NOVEDGE blog

ZBrush is Talking; modo, Maya, and CINEMA 4D are Listening!

DCC companies do their best to ensure that 3D models can easily and smoothly be transferred to/from their competitors' systems

Coming from a mechanical CAD background I'm always pleasantly surprised by the open approach in data-exchange of 3D graphics software, more specifically known as DCC (Digital Content Creation). While CAD companies try every trick in the book to make transferring geometric data from one CAD system to the other as difficult and painful as possible, many DCC companies do exactly the opposite: they do their best to ensure that your 3D models, renderings, and animations can easily and smoothly be transferred to and from their competitors' systems.

CAD companies try every trick in the book to make transferring geometric data as difficult and painful as possible

The main reason for this open attitude comes from the typical production process: most of the projects in this field require the use of several software tools and it would be unacceptable not to be able to transfer data back and forth. A second reason is the relative simplicity of DCC data when compared to CAD data. CAD projects represent products someone has to build, therefore they must be extremely precise, and able to host a lot of non-geometric information. On the other hand, many 3D graphics projects have as final goal the creation of a movie or a set of images. Precision has to be good enough to support the required quality for the final video or image, but not more.

Pixologic and Luxology today announced the release of GoZ for modo

A good example of the open attitude of the 3D world can be observed in ZBrush products. Pixologic and Luxology today announced the release of GoZ for modo, a free plug-in for ZBrush that automatically transfers mesh geometry and normal, displacement, and texture maps into modo and back again.

Gamasutra explains the power of the new ZBrush plugins with this example: "With GoZ, modo can be used to create a base model, such as a human head, to provide the basic anatomy. This model can then be instantly transferred to ZBrush via GoZ for brush-based addition of scars, warts and wrinkles. The enhanced model can then be passed back to modo to create the final rendered output files."

This is just the latest in a very interesting series of "connectors," including GoZ for Maya, and GoZ for CINEMA 4D. According to the Pixologic website more connectors are expected to be released soon, which will make life even easier for ZBrush users.

Personally I love to see the artificial barriers between software systems fall. I believe that the entire 3D market will benefit from this open approach and I can't even imagine how much better life would be for CAD users if CAD companies were willing to follow the example of Pixologic.

Franco Folini

Pixologic Videos
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[Watch in Full Resolution] Pixologic products are available from Novedge

modo 401 Pushes the Limits of Rendering and Animation

modo has been improved in so many ways that is almost impossible to list everything here

On June 23 Luxology released the latest version of its 3D modeling, rendering, and animation product: modo 401. The version 4 of modo arrived about a year and a half after the release of version 3. modo has been improved in so many ways that is almost impossible to list everything here. Luxology prepared an impressive 14 page guide to the new features of modo 401 with tons of videos and amazing pictures. Among the several new and improved features: better motion blur, stereoscopic rendering, shadow catcher shader, selective radiosity type, volumetric lighting, lights linking, anisotropy mapping, and blurry refractions. The visual quality of the results of modo is very impressive and should rapidly convince everyone about the caliber of the software, as well as of the technical skills and determination of the development team (for more detailed information you can read my interview with Luxology CEO Brad Peebler). modo's rendering is so good that major CAD companies like SolidWorks have licensed the technology from Luxology to offer it to their customers.

SolidWorks licensed Luxology's rendering technology from

My recommendation is to take the time to go through the Luxology pages, learn about modo, and watch out for the upcoming trial version. As soon as the demo version of modo 401 is available we will add it to our website for all the visitors. Don't forget to take a look at Marc Hermitte review of modo written for "It's Art" online magazine and website.

Franco Folini

Adding Details with Replicators Luxology products are available from Novedge

Pixologic ZBrush Discovers Rapid Prototyping

Pixologic users can now finally join the group of Rapid Prototyping enthusiasts and start creating real 3D objects out of their ZBrush models. This is an important and very welcome step. It will help push Rapid Prototyping, or 3D Printing as Pixologic likes to call it, into the mainstream by increasing the number of users and lowering prices.

ZBrush users can now finally start creating real objects out of their 3D models

ZBrush is an incredible 3D virtual sculpturing system used by all sorts of digital artists to create the most astonishing models. Now those fantasy creatures can leave the computer screen and move out into the desktop.

This new feature has been made possible by two ZBrush plug-ins released by Pixologic and available for download from Novedge. The plug-ins are:

3DPrint Exporter plug-in (download)

With 3DPrint Exporter you will be able to export your favorite ZTool in STL and VRML file format, opening you to the world of the 3D Printing. Now it's possible for you to print your model: (1) Sculpt your art with ZBrush; (2) Optimize if needed your model with the Decimation Master plugin; (3) Export it with 3D Print Exporter.

