How To Buy A Motion Capture System

More people are getting into motion capture. More people who don't know much about
motion capture are getting into motion capture. This, of course, leads to people who will
take advantage of this lack of knowledge. You could see many examples of this at GDC
this year.

I’m not going to go through the obvious steps in buying a motion capture system like
analyze your requirements, your budget, your application, and your space. All of that is
easy. What’s not so easy is separating the good motion capture systems from the bad.
While it can be a matter of opinion what is good and what is bad, there are some aspects
of motion capture you should think about before committing to a motion capture system.

Beware of the claim “No Clean Up Required”

A claim I have often seen is “No clean up required.” There is no dispute that Vicon, and
to a lesser extent Motion Analysis, are the premiere motion capture systems. These are
high end, high-priced motion capture systems that, in the right hands, can provide
incredible motion capture. Even the data from these systems needs clean up. When a
company makes this claim for a system that is less than $100,000, they either have no
sense of what “good” data looks like or are trying to fool customers who do not know
much about motion capture. Either way, I would not buy a system from them. I see this
claim and I wonder what else they are lying about. Beware of the claim “No clean up
required”

Beware of the Video

In marketing it is called “bait and switch”. The video shown on the home page shows
great motion capture data. Is it from the system you are about to buy? How much time
did it take to get the raw data cleaned up for this video? Are you buying an 8 camera
system based on data you’ve seen from a 24 camera system? Beware of the video.

Have you seen it working?

There are some motion capture companies that show up every year at trade shows like
Siggraph and GDC but never get their system running. If they are running then they may
be on an inaccessible stage. Are they moving in slow motion? Are they doing a
predefined set of moves? Can you interact with the motion capture artist? If you cannot
ask the artist to do some motions you pick then no, you have not seen the system
working.

Does the character walk across the floor?

A normal walk is one of the hardest motions to capture because everyone has a sense of
what it should look like. There is no valid reason for having a character pinned to the
wall. If a company tries to explain why, walk away, they are hiding something. Before I
buy a system I want to see the character, as raw data, walking across the floor.

How much space do I need and what is the size of the motion capture area?

Vicon is the leader in motion capture but the system needs a large, stable area. There are
some systems that claim they need no markers, just video cameras. Ask how much space
is required for how much capture area. It probably needs a large space for a small capture
area. Ask about the footprint of the capture area. This is the area on the floor the artist is
able to move about in. Also ask about the vertical capture area. Can you capture below
the knees, can you jump? Some systems have small footprints and small vertical areas
making them virtually unusable. Space required and capture area are two important
aspects of a motion capture system.

What can I do with the data?

You are a customer new to motion capture. You’ve found the perfect motion capture
system for your application. Where do you go for support if you have questions about
using the data? Can you call the hardware company and ask them how to get the data
from the viewer software, to an animation program, and then into a game engine? If the
company does not know how to use the data or does not know how to clean up the data,
walk away. I would want to buy from a company that knows what you can do with the
data.

Motion capture can be fun and productive, or not. Ask these important questions before
you buy a system. It will make a huge difference to your motion capture experience.

3d Architectural Rendering Services in India

3D architectural rendering, as the name itself suggests, is a three-dimensional view of an object. 3D view is definitely more expressive and exciting than a 2D view because 3D architectural rendering gives you the opportunity to play with your imagination to get a more realistic, imaginative, and comprehensive impression of what you require in your structure.

In a 3D computer architectural rendering, a fly-around animation effect can be provided for a better understanding of the entire view of the construction project. Since 3D renderings are realistic, they are therefore very convincing. 3D computer architectural rendering gives a chance to view a particular construction from different point of view. This cannot happen in the case of a 2D rendering service which has just one form of a static image to be viewed.

India became a reliable target for offshore outsourcing. Another factor like highly skills professional IT staffs are dedicated to provide complete and accurate 3d architectural rendering services to worldwide at lowest possible rate and turn around time. Indian based company specializes in Architectural 3D Modeling, Architectural Rendering, 3D Animation and Walkthrough.

