about the 3d moldeler

[johngalliano]

hello tdk, why u said R&D is about 2D?

Hmm...I think R&D involves so much, besides many rendering technologies we see nowadays,....R&D also ranges from new file format (e.g. Weta's .lif format), cloth, fur, fluid and crowd simulation, image based lighting (e.g HDRI) and image based modeling (e.g the hologram of Tom Cruise's wife in Minority Report? not sure), sub-surface scattering, geometry algorithms, mo-cap, user interface (some aliaswavefront R&D projects have very interesting hardware user interface, like using, instead of a mouse, a rod for modelling, the concept of using the L-hand to assist the R-hand, use ur hand for controlling particles on the screen).......and so many other R&Ds that exists far beyond my knowledge and imagination.......

Talking about scripting, even in HK cg production environment, i think scripting should also be acquired by all 3d artists or animators, it allows much more convenience and also enhances your power in your favourite 3d package, like u have a certain way to setup biped characters, why not write a script to automate the task,....And, let those guys with solid programming skills do more advanced programming stuff rather than spending his time to help u export and import geometries,......Of course, take a while to learn for our very busy animators.

Btw, what's the hottest topic in the cg area this year?

[tdk]

[quote="johngalliano"]hello tdk, why u said R&D is about 2D?
quote]

I didn't say that.

I just said the output of all media are 2D.

Of course I know what is R&D

[johngalliano]

yes, i am sure u know. i just worried about there maybe some mis-understandings about what r&d is, caused by wordings. There are lots of newbies here.

[Luk]

To h2o,

The R&D you said in your company is not true R&D in CG Graphics.

There exists 2 kind of R&D, according to my experience and knowledge(I have worked in CG industry as Developer and I got a Master Degree), first you can think that R&D involves of searching new product which build on existing technology, and using the new product for production. E.g. Third party program A.I compliant for cow(cloud) animation. new plug-in for use in Softimage? CAD? Maya? plugin for water? cloth?

Second kind of R&D is develop a new method or method to improve the older one. E.g. New Way-trace render engine. New shader for Render Man, how to rendering flur more better? did mantial ray is good enough for production compare with render man? How to combine Maya Rendering engine for cluster?
how many rendering farm required to support the production?

But In Hk, most companies do their R&D with the first approach. as they dont have time or by the limitation of the management level. but the main point is: they dont have enough knowledge to complete the project like second kinf of R&D.

But beside of this R&D development, there exist many programming require to support the production to improve or run more smoothly. Such as: Fast method for processing image compositing.

One thing, the R&D as u said in your company: just using script with maya for special effect, actually this is production. not R&D.

[h2o]

香港的 cg 公司已經很久沒有 r & d 了..... 本人所屬公司的 r & d department 做真正的 r & d 工作已經是數年前的事, 現在我相信全香港的 r & d 也已經"轉型"了...... 期待日後有真正的 r & d 會再出現吧!

本人也有做 r & d 的工作, 不過只限於 lighting, texture & rendering..... 整合這三個工作的流程, 拍攝應用...... 等等 (不能夠說太多, 太多人知我系邊個 )

不過以現時的環境, 首要當然是做 job 啦, r & d......... 遺忘了.........
(很久之前有試用過 maya5...... 但也不算是真正的 r & d)

[Luk]

h2o, u are working in Lighting and render department?

I'm guess who you are!!

[leelingzone]

Cyber Oxygen:
請問你所講的c記中文名是什麼?

[Wolf]

我真系服咗香港D公司，試軟件（仲要系老翻）都叫做R&D。可以想象如果香港有個本土Siggraph，D公司派R&D代表上台講研究成果，個個響度講“琴日試咗xxxplugin，好勁丫；上個禮拜用xxxplugin，效果幾好...”

不過香港可能真系有一批R&D高人：幾年前響Siggraph，在Square USA代表講緊拒地為FF開發shader講座中途休息時間，響洗手間有幾條友（香港某大公司喈R&D人員）大大聲甘講“扯！都無料到喈” 印象好深。

[h2o]

為何試軟件不叫做R&D?

