Book Page 1 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM The ElectricImage™ Reference A guide to the ElectricImage™ Animation System Version 2.0 Book Page 2 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM © 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Electric Image, Inc. All Rights Reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Electric Image. The software described in this manual is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of such license. The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Electric Image. Electric Image assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this book. Electric Image recommends that you observe the rights of the original artist or publisher of the images you scan or acquire in the use of texture maps, reflection maps, bump maps, backgrounds or any other usage. If you plan to use a previously published image, contact the artist or publisher for information on obtaining permission. ElectricImage, Pixel Perfect Rendering and Animation, Mr. Fractal, and Mr. Font are trademarks of Electric Image. Macintosh and Apple are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Incorporated. Other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This document written and designed by Stephen Halperin at: Electric Image, Inc. 117 East Colorado Boulevard Suite 300 Pasadena, California 91105 Cover image by Jay Roth. Cover design by James Stoecker. For defense agencies: Restricted Rights Legend The ElectricImage™ Animation System software is protected by federal copyright law. Copying software for any reason other than to make a backup is a violation of law. Individuals who make unauthorized copies of software may be subject to civil and criminal penalties. Use, reproduction or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software Clause at 252.227-7013. For Civilian Agencies: Restricted Rights Legend Use, reproduction or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in subparagraph (a) through (d) of the commercial Computer Software Restricted Rights clause at 52.227-19 and the limitations set forth in Electric Image’s standard commercial agreement for this software. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States. Printed in the USA. Book Page 1 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Contents Chapter 1 The File Menu Commands ..................................... 1-1 New… 1-3 Open… 1-7 Close 1-10 Display… 1-11 Add > Model… 1-12 Add > Sound… 1-14 Add > Record Sound… 1-15 Add > Light… 1-16 Add > Font… 1-17 Add > Import… 1-22 Add > Mesh… 1-31 Add > Mr. Nitro™… 1-32 Add > Particle… 1-33 Add > Standard Shape… 1-34 Save Model > FACT… 1-35 Save Model > Other… 1-36 Save 1-41 Save As… 1-42 The ElectricImage™ Reference TOC-1 Book Page 2 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Save Copy As… 1-43 Collect Files… 1-44 [Camera/Light/Group/Sound] Info 1-45 Statistics… 1-48 Page Setup… 1-49 Print 1-50 Render… 1-54 Projector 1-56 Quit 1-57 Chapter 2 The Edit Menu Commands .................................... 2-1 Undo 2-3 Cut 2-3 Copy 2-4 Paste 2-4 Clear 2-5 Copy Special [Text] 2-5 Select All 2-6 Find… 2-6 Find Again 2-7 Duplicate 2-7 Revert (available in Surface Editor only) 2-8 Keyframe… 2-9 Drawing… 2-11 Grid & Scale… 2-17 Field Chart… 2-20 Preview/Render… 2-26 Color… 2-31 Import… 2-33 Project File… 2-35 Default Preferences 2-37 TOC-2 ElectricImage™ Animation System Book Page 3 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Chapter 3 The Windows Menu Commands .......................... 3-1 Tool Palette 3-2 Location Palette 3-3 Object Palette 3-4 Top View 3-5 Side View 3-6 Front View 3-7 Camera View 3-8 Project Window 3-9 Camera Velocity 3-10 Light Velocity 3-11 Model Velocity 3-12 Close Window 3-13 Show/Hide Rulers 3-14 Chapter 4 The Keyframe Menu Commands .......................... 4-1 Add Keyframe 4-2 Delete Keyframe 4-2 Clear All Keyframes 4-2 Offset Keyframes 4-3 Recalculate Selected Frames 4-6 Recalculate All Frames 4-7 Calculate Auto Frames 4-8 Chapter 5 The Tools Menu Commands ................................. 5-1 Move 5-3 X Rotate 5-4 Y Rotate 5-5 Z Rotate 5-6 Scale 5-7 Zoom Window 5-8 Drag Content 5-9 Visible Grid 5-10 The ElectricImage™ Reference TOC-3 Book Page 4 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Snapping Grid 5-11 Group Deform 5-12 Group’s Texture 5-13 Group’s Linkage 5-14 Group’s Modification 5-15 Show Motion Path 5-16 Hide Motion Path 5-17 Link to Parent 5-18 Unlink from Parent 5-19 Look at Object 5-20 Cancel Look at 5-22 Attach to Object 5-23 Detach from Object 5-25 Auto Rotate Object 5-26 Cancel Auto Rotate 5-28 Chapter 6 The World View Windows ..................................... 