Benefits of architectural 3d rendering services in India

• High Quality maintained
• Reduction in cost
• Quick Turn around Time
• Edge on the competition -- without capital investment
• Latest technology used
• Adaptable to your Standards
• A better-managed e-business infrastructure
• Power of a vast intellectual pool
• Competitive pricing which are low as 40-60% on prevailing US costs
• More concentration on business development
• Confidentiality and Security
• Redirect management on core business

Uncompromising quality, accuracy in fine details, and an ability to allow multiple vantage points are some of the quantifiable advantages of 3D architectural rendering. Concept visualization focuses in realistic color renderings, exterior renderings, interior renderings and site plan walk-through. These could be colored, textured rendering or black and white conceptual sketches.

Affordable 3D Architectural Rendering Services is a new online implement which allows the customer to create or change effective interiors with interactive photo realistic 3D models. Exterior 3D architectural renderings interior broadly available at architecture modeling services in India.

Motion Capture in Game

Motion capture is a great tool and great way to create animation for certain types of games. Like any tool or piece of software, if you learn how to use it properly, it can make your life easier and produce best results. If you try to spread it, chances are you'll end up wasting time and money and may come away with nothing useful. Since motion capture happens to be a relatively expensive tool, it's worth spending a significant amount of time up front planning your shoot and visualizing the end results. It's most useful for a 3D game with tomes of character animation, assuming you have an appropriate budget and schedule. It depends on the game engine and the style of animation you are looking for. But by no means does motion capture make animators unnecessary; in fact, animators are critical to planning the shoot and then turning the data into something useful. Over 150 of the world's finest video games have been captured on Motion Analysis Corporation equipment, including those produced by Electronic Arts, Gremlin, RARE, Square, Konami, and Namco.The real-time motion capture systems by Motion Analysis have changed the game. Data is now produced three to five times faster than with "post-process mocap". The MAC system is popular because it is fast and adaptable, allowing for capture of elaborate moves, including two-players with props. Newly introduced technology has greatly simplified the task of intimate two-person capture, such as football and wrestling.

Why use motion capture?
Motion capture can make the animation process much easier, especially when trying to recreate character animation that is realistic, such as the interaction of multiple 3D characters, or characters engaged in sports activities. Simple animation, such as a character standing around is much easier (and more realistic) when captured than if these animated by hand.

Who use it?
Game development is the largest market for motion capture. With games drawing as much revenue as movies, it is easy to see why game development often calls for enormous quantities of motion capture. The competition to produce the 'coolest game possible' means that greater production capabilities mean higher quality. More time is left for visual finishing touches and fine-tuning of game play.

Generally there are two main types of 3D character animation used in games: Real-time playback vs. cinematics. Real-time allows the game player to choose from pre-created moves, thus controlling the character's moves in real-time. Cinematics are the fully rendered 'movies' used for intro and 'cut-scenes'. Often the last part of game production, or a process that is sub-contracted to a separate studio, cinematics are generally not essential to game-play, but do add a lot of appeal to the game, and help immensely with story development and mood generation.

Motion Capture Workflow
Motion capture involves recording rotation or position of joint sensors on a performers body. This information can be recorded frame-by-frame and subsequently applied to a character's skeleton (post-processing). Post-production, can be combined, along with animation generated 'by hand' to get just the right effect.

What is 3D Modeling?

3D Modeling is the creation, manipulation, and storage of geometric objects to represent objects that are all around us or virtual objects. The process begins with the use of specialized 3d software. The 3D artist develops a mathematical, wireframe representation of the object using specialized software. The final product is called a 3D model.

The 3d modeling process for 3D computer graphics is similar to sculpting. During this process geometric data is manipulated and prepared manually or automatically. There are three methods for creating and representing a 3d model. They are: polygonal, NURBS, and Splines and Patched.

Polygonal uses vertices that are connected to form a polygonal mesh. Because they are polygonal, curved surfaces are approximated by using many small flat surfaces. The vast majority of 3D models today are built as textured polygonal models, because they are the most flexible and quickest for the computer to handle. Polygonal 3d models can be categorized as high polygonal and low polygonal models depending on the density of the polygonal mesh. Low poly 3d models are preferred for 3d games and simulations as they tend to require less computing power.

