Digital Info Site For Canada's Film Industry -----------------------------------MARCH 2010
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TO HELL WITH TECHNOLOGY 3.5
Modo 401
XaraPro Xtreme
CALL OF DUTY 4:MODERN WARFARE2
WINDOWS 7
Sketchup 7 point oh something(this week)
ZBrush(this week)
MARCH 6th 2010-TO HELL WITH TECHNOLOGY 3.5
Come March 6th, we will be holding To HEll WIth Technology 3.5 once again at the Delta Chelsea Hotel. To begin the day, we will be afforded a 3 hour specialized session with one of Adobes premier solution specialists Colin Smith. Colin graced us during our first symposium but unfortunately was not afforded as much time as he could have utilized. A veritable source of Adobe know how, Colin has shown specialized wisodm in dealing with Photoshop, After Effects and Premier. 3 Hours with the master beginning at 9am to explore the hidden powers of CS4 and what is up and coming.
To follow up in the second half of our day, you shall be introduced to another phenomanol graphics package in Xara Pro Plus and a great 3d modeller known as MODO 401 by Luxology. There will be a review of titles and other digital media news as well. RSVP to Laurie Januska at (416)925-8200
Modo 401 by Luxology has quickly become a tool favorite with Pixar Studios, it is also about one third the cost of its competition at about $995.00. Modo 401 is built by those who seem to be spawning from a creative/artistic background and the program promotes its fluid structure and u.i. customization as a true artist would be non-conformist. Maybe the personal extended metaphors are not my strongpoint, but as much as my comparison sucks , Modo 401 does not
For example, unlike most software that stipulate when and how you may use the license you have paid for, the fine people at Luxology make it available to the user no matter who's computer you are on or where. Providing there is an internet connection, you can log in to the Luxology website and call up your license for download to your locale. Pretty cool huh?
You can model, paint, sculpt, texture, render and animate with Modo 401. You can work with polygons and subsurface modelling as well. It also has a direct workflow/pipeline with Zbrush.Modo 401 also has phenomenol community and tech support. Come to the symposium, we will be giving away 1 full license of Modo 401.
Check out www.luxology.com
Xara XtremePRO-the fastest graphics package around. The speed with which any edits and alterations is completed is far and beyound anything I've encountered. It may seem like it is too much for one title but being able to edit raster, vector, layouts and website is all in a days work for Xara. Having won awards and testimonials from PCPro, Designer Today, About, Photo Finishes and Computer Arts to name a few Xara has been racking up users since the 90's. They are well suited for creating the right environment for the design field.
Xara XtremePRO comes with an array of preset web templates, fills, fonts, brushes etc.but its real poer is its ability to respond to any of the live effects that can be appliead and altered before or after completion. The program interface itself is also very intuitive and makes the ambiguous task of text wrap completely inherent and liquid. Move your image, the text flows around it...no problem. I find also that masking, fades, transparencies and blends are as simple as choosing two objects and as fast as"right now". The biggest selleing point however is the price of this power house package:
CS4Design Premium$1,799.00 (faulty install and numerous crashes)
CorelDraw:: $489.00 (extremely long and ambiguous install with many freezes)
XARA XtremePRO:$249.00 (no problems, fast install, no crashes, no license issues)
We will be giving out 5 XARAPro Xtreme licenses at the software symposium March 6th.
XARA Gallery
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate(1st take)
I have been asked several times since Windows 7 has come out.....is it it worth it? I would have to say that yes, yes Virginia, it is worth it to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 let alone upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7.
First of all, all of the hype is true, all of the ad hoopla is true, all of the improvements are true. From the faster start up times to the stability improvements and the ability to multi-task without slowdowns to performance...ALL TRUE. I have had a few small glitches here and there but those were all elements residual from my previous toothache of an OS (Vista).I I get the odd error message that was present from Vista. Strange? Not so much. Had I chosen to wipe the system clean before install, it would all have disappeared. There was an option however, I could wipe everything clean OR I could, yes...wait for it...install over top of my existing OS. Yes, it was painless, it retained 95% of my installed software integrity and saved me days of backing up and re-installing programs. Don't take my word as stone though, Windows does recommend backing up all important files prior to installing WIndows 7.They suggest that you do but it is not neccessary as all of my stuff is still of this world.
I haven't actually had any real compatibility issues yet either, even though the Ultimate version has a Windows XP compatibility environment included in it, Windows 7 just seems to play really nicely with others. Could this be a masterstroke of good luck on the part of Microsoft, or a great example of redemption to make up for the bane that was Vista?
More to come(under the hood) 4.5/5
VUE to a Still-Poser 8 and VUE8-Sean Moore
Fresh off the press comes VUE8 by E-On Software. A formidable and robust system for creating natural looking landscapes both with and without any semblance of manmade design. Fully integrated with all 3d systems on the market, Vue8 Xstream offers an inherent structure that places its interface into those other 3d applications for extra easy play nice. There really is no other program out there that can create realistic imagery as fine and as intricate as Vue(without any other adjustments involved) The above image was a basic default figure imported directly into Vue8 and then placed onto a default terrain structure that was populated with the Vue8 environment brush.
