What program would one use to make a graphic? can you use ResEdit? If so how?

Alex = soup ladle

------------------
"the universal answer... 7"- When I get bored my brain thinks verry strange things.

Quote

Originally posted by Alex Caliva:
**What program would one use to make a graphic? can you use ResEdit? If so how?

Alex = soup ladle

**

Assuming you mean ship graphics, you can't use Resedit. Get a 3D program like Strata3D (www.strata.com). EV uses PICT resources for most of it's graphics.

I would give a more in-depth answer but I'm short on time. Someone else...

------------------
Mazca
Moderator, EV Developer's Corner
"It's like there are fluorine atoms there, except there aren't any fluorine atoms there" - my chemistry teacher explaining bond angles.

Mechanisto is also a great tool for EV Graphics, and much easier to learn. It is available at the addons page, and some great tutorials for beginners can be found at (url="http://"http://home.earthlink.net/~squibix/ev/")Squibix's Site(/url)

Hope this helps.

--edit-- oops.. link fixed
------------------
--ares
(url="http://"http://www.saberstudios.f2s.com/")Saber Studios(/url) -- (url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url)

Remember that you are a unique individual - just like everybody else.

(This message has been edited by ares1 (edited 12-02-2001).)

More like this: (url="http://"http://home.earthlink.net/~squibix/ev/")Squibix's Site(/url)

-Matt

------------------
Disclaimer: All claims made herein are hereby considered null and void. No guarantee of satisfaction is given, either explicitly or implicitly.
(url="http://"http://www.pacificnet.net/~restorer/3d/")3D Model Samples(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by ares1:
**Mechanisto is also a great tool for EV Graphics, and much easier to learn. It is available at the addons page, and some great tutorials for beginners can be found at Squibix's Site

Hope this helps.

--edit-- oops.. link fixed **

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by 'easier to learn'. Strata3d is a modern object oriented 3d package, whereas Mechanisto is a few generations before, and partly object oriented, partly function or script oriented. Having worked with both, I would take Strata any day.

If you want to make graphics, you'll also need some kind of image editor. Colorit is still available for free, and I've seen copies of Painter on magazine covers. If you have the cash, Photoshop is still the best bet.
Graphic converter is also a must have - it's shareware, and can create CLUTs, which become very important when you want to change the start screen.
Most people regard Bryce in pretty much any version as being the landing pic generator par excellence, and earlier versions crop up as magazine freebies from time to time.

See the FAQ list for more on all of this.

Regards

Martin

------------------
M A R T I N • T U R N E R
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FrozenHeart104.sit.bin")Frozen Heart Download(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FemmeFatale.sea.bin")Femme Fatale download(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl?path=evo/plugins&file;=Frozen Heart - the No.hqx")Frozen Heart - the Novel(/url)

Having been a complete newbie to ev 3d graphics only a couple months ago, I can attest that mechanisto is much better for newcomers to the field of graphics. Strata, to me, was very confusing. I could not figure out how to make a triangle. In mechanisto you just taper a cube. Even though it is a bit old, mechanisto is still a great program with many strong points.

------------------
--ares
(url="http://"http://www.saberstudios.f2s.com/")Saber Studios(/url) -- (url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url)

Remember that you are a unique individual - just like everybody else.

sorry again - edited due to "harsh" siblings -

(This message has been edited by Matrix (edited 12-03-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by Matrix:
ares1 is smoking crack ignore him.

Rather harsh. Saying as his post was much more intelligent than your dribble, and he presented his case in a much more constructive way, I think that you should hold off on criticizing others when they are addressing the issue at hand. In this case, a complete newbie to 3D graphics should use something simpler; Mechanisto fits this role perfectly. If he should move on to something else later, fine, but we're not talking about that.

------------------
(url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula,(/url) your friendly (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")self-promoting(/url) EV & EVO Boards/Addon/Newswire/Chronicles moderator
(url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula.com(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.net/")evula.net(/url)
(url="http://"http://pftn.evula.net")Pilot File Trade Network(/url) | (url="http://"http://plugs3.evula.net")Plugs3(/url) | (url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url)

Matrix, I learned the ins and outs of mechanisto in about... oh, a month or two. I was making presentable stuff about 2 weeks in. Mechanisto does not have a lot of fancy features, but it is more than adaquete (sp?) for making ships/outfits/spobs for EV or EVO. And even a lot of strata users will tell you that mechanisto is simpler in many respects, and easier to learn for newbies.

Show me some of your l33t strata ships. I'll so you some crack-inspired mechanisto ships, and we can compare and contrast.

------------------
--ares
(url="http://"http://www.saberstudios.f2s.com/")Saber Studios(/url) -- (url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url)

Remember that you are a unique individual - just like everybody else.