NURBS 3d modeling uses NURBS surfaces. NURBS are truly smooth surfaces, not approximations using small flat surfaces, like polygonal. They are best suited for complex forms and organic modeling. NURBS surfaces are defined geometrically by spline curves, which in turn are influenced by weighted control points. The curve follows these weight control points, so increasing the weight of a point will pull the curve closer to that point and vice-versa.

Splines and Patches 3D modeling depend on curved lines to define the visible surface. When using this method the 3d modeling stage consists of shaping individual objects that are later used in the scene. There are a number of techniques including: constructive solid geometry, implicit surfaces, and subdivision surfaces.

Modeling can be performed by means of a dedicated 3d software program or an application component or some scene description language. In some cases, there is no strict distinction between these phases; in such cases modeling is just part of the scene creation process.

Complex materials are modeled using particle systems. A Particle system is a mass of 3D coordinates which have points, polygons, texture splats, or sprites assigned to them. Materials that are modeled using particle systems include smoke, blowing sand, clouds, and liquid sprays.

Once the 3d model is done, the 3D artist may begin the process of 3D rendering for visual representation in 2D or use the 3d model for an animation. Also, the 3D model can be used for other applications including computer simulation of physical phenomena. The 3d model can also be physically created using 3D printing via rapid prototyping techniques. When 3d printing is used, the 3d object is created connecting layers of cross sections of material.

2d and 3d Computer Graphics

Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics are all around us and enable us to be able to visualize and manipulate data everyday. What is the difference between 2D and 3D computer graphics, such as 3D Models? Let's explore the difference and similarities between them.

2D computer graphics

2D computer graphics are digital images that are computer-based. They include 2D geometric models, such as image compositions, pixel art, digital art, photographs, and text. 2D graphics are used everyday on traditional printing and drawing. There are two kinds of 2D computer graphics - raster and vector graphics.

Raster graphics or bitmaps are composed of arrays of pixels. Each pixel can be a different color or shade. They are edited on the pixel level and are used on most old computer and video games, graphing calculator games, and many mobile phone games. Vector graphics are composed of paths. Paths are used to describe the images by establishing mathematical relationships between points within an image. Vector graphics are mainly used on photographic images.

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use 3D representation of geometric data. This geometric data is then manipulated by computers via 3D computer graphics software in order to customize their display, movements, and appearance. They are often referred to as 3d models. A 3d model is a mathematical representation of geometric data that is contained in a data file. 3D models, can be used for real-time 3D viewing in animations, videos, movies, training, simulations, architectural visualizations or for display as 2D rendered images (2D renders).

In contrast to a 2D graphics, a 3D model is a "mathematical representation of any 3D object." A 3D model is not technically a graphic until it is visually displayed as a 2D image through a process called 3D rendering. 3D models can also be or used in non-graphical computer simulations and calculations.

One of the advantages that 2D graphics have over 3D models is that they allow more direct control of the image and are easier to change with relatively simple software packages. 3D models are not so easy to change because it requires specific 3D modeling skills and more complex and powerful 3D model software.

3D models use many of the same mathematical algorithms as 2D vector graphics in the wire frame model. Also, when 3d models they are finally displayed as renders, they use similar algorithms as the 2D raster graphics. 3D models use many of the 2D rendering techniques, while 2D computer graphics use many of the 3D techniques to achieve realistic effects such as lighting.

Key Advantage and Difference Between 3d Games and 2d Games

The age of 2D games has now become past, but there are some developer
are always looking for the 2D games to get the innovative look to the games but in the present time most of the developers are always developing the 3D games by looking at the interest of the gamers.

There are many advantages of 3D games over 2D games. It depends on the gamer to select the proper games based on the taste and story combination. Designing of the 3D game is also important one for the 3D gamer.

In 3D games the defense games are most popular because it is easy to play for the new player. Same way the online arcade game is so easy to play by the gamer. The developed of the single games or multiplayer games are also popular amongst the gamers because the defense and sport games need more graphics and artificial intelligence in the game. It is easy for the more than one player to play the 3D games with interest. Sport games puzzle games and action type games are more popular amongst the gamers. Sport games are much popular amongst the users. 3D games give better visualization than the 2D games. It is looks very live than the 2D games. There are different types of game are developed in the 3D games designing platforms for the development.