For those of you unfamiliar with this tool; it allows the user to place a number of elements into a roster (like plants, rocks, objects etc.), once your mix is created, you can paint the environment onto your landscapes in realtime therefore populated it exactly as you see fit. You can then of course animate the landscape and add wind and atmosphere effects to it.
The team over at E-on Software really understand too the importance of being able to run a tool right out of the box and keeping that in mind, make their entire line of environmental modellers useable to the layperson up to the professional designing cliffsides in the latest Indiana Jones production. They offer a fully functional free version as well which can be downloaded from here:
http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_8_pioneer/
4.75/5
BY SEAN MOORE-
Apart from this being 3D Studio Max 2010 and one of the most robust modelling apps ever, this iteration seems to improve upon itself before even adding some great upgrades.
Even though I know that the AEC tools have been around for a few versions, it wasn't until version 2010 came to life that these tools made their mark. Yes they have been included in past versions, but now they are easy to use. So no more extruding and extrapolating architectural references and elements from 2d sketches and drawings. You can now, very easily use the wall tools for pulling up walls, the door tools for inserting doors, the window tools for inserting windows and yes the stair tools for building your spiral, regular, closed, or open staircases complete with options for railings, rise/run, backs, railing caps etc.
The other great improvement in my mind is the reworking of the Materials explorer, it now functions well as an explorer should. Clear and concise, the list based doorway to your textures makes for a much smoother workflow and creative experience. Autodesk has also gone and included approximately 100 new tools/enhancements in this package for better or for worse some work others...not so much. The absorption of plug-in PolyBoost brings you the majority of the new elements, a great bonus if you don't already own the $150 plug-in.
The one thing I don'yt understand however regarding the hoopla around it is the new "ribbon" across the top that houses the Graphite tools. It is a lot of real estate to give up for a slick looking percentage of your ui.
Onto the really exciting news-in the humble view of this reviewer is something added after the release of 2010. This is a plug-in available to registered users and it bridges the gap between great conceptual artists and capable 3-d modellers. It is a godsend, it is a bit of code that now allows you to imort directly, .skp files into your 3ds application. That's right, Sketchup to 3ds Max! There may be a wack load of new ittems but when it comes to things pertanent to the film industry, this is a great big golden egg for us.-
More to come
4.5/5
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HARDWARE:
EPSON 3800 STYLUS PRO By Sean Moore
I have to say that the whole experience left me cold, the first printer arrived in a heavily built cardboard tomb but despite the amount of padding and support that adorned it, it arrived broken. Broken or in a state of non-functionalis. The offending brute was sent back and then we waited. Until one day out of the blue arrived another one of these behemoths (during a spat of renovation and drywall to our surroundings). Eventually a new spot was cleared for the machine with 3 blacks and I set about removing the no less than 24 pieces of tape, cardboard inserts, foam and binding, plopped in all 8 cartridges and stood back while it cleaned and configured itself.
Once done, it sat there staring at me, staring through me, challenging me. C'mon punk, almost to ask:"You feeling CMYK today punk? Well, are ya?" I was feeling hesitant at $1300 a pop.
To start, lets dispell any myths one might have heard from overzealous salespeople or those suffering with printer envy:
1-
The 3800 houses a K3 setup consisting of Black, Light Black and Light Light black ink for an unprecedented array of tones
2-It prints on media ranginging from 4"x6" to 17"x22" with 3 seperate loading systems and can but really shouldn't be used to print on media(vinyl, canvass)other than papers.
3-The maximum resolution is 2880 x 1440 dpi
4-Weighs in at 43.2 lbs and measures 27"x 15" x10" (WxDxH)
5-Prints gallery quality archival prints (color and black and white: up to 200 years), scrath resistant and water fast printing.
Being a less than stellar producer of astoundingly beautiful prints, which were printed on Epson High Quality Ink Jet and High Quality Matte papers, I am of the beleief that this item is best suited for the heavier, semi gloss and gloss papers. Although the prints were decent, they all seemed to be muddied and lacking and punch or dynamism. My Epson 1280 produced on a whole, much nicer images. I am going to however print a rash of super high re images before sending the unit back and on the higher density media. This shall determine the final score of this product.
Otherwise, the Epson 3800 hundred functioned much better than any other Epson I've had. It is quick to start and to react to print requests and a few times I had to cancel a job dreading the inevitable madness that is redoing a print on an Epson. The amazing thing about it though, there was no madness. No madness other than my River dance like jig that indicated my sheer joy with the recovery time of a cancelled job. It took no time. There was no endless back and forth of garbled text and black smudges. I cancelled a job, and restarted it and it did exactly that. It re started and printed remarkably fast. I want to love this printer, but until a regimen of fine prints pour from one of 3 outputs, I will not be feeling so CMYK. What for the image samples in the next installement.
