Softimage 3D Design Guide with CDROM: Everything You Need to Master 3D Modeling and Animation with Softimage [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Hits the ground running, with advanced special-effects techniques, and no wading through tedious theory or graduated tutorials. Offers 10 commercial-quality 3D graphics and animation projects. Includes corporate logos, game modeling, character animation, Web FX, and more. Shows off Softimage's "insider" tools that the pros use. Eliminates hand-waving-each project is discussed and dissected in complete detail. Features full-color pages of key animation projects presented in the book.

About the Author

Gene Bodio (Milford, MA) is co-founder and lead artist at PCA Inc. Gene has an extensive list of credits including: feature work on Johnny Mnemonic, the Stones Voodoo Lounge CD-ROM, environment rendering for "7th Guest", Flipper, Yahtzee, and a host of commercial work. Gene has used Softimage extensively in both his production and gaming work.

Barry Carlton Ruff (Bedford, MA) is an independent graphics developer. Barry has worked in graphics for the past 10 years at a variety of commercial, academic, and government graphics labs and companies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Coriolis Group Books (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576101479
• ISBN-13: 978-1576101476
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,113,926 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SI 3D Design Guide isgreat, May 26, 2000

By A Customer

I rated this what I did because it IS exactly what it says it is- a design guide. If you are a rank amateur, you will get a lot out of this book that you would scratching your head for hours or days trying to figure out using the manuals alone. If you are artistically inclined, you will like the included artwork which will give you an idea of what is possible with the program.

The exercises definitely give you a familiarity with the software which is important if you ever want to be productive. If this was a book full of tutorials, you may very well become an expert on creating a few specific types of things, but what they did here is give you a straightforward explanation of the various functions of the menu items and such, which goes a longer way in making you proficient in the entire package instead of a few select areas. It's like the old saying, "give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day...teach a man how to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime".

They inspire you to create your own work instead of reproducing someone else's and gaining nothing in the process.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Money well spent. The projects rock., June 11, 1999

By A Customer

I just wrapped up going through some of the chapters, and this is a very nice resource. The sample databases have some cool Viewpoint models, fully boned and textured, that alone is worth the cost of the book. Some of the basics stuff is fluffy, but the real projects are very cool. Theres alot of hard won workflow info presented that if you're new to Soft you'll greatly appreciate. This isn't ugly ducklings and fake exercises. Each project results in a useful model or animation. The dolphin is great! I would have liked to see more detailed imagery and the CD has some naming inconsistencies, but overall you can't go wrong with this book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've got to give this book the props it deserves . . . ., August 1, 1998

By A Customer

This is an excellent book for Softimage 3D users to own. I think that all of you Softimage 3D users should get it. This is not the type of book you use to learn out of. It is meant to be just as the title says. It is a DESIGN GUIDE. That is the point that too many of you are missing. It 's meant to be an enertaining and informative resource for learning the principles of Softimage 3D design, not a book full of tutorials. The information in this book is invaluable, and will greatly improve your work. So far, the two Softimage 3D books on the market are both must haves. Don't boot up without this book by your side to aid in design!