I learned the basics of Strata in about 2 hours. I learned the more advanced features about a month later only because I was satisfied with the models I was making at the time. Strata is very intuitive. And I was making presentable things with a week or so. Strata is actually the easiest to learn because you have to merely click around to get the shapes you want. With Mechanisto you have to code them.

------------------
(url="http://"http://members.home.net/e-gamerguy1/ev/bfs3/")BFSIII Homepage(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.seacadets.org")U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps(/url) (url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/valley_forge_squadron")HOORAH!(/url)
"Death. Destruction. Famine. Pestilence. Disease. These are all brought upon us by evil. Evil is that which oppresses. Our cause is thus a holy one. We shall triumph over evil!" Chieftain spl_cadet, rallying the troops before the first engagement of the Second War of Liberation.

Quote

If you want to make graphics, you'll also need some kind of image editor. Colorit is still available for free, and I've seen copies of Painter on magazine covers. If you have the cash, Photoshop is still the best bet.
Graphic converter is also a must have - it's shareware, and can create CLUTs, which become very important when you want to change the start screen.

Photoshop, at least for plug-in development, is overkill. It's ridiculous to pay that kind of price just to make an add-on or something.
Actually, Adobe Photoshop Elements is pretty good. It's at about half the price of Photoshop, maybe less, and still has more features than you'll ever need. I use it for converting graphics to 8-bit, which saves space, and scaling my shipyard and outfit graphics. But even so, if you aren't going to use it for more than EVO, I too would suggest ColorIt.

------------------
ŃCafall

(This message has been edited by Cafall (edited 12-02-2001).)

(This message has been edited by Cafall (edited 12-02-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by spl_cadet:
With Mechanisto you have to code them.

What the heck are you talking about? Code? Have you even tried Mechanisto?

Anyways, I think this 'fight' about which program is better is pretty idiotic. What are we, Stalinists, that everyone has to use the same ap? Or does it somehow validate us when everyone else wants to use the same 3D program we do?

I happen to be quite fond of using Mechanisto. It does have weaknesses: no ray-tracing, no booleans, no volume objects... but it's got what I think is a great modeler, and once you figure out the basic operation of the program it's really easy to use. But it's those basic operations that hang up most people: in Strata all you have to do to make a stretched sphere is grab the little red handle on your sphere and pull. In Mechanisto you actually have to type a number... well, you son't have to, but you should if you want to work with any degree of accuracy. But that is in no way 'coding' or anything like it.

So I recommend Mechanisto: I like it, and there are great tutorials out there for it ;). But if you like Strata better, use that. Or Renderboy, if you want... I certainly don't care. But whatever you use, there's no need to denegrate another program just because you don't like it. They're all free, those three*: download em all and try em out.

(Nope, Rendrboy costs money, in theory ... but maybe it does in the same way as does Mechanisto... You can try it anyways.)

Quote

Originally posted by Squibix:
**

So I recommend Mechanisto: I like it, and there are great tutorials out there for it ;). But if you like Strata better, use that. Or Renderboy, if you want... I certainly don't care. But whatever you use, there's no need to denegrate another program just because you don't like it. They're all free, those three*: download em all and try em out.

(Nope, Rendrboy costs money, in theory ... but maybe it does in the same way as does Mechanisto... You can try it anyways.)**

Renderboy. That brings me back. I learned on Renderboy. Registered it, too. It has a very, very slow render engine but is easy to use...

Aw, I'll stick with Ray Nightmare. Paid $40 for my first copy.

------------------
everywhere else, it's --
"Nomuse"

I agree with squibix. It is a matter of personal taste, as I have said before.

I personally find mechanisto's interface to be more intuitive; I knew about what I was doing from the start. I am messing with strata3d and trying to learn it, and I still think that mechanisto is easier for newbies; especially with squibix's new tutorials. Is there somewhere I can get good tutorials for EV ships/outfits for strata3d? I would like very much to fully understand both.

(edit)How might I apply a transform other than traslate, rotate and scale? For example, how would I taper an object? Or put a dent in it? Or Bend it? And how can I group objects? And how do I make a hemisphere?(/edit)
------------------
--ares
(url="http://"http://www.saberstudios.f2s.com/")Saber Studios(/url) -- (url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url)

Remember that you are a unique individual - just like everybody else.

(This message has been edited by ares1 (edited 12-03-2001).)

(This message has been edited by ares1 (edited 12-03-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by Commander Arashi:
**Renderboy. That brings me back. I learned on Renderboy. Registered it, too. It has a very, very slow render engine but is easy to use...

Aw, I'll stick with Ray Nightmare. Paid $40 for my first copy.