At present the best online game experience bar none. Online, nothing can touch this title. Great big maps, lots of extras with killstreaks and interesting takes on old game types. The biggest problem with the title was that it was just way too short. I was surprised when the credits began to roll. And then there was nothing. No extras, no making of, just image after museum image of each chapter (very cool looking though but made me hungry for a production art package). As far as interface or control goes, there is nothing lacking here. It is fast, aggressive, visceral AND stealthy. There are few cool scenes in which you get to attack from below as a Navy Seal type, pulling your targets into the freezing north sea or pummeling them down underfoot from the controls of a gunship cannon. They were very brief scenes however. I guess the strength is in numbers and that is online. Amazing experience online, non stop action and planning allowing your persona to grow and build new and improved load outs. The unique elements of the games single player portion are expanded though in the extra side of multiplayer. This is the Spec Ops side, the time trials, the hold offs, the stealth co-op. Between multiplayer and the Spec Ops games, it more than makes up for short single player action.
The game is available in 3 versions, regular which is the main aspect of it...the game, Hardened which comes in a metal case with an artbook, and Prestige which comes with an artbook, a plastic bust of the main character and a pair of working night vision goggles(which you can rest/display on the bust of "Soap" McTavish.
9/10
ASSASSINS CREED
Assassin's Creed 2
UBISOFT
I loved it, I hated it, I loved it some more and then fell under its spell. Large portions of my day disappeared into the dreamy atmosphere of this title like so many waves upon the green, wet moss of a Venetian building foundation. This is such a masterpiece and such a design rich example of new media artistry. The layers of research and history that this game exudes blows my mind. I have had architecture students stumbled by the sheer detail of the city planning and facades along with the luxurious interiors of the Vatican and manors proliferating the land of Assassins Creed 2.
I actually did get really aggravated at the begining of the game as there were certain key events one had to complete in order to progress the story and when you lack attention you miss out on what is happening and become....yes...aggravated like me.
When I did finally figure out what was going on, I was consumed by the multi-faceted storyline and visually compelling cinematics that became more and more breathtaking as your roster of special moves and attacks became larger. Your hunger for revenge becomes validated and you end up becoming the games protagonist. I especially enjoyed wrapping myself in a white sheet with old English muffin boxes being used as greaves and gauntlets. So cool. For real.
All of my stupidity aside, this is the closest I've come to playing a game that felt like watching an epic show like Rome or Gladiator, in that you really become excited as to see what happens in the next chapter. The characters in the game are superbly modelled and all have great ai, some with very endearing personalities such as Leonardo DaVinci who becomes a close friend and supplier of great gadgets. This brings me back to design, a very large percentage of the games documents and weaponry were derived from actual DaVinci schematics as were the larger pieces of artwork that you see throughout.
This is a great game and God forbid actually educates those playing with the excellant riddles and puzzles that provide bits of a very interesting and slightly terrifying video. You walk away with more historical, art and socio-political information then you would with any other title.
The only real drawback to the experience was when your character who has access to all of this information through the use of a great technological device that splices your dna, history and subconscious into the first person, is returned to the present time. For whatever maintenace or rest your psyche needs, these scenes are redundant and dull in comparison to the golden chalice of video game design that is Italy in the world of DaVinci. Not to mention the 3 modern characters that seem to be increasingly annoying upon your returns(well the guy is, and the female "tomboy" tech is with all the happy-happy-hey-no-problemo bravado). The 3rd is kinda like a digital crush, so no harm there right?
9/10
TIPS & HINTS
Autodesk 3d Studio Max 2010 AEC Tools tip
Have you had a chance to try out the AEC tools in 3D Studio Max 2010 lately? The sheer ease with with you can create a 3d model from a 2d plan drawing is remarkable. However, there are times when you use the wall tool to create your parametric walls and your doors and windows don't sit properly in them. Meaning, you usually see the outline of the element but there is no transparent/opening in the arrangement. These tools should create that opening automatically. No worries, here's the solution for perfect windows and doors:
Click the element you are working with to select it, then click the link icon located in the upper left of the screen and choose the wall within which you are placing your item, and voila! It "wakes up" the system and jumpstarts the symbiotic nature of the tools.
ANG WIRELESS CONNECTIONS GETTING YOU DOWN?
Do you own an HP computer? Do you have an AGN wireless card in your system? Do you lose your wireless connection when the wind blows, or like me, lose your network/wireless adapter presence 100% from one minute to the next? If not, you are lucky, if so, you are frustrated and lucky to have found this tip. Follow this link and download the update, it will solve your issues:
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS4 MULTIPLE ART BOARDS
this is such an awesome innovation, as it allows you to streamline web site designs as well as make your printing of similar designs a snap. However, the best thing so far is when you need to create PDF files. Make the original on multiple art boards in AI CS4's awesome new tool and export as a PDF when done, it will create a multi page document as well as print all pages for you.
Our newest format is like the old format, but we are printing our reviews and info on the front page in its entirety from now on as it makes for a better presence on the search engines and allows for less confusion from those looking for info. The updates will be more often and will be backed up and saved as a pdf each month. These will then become archived and made available with the others at the top. I hope you like it, I hope you love it, I hope you read it.
Cheers,
Sean Moore
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