6-1 Overview 6-2 Top View 6-4 Side View 6-5 Front View 6-6 Window Elements 6-7 Window Controls 6-13 Chapter 7 The Camera View Window .................................... 7-1 Overview 7-2 Window Elements 7-4 Window Controls 7-6 Rotoscoping 7-11 Chapter 8 The Project Window ............................................... 8-1 Overview 8-3 Editing Modes 8-5 Window Controls 8-10 TOC-4 ElectricImage™ Animation System Book Page 5 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM The Object Status Panel 8-17 The Object Name Panel 8-18 The Pop-Up Menu Palette 8-19 The Tool Palette 8-26 The Data Channel Panel 8-30 Chapter 9 The Render Control Window ............................... 9-1 Overview 9-3 Global Shading Level 9-4 Global Transparency Level 9-5 Rendered Image Depth 9-6 Camera Aspect Ratio 9-7 Fog Projection 9-9 Image Resolution 9-11 Image Anti-Aliasing 9-12 Motion Blur 9-13 Global Enable/Disable Controls 9-16 Video Interlacing Control 9-18 Color Settings 9-19 Wireframe Point/Line Size 9-19 Background Image Control 9-20 Timing Configuration 9-23 Rendering the Project 9-26 Chapter 10 The Camera Info Window ................................... 10-1 Overview 10-2 Icon Display Options 10-3 Current Stats 10-5 Chapter 11 The Light Info Window ....................................... 11-1 Overview 11-3 Light Modes 11-4 Icon Display Options 11-7 Current Stats 11-10 The ElectricImage™ Reference TOC-5 Book Page 6 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Shadow Info 11-13 Special Effects (Glow and Fog) 11-15 Lens Flare Effect 11-16 Additional Settings 11-20 Chapter 12 The Sound Info Window ...................................... 12-1 Overview 12-2 Playback Controls 12-3 Timing Controls 12-4 Sound Cues 12-5 Chapter 13 The Group Info Window ...................................... 13-1 Overview 13-2 Rendering Info 13-3 Current Stats 13-9 Chapter 14 The Group Texture Window ............................... 14-1 Overview 14-3 Adding/Removing Images 14-5 Mapping Controls 14-10 Positioning/Fine Tuning Controls 14-22 Texture Surface Attributes 14-28 Chapter 15 The Group Link Window ..................................... 15-1 Overview 15-2 Window Elements 15-4 Window Display Controls 15-5 Pivot Point and Rotation Controls 15-8 Inherit Characteristics Controls 15-12 Position and Rotation 15-13 Chapter 16 The Group Deformation Window ...................... 16-1 Overview 16-2 Deformation Regions 16-4 Deformations 16-10 TOC-6 ElectricImage™ Animation System Book Page 7 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM Chapter 17 The Velocity Windows ......................................... 17-1 Overview 17-2 Window Controls 17-4 Graph Elements 17-6 Graph Controls 17-7 Motion Path Splines 17-8 Camera Velocity 17-9 Light Velocity 17-10 Model Velocity 17-11 Chapter 18 The Surface Editor ............................................... 18-1 Overview 18-3 Editor Controls 18-5 Surface Attributes 18-8 Applying the Attribute Settings 18-16 Chapter 19 The Tool Palette ................................................... 19-1 Overview 19-3 The Move Tool 19-4 The X Rotate Tool 19-5 The Y Rotate Tool 19-6 The Z Rotate Tool 19-7 The Scale Tool 19-8 The Zoom Window Tool 19-9 The Drag Content Tool 19-10 The Visible Grid Tool 19-11 The Snapping Grid Tool 19-12 The Group Deform Tool 19-13 The Group’s Texture Tool 19-14 The Group’s Linkage Tool 19-15 The Group’s Modification Tool 19-16 The Show Motion Path Tool 19-17 The Hide Motion Path Tool 19-18 The ElectricImage™ Reference TOC-7 Book Page 8 Friday, July 21, 2000 4:18 PM The Link to Parent Tool 19-19 The Unlink from Parent Tool 19-20 The Look at Object Tool 19-21 The Cancel Look at Tool 19-23 The Attach to Object Tool 19-24 The Detach from Object Tool 19-26 The Auto Rotate Object Tool 19-27 The Cancel Auto Rotate Tool 19-29 Chapter 20 The Object Palette ................................................ 20-1 Overview 20-2 The Add Model Tool 20-4 The Add Light Tool 20-4 The Add Sound Tool 20-4 The Record Sound Tool 20-5 The Add Font Tool 20-5 The Import Model Tool 20-5 The Mesh Generator 20-6 Mr. Nitro™ 20-9 The Particle Generator 20-13 Standard Shapes 20-17 Chapter 21 The Location Palette ...........................................