🚀 go-pugleaf

	One of the contributors to the "Imagine . . ." string asked for a
comparison of Autodesk 3D Studio to Imagine. While my experience with
Imagine is limited (I prefer Video Toaster Lightwave), I'd have to say that
Amiga 3D packages usually produce better images. But, 3D Studio has some
advantages.
	3D Studio Advantages: A good user interface for object
construction; I find it more straight-forward than Lightwave Modeler. A
great interface with AutoCAD. The ability to play animations in real-time
(but not at 30 fps).
	3D Studio Disadvantages: Price -- you can get a complete Video
Toaster for the price of 3D Studio. "Hiddens" on the part of Autodesk -- no
matter how many pieces of equipment you buy, you always need one more.
After we invested $5,000 in an existing 486-33 in software and equipment we
found that we still needed to drop another $2K - $5K to get quality images
to video tape (broadcast quality, that is). Low resolution -- 3D Studio
colors are nice, but resolution is limited to 320 x 200 in VGA; circles
look like stop signs. Lighting control is medium-to-poor.
	As much as I prefer MS-DOS machines for DTP, CAD, word processing,
and structured drawing, they are poor video machines. By the time you have
invested in a 486, a video i/o card, a frame buffer card, and software, you
could have purchased an Amiga/Toaster and two quality VTRs and a camera.
	We now only use 3D Studio as a pass-through in translating AutoCAD
drawings into Lightwave.

-- 
Pete Nofel, aa794, primary sysop
It's a Mystery - The Mystery Literature Group
Cleveland Freenet, Cleveland Ohio