X4 'Panacea' Or 'Pan Of Something Else' Poll?

[RickX]

Looking at the drawings shown on their home page ...... there is nothing there that I haven't seen done better in Xara by artists on this forum.

True, but the difference is that the 3D examples are "auto generated" by setting stroke style values. It can easily be rotated and generate views from different angles.

It's hard enough coming up with a non-horrible interface to 3D modelling alone! (SketchUp is the only application I have tried, of many, that makes it at all tolerable.)

Xara should not be a modelling application but pure able to import, display , rotate and render 3D objects vector based just like the 3D text now. It doesn't have to be a advanced high polygon model renderer but I think people will like it when they have access to a 3D "clip art" gallery with simple objects that they can use in any position / angle within their designs.

It is just an feature idea which parts of the technique is already available in the xara 3D extrusion (rotation, scale, lightning) and code for importing open collada 3D format is freely available.

[ss-kalm]

..........display , rotate and render 3D objects vector based just like the 3D text now. It doesn't have to be a advanced high polygon model renderer...........It is just an feature idea which parts of the technique is already available in the xara 3D extrusion (rotation, scale, lightning)...........

No, I don't think so ......... Extruding a 2d object and providing a 3d walkround of a 3d object is completely different, and requires a 3d modelling application.

[RickX]

No, I don't think so ......... Extruding a 2d object and providing a 3d walkround of a 3d object is completely different, and requires a 3d modelling application.

It is not so completely different as you might think. The vector object in xara is actually a extruded polygon in z-depth, if you apply a bevel, it just adds some polygons. It uses the same approach as any other 3D software does.

The lights also already uses 3D space calculations with the target point the center of the object. So, yes ofcourse it will need some programming work but the leap may not be that big as you may think.

[handrawn]

The vector object in xara is actually a extruded polygon in z-depth, if you apply a bevel, it just adds some polygons.

interesting - any chance of an example - in a new thread, it will get off topic here

[RickX]

interesting - any chance of an example - in a new thread, it will get off topic here

posted it in another thread I started few days ago:

see: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...965#post249965

[handrawn]

one I missed in all the excitement - thanks

[MarkMyWords]

Well, including Xara 3D in Xtreme is a very good idea and it fits in well, the other additions and improvements are of as high a quality as we have come to expect from Xara. I'm no designer, but I'm sure this is great from their point of view and they are, no doubt, the core market.

From the viewpoint of an illustrator...well we knew there were not going to be any major additions for illustration, so I can't say I'm disappointed...perhaps just a little jealous LOL!

One day some other developer with the time and budget and a core market of illustrators will be inspired by Xaras amazing program and give us a break...probably. Until then, it is still an excellent vector illustration tool, I'll keep on using Xtreme for sure, but I can't see any reason for me to upgrade right now.

I'm looking at Comicstudio 4 at the moment, something many here would recoil from in horror, it is big and bloated and full of all kinds of idiosyncrasies, but it suits the way I work more than any other graphics program. If they get around to releasing the English language version I'll probably review it elsewhere on the forum.

[handrawn]

you read/speak japanese Mark? - apologies if you are japanese - if you don't is it easy to approach?

[MarkMyWords]

No I'm not Japanese nor do I speak Japanese, I'm Mancunian (some would say even harder to understand than Japanese), but you can get into the CS 4 demo using the manual for Mangastudio 3 (Mangastudio is the English version of Comicstudio for those who don't know) and a lot of experimenting LOL! I'm sure there are a few things I'm missing, but I'm more than impressed with what I have seen so far.

If you are familiar with Mangastudio, you will know that it is a combination of 3D, vector and bitmap programs, along with some very specific tools and filters, all meant to help those who create comics. Though some other illustrators find it very useful, here is one guy who uses MS 3 very effectively; http://frenden.com/

From my own point of view, I use 3D for composing my work, bitmap for penciling/sketching and airbrushing and vector for linework, this is only part of the reason I like the look of CS 4.

CS 4 has enhanced vector tools, a 'line-lever' - very similar in some ways to the shape editor in Xtreme, a magic wand that can select enclosed or nearly enclosed areas on vector layers (though I think you have to convert the selection to a path before you can fill it - still looking at that), a very excellent vector eraser, new 32bit colour layers and a brush engine that rivals Photoshops (at least in options if not speed), an actions palette almost identical to Adobes (so even complex work arounds can be made into a 'one-click' operation) and lots of other interesting and useful stuff. My favourite is the pen tool which has the best 'feel' of any pressure sensitive vector pen I have ever tried...sorry, I'm rambling seriously off topic.

[handrawn]

thanks a lot - I think I might look at it, sounds interesting