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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

What software/s for animation?

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Katie. A

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Hi,
What software/s would be needed to make a very simple animation for a driving school.
Idea is to make some roads, few cars, few trees, green parks, landscape, humans traffic signals, railway crossing with train tracks and a train passing by.. some sort of real life car driving experience in a small town.
Nuke will do the job??? Do we need html5 and java script?
we wish to make it little bit interactive like start the car button, accelerate/speed up the car button, stop button, turn traffic lights to red, green or yellow, if driver is on the wrong side of the road give warnings,
What exactly do we need in terms of softwares?
 
You don't need software you need someone who knows what they're doing. Sorry but this sounds like it falls firmly into the camp of "If you have to ask, just don't do it". You're not even asking the right questions. Is this an animation? Animation isn't interactive. Is this a video game? Then you should know that's what you're doing. It's a bit like asking someone "So I want to build a skyscraper, should I buy a manual transmission car or an automatic transmission crane?" The question is wrong. You shouldn't be buying cranes you should be hiring an engineer and an architect. Once you've found an engineer, hire a contractor. Ask the contractor to consult with your engineer on what to use.
 
The question opens a can of worms, but it sounds to me as if you want IClone . There is a learning curve and don't expect photorealism, but it is relatively simple software for the "average Joe". Many of the people here are users of really high-end stuff like Autodesk Maya or Autocad, Cinema 4D, Lightwave, etc, but they are looking for professional production quality output, and it sounds as if the price of those softwares plus the learning curve would be absolutely horrendous for what you seem to be describing (I found a rough IClone example which might be of interest to you).

With IClone, you can buy off-the-shelf scenery and props to drop into your project. Don't go spending money at this stage, in case you go down a blind alley of pain. Download the trial and look over the user manual, watch a few of their vids, and you will get the feel of if it is right for you. If you can't get on with something like IClone, at least you will get a perspective on if you need to get someone else in to help you.
 
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Katie,

I'm certainly biased when it comes to 3D software, as I work for one of the companies since over eight years. I teach this application since over a decade, from kids to the Senior Graphic Team at Apple (over a longer period of time). Anything between, etc. I have started with 3D over 20 years ago, and have written my PhD in Computer Animation. So, I'm biased, but I certainly have an idea about it.

Animation and interactive, you will find this mostly in a combination of apps, not in a single one.

I have used many packages, and what ever you use, there are many variables for each project. What is simple for one, is complex for someone else.
However, high quality comes not with the package, it comes with practice.
If you have only one project, and then no further use for 3D after that point, find a freelance who does this for you. What ever 3D is, it is not a weekend application.


I haven't found so far anyone who knows everything, if one comes close, the next update will limit that ;o) So, if you pick someone, check if s/he can do what you need.


The next question is about aesthetic and quality, are you more in "toons' like aesthetic or more toward "PIXAR", and similar. The latter will not be achievable in short terms. Independent from the application.


Will you do it on your own? There are six major areas: modeling, lighting, texturing, animating, camera, and rendering. You can do all or have in each of them specialists working, perhaps even on sub areas. Each subarea can be a professional job in its own rights. it can be very deep...


But, before you give up, with all that heavy talk, I have seen kids picking up our application and do simple animation after a week. Again, it is sometimes better to go with an open mind to work than to have already a set of ideas that were feed by the wrong people.


The good thing is, that the kind of animation you like to do, is accumulative or even if you like, in broad areas: non-linear. This allows to master some steps before others.So you can relax and build up.
One the hand, you can buy most of the parts you like to use. I think, with this idea, you can use most 3D apps like an authoring application. (http://www.doschdesign.com)


It can be easy if you keep it simple. There is tons of help available. I have published alone over 1,200 video tutorials so far. Some got even awards. But the huge number shows you that it can be deep water, but it mustn't!


Your scene can be build with "primitives" (cubes etc.) and then animate what you need.


You asked about NUKE and other applications, yes it could be done in NUKE, but the idea of simple and 3D is certainly not combined in NUKE, at least so far I can tell from my students (I have used NUKE from v4 on, learned it from Gnoman Workshop, then from many FXPHD courses, great app, no question).




