Hi all,

Ive been working on something a little different to the rendered work often shown here and maybe it is of interest to some.

Ive been experimenting with a workflow consisting of low polygon maya model -> collada export -> adobe flash for rendering directly onto a web page.

Flash 3D is fairly new, you may well of seen web 3D but flash is pretty unique in its penetration which runs at about 99% of all net connected PC's.

To enable this i've been using a couple of tools, first the Maya collada plug in form feeling software ( https://www.feelingsoftware.com/content/view/55/72 )

Secondly, for rendering, the open source 3d API papervision ( https://www.papervision3d.org/ )

Finally, im no modeler, im a web developer by trade so have been taking this time to slowly get to grips with Maya, but I would describe my skills as very Amature , however im keen to carry on learning now i ve learnt the basic UI elements.

The game ive produced while learning is a simpe space invaders clone, with 3D elements hopefully fairly subtly added, is on line at https://www.99lives.co.uk/InvadersIV/ (please note you need flash 9 to view - if you see nothing thats probably why)

If you dont care for the game element - i have a simple end sequnce animation here (note no loader on this so be patient - engine is 256k and collada is 150k)

https://www.99lives.co.uk/InvadersIV/moon.html

If anyone is interested in more details about showing maya models live on the web in this method please feel free to ask - as its certainly an area i feel i can contribute back to this community about.

Thats nice peSK

I was playing about with papervision3D a few months ago. I created a planet and a moon which orbited about it in 3D.
Its actually a nice system to use but the limitations of frame rate with slightly complex objects can really slow things down. Depending on if Adobe push their own version of a 3D engine in flash may determine how well papervision progresses. User submitted libraries would be nice to add into it and help automate things.

Did you code the object movement or are they pre-animated and then imported in?
If you make any more with 3D content then post them up

ps, people might not realise that its a real time 3D engine so just thought I'd mention it.

EDIT: I've heard people wanting some kind of .mb maya file viewer. If you could set a system up whereby they export the file and upload it to a webpage and then the movie auto updates and shows the model (with navigation) then that might be nice. Especially as it would negate taking multiple screenshots of work in progress in forums such as this - you simply upload it and it updates the movie so people can spin it around and offer better criticism on all the parts of the model.

Si

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

I did such as thing in shockwave some year ago. The biggest disadvantage though that you can steal the model easy (well, easy for experts) regardless if you show it in java, flash, shockwave etc.

And Java would be better to show a model online, as it's faster.

@t1ck135 - yes frame rate is certainly an issue. Realisitcaly you are limited to about 3000 polygons! At this amount you can keep a fairly decent framerate (+24fps) once you increase beyond that you can start to chug. In this example i try and monitor FPS and switch effects on and off (such as reflection) as need be.

However these limitations can be inspiring, and i think good modelers who are familiar with the old skool modeling techniques of playstation one era can still produce stunning results.

Yes, its all real time, in the moon animation sequence I use a tool called tweener (https://code.google.com/p/tweener/ ) to control the motions. With this i can do something like:

Code:

Tweener.addTween(myGroup, {transition:"linear",z:20000 ,delay:0,time:30,onComplete:tweened});

Which animates a group called 'myGroup' by tweening the 'z' property to a value of 20000 over 30 seconds. Very simple really, and the level of control you have is great.

@DjBLAZER - theft of anything once it gets on the web is always problematic. Really its an issue without a solution - other than the moral one.

Java is faster, and shockwave can be used also - in fact shockwave gives you a method to use 3d hardware - flash is a pure software solution. The great advantage with flash is as i say, the 99% penetration of the plug in.

Its only really with the new flash 9 plugin that stuff is really possible, as it gives about a 10* speed increase over v8.

Goog point DJbLAZER, l337 hax0rs can get what they want out of most things online

I've not heard of the tweener tool peSK, looks like it'll help simplify a lot of potential code
Also performance in flash is computer dependant. My laptop can struggle with some 3D/vector intense flash things but my main computer handles it fine (being a lot more powerful with a beefier graphics card).

Si

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

Originally posted by t1ck135
Also performance in flash is computer dependant. My laptop can struggle with some 3D/vector intense flash things but my main computer handles it fine (being a lot more powerful with a beefier graphics card).

Si [/B]

Originally Posted by

Well interesting flash runs pretty much independent of your graphics card - so its really down to processor speed only. I know a lot of us who use flash often are really starting to put pressure on adobe to give us graphic card access - we hope the 3D stuff thats starting to appear can be a catalyst for this change, as without hardware support its always going to look 10 years behind.

However as it stands we can do some nice things now.

For anyone interested theres a nice tutorial of bringing in a scene (from max in this case - but its the same using maya essentially) here https://labs.blitzagency.com/?p=93