Decimation Master plug-in (download)

With Decimation Master you will be able to easily reduce the polygon count of your models in a very efficient way while keeping all their sculpted details. This solution is one of the fastest available and is able to optimize your high polycount models from ZBrush, allowing you to export them to your other 3D software packages.

Franco Folini

An Interview with George Cawood, Framework Studio Owner

George Cawood is the founder and owner of Framework Studio, a design and production company located in Culver City, CA. George's company produces trailers, main title sequences, and visual effects for a variety of feature films, television shows, music videos, and commercials. FrameWork Studio is an advanced user of Maxon Cinema 4D and therefore the best candidate to get first hand, professional feedback on this powerful modeling, animation, and rendering software. I asked George a few questions regarding his professional activities in the movie world and about his company experience as a C4D user. Here is the interview.

George, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional activities?

I now operate my own graphic design, visual effects, and production company

I grew up in Northern California and studied film at UCSD. For the past decade or so, I’ve worked primarily in film advertising under the various titles of editor, producer, writer, and art director on campaigns ranging from Jerry Maguire to Ironman. In 2004, I directed a feature titled Homecoming, which found a home on PBS. I now operate my own graphic design, visual effects, and production company, Framework Studio. We produce trailers, main title sequences, and visual effects for a variety of feature films, television shows, music videos, and commercials. You can check us out at www.frameworkla.com.

Many people coming from the design area are surprised to learn that in the DCC area it is common to use several competitive software packages. Can you explain why that is?

our projects usually need several different types of software

Every software vendor has an area they want to focus their product on, tailoring it for specific strengths and technologies. Our projects usually need several different types of software, depending on our creative goals, the problems we might face during the design process, plus wanting the best end result while meeting deadline and budget.

Your studio is an advanced user of Cinema 4D. Can you tell us on which specific tasks does Cinema 4D excel, and what is your feedback as a user?

designers generally consider C4D to have an easy learning curve

We use Cinema 4D mainly for typography design, broadcast design production and trailer graphics. The animation timeline, MoGraph module, and speedy rendering make it the default tool for our daily 3D needs. Our designers generally consider Cinema 4D to have an easy learning curve, similar to After Effects. Plus, integrating Cinema 4D into Maya and After Effects pipelines is easy. Also, the freelance pool has more and more designers listing C4D as their tool of choice for 3D, which makes it easy to find talented people when the deadline approaches.

What is your creative/artistic company contribution from the specifications you receive from the movie product to the release of the final product?

From concept to completion, we do it all!

From concept to completion, we do it all!  We usually meet with our clients first, and then start the creative process with style frames and storyboards.  We build our internal creative and design team, while working with our clients on approvals and deadlines until everyone is happy.  Some projects take a few days, others a few months.

Can you give me a rough idea of the amount of computational and human resources work that goes into an average title sequence?

It depends on the project, but we brainstorm using anything from paper drawings, the internet, books or trade journals for reference materials, while keeping in mind our client’s guidelines. Whether it’s 3D, film rendering, animation or broadcast design, each job is handled a little different.

How do you draw the line between creativity and technique in your professional activities?

Budget and time is always a factor, but we know and work well with our clients and always try to have a creative, but efficient strategy for each project.

What kind of interaction do you have with the Cinema 4D community?

Little to none, except when troubleshooting or scouting for freelancers.  It’s great to see what others are creating, but there hasn’t been much downtime lately.

How do you train people on a specific software platform? Do you use online training, training CDs and DVDs, or training classes?

All of the above. We try to use a variety of training techniques and each designer has their favorites. Most use Cineversity & Lynda.com.

I would like to thank George Cawood for taking the time to answer my questions. A special thanks to Fawn Shoemaker and Cristina Rodriguez for helping me to organize this interview. If you have any questions for George or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

An Interview with Maurice Patel, Autodesk M&E Product Marketing

Maurice Patel is the head of Autodesk M&E Product Marketing. M&E is the media and entertainment division of Autodesk responsible for the popular products Maya, 3ds Max, and Motion Builder, among others. Maurice has been working in the DCC market for several years and is frequently quoted as an expert. As the market leader Autodesk has incredible power to influence the evolution of those technologies and tools. Those changes will effect not only 3D artists and Digital Content Creators, but also the mechanical design departments of manufacturing companies. In order to learn about the future direction of the market and the status of development I asked Maurice a few questions.