The other idea, to keep it interactive is another step, with a wide variety of answers. I had to deliver an interactive DVD with 20 minutes animations, back in the late '90s. I did this with prepared clips and menus in an DVD authoring app. I think something similar simple can be done in Adobes Encore. This is the lowest interactivity I can think off. More advanced are Game Authoring apps. Nothing were I could give even a glimpse how to get all of that done. But we have on Cineversity as well some simple tutorials series how to go from CINEMA 4D to Unity (a game developing platt-form). Similar to Gavin's statement, be clear how much time you like to invest on your own, and how much money in software: Compare that with a freelancer who can deliver from the start input and and product on the end.




Your ideas should be placed on a storyboard, and filled with a mood board of the aesthetic you like to have. From there, you can get a much better input.
As a side note, 3D apps are fantastic for storyboarding, at least to give you some background images to draw on. So, get a demo version and check how a 3D application works wit you. As I said several times, I'm biased, I have used many, not all, but I like to focus on my filmic work first, so CINEMA 4D is my tool and from the bigger packages one that is known its starter friendliness. But as all of the major packages, it can go very deep, and to get half way through, in detail, needs years as well. But perhaps you need only 5% of the tools and that should be simple to do, relatively speaking. If you want to check how I work with artists from all over the world, from freelancers, starts and studio pros, check out the Q&A forum at Cineversity.com


My best wishes for your project.

 
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What a wonderful information from you guys :-)
I wish to learn basic animation myself.
Dr Sassi, If I buy Toon Boom animate pro 3 will I be able to achieve what I am aiming for? Will I be able to use/import pre made 3D models from site like this (http://www.doschdesign.com) or any other site where I can get pre made 3D models and arrange and animate them the way I want? Where can I buy 3D/2D models of streets, roads, train tracks, parks, grasslands etc

I just checked (http://www.doschdesign.com) models are beautiful. Hey is it the best reasonable price site to buy 3d models from. Models look amazing.
 
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Many of these software packages have trial versions or educational version. If you decide to go down a path try before you buy. It may sway you one way or another. There is so very much to learn. It requires dedication and time.
 
Katie,

You might ask Marc about ToonBoom, as he suggested it. My experience is limited as I had only a VPN version (2004-2007 PixelCorps). During that time it was a 2D application only.
However, as I learn each month a new application, to have the "starter-feeling" that my students have, I should get to know it again. I learn new packages, as it is easy to forgot how dense an application can be the first time, especially as a long time user who grew with the application over decades. Hence my idea "what is difficult for one mustn't be for some one else."

Quite frankly, being used to a full fledged package in 3D and have answered now in online fora over a decade, I'm not really convinced about packages who came from a 2D background and open up for 3D. Exclude here NUKE for a moment, but even After Effects which claims to be 3D ...somewhat (I use it since v3.1 [1996], is natively not far away from its original 2D "thinking". It is palpable all over the place, I love it anyway, but not for 3D, not at all.

Even Poser as 3D app from the start, feels claustrophobic. I can't image that ToonBoom allows for a lot of animation, but I might be wrong, check for yourself, there are two white papers. https://www.toonboom.com/solutions/2d-3d-mixed-media
The term 3D has become a little bit watered down, as it was many years ago a term used to gain a broader crowd of digital artists. It is not a protected term, so everyone uses it as s/he likes so to.

Your question, about any application and models, that you buy should explore the options of each; how the handling of models is internally (when loaded into the application). When NUKE started to become more 3D, it slowed down already with thousands of Polygons! This is all history there, but I would be surprised if ToonBoom can handle one of the larger scenes in 3D that you describe, without stopping or going down to "click and wait" modus. There is a reason why apps are specialized in 3D and other have options to use some stuff...

In advanced packages there is often an option to have low polygon models (proxies) to work with, and set a higher surface density with Sub-Divisions, or model exchange. So you can work fast, but for the rendering it is in full quality. Sometimes the screen preview has such display functions, as your scenes with city, tress and landscape could be low in polygon count (image based) or very high, in the billions of polygons for feature films for example.

There are free downloads available for most applications, and tons of free models, even Dosch has freebies. Check out what works for you and your environment. I really don't know what access you have and what target aesthetic you are after, these are wide definitions. Just jump in, and check it out, find a forum for the app that is friendly and supportive. (Some are not friendly, and only arrogant, nothing that I wish for starters).

