New Press Release

#81

I have talked about FACT format with the Igors.
Here is my understanding of the situation. (someone please correct me if I am wrong here).
FACT stores vertices differently than OBJ and other formats, so they are not directly compatible (translation is necessary).
Basically Animator and Camera are dependant on the current implementation of FACT.
Changing to a different format (like OBJ) would require complete rewrites to Animator and Camera in order to handle the change. This would require a major effort, and pull resources away from other areas of development.

Also- FACT is a “container” format, not a geometry format.
It is easily extended, and already can contain information that OBJ cannot (lights, links to textures, shaders, etc.).

So defaulting to OBJ would take significant development effort, and actually be more limiting than keeping FACT.

At the same time better import and export of OBJ is necessary.
I think EITG should also look into better “bridging” between apps.

Perhaps import/export plugins for other software packages to read/write FACT or even EIAS .prj files.

Distrubute these plugins free for other software packages to help users get info into and out of EIAS. (EITG becoming a Maya developer is a good step in this direction).

Data transfer is a major is a major issue that needs to be addressed as EITG moves forward.

Dave :wink:

#82

I do that now…

Cj

#83

Please explain…

#84

EIM - what it is and what it isn’t.

If one looks at EIM strictly as a solids modeler (as it’s based on ACIS) then they obviously haven’t used the current version which was available at V5. EIM has had some very powerful surfaces tools added to it’s toolset and in many ways rival Rhino in that regard.

EIM is a nice general nurbs modeler which does a nice general job ‘if’ you know how to use it. It’s interface and method of organizing files is fist class and nothing comes close within it’s price range in that regard.

What it isn’t.

It isn’t a CAD modeler with a great interface for numerical precision and it doesn’t have history.

Trims are lost after a rebuilt surface (not untypical) but in order for continuity tools to work between trimmed surfaces a simplification is often needed…EIM’s biggest problem as a surface modeler. New ACIS seems to solve much of this and we’ll see if the tools will be brought up to date quickly in EIM.

If someone needs a CAD accurate and extremely robust nurbs modeler for massive projects, EIM is a long way away from that right now…it has potential but it’s not that.

A nice compliment to EI (it needs a little more forgiveness which newer ACIS, once hooked up, can provide) and a good general nurbs toolset for translation into EI.

If these basic tools get refined - Solids, surfaces and SDS and brought up to current features, nothing will touch EIM as a general modeler.

It probably will never be as good as Rhino for surfaces or at SDS as Modo but having a good toolset of each, under one app, is work developing and moving forward.

#85

“Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.”

EIM has a bright future, and having Kishore back is very exciting. There are many people who could write a modeler… but he really understands how it will be used. EITG couldnt have found a better match for EIM. I believe he also has a vision on where EIM can go.

Cj

#86

I agree…having Kishore back is great.

One feature which would be nice to see is the ability to import obj to be used for Ubernurbs cages.

#87

This is good stuff gentlemen. Ideas are flowing and that’s just what’s needed. I’ll see if I can eventually get Kishore to chime in on some of this stuff.

#88

As someone who didn’t pay the needed attention the last time Mr. Kishore was around, and who knows nothing about him but these production resumés listed here and there, would you like to give me some background about his relationship and history with EIAS?

(cue wobbly transition effect and harp music :))

#89

KISH ROCKS! ! ! :buttrock: :buttrock: :buttrock: :buttrock: :buttrock:

That’s all you need know :wink:

#90

Or maybe who wasn’t around at the time… just what i was thinking, what period was this guy working for EI ? and what exactly is the big deal here :hmm:

#91

Okay, the one thing that I am pulling from the people telling us what is coming is that there is no definte words or description of what is coming.

What exactly is a direct bridge with EI from EIM?
Spell it out, what exactly will this enable us to do.
The small comments are more annoying then you could possibly imagine.

The more I read the more I feel I’m in the wrong place.
Even if they go through all this work to bring modeler back, we could have easily fixed the texturing problem with other options.
Like a new uv texture editing window that would allow us to flatten the model inside EI,
ability to move the mesh around to help with templates that could be exported to Photoshop for painting.
new import options to handle models textured/mapped elsewhere.

This EIM thing is a step backwards unless someone would like to stop speaking with “we have behind the scenes info and we’ll just give you a teaser” of what EI is really up to.

#92

To me, the most important thing a bridge between Animator and a modeler (any modeler) ought to do is allow me to retouch, add or substract objects to a modeler project any time after it was imported into an Animator one without having to export each change as a new FACT file. That the relationship between modeling projects and Animator ones was as flexible and forgiving as, say, the one between Photoshop files and After Effects (you can add, alter or substract layers to a Photoshop PSD file, and After Effects will reflect that, only complaining if it can’t find some deleted or renamed layer and letting you re-link to another if needed).

Right now, if one doesn’t get things right first at the modeling stage, any minor change after the FACTs have been loaded into a Project means isolating the changed elements, saving the modified modeling project with a separate name (if one ever expects to, say re-mesh the original setup into the same first FACT file), exporting and loading them as a separate FACT file.