Maurice, can you tell us a bit about yourself and Autodesk M&E?

our mission is to develop solutions that enable our clients to create compelling visual content

Autodesk’s Media and Entertainment division is the leading provider of professional solutions for the film, television, games, manufacturing and architectural design industries. Our mission is to develop solutions that enable our clients to create compelling visual content – high-value content that will drive their businesses. Core to our strategy is the development of innovative 3D and image processing technology to enable creative professionals to generate synthetic images at the highest quality possible whether it be for a AAA games title, a blockbuster VFX movie or a state-of-the-art architectural visualization. Today our products are highly successful and used across the creative production pipeline for 3D, modeling, animation and rendering; 2D and 3D compositing, visual effects creation; editing, finishing and digital color grading.
Personally, I have been with Autodesk for over 6 years and in the M&E business for 12. I currently head up product marketing for Autodesk’s Media & Entertainment solutions. In this role I’m responsible for all product and industry related marketing aspects of the division’s film, television, games and design visualization solutions.

After the Alias acquisition in October 2005, Autodesk started to work on improving the integration between 3ds Max and Maya, focusing mostly on data exchange between the two applications. What has been accomplished so far and what are the plans for the future?

we’ve been working extensively on data interoperability

Indeed, we’ve been working extensively on data interoperability, not just between 3ds Max and Maya but between all Autodesk products as well as 3rd party applications. Core but not unique to that effort has been developing FBX, our open-standard, platform-independent 3D file format, of which we have released several versions in the past two years. FBX technology now supports an incredible variety of 2D and 3D data types and the list of types that it supports is constantly growing. We are of course planning on continuing to expand the workflow between these applications as well as with MotionBuilder, our compositing and visual effects solutions such as Toxik and Flame, other Autodesk products including AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit and 3rd party applications.

3ds Max is used not only in the entertainment industry but also in the manufacturing industry. Despite 3ds Max growing popularity in this area, importing and exporting data from and to a professional CAD system is still a difficult process. Any hints on what Autodesk M&E is doing to address this issue?

our goal is to provide digital continuity in the manufacturing processes from concept design to final ad

3ds Max is a leading visualization solution in the manufacturing industry and both 3ds Max and Maya are used in conceptual modeling. The issue of data import and export is fundamentally an issue of efficiency in the design process, an area that Autodesk is focused on addressing with its Digital Prototyping initiative. The Autodesk Digital Prototyping Solution enables manufacturing workgroups to create a single digital model that can be used in every stage of production, thereby bridging the gaps that exist between conceptual design, engineering and manufacturing. 3ds Max and Maya will help manufactures bring their products to market faster by reusing the Digital Prototyping data created in Autodesk Inventor. 3ds Max can work directly with Inventor and as a result manufacturers and their advertising agencies are able to create ‘synthetic’ or ‘digital’ images and animations of their products for marketing communications – without the need for costly physical prototypes. Ultimately our goal is to continue to eliminate the traditional data barriers or silos that exist in the design process and provide digital continuity in the manufacturing processes from concept design to final ad.

In the past few years Maya and 3ds Max have evolved to become extremely powerful systems for the professional production of high-quality graphical digital content. Many professionals and amateurs cannot afford the cost and don’t need the power and complexity of these tools. Can we envision a split in the 3ds Max product line similar to what we are seeing these days with Inventor and the recently announced Inventor LT?

Well as you know Autodesk does not talk publicly about future product plans. I can say that we have always been (and will continue to be) dedicated to providing professional solutions that equip today’s best artists, designers and visualization experts with the tools they need to bring their most imaginative ideas to life. We will also continue to plan for the future by looking at the various ways that both current and future solutions can meet the evolving needs of our clients.

While Autodesk comes from a tradition of supporting a single platform (Windows), the recently acquired Alias is open to other platforms. On May 2006 Martin Vann (VP Worldwide Sales, M&E) made a public statement about the strategic value of supporting Mac and Linux platforms. Do you still believe that Linux and Mac will play a primary role in the future for the Media and Entertainment sector?

