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EP1
15-10-2008, 11:51 AM
Hi
Just a heads up, Blender 2.48 is available (http://www.blender3d.org) with a host of new and improved features in the game engine eg realtime GLSL, improved logic modules and physics softbodies. Performance of the engine has also been improved significantly.


Blender 2.48

Blender 2.48 includes all the work done on the Blender Game Engine and the Apricot Open Game "Yo Frankie!", with much better functioning game logic editing, character animation, and Blender Material based real-time shaders. And as last minute surprise a Bullet physics update with Softbody support.

We also included a lot of new development in this release; Windows 64 bits support, Grease Pencil for sketching annotations, Sun/Sky/Atmosphere rendering, new modifiers, and an improved text editor with Python API support. And last but not least, an enormous list of open bug reports were handled.

October 2008
The Blender.org team

Fengol
15-10-2008, 12:05 PM
it's the one issue I have with Blender (and boy I love Blender to bits) is that it take time for the videos and tutorials to come out for each new version; and once you get your head around them, it changes again!

Gazza_N
15-10-2008, 12:11 PM
It isn't up for download yet. The only links they have are for 2.47. ;_;

EDIT: Ah! I take that back. Just updated now, it seems.

Gen0cyde
15-10-2008, 01:05 PM
Sweet. Looks like Im playing this weekend. \o/

Fengol
15-10-2008, 01:24 PM
it is up, Ctrl+F5 and refresh :D

I had the same problem

EP1
15-10-2008, 01:48 PM
it's the one issue I have with Blender (and boy I love Blender to bits) is that it take time for the videos and tutorials to come out for each new version; and once you get your head around them, it changes again!

true, but I think once you are used to blender its kind of like a go with the flow situation. I tried every package under the sun and somehow settled on blender because somehow there is less hassle.

edg3
15-10-2008, 02:34 PM
Well, Ive pulled it down and I did my torso from scratch in a few minutes thanks to Gazza_N's help at rAge.
Torso (http://i33.tinypic.com/25qvhnr.jpg)

I havent seen much thats different, although everyone that saw me at rAge trying things in Blender knew how much I lack any skill at using it well. One thing I love is the deform modifier. Its something I will definitely use.

onona
15-10-2008, 07:18 PM
Well, Ive pulled it down and I did my torso from scratch in a few minutes thanks to Gazza_N's help at rAge.
Torso (http://i33.tinypic.com/25qvhnr.jpg)

I am not saying this to be rude, but mate - please please please buy some books on anatomy.

onona
15-10-2008, 07:20 PM
true, but I think once you are used to blender its kind of like a go with the flow situation. I tried every package under the sun and somehow settled on blender because somehow there is less hassle.

Different strokes for different folks. Personally I cannot stand Blender because of its clutter and bizarre workflow. It's always interesting for me the way different people connect to different 3D packages - it shows how different how minds and methodologies are.

edg3
15-10-2008, 08:47 PM
onona you fail. Who says Im making an anatomically correct torso? Has it become a crime to have a cartoony look for a game? Or any 3D model for that matter... I am well aware that it isnt "anatomically correct"

Azimuth
15-10-2008, 09:02 PM
Oy, edg3. She's not being nasty. Listen to her, she's mah sister. :<

edg3
15-10-2008, 09:12 PM
Im sorry Im snappy, I just really dont like people assuming things... I should probably lighten up a bit if anything.

Gazza_N
15-10-2008, 09:35 PM
Well ,edg3, considering the amorphous blob you had at rAge, I'd say you're picking things up pretty quickly. Keep at it. ;)

onona
16-10-2008, 02:01 AM
onona you fail. Who says Im making an anatomically correct torso? Has it become a crime to have a cartoony look for a game? Or any 3D model for that matter... I am well aware that it isnt "anatomically correct"

Woah there, Nelly. As my other half already reiterated, I didn't say that to be rude. Actually, here is a tip for your future modeling endeavours: even cartoon models should have some anatomical correctness. People respond well to characters they can identify with, and that's why animated films, for example, tend to keep somewhat realistic proportions and anatomical structure with their human/humanoid characters. After all, creating a connection with the audience is one of the most important considerations for those creating films, games and other media. By going too far into the realms of bizarre character design, you actually do risk alienating your audience. It's an interesting phenomenon.

Anyway, I am derailing here, so I'll leave it at that.