My best wishes



Katie. A said:
What a wonderful information from you guys :-)
I wish to learn basic animation myself.
Dr Sassi, If I buy Toon Boom animate pro 3 will I be able to achieve what I am aiming for? Will I be able to use/import pre made 3D models from site like this (http://www.doschdesign.com) or any other site where I can get pre made 3D models and arrange and animate them the way I want? Where can I buy 3D/2D models of streets, roads, train tracks, parks, grasslands etc

I just checked (http://www.doschdesign.com) models are beautiful. Hey is it the best reasonable price site to buy 3d models from. Models look amazing.
Click to expand...
 
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You can use Unity3d if you want interactivity, theres lots of tutorials out there that you can hack into a driving sim. But of course its not an animation software..
 
Dr Sassi, I have access to Nuke but never touched it. What steps do I need to start with Nuke....Buy pre made 3d models and go where from there?
Neither have i touched ToonBoom or anyother animation software but I did study programming languages like VB and C++ in my uni.
Thanks for your guidance and help.
 
Katie,

What you like to do with NUKE is not where I would like to start to give ongoing support. I think there are better people available.

What I can tell, get any model that is for free and load it into NUKE. Get clear about the material and light system in NUKE. Learn the UV system in NUKE.

With that you need to focus on the application that you would like to use for Interactivity. Is NUKE able to communicate with this application, e.g., is the geometry, the texture and the light easy to export, if your interactivity is 3D based.

Besides that, the camera animation is not my favorite way to deal with it, but you might have a different preferences. You need to check this out on your own, no one can tell you that.

I think as before that FXPHD.com has a lot of great people to teach NUKE. Next week a new term starts. (I took nearly 100 courses there since 2007). FXPHD is one of the few resources that has a forum with the Instructors attached. Which is the benefit.
If you like to get up to speed with NUKE (I have no idea how skilled you are in it) perhaps invest $25 in one month of Lynda.com and go through all courses from Steve Wright. All. Even the old ones. This is the best bang for the buck you can get, ever, NUKE wise. But no forum, hence the low price.

If you want to dive deep into NUKE, get certified at FXPHD. Not that I give a "dime" for certification, not at all, but the program they have is excellent and around 30 hours of material will wait for you, including a world class teacher, and a very interactive and special part of the forum will open its door for a year with that. Worth it, I have been one time through. But again, Certification is not my target, never will be.

Good luck
 
If you are going to invest the time and energy to learn an animation package learn 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema4D Lightwave or Modo. Don't waste your time with something that nobody will see as valuable on your resume. It's hard enough and costs tens of thousands of dollars worth of your time to even become basically proficient. Becoming proficient in a tool that nobody needs artists proficient in is like becoming fluent in klingon.

Similarly if you actually want to be learning a game engine, learn Unity (which has a huge library of drop-in models in their store) or Unreal Engine 4 (for the aforementioned reasons).
 
Any good book for beginner for game development?
 
Generally video tutorials (many available on Linda, Youtube etc.) are superior to books these days. It's as close as you can get to a classroom experience. If you want to learn Unity learn C# and/or Javascript. If you want to learn Unreal you should look into C++. While language programming books won't give you specific engine level skills being familiar with syntax and functions will be helpful.

Unreal's Blueprint node based visual programming system is certainly the easier of the two to learn without any programming experience but if you want to extend it you'll need to know C++ which is far more difficult than C# or Javascript. If you want to learn Unity you will almost certainly have to learn C# or Java.

So to recap to make your "super simple" project you now need to understand:

- Animation
- Modeling
- Texturing
- Lighting
- Programming
- Scripting
- Testing
- Node based UIs
- Fundamentals of design for interaction.
- UI design
- Graphic design
and
- Sound design.

Or... you could you know... hire someone who already has people who know all these things. I know some people in the film industry hate to hear it... but live action film making for the most part from a technical perspective is trivially easy. Video games and VFX are like not only having to shoot a film but also create the camera, sensor, recording software, write your own NLE and then still do all of the things a live action film has to do. It's super simple to shoot some actors with a microphone, load the footage up in Premiere and then cut it and hit render. I could teach someone to crappily shoot a film in an afternoon from start to finish, you can even do it on a cell phone without touching a computer. You can't say the same thing for VFX or especially animated films and video game design.
 
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