The Mac community is at the heart of creative desktop content creation

Linux and Windows definitely play a primary role. I think it important to point out that this is not recent though, Autodesk has long had a tradition of supporting multiple platforms in the M&E industry and has had UNIX as a primary platform for nearly a decade. In September 2006, we finished the transition of all of our visual effects, editing and finishing, and color grading solutions to the Linux platform (from IRIX). This transition allowed us to offer our clients the best-of-breed in hardware performance and scalability. Autodesk Maya is also available on this platform.
The Mac community is at the heart of creative desktop content creation. We support these artists with Autodesk Maya, a 3D modeling, animation and rendering solution, as well as a desktop compositing application, Autodesk Combustion, and a media mastering and encoding solution Autodesk Cleaner.

You have been working in the media and entertainment field for several years and have witnessed the incredible transformations of this sector from a privileged point of view. Can you share with us your experience and your personal vision for the future?

There are several tends that will continue to drive rapid change in the industry over the next few years. Some important ones are: (1) Continued consolidation and globalization such as the recent Intel acquisition of Havok, (2) Virtualization and integration of processes through such initiatives as Digital Prototyping, BIM and Integrated Practice, (3) Sustainability will be an increasingly important component of the design process and (4) Innovation in tools and technologies for simulation and analysis will continue to prove a challenging and fruitful ground for research given that there are still fundamental unknowns in real world physics as well as complexities in modeling that make accurate, deterministic, simulations difficult.

I would like to thank Maurice Patel for taking the time to answer my questions. A special thanks to Mara Wright and Dennis Phinney for helping me to organize this interview. If you have any questions for Maurice or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

An Interview with Joel Orr, Chief Visionary of Cyon Research

Joel Orr (blog), is a one of a kind person in the Design and CAD world, a person who uses the word future meaning it and not just to refer to the next financial quarter. Joel calls himself a visionary and loves to talk and write about technology, design, and obviously the future. He is well known in the CAD and DCC community by the less young as one of the founders of CGW (Computer Graphics World) magazine. More recently he co-founded Cyon Reserach Corp. In the process Joel found the time to write a few books (Every Man a Hero, Every Woman a Coach published in 2005, Structure is Destiny: The Dandelion Paradox published in 2004, and The Victorious Engineer.) I believe every once in a while we all should stand up, look at the horizon, and try to see what the future is preparing for us and for the ones that will follow us in our professional world. Joel is the perfect person to help us see through the fog of  daily routine.

Joel, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional activities?

I love people and I love technology

I love people and I love technology, and I am thrilled by the potential of the latter to empower the former. I see myself as a mediator between technology and people - in particular, engineers and architects. My academic training was in pure math, but I have been involved in computers as a programmer and systems architect since 1969.
Somewhere along the way I stopped programming and began writing and speaking about the power and pitfalls of computer technology. My client list includes many Fortune 500 firms, government agencies, and all the major CAD companies.
I was an Autodesk Distinguished Fellow from 1990 to 1993, and the Bentley Engineering Laureate from 1997 to 2000. I helped found the now-defunct National Computer Graphics Association, and served as its president.
In 1999, I helped found Cyon Research Corporation, a consulting firm that sponsors COFES, the annual Congress on the Future of Engineering Software.

You have witnessed and influenced the evolution of the CAD systems for many years. Which evolution of design software most impressed you, when you think back on your expectations at the beginning?

I believe that simulation is the end of CAD - both its purpose and its terminus

Robert Heinlein's "Door Into Summer" - 1951, I think - describes "Drafting Dan," a keyboard-controlled robot that turned out drawings. Heinlein didn't foresee graphical input, and only a limited form of output. But the first CAD systems, from IBM's DAC to Dr. Patrick J. Hanratty's ADAM, were clearly related to Drafting Dan.
CAD has been a fascinating set of technologies to watch. Its unfolding over time has been a reflection of the engineering process itself, a dialectic between the envisioned ideal and the constraints of technological, social, and individual learning. Tools are envisioned and built - and then the limitations and capabilities of the tools as implemented inspire refinements and new tools. It's an unending process, accelerating with Moore's Law, governed by the ability of people and organizations to absorb novelty.
To me, Ivan Sutherland's "Sketchpad" - the subject of his 1961 MIT PhD - laid the technological foundation for the human/machine interaction we now call CAD. It was a prescient document, a trailblazer, whose influence is still evident 46 years later.
As a fan of engineers who never studied engineering, it took me quite a while to realize that the "design" in "computer-aided design" was just a placeholder: All the initial systems were computer-aided drafting systems. They automated the process of drawing production, not the process of design.
With good reason, to be sure: There was no well-defined discipline of design, so how could it be automated? What exactly would you automate? Drawings were the work-product, the very currency of engineering and architecture; to a great extent, they still are.
Drawings, not design, were the inspiration for 3D modeling. Only today is there beginning to be acceptance of concepts that can lead to computer-aided design, such as digital prototyping and simulation.
In fact, I believe that simulation is the end of CAD - both its purpose and its terminus. CAD has been traversing a path from abstraction to concreteness, where the model has more and more of the attributes of "the real thing."