Fengol
17-10-2008, 09:19 AM
true, but I think once you are used to blender its kind of like a go with the flow situation. I tried every package under the sun and somehow settled on blender because somehow there is less hassle.

To give another example, I'm trying to texture my model and all the tutorials I've gotten (even the one on wiki.blender) require me to go into UV Face Select mode which I can't do because a recent version introduced a UV Layer which I must add first but isn't demo'd anywhere :(

EP1
17-10-2008, 10:53 PM
@Fengol - if u are using a single uv map then layers are not necessary. Select edit mode and the unwrap selection is then available in the header dropdown. Dont know if this helps or not. I'm ubernoob in 3d modeling so this may not answer your question adequately.

Higushi
18-10-2008, 04:34 PM
Oh my goodness!! :D

I've never used blender before, for some reason I thought I had to pay for it, and besides I was quite happy using my student package of 3DSMAX, which I thought was really top-notch.

Now that I've given it a try, wow! I'm really diggin it! The sculpting tools are awesome! It's like a virtual clump of clay that you can just squish and mess around with, moulding 3D models as if you were really sculpting! It's so sweet! I never noticed any tools like this in 3DStudioMax, perhaps I didn't look hard enough, but I've used it a lot so that would be strange.

This is totally my new favourite modelling program! :D And I haven't even tried tutorials yet, the sculpting tool-set has totally sold it to me.

I'll probably still use 3DSMAX for rendering though, if I can, I found it to be quite advanced in that regard.

Squid
18-10-2008, 05:01 PM
Oh my goodness!! :D

I've never used blender before, for some reason I thought I had to pay for it, and besides I was quite happy using my student package of 3DSMAX, which I thought was really top-notch.

Now that I've given it a try, wow! I'm really diggin it! The sculpting tools are awesome! It's like a virtual clump of clay that you can just squish and mess around with, moulding 3D models as if you were really sculpting! It's so sweet! I never noticed any tools like this in 3DStudioMax, perhaps I didn't look hard enough, but I've used it a lot so that would be strange.

This is totally my new favourite modelling program! :D And I haven't even tried tutorials yet, the sculpting tool-set has totally sold it to me.

I'll probably still use 3DSMAX for rendering though, if I can, I found it to be quite advanced in that regard.

Nostrick, you really need to try ZBrush, it's right up your alley.

onona
18-10-2008, 06:23 PM
ZBrush is great, but mainly for adding details to an already existing model.

If you want to learn to model properly, it would be best to avoid ZBrush until you have mastered polygonal modeling. You can do more with a polygonal model, than you can with a model made in ZBrush.

Higushi
18-10-2008, 06:53 PM
If you want to learn to model properly, it would be best to avoid ZBrush until you have mastered polygonal modeling. You can do more with a polygonal model, than you can with a model made in ZBrush.

Since I'm not modelling with a polygon-count in mind, surely it's easier to get the job done?

What do you recommend for polygon modelling?

onona
18-10-2008, 08:09 PM
Since I'm not modelling with a polygon-count in mind, surely it's easier to get the job done?

I said nothing of polygon counts ;-) What I mean is, the topology of a model is important, because a good topology allows you to properly rig the model for posing and/or animating. Which may not be of all that much importance to you, but it does give you more flexibility with your model, should you want it. After all, what's the point in spending hours and hours modeling something if it's just going to remain a rigid sculpture? A good topographical polygonal flow allows you the freedom to manipulate your model far more. Programs like ZBrush tend to largely ignore topographical structure, and instead simply allow you bend the model like clay. Which is fine if you're just making a static image, but as I said above - the fact that CG allows you to do so much more than just that should entice you :-) In a CG production, models that are created initially in a sculpting package like ZBrush or Mudbox need to be painstakingly retopologised in other software because they can be used for other purposes, which is why these packages are generally just used for creating detailed displacement maps, instead of actual models, in production.


What do you recommend for polygon modelling?

Well you could do it in Blender, for starters. Any 'regular' 3D package has poly modeling tools. Frankly Blender really isn't my personal choice (frankly, I can't stand it), but when you start looking at other packages, you're also looking at very large pricetags.

Higushi
18-10-2008, 10:09 PM
Ah... I see. Thanks for the long explanation onona :) I understand now. Yeah, I'm actually looking to get into animation, so I guess I should be doing it the well-structured polygon way.