我相信一些較有規模的公司都會有自家開發的 scripts, 而每次 Maya version uprgade, 大部份的 scripts 也要修改, 這樣應該算是 development 吧!

如果公司買了一些正版軟件, 系可以要求有關軟件制造商給一些 beta verison, 以供試用及測試兼容度, 不過要時常 send bug reports, 都幾麻煩, 唔 send 又唔得, 如果唔系下次未必會再俾 beta 你.

我自家用的當然是...... 不過要幫一些外國的 programmer 朋友試 mel scripts & plug-ins, 沒有辦法啦...... 請原諒

[Wolf]

>為何試軟件不叫做R&D?

甘你有無聽過試食喈叫廚師？

>而每次 Maya version uprgade, 大部份的 scripts 也要修改

你肯定未寫過script同plugin。MEL由1.0至到5.0幾乎系無改變。

[h2o]

maya 每次 upgrade 都有新 commands, 3.0 上 4.0 時, 仲改左一些常用的commands name, 這些不用改的嗎?

有新東西當然要試下加落去舊的 scripts 中, 然後再 test & debug.....

而一些簡單的 mel 當然有可能由1.0 至5.0 都不變, 如果其他人有 download maya's mel or plug-ins 玩下的話, 應該都會有遇到在新 version 用不到的情況吧!


P.S. 我相信這些 upgrade, 你可能會覺得沒有什麼大不了, 但對於初學者而言, 在新 version 裡碰壁, 要 debug 很耐呀

[Luk]

I agree Wolf,

Actually no need to upgrade any script using MEL in maya, when maya upgrade.

Each new version of MAYA have some new command and new plugin features. but I can tell you, except the new command, all the older version are still compatible.

In HK, most boss or management lvl like test & try software for their R&D. The peoples who have paper publish in SIGGraphic... finially still got repleace by a test & try software guys.

so funny in HK

[Wolf]

琴晚漏咗講Maya API甘多年嚟都系無mud改動。Maya喈architecture非常穩定。

有次同一位美國朋友傾開香港業界的情況，拒俾一個名詞，將呢度喈所謂R&D形容得好傳神，叫Rummage & Dabble

呢排好多Hollywood公司都搵緊R&D人（人工好高架！），你地陀地R&D人夠唔夠姜去應征？Resume裡面記得講無寫過software，但試過一大堆scripts同pugins，你睇人地show唔show你呀拿。

香港依家面對的困境未嘗唔系一件好事 --- 如果能喚醒香港人唔再沉醉於D不切實際喈觀念（我喈favourite系香港面對大陸喈挑戰仲有優勢；大佬，連自己喈政治去向命運前途都控制唔到，優mud鬼勢？）。哎...

[h2o]

wolf 兄...... 咁我仲系初學麻, 當然系 rummage & dabble ...... 真正既 r&d 會有豐富經驗既人做 leader, 帶住d細, 正如 luk 所說, 呢d人都走埋既時候, r&d 真系已經玩完左, 不過老細又唔知, 其他人就要死頂

我當然不是 r&d 組啦, 只是對 r&d 工作有興趣 (唔系想玩 special effect ), 想再深入去認識, 不過已經冇門路啦, 又冇時間......

還有, wolf 兄大陸應該有人真系做 r&d, 那邊情況怎樣??

[johngalliano]

鬼咩!!,...果d咁喈senior同老細,...見你得閒少少都好似睇唔順眼咁，想搵d私人時間都冇！佢地自己又見識淺薄，見你唔系楂住只mouse而打系緊字，就以為你唔做野，系度唔知做乜!
大佬呀!我寫緊個Mel呀！跟住老細問你:“咩系Mel呀？”，．．d　senior就可能同你講：“寫咩丫，你系animator泥嫁！”我頂!!!!
仲有．．．班友都做左大大話話四五年有凸啦，我見佢地仲未知咩系rotation order, Gimbal Lock, log space, linear space 等基本問題．．．"lui"埋一堆系度研究，好似發現新大陸咁！唉．．．