What major features are still missing in today’s CAD system that could be easily added with existing technologies?

(what is missing is) keeping track of the what and why of engineering decisions that lead to what is ultimately manufactured

What is missing is the necessary tie between the engineering process and what happens within the computer. Any sort of keeping track of the what and why of engineering decisions that lead to what is ultimately manufactured or constructed is absent. That's why reuse of components is rare and limited: We don't know exactly what we did, nor do we know why we did one thing and not another. And any attempt to capture that knowledge is resisted by the very people who stand to gain the most by it. I helped promote a company called KollabNet, who has the only approach I've seen to this profound challenge; it has been widely ignored in the market.
Autodesk, Dassault, Siemens PLM, PTC, and all the other CAD firms have much more to offer customers than customers are willing to buy.
On the other hand, the vendors have foisted systems of mind-numbing complexity and heartbreaking software quality on the engineering professionals who are just trying to do their jobs, and I don't think their feet have been sufficiently held to the fire for their lacunae.
Things are getting better, but I think that some enlightened self-interest on both sides of the vendor-customer divide would go a long way to picking up the pace of improvement.

Is your vision about the future of CAD pessimist like that of Ralph Grabowski, or do you see more technological innovations despite the establishment of 64 bit as a standard platform?

the accelerating power of computers will bring us multiplying breakthroughs

Frankly, I think Ralph is a realist, not a pessimist. I'm more of an optimist, which no amount of disappointment seems to quell... :-) I have faith that the accelerating power of computers, coupled with new ways of thinking about computation - for example, genetic programming and biomimetics - will bring us successive and multiplying breakthroughs in the next few years that are difficult to envision.

Are all the technologies and innovations we have seen in the last 20 years really changing the structure of the design process or “just” allowing the designer to design “more, better, and faster”?

we produce new tools, then learn surprising things about our design processes and intentions as we try to use the tools to do what we thought we wanted to do

As I suggested above, I think there is a dialectic: We produce new tools, then learn surprising things about our design processes and intentions as we try to use the tools to do what we thought we wanted to do. These new thoughts inspire us to produce other new tools, manifesting our new thoughts - and provoking us to successive cycles of innovation.
Damping that process is the human reluctance to explore change; we fear what we might lose more than we hope for what we might gain. So generations of engineers have to retire or die to make room for the next generation. It took 20 years for computer-aided drafting to really catch on, and another 20 years for 3D. But I am hopeful; my grandkids who are engineers grew up with computers at home, and are far more demanding and less fearful than their mentors.
We do turn out new products - cars, airplanes, consumer goods, and more - much faster than ever before. And they are safer, cheaper, and more flexible than ever before. CAD gets much of the credit for these improvements, and it's only the beginning.

Despite all the technological improvements designers still limit as much as possible interaction with other departments. What can be done to enhance the interaction without distracting the designer from their challenging and critical tasks?

I think your observation is spot on, Franco. I think we need to do a better job of understanding organizations and how they hinder our ability to take advantage of all that technology has to offer. (I wrote a book about it, "Structure is Destiny.")

You went from founding a paper magazine such as CGW to becoming a blogger. How has been your experience been so far with your blog and in general with all the new web2.0 communication and collaboration technologies (wikis, blogs, IMs, etc.) ?

I've adopted a personal mission to help more young people choose engineering as a career

Blogging, podcasting, social networking sites, etc. are manifesting the "many-to-many" communications Alvin Toffler spoke about decades ago, along with Marshall McLuhan's "global village." They let all of us - not just "accredited" or "recognized" authorities - express ourselves and reach global audiences, instantly. The well-known challenge is to sift through this avalanche of words, images, and sounds for meaning and relevance. I haven't found the secret - if there is one - to sorting, or to breaking through the cacophony with my messages.
But I'm having a great time.
I've adopted a personal mission to help more young people choose engineering as a career. We need more engineers than we are producing. If you want to help me, check out www.geeking.info. And tell any colleges or high schools you are connected with that I'd like to come and speak to their students. Find me at joel.orr@cyonresearch.com and www.joelorr.com.