**

You should upgrade to Carrara 1.1. It's only $150, and it's an entirely new (and great) package. If you haven't heard of Carrara, it was originally developed as the successor to Ray Dream by Metacreations, and was sold to eovia. It's a fusion of Infini-D and Ray Dream 6, and it looks really promising. I might get it this Christmas. Check out some reviews somewhere.

-Matt

------------------
Disclaimer: All claims made herein are hereby considered null and void. No guarantee of satisfaction is given, either explicitly or implicitly.
(url="http://"http://www.pacificnet.net/~restorer/3d/")3D Model Samples(/url)

thanks for all your help. I downloaded both strata and mechanisto. i just tried mechanisto because it was the first to download and I have a question. when you put it on the plugin what veiw will you see it from? the camera veiw?
oh and where i found mechanisto it had a price tag so I only got the free trial

------------------
"the universal answer... 7"- When I get bored my brain thinks verry strange things.

Quote

Originally posted by ares1:
(edit)How might I apply a transform other than traslate, rotate and scale? For example, how would I taper an object? Or put a dent in it? Or Bend it? And how can I group objects? And how do I make a hemisphere?(/edit)

You don't, from what I understand. As far as I know no other aps are as object-oriented as Mechanisto: that is, while we're always dealing with the same bunch of base objects, they aren't, and so don't need all those other transforms. They have other ways of doing things. Or so I understand. Perhaps an actual Strata user could further elucidate?

Alex Caliva: When you render your image it comes out looking like the camera view. You can make the camera view whatever you want: select it by clicking on the camera icon in the contents window and then either move it around by grabbing its green arrow with the move tool or by changing the numbers in the 'transform settings window.' For EV shipyard pics you want a camera angle of about 5,6,7 or 6,7,8, and something like 0, 3, 8 for the com pics (though of course the com pics vary considerably depending on the shape of your ship). Sprite images should of course be top down: 0, (whatever it takes to get the whole ship in the picture), 0. Check out my (url="http://"http://home.earthlink.net/~squibix/ev")tutorials(/url) to find something on how to make sprites: it's in the 'what next?' section. I don't have any other tutorials for people just getting started, but I will before too long.

And we're pretending Mechanisto is free, because no one has been able to get in touch with its creater. Of course, he may very well still be checking the actual mail address he includes with the program; but since the email address he lists doesn't work anymore we say he's untraceable, thus abdicating any responsibility to cough up the dough. You can do likewise with a (relatively) clear conscious.

Quote

Originally posted by Alex Caliva:
**thanks for all your help. I downloaded both strata and mechanisto. i just tried mechanisto because it was the first to download and I have a question. when you put it on the plugin what veiw will you see it from? the camera veiw?
oh and where i found mechanisto it had a price tag so I only got the free trial

**

Mechanisto is free. It says shareware, but the programmer abandoned the project, and is no longer asking for money for it. Someone tracked him down, and he said it is now freeware.

When you want to make a shipyard image of the graphic:

Make your model. Apply textures. Render it with a camera angle of 5,6,7 respectively, and set the camera... ok, you probably don't know what I am talking about.

First go (url="http://"http://home.earthlink.net/~squibix/ev/")here(/url) and look at all of the tutorials, starting with the general tips and information stuff. If you want to learn to make EV graphics, you must first learn the concepts behind 3d graphics in general, and you must learn to use mechanisto. If you have any specific problems or questions, talk to me.

------------------
--ares
(url="http://"http://www.saberstudios.f2s.com/")Saber Studios(/url) -- (url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url)

Remember that you are a unique individual - just like everybody else.

sorry all, that was my brother( he was in an excessively bad mood last night). I just took off the auto-password thing so he shouldn't be back. Im gonna edit that other message out.

------------------
Why is it that every time I make a new signature I end up hating it even more than the previous one?
AOL/IM: Will346 sometimes IonStorm332
Email:ionstorm@evon-online.com
Gameranger: Ion Storm

Quote

Originally posted by Squibix:
You don't, from what I understand. As far as I know no other aps are as object-oriented as Mechanisto: that is, while we're always dealing with the same bunch of base objects, they aren't, and so don't need all those other transforms. They have other ways of doing things. Or so I understand. Perhaps an actual Strata user could further elucidate?

I don't have much experience in trying different modelling programs, so I'm a bit cinfused as to what you mean by "object-oriented". In Ray Dream 5 at least, you can't really do anything that's not an action that creates an object or alters it in some way. The only thing that doesn't directly modify an object is a post-render filter. How do you do it in Mechanisto or Strata. On second thought, I'll take a look at my version of Strata... I forgot I had that!

-Matt

------------------
Disclaimer: All claims made herein are hereby considered null and void. No guarantee of satisfaction is given, either explicitly or implicitly.
(url="http://"http://www.pacificnet.net/~restorer/3d/")3D Model Samples(/url)