugin?
alfiebabes
04-01-2003, 10:41 AM
whatever your choice of software LW or AM, you will need to learn how to use it. Marcels plug-in definately gives AM a serious cutting edge as the web is so important these days.

AM does have a very good toon renderer whatever version you use- from which Flash can then create relatively small SWF movies. I do remember that Raf Anzovin (http://www.anzovin.com ) once posted a Hash to Flash tutorial.
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