With the changing web technology in the resent era, the new developer are design the game using the better technology. Presently there are various types of 3D games are available online in different categories like sports games, fighting games and many other games needs proper development so developer are always like to develop the games based on the taste of the gamers. It is one of the most essential parts of the gamer to develop the games that are more interactive and easy to play the games in the computer. You must have to use the proper version of 3D game development to make it user-friendly.

3D Solid Modeling Applications

3D solid modeling technology is on the brink of enhancing product availability for everyone. The technology once used only by manufacturing industries is becoming available for general use and not just for large manufacturers. 3D solid modeling will provide enhanced capabilities for production techniques to be used by the average person. Just imagine that you have a broken fan in your computer and you have no time to purchase another. What to do? With 3D solid modeling technology you can produce an exact replica of the part needed. Once produced you replace the old one with the new and your back in operation. 3D solid modeling can apply prototyping technology in a variety of applications. The technology for 3D solid modeling is computer assisted design software instructing a 3D printer to build models layer by layer on a platform until an exact reproduction according to specifications is produced.

Everyone with kids has games and toys needing repair or replacement parts. These parts could be replaced as 3D solid modeling technology would manufacture a brand new toy or just the piece that needs repairing. 3D solid modeling along with 3D printers has opened up a whole new set of options by allowing consumers to play a role in the design and manufacture of products they wish to purchase. Because of 3D solid modeling consumers will not have to purchase products in colors and designs they don't want or need. 3D solid modeling will eventually allow the customizing, designing and manufacturing of many products by the same individual who will be purchasing them.

3d Solid Modeling Production and Rpt

As the implications for 3D solid modeling and rapid prototyping continue to grow the impact for consumers and small businesses to manufacture products continues to grow as well. If a new product is needed by a business of customer a CAD file can be purchased, uploaded and the 3D solid modeling can reproduce it. Maybe a plastic ABS buckle needs replacing or a new product appeals to the consumer, 3D solid modeling has the capability to produce replicas, models or prototypes quickly and easily. Advancements in fabrication materials allow an almost unlimited potential for products with 3D solid modeling technology.

3D Solid Modeling Applications

3D solid modeling technology is on the brink of enhancing product availability for everyone. The technology once used only by manufacturing industries is becoming available for general use and not just for large manufacturers. 3D solid modeling will provide enhanced capabilities for production techniques to be used by the average person. Just imagine that you have a broken fan in your computer and you have no time to purchase another. What to do? With 3D solid modeling technology you can produce an exact replica of the part needed. Once produced you replace the old one with the new and your back in operation. 3D solid modeling can apply prototyping technology in a variety of applications. The technology for 3D solid modeling is computer assisted design software instructing a 3D printer to build models layer by layer on a platform until an exact reproduction according to specifications is produced.

Everyone with kids has games and toys needing repair or replacement parts. These parts could be replaced as 3D solid modeling technology would manufacture a brand new toy or just the piece that needs repairing. 3D solid modeling along with 3D printers has opened up a whole new set of options by allowing consumers to play a role in the design and manufacture of products they wish to purchase. Because of 3D solid modeling consumers will not have to purchase products in colors and designs they don’t want or need. 3D solid modeling will eventually allow the customizing, designing and manufacturing of many products by the same individual who will be purchasing them.

3D Solid Modeling Advantages

The use of 3D solid modeling for businesses is also one of many applications of 3D solid modeling technology. In this application the small business would produce a custom product for the consumer by purchasing or downloading a (CAD) software package for the item they wanted and produce it exactly to the specifications of the customer, many times while they waited. One of many 3D solid modeling printers would then begin to manufacture the customized item for the purchaser.

3D solid modeling offers options such as customizing colors and product materials would be available to the consumer with a 3D solid modeling program. In a short period of time a customized product would be ready for the consumer to take home and use. Think about purchasing a gift and having it made in the store while you wait. Maybe that special train or model car for a grandchild as a gift could be produced by 3D solid modeling technology.