3d modeling
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Researchers aim to give surgeons 3D maps, directions of human body
While a GPS-style "navigation system" for surgeons may not seem like the best idea to anyone that's ever been led astray by their dash-mounted co-pilot, it apparently seemed like a good enough idea for a group of researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. While they do stretch the metaphor a bit, the group's TLEMsafe system does provide surgeons with a complete 3D map of the lower body, which can actually be personalized for each individual patient, giving surgeons a reference and means to practice before any actual surgery takes place -- and, yes, even an "automated navigation system" during surgery. Coincidentally, some researchers from the University of Colorado have also just announced that they've developed a similar modeling system that would give surgeons 3D views of arteries and let them see any blockages up close. It's even already been tested on patients, while the University of Twente says its system will be ready for clinical trials in about four years' time.
Cambridge's ProFORMA does 3D scanning with any stationary webcam
Never mind that silly name: ProFORMA (which stands for 'Probabilistic Feature-based On-line Rapid Model Acquisition', if you must know) is some cool system that turns any ordinary webcam into a powerful 3D scanning tool. In fact, a camera is pretty much all you need for some "on-line" modeling action -- no laser or green screen necessary -- meaning the 3D models are constructed on the spot while you slowly rotate the objects, although ProFORMA can also track fast moving objects as shown in the demo video after the break. Fans of machinima should also look into this for their next Warhammer drama series, but don't say you heard it from us.
Bayonetta's bare buttocks and other M-rated modelings
By his own account, Platinum Games modeler Kenichiro "Yoshi" Yoshimura poured in just the right amount of "blood and sweat" into the Bayonetta character model (sparing his tears, apparently). The end result has been described by the ESRB as "suggestive," contributing to the game's M-rating (of course, let's not overlook the part that "torture attacks," impaling, decapitating, dismembering, and demonic summoning play in that rating too). Specifically, Yoshi paid particular attention to perfecting Bayonetta's "backside," which, along with her breasts, can be ogled (or snickered at) during brief, in-game exposure -- oddly, in the midst of battle, according to the ESRB. "I guess I am into that sort of thing," Yoshi observes of his posterior fixation.While popular culture long ago OD'ed on anatomically eye-popping fabrications ("there are people actually proportioned like Bayonetta" ... just not any of us), video games have been traditionally confined to more adolescent incarnations of this theme, tiptoeing into the "adult" world every now and then. But if everything else is "jiggling" and "gyrating" and spreading its legs in our faces, shouldn't we allow games to taunt us too? Wait. Don't answer that. Answer this: Do we really want them to?
'Strong possibility' Spore creations will be exportable to Maya
While taking us through an exhaustive hands-on with Spore, Maxis producer Thomas Vu told us that there was a "strong possibility" that the company would allow you to export your creations – creatures, buildings and vehicles – from the game into 3D modeling/animation program Maya. Vu said it wouldn't be a stretch for other 3D-creation apps (e.g. Lightwave, 3D Studio Max) to be made compatible, too. Also likely exportable is the music you create in the game, although Vu was not sure what format. What would be holding the feature back, explained Vu, was if it "didn't fit Spore," i.e. how do we define the title? As a game, an app? He suggested that if community interest was strong enough they'd likely put it in. You hear that, community? Make our dreams as aspiring animators that much closer to fruition. We'll have more from our exhaustive session with Spore later this week.
Build objects outside Second Life, then import
In Second Life, at least until the introduction of scuplties, there wasn't really a coherent way to create objects in a 3D modeling programme outside of Second Life and import it. Enterprising users have put together specific ways for their application to work together, such as Kisa Naumova's building importer.Thanks to a tip about AC3D from the people at Digital Urban I can report that there is now a cross-platform modeling programme that is both affordable and comes with various plug-ins allowing it to export items from inivis.com's AC3D to Second Life. This includes making sculpties, making boxes, and the inevitable high-prim "make anything with triangles." I wish I could report on just how easy it is to use, but there is a recognised bug in the mac version with Leopard. Whilst AC3D will start for me as soon as I try to do anything it crashes, so I'm currently not able to do it. You can download AC3D and let us know what you think!
Welcome to the World of Treecraft
Science Daily reports that a Stanford computer scientist named Vladlen Koltun has produced a program that allows both amateur and professional creators of virtual worlds to select from countless possible types of trees (all modeled based on scientific research) and to customize those trees based on their own needs.The program is cleverly called Dryad, and Koltun and his associates hope that it will be one of the first steps towards making the development of believable 3D online spaces an achievable goal for creative types without enormous budgets. Koltun said that there is a very small community of 3D modelers skilled in creating objects like trees, and that the rarity of the skill is partly responsible for a lull in the progression of user-generated virtual worlds.So, if you are planning on making a 3D MMO, you can use the program for free at the Stanford website. Maybe then your army of expensive employees can be smaller! It's also just fun to play with.