I would like to thank Joel Orr for taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any questions for Joel or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

An Interview with Brad Peebler, CEO of Luxology (modo)

Brad Peebler is the CEO of Luxology, the company that makes modo. Luxology modo is based on a technology called polygon/surface subdivision that is changes the way 3D artists and designers create shapes and frees their creativity. Some of the ideas and technologies powering Luxology modo will have a significant impact behind the DCC (Digital Content Creation) area. I'm referring especially to clumsy surface modelers where the mathematical model can become an obstacle for the user's creativity. To get an expert opinion on this and several other topics, I asked Brad a few questions. Here is the interview.

Brad, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?

we wanted to create software that offered a new level of speed and control to designers and artists

Yes, Luxology was formed almost exactly five years ago by three people, namely Allen Hastings, Stuart Ferguson and me. Our dream was to write from scratch a new 3D software that leveraged everything we knew from our history with Lightwave 3D and from our own long history of producing 3D content for commercial and personal projects. We wanted to create software that offered a new level of speed and control to designers and artists of all kinds. And we wanted to take full advantage of modern hardware – GPUs and multi-core CPUs for example – that simply did not exist in today’s form back when other software products like Rhino or 3ds Max were architected.

A few key people in your company were previously involved with LightWave. Considering this relationship with NewTek, what makes modo different from LightWave from the end user point of view?

Indeed, the founders all came from NewTek, and we are a very experienced team. However, when we built up our team we went out and found talent from many other places. We have people who worked in film, people who were creating various 3rd party applications and people from the gaming market for example. We even hired Bob Bennett who used to be the General Manager of Maya for Alias. We wanted many different perspectives internally. The goal was to create a software product that had a plastic – and even fluid user interface – which the designer could mold as he or she accomplished different tasks. A user interface that is as malleable as the content being created in the product if you will. The idea being that if we really focused on workflow artists would be able to create more compelling (and just more) content. We nailed that.
And we wanted to create a pragmatic tool, not a theoretical tool. We wanted to build a tool that simply works as expected and let you model anything you want, not just a certain class of objects. Double click on an edge loop in modo and the entire loop is selected. Type in 4*2mm in a units field and the software knows you want 8mm. Simple stuff really. But to make things “just work” means that a lot of that has to go into the software beyond “making it work”.
So we have spent a huge amount of time on making the software operate as fluidly as possible from a designer’s standpoint. You can literally mold the user interface to exactly what you need at any given time. An interesting benefit to this is that we can “harvest” these configs from willing “early adopters” to help us continually provide the most effective, efficient workflow in our defaults for those artists who just want to open the app and get moving.

modo is based on a powerful polygon/surface subdivision modeler. Can you explain what are the benefits for the user compared to traditional modelers?

modo is a tool that lets people create high quality models with a minimum of fuss

We think modo offers a unique combination of tools that really encourages a designer to experiment and come up with interesting alternatives. modo leverages several other technologies like rendering and painting to provide a richer result. Basically, modo is a tool that lets people create high quality models with a minimum of fuss. modo 101 was the first version we shipped – it was a tight and focused modeler that sprang to life on the screen moments after you double clicked the icon. In May of 2006 we shipped modo 201 which was a huge new release of modo. The amount of functionality that was added to modo in that new release was amazing. modo suddenly grew into an application that provides modeling, painting and rendering in a wonderful combination. modo 201 was followed by two updates (202 and recently 203). The modo 203 (March 2007) added new UV editing tools, faster rendering and a new DXF import/export capability to modo, and it is free to existing customers. Now we are previewing modo 301. modo 301 continues our focus on modeling and workflow but also network rendering, basic animation and sculpting to the product.

modo is offering a powerful and yet friendly user interface. Based on your experience, is there any reason the user interface has been a neglected feature in so many other 3D software systems?

a lot of 3D software is a just a big bag of features

For many many years, the focus of software developers has been on getting stuff to work. 3D is hard stuff to code! Much of what you see in today’s tools is a result of pure research and development efforts. That is advancing the underlying technologies and algorithms of rendering, subdivision surfaces and so forth. There simply was not as much attention on how the software felt to use as a designer. A lot of 3D software – even today – is a just a big bag of features. We think modo is more than that. It is software that is enjoyable to use and rewards you for your time. We constantly hear from users that they actually want to spend time in modo.

Some of the technologies you developed for modo -- such as the polygon/surface subdivision -- appear to have a larger potential than DCC (Digital Content Creation). Do you expect to see those technologies being adopted by the more traditional CAD systems?

subdivision surfaces are now getting a lot of attention in the design world. Even CATIA offers a SubD modeler now!

