TutorVision 3-D CD Volume 2

Information about TutorVision 3-D CD Volume 2

PLEASE NOTE: There are very few copies of this CD remaining in our stock and once they are all sold, there will not be any more copies run off...in other words, if you ever thought about ordering this CD, then you'd better do it soon!

Here are some of the key features of this great 2-disc CD:

Comes on 2 CD-Roms, both filled to capacity!

Teaches you how to start doing Character Animation with LightWave 3D!

A completely re-designed interface works on PC, PowerMac, and DEC Alpha systems!.

All tutorials are created with LightWave 3D v5.5 and v5.6!

Many other improvements and new features not found on the first volume!

Volume 2 contains the following:

Sample AVI video clip

Sample QuickTime video clip

Video Tutorials
Contains MORE THAN 6 HOURS of Video Tutorials that play back on the same computer monitor that LightWave is running on!

Each tutorial comes with a "talking head" introduction and thorough explanations of what is being done in the tutorial!

All Video Tutorials are tightly edited with clear, easy-to-follow video and audio!

The BIG 800x600 video clips make it easy to see the recorded LightWave interface and the 5fps playback rate means that the video clips will play back smoothly on any system that meets the System Compatibility requirements listed below!

"Continuous-play" mode allows you to view each tutorial without lifting a finger!

Easy-to-use control panel allows you to pause playback or jump to any point in each video clip just by clicking the mouse!

Here is a listing of the Video Tutorials contained on Volume 2

A 2 1/2 hour long tutorial on using MetaNurbs to model a humanoid character that will be easy to use in Layout. Attention is given to preparing the character for use with Bones, Inverse Kinematics, and the MetaMation plugin. The character's head and face are modeled seperate from the body to allow for easy animation of the eyes, facial expressions, and lip-syncing.

Setting up a bone skeleton for the character modeled in the 1st tutorial. The basic skeletal structure is set up with the SkeletonMaker plugin, then the bone skeleton is modified with Limited Range values and Joint Compensation. Attention is also given to attaching the character's head to it's body and other tips that will make the character animate smoothly in later steps.
Over 75 minutes long!

Setting up Inverse Kinematics for the character's legs, feet, arms, and eyeballs. This tutorial starts by defining rotational limits for the bones and then adds IK goals that will make the character's legs and feet bend in a realistic manner while keeping the feet locked into position as a walk cycle is set up for the character in later tutorials. IK Goals are also set up for the arms so that they can be animated easily and the eyeballs so that they can easily track a target.
Over 50 minutes long!

Applying the MetaMation plugin to the character. This tutorial will show you how to use MetaMation on the low-polygon and high-polygon objects that were created in the 1st tutorial. This will allow you to efficiently animate a low polygon version of the character in Layout and then apply those motions to a very high polygon version of the character when it's time to render the animation.
Almost 15 minutes long!

Making the character walk. This tutorial will show you how to set up a basic walk cycle for the character which deals with issues like foot slippage and transitional movements for starting and stopping the character's walk cycle. There are also many tips for bringing your character "to life" and making the basic walk cycle look much more realistic.
Over 37 minutes long!

Lip-Syncing with ExtractAudio and Morph Gizmo. This tutorial will show you how to use ExtractAudio (a commercial plugin available from MetroGrafx) to create a morph envelope that is synchronized to an audio clip and then import that morph envelope into Morph Gizmo and applied to the character's face so that the mouth is lip-synced to the audio clip.
Almost 22 minutes long!

Making the character interact with other objects. This tutorial will show you how to make your character appear to pick up an object and carry it around. This tutorial will demonstrate why a commercial plugin like Lock-N-Key or PointAt is so useful for doing this type of a effect and then show you how to create the same the effect without the use of a plugin!
Approximately 23 minutes long!

Text Tutorials
More than a half-dozen full length text tutorials that will pick up where the Video Tutorials left off and cover more advanced topics!

Text Tutorials

Volume 2

Using Metanurbs to create morphable character faces. - Written by Patrik Beck

Making character animation easier with Puppet Master. - Written by Patrick Woods

Techniques for Mirroring Bone Skeletons in your character.

Tips for putting clothing on your character.

How to make your character leave footprints in sand, dirt, or snow.

Tips for creating a "hairy" or furry surface for your character.

A "bonus" tutorial that will teach you how to create your own LightWave plugins! - Written by Brendan Mecleary

All Scene files and objects for all tutorials are included on the CD !

Reviews & Interviews
An in-depth interview with Stephen Bailey from Will Vinton Studios...one of the guys who works on the M&M commercials!

Reviews of many new and popular LightWave products, like Relativity, FiberFactory2, Doug Kelly's Character Animation book, and many others!

Product Showcase
Check out some of the newest and most popular LightWave compatible products available on the market right now!

Complete with sample images, sceenshots, and all available product info!

Animators Showcase
See numerous examples of work from other LightWave3D users around the world! There are dozens of still-frames and a dozen AWESOME animations...many with sound!

Includes 4 months of entries from the LWML Contest!

All work is displayed with information about the artists that created it and how to get in touch with them!

Objects & Images
A dozen high-quality Objects in LightWave format with fully rendered previews of what they look like!

A dozen original Texture maps in different file formats, ready for use in LightWave3D!