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ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 5.05 - AUGUST 2000
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Focus on SIGGRAPH: Eyetronics
Once the texture map was applied to the geometry, the illusion was complete. The projected grid lines disappeared. Both mesh map and texture map were created from the same image, yet when rendered, there were no grid lines on the virtual face. Since the mesh map and the texture map are one image, it is easy to filter out the grid pattern on the surface and smooth the texture. (It is also possible to turn off the grid projection and take pictures of separate textures. This technique might give interesting animated effects.) The original reason for recording the geometry and texture map within the same image was to guarantee that there would be no "slippage" between the two. Model data then could be output in several formats: OBJ (Alias|Wavefront), 3DS (3D Studio Max), DXF (AutoCAD), HRC (Softimage 3.7), IV (Open Inventor 2.1), LWO (LightWave 3D Object), WRL (VRML 2.0) and, of course, SS3D (ShapeSnatcher 1.0). The main objective accomplished, Tesi was free to experiment with various mesh map resolutions using ShapeReducer. Even at low resolutions, the images maintained detail in the critical mouth, nose and eye areas. In other 3D packages, this kind of overall model reduction would have meant the loss of significant detail in convoluted areas. However, this mesh remained "adaptive:" there were more subdivisions in convoluted areas, but no more than needed. The ratio of subdivisions between areas of greater and lesser detail remained proportional. Often there are greater extremes in mesh subdivision between more and less detailed areas, sometimes so much so that the mesh has to be "balanced" in a painstaking manual process. If the object were to be animated or morphed, this kind of subdivision disparity -- extremely tiny grid size and extremely large grid size on the same surface -- would result in holes or wrinkles. This software is endowed with an intelligent system for decreasing geometric resolution. This would be a great application to use in creating virtual objects for games, multimedia, Internet entertainment, e-commerce or information systems. Fast-loading, low-resolution models that retain their character are achievable. The implications are widespread. Archiving would take less digital storage space. Museum artifacts, industrial or manufacturing prototypes or versions and architectural elements could be stored compactly. The camera is the only limitation. The better the camera, and hence the image quality, the better the model will be. So high-quality, high-resolution models for movies, science and medicine also are possible. Eyetronics recently expanded into the United States, opening an American office represented by Nick Tesi. For more information on Eyetronics products and services, visit the company's Web site, or contact Tesi by phone at (800) 205-9808, or by e-mail at nick.tesi@eyetronics.com. If outside the U.S., call +32-16-29-83-43, or e-mail info@eyetronics.com. Juniko Moody is a regular contributor to VFXPro.com. Republished from VFXPro, a fellow Creative Planet community Web site, and on-line news resource for the visual effects community affiliated with the Visual Effects Society.
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