Absolutely, after years of use in the DCC space, subdivision surfaces are now getting a lot of attention in the design world. Even CATIA offers a SubD modeler now! We have a number of high profile users of modo in consumer product design and automotive that are seeing the advantages in having a modeler that can quickly create such a wide range of shapes with a minimum of fuss. A little story: we created a tutorial on how to build a sports shoe a few months back. That one model has resulted in huge attention from the design community. A typical response we hear is “we did not know that Subdivision surfaces could produce a model of that quality.” And when they find out how easy modo is to get results from, that really gets the interest up even further.
Subdivision surfaces have actually been around for a really long time. I believe Symbolics was the first to implement them in a commercial product in the late 1980s! Stuart Ferguson made his first SDS implementation in LightWave3D back in the early 1990’s in a tool called “metaform”. Stuart was somewhat a pioneer in that way. Many people did not see the value in SDS at the time as they thought it merely “smoothed” the model in an undesirable manner. It really wasn’t until Pixar began waving the SDS flag that people starting taking this method of modeling seriously over NURBS. Of course, Pixar President Ed Catmull is the father of Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces.

modo is a new product in a market crowded with several competing systems. In which vertical area does modo excel over its competitors?

our fastest growing markets are 3D package design, architectural visualization and industrial design

Well, we always come back to the superior experience of using modo. We have people tell us that they look for projects to use modo on because it is nice to use. A lot of people use modo at home for personal projects too. We get email from people who are introducing their kids to 3D with modo. Delivering a superior user experience, in turn, requires attention to a lot of details. Object and component selection has to be just right. Navigation needs to have the right feel. We are always trying to make modo work just as you would expect it to. I think that is the main advantage. This means that any business that needs to quickly create a range of alternative designs will benefit from modo. Our fastest growing markets are 3D package design, architectural visualization and industrial design.
From a technical standpoint, we feel our tight integration of the core disciplines sets us apart as well. For instance, being able to have your rendering update as you model or as you paint your mesh is really unique and a huge time saver. There I am back to workflow. You can see how even our hardcore technical implementations (crazy fast, interactive rendering for example) are also about workflow.

modo has a very active and enthusiastic community of users. How does the community of users and their feedback impact the development of the product?

every single Friday we deliver a couple of videos that explain where the software is headed. And then we get detailed feedback on what modo users think about that

I almost answered your previous question with a response about our community -- as it is so central to the experience of using modo. If you have a question on how to accomplish something, you can go to the modo forum on our website and get many helpful responses in an hour or two. And that is where we have an ongoing dialog with the community about the development of modo. Right now, for example, we are previewing modo 301. Every single Friday we deliver a couple of videos that explain where the software is headed. And then we get detailed feedback on what modo users think about that. This directly influences how modo is developed. We even ask modo users about business policies – network rendering policies, how the website should be structured, how we should price training. All of these topics and more are openly discussed with our customers on our Forum.

The internet started as a plain text medium that gradually evolved to include HTML, then images, pictures, and videos. Now, with systems like SecondLife, we are witnessing the Internet becoming a full virtual 3D world. Do you see Luxology having a significant role in this coming revolution?

we are part of a large community of designers and artists who are among the best modelers in the world

modo is already used pretty heavily for game development and is able to produce characters, props and environments that are very efficient for real-time rendering. Of course, our high-speed, photo-quality rendering engine doubles as an incredibly powerful texture baking system for real-time. I think the biggest impact we will have on this new era is that we are part of a large community of designers and artists who are among the best modelers in the world. Exactly how this will pan out is not clear but the large talent pool of modo users will surely have its impact. There is a modo community project underway right now to model as many of the aircraft in the San Diego Air & Space Museum as possible prior to having our modo user event there on August 5th. Over 50% of the aircraft in the museum are now being modeled in modo. That gives you an idea of how strong the talent base is. These are the same people who will shape what the Internet evolves into. And they know 3D!

I would like to thank Brad Peebler for sharing his thoughts with me today.  I would also like to thank Bob Bennett and Immanuel Martin for arranging the interview for me.  If you have any questions for Brad or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

An Interview with Dan Ablan, 3D Guru and Writer

Daniel Ablan is a well known 3D computer graphics expert and writer. He is the author of several books about Newtek LightWave, Luxology Modo, and digital photography and cinematography. Dan heads two businesses: AGA Digital Studios, a professional services and training company, and 3DGarage.com, which produces and sells training DVDs. Knowing Dan through Novedge, I couldn't resist asking him a few questions about his professional activities and the future of 3D computer graphics. Here is the interview.

