Planetside Software Forums

General => Open Discussion => Topic started by: bobbystahr on March 03, 2016, 12:41:53 PM

Title: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 03, 2016, 12:41:53 PM
I just got a notification that the man who got me into 3D has passed away. Mike Halvorson, creator of Imagine and Illusion to name a few programs passed away from complications of his diabetes on Oct & 2015....

http://obits.reviewjournal.com/obituaries/lvrj/obituary.aspx?pid=176080459
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Matt on March 04, 2016, 10:18:33 PM
Sad to hear that, Bobby.

I didn't know him, but I knew the name. Imagine was the 3D program I used the most in the 90s.

Matt
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 04, 2016, 11:42:16 PM
Quote from: Matt on March 04, 2016, 10:18:33 PM
Imagine was the 3D program I used the most in the 90s.

Matt


For the record I think you'd have been fast friends in no time had you met. He had the same contact with his user base; personal as well as professional that you seem to follow. Guess that's why I grokked a lot of TG and classic right away as I learned them simultaneously w Imagine post Amiga where I started w Imagine. Really would be nice to see a library of procedurals like the Essence textures(free at imagine.org I think) and the RJJ library by Richard Jenkins. Ported them to Lightwave I believe when Imagine stopped development. Bought all of those and used em to death.

http://www.shaders.org/rjj_textures/index.htm
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 07:47:07 AM

In 1994 a friend who worked in 3D showed me 2 programs i didn't know much about.
One was Lightwave the other one Imagine.
He talked about the pros and cons of the two. I was using 3DStudio at that time.
I choose Lightwave because of the render engine especially.
Imagine looked quite nice. I didn't know the programmers by name but sad to hear this.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 05, 2016, 03:08:51 PM
Quote from: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 07:47:07 AM

In 1994 a friend who worked in 3D showed me 2 programs i didn't know much about.
One was Lightwave the other one Imagine.
He talked about the pros and cons of the two. I was using 3DStudio at that time.
I choose Lightwave because of the render engine especially.
Imagine looked quite nice. I didn't know the programmers by name but sad to hear this.

Wise choice as Imagine ceased devlopment in 2001 I think was the last update from Mike. Plus Imagine had no U/V mapping and as such didn't translate well if at all to other formats. Bryce could read an .iob converted to .obj fine but TG shows face problems...sadly as it's still my favorite modeler.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 03:17:09 PM

What kind of face problems Bobby?
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 05, 2016, 03:34:02 PM
Quote from: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 03:17:09 PM

What kind of face problems Bobby?
every other one flipped
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 04:10:35 PM

I see. Could be worse.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 04:19:17 PM

Can you send one example obj file to me Bobby?
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 05, 2016, 04:51:48 PM
Quote from: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 04:19:17 PM

Can you send one example obj file to me Bobby?

Here's a magritte painting I did in Imagine, this is the converted .iob which I don't think you could use, but it shows the problems. The remder for this is in my Renderosity gallery on I think the oldest page or 2nd oldest. Aw heck, here it is in Imagine with volumetric particle smoke
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 05, 2016, 05:14:59 PM

Can you test this version Bobby? It is a basic "Align" button push test.
Direct export from Lightwave. Not sure if you need to use Poseray or not.

[attachurl=1]

Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 05, 2016, 07:30:22 PM
Off to try it out now....thanks Kadri

Nope...same as from Deep Ex from you and run thru PoseRay it lost it's textures getting the parts correct. Does LW still import .iob? Used to in the day and maybe you could then export it as a .lwo and I can handle those fine with Deep Ex
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 06, 2016, 04:11:05 PM

I only just saw your post Bobby. Maybe because you only edited your last post. Anyway...

I tried an iob file that i downloaded but i could not import it into Lightwave Bobby.
Made a search but could not find much about iob files.
The one i found was an expensive file converter (Polytrans i think).

If you have an old copy of Truespace you might try it.

I tried some free online 3D file converters but had no luck there too.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 12:41:00 AM
Quote from: Kadri on March 06, 2016, 04:11:05 PM



I tried an iob file that i downloaded but i could not import it into Lightwave Bobby.

they did a number of versions back, like a decade or so as they both came thru Amiga

Made a search but could not find much about iob files.
The one i found was an expensive file converter (Polytrans i think).

There's a free one called accutrans I think but I never had a lot of luck with that.
I guess I just need to learn a modern modeler...think it's gonna be wings3d....


If you have an old copy of Truespace you might try it.

I tried some free online 3D file converters but had no luck there too.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 02:19:47 AM
Quote from: Kadri on March 06, 2016, 04:11:05 PM

I only just saw your post Bobby. Maybe because you only edited your last post. Anyway...


Here's a mind bender; I took the ,obj version and saved it as .lwo from Deep Exploration and then in PoseRay gave all parts a cubic U/V map and saved as .obj. Seems to be working...just plain weird is all.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: Kadri on March 07, 2016, 04:54:31 AM
Quote from: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 02:19:47 AM
...
Here's a mind bender; I took the ,obj version and saved it as .lwo from Deep Exploration and then in PoseRay gave all parts a cubic U/V map and saved as .obj. Seems to be working...just plain weird is all.

Nice :)
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 09:50:48 AM
Quote from: Kadri on March 07, 2016, 04:54:31 AM
Quote from: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 02:19:47 AM
...
Here's a mind bender; I took the ,obj version and saved it as .lwo from Deep Exploration and then in PoseRay gave all parts a cubic U/V map and saved as .obj. Seems to be working...just plain weird is all.

Nice :)

Not the correct textures as I was just interested in seeing if it rendered at all but coming along. Have to rebuild the clock and candle holders that sit on the mantle as well.
Title: Re: Sad News
Post by: bobbystahr on March 07, 2016, 09:53:03 AM
the real challenge with this will be the bent and horizontal fumarole needed for the smoke coming out the chimney in the original painting and that I managed in Imagine with a volumetric particles object.