With that as a base feature, things could get more sophisticated, I guess: keeping track of several LOD versions of a group, proxies, versioning, etc. I think it ought to be half-Bridge half-Project Manager.

#93

Yes!

That was what I tried to tell, maybe my explanation was to cryptic.

#94 
     This is not about Kishore at all. Anyone who has talked to him has to love him. He's a great guy and so is his work. The question was posed to what EIM is and is not. PaulS realistically and directly confirmed my assessment. With a fixture manufaction background, Former ADS FormZ dispatched and authorized trainer for the NYS region, and someone who has taught FormZ at Pratt Engineering circullum, I fall in the CAD modeler catagory which Paul speaks of. Merely for the sakes of CAD accuracy EIM couldn't be employed in the production shops I have ran, at the time, Murray Feiss or Philip Morris USA. 
     
     That's not to say I didn't want it to. EIM has a "feel" and "look" to it that hard to ween, inspite of that it lacked several display modes that I deem neccessary in evualating form. 
     I give a great deal of homage to those who "just got use it" but to me it's not optimum.
     Still it's a worthy tool which their genius continues to prevail while executing their talent. Cristobal and David Wu is the only artist I have seen skin forms with EIM and the only reason I can attest it even works. It's a shame that people who claim it's proficiency in the exact area I mentioned never showed wireframe example, wrote a tutorial or produce a paid training. No wonder it defuncted. Oh how I have often testified that my reasoning for doing the rig DVD's is to NOT let my treasures of rig info die if the app dies...NOR LET IT BE THE DEATH OF IT!  :) Alas. not true with EIM. 
     
     According to my professional needs (which change a lot) EIM didn't have the "industry accuracy I needed back then. I used FormZ which one could debate lack the same accuracy if using CATIA. Currently EIM doesn't have the versatility I need with geometry conversion types. As I mentioned "Interactive Modeling History". Again, no .OBJ import option (at least for many years). .SAT file rigamaroe needed it's own support team which I often contributed, and lack of geometry conversion types within the modeler. Being able to use the best of NURBS forming, SDS and Polys is my current workflow that's optimal to each task of my modeling process. 
     
     
      Again Paul, I want to thank you for not skirting the topic and directly addressing my exact concern. I agree with you 100%. EIM is a great tool in it's price range. It's completely unfair to compare with with tool costing more than triple it's price. If more development is place in areas I mentioned, (espcially interactive surface trims with history) and it goes from general to more SOTA, industry need... it would be great. (kish is already great  and needs no improving)
#95

EIM is a great modeler and shows how forward-looking EI was in developing it originally.

With EIM active, EI actually stands out from the 3D crowd - this isn’t discounting that EI needs work. There is no other 3D tool (in it’s price-range) which is similar or has similar features.

As far as booleans/knives go - they aren’t a dirty word as some might try to convince. They are an incredibly useful technique within EIM just as long as one ‘understands’ where to use them and how to use them.

I’m on a project right now which could only be done using EIM’s wire knives (booleans). Trying to use a surface approach the project would go from a 2 day project to a week long project.

Solids, surfaces and SDS all in one modeler with a great interface - show me what else can compete? Now all of these areas need work to become what their potential shows…let’s hope that occurs.

#96

IKKE…Hans thanks for the images…totally to the point. Let’s not play “riddle me this”. Let’s spell it out. You either know or don’t.

A guy name “G” on the DWu team uses Rhino to model this Female Telephone.
This is like so common a procedure. It’s the basis of how I exchange hi-res models. We use low res Obj.

Common problem when people model for animation is they NURBS model instead of cage model. However, NURBS modeling is great for this “Psuedo Hard Body” foms yet they need to be simplified cages for animation. Dilemma! How do you reap the benefects of both smooth NURBS, and low res poly cage design? Model conversion types. (which has also has many other uses.)

If EIM leads to transferring common data formats with other modelers (including textures), Lowering and raising SDS to cage within the animator (encage), and editing multiple geometry types it would rock and thus roll as well. :slight_smile:

Actually O2F and Encage are the only two “production” plugs I use anymore…so really I already do it.

#97

sorry, lag in the server. double post. I’ll here’s a nurb test. instead. With some character being half industrial design, half CA. I model in NURBS, covert to Poly then SDS.

#98

Ahh, you want images!

Wires:

Render:

#99

NICE!! Hans. That Rocks.

You booleaned that form? eek. :slight_smile:

Ok. now tutorial.

Again. So clean on your wires. Beautiful job.

Love it. Put up or …

You know what?? Is this in the EI gallery? Turkey :slight_smile: gobble gobble.

(oh. Im hungry now)

Definitely…I got SERVED!! haha. Seconds please. I want some more!!

#100

EIM PrOn!!!

(sorry, couldn’t resist :smiley: This “battle of the wireframes” is a delight to watch :))