Daniel can you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional activities?

I've been working in the creative arts since the late 1980's

I've been working in the creative arts since college in the late 1980's. I originally started out as a photojournalism major, but ended up minoring in that and majoring in broadcast journalism. In 1989, I was introduced to a Video Toaster from NewTek, and LightWave 3D. I loved it. I began emerging myself into 3D and in 1994, began working full time for myself. It's now 14 years later, and AGA Digital Studios, Inc. creates 3D animations for major corporate and industrial clients. We've also branched off into a comprehensive training division, 3D Garage.com, in 2003. 2007 and beyond will see more 3D animations and even more 3D Garage training videos.

You have been in the 3D computer graphics and DCC (Digital Content Creation) since the Amiga time. In all those years what was the most unexpected evolution that you would never have envisioned? On the other hand, what aspect of technology didn't reach the level of your expectations?

today, you can render entire animations in 10 minutes on computers that cost less than $1,000

I think overall, the progression of technology has been surprising. It wasn't too long ago that burning your own CDs was extremely costly and problematic. Today, anyone can buy a computer, burn their own CDs as well as DVDs. Beyond that, the advancement of OpenGL technology has been amazing, alongside the speed and power increases of the desktop computer.
In my first few years of 3D, rendering a full broadcast resolution frame with just hard shadows, no reflections, refraction or complex bump maps took 10 minutes a frame or more. Today, you can render entire animations in 10 minutes on computers that cost less than $1000. I'm surprised that real time rendering has not become more available however. It seems that as fast as computing technology progresses, software makers find more advanced techniques to test the boundaries of our systems.

The continuous increase of power available on our desktop computers is making possible new approaches to rendering based on the simulation of light (e.g. Maxwell Render and fryrender). What do you think of these new tools? Do you believe that the quality of results justifies the time required to generate a single image?

I'd have to say yes. Think about it - could we even consider rendering a full animation with global illumination just a few years ago? The realism we can achieve with a little extra time is astounding. I'm all for it.

Every day, people excited about some beautiful rendering image come to Novedge asking for the best software tool for modeling and rendering. How would you recommend selecting a 3D system for someone that is approaching it for the first time?

the simplest, cheapest processor is more than fine for anyone starting out in 3D. The key is RAM

People over due it with processors. The simplest, cheapest processor is more than fine for anyone starting out in 3D. The key is RAM. Most people never put enough RAM into their system, opting to "upgrade later" and sell out to the salesman pitching the latest from Intel or AMD. I've always told people to get a decent system with as much memory as they can afford, 2Gigs, 4Gigs, or more better 16Gigs! From there, the video card is crucial. The advent of PC gaming in the 1990's has helped all 3D animators by bringing cheaper and faster video cards to the market. That of course has bled over to Mac as well. Just about any ATI or nVidia 256 MB card will be more than fine for someone starting out in 3D - and beyond.

Can you tell how you collect and organize all the material for a new book or a new training video?

Generally, it's in my head. I start the project and take notes along the way. Lately however, with so much going on, I tend to make lists. I've got a note taking program I use on my MacBook Pro where I keep ideas, project lists, and so on for new training videos and book content.

Many of the technologies powering today's DCC systems are considered mature. In what areas can and should those technologies improve in order to fully empower the end-user?

Well, like anything technology related, I guess it would come down to: faster, better, cheaper!

You produced training material in the form of books and videos. Are you working on any new training? When do you recommend a book and when video training?

Books vs. Videos: that's really up to the user on how they like to learn

Yes. There's lots in the works. I have a few major animation projects going on right now, so I can't add to the training library until July. Books vs. Videos - that's really up to the user on how they like to learn. I like books because I can get away from the computer, read up on the software, then go try it out. Also, videos are often just a demo of the software. Many people "know" their software, they just can't teach it. A book usually has multiple editors who scrutinize over content, flow, and so on. Both are good mediums, and each has their place.

Do you think that new technologies like the one used by Luxology Modo (Polygon/Subdivision Surface Modeler) could ever replace the more "traditional" geometric modeling used by all mechanical design tools?

Replace? Who knows. But, if you take a look at the CAD programs of today, they're not adding more design tools, as much as they are more ways to light and render. That's the next step for anyone building 3D models - so it would make sense that companies employ Luxology's modo and it's excellent render engine to generate imagery. Time will tell!

I would like to thank Dan Ablan for speaking with me today. If you have any questions for Dan or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini