So today I thought I would see what I could learn about 3D modeling and animation.

I downloaded a number of tools, including 3D Canvas, Alice, Anim8or, blender3d, and Metasequoia. I have used Metasequoia in the past to create some virtual models of model airplanes (and BattleBots) to fly in the FMS flight simulator. It has some of the most intuitive interface controls to manipulate the virtual environment while creating a model, but it is rather lacking in other ways.

The one I liked best was Anim8or. It Anim8or could include the interface controls of Metasequoia, it would be great! It is just too annoying to have to click on the select button, select an object, click on the move button, move the object, click on the rotate button, rotate the object, then click on the select button and click on another object, then click, click, click, click, click... UGH! My wrist is killing me!

Another annoying thing about Anim8or is the non-standard approach to selecting multiple items. Instead of holding down the shift key while clicking around, you have to use the right mouse button. Very unintuitive.

Anyway, I created my first objects using a tutorial I found. Here's the weirdness in all it's glory:



I added my own twist to the basic tutorial, by adding a second plant. It is your guess as to whether the second plant gave the egg to the first plant, or if the second hand is trying to take the egg from the first plant. Use your imagination...

IT'S ART!

Outside of the tutorial, I made an attempt to create my own object. A small space ship. But it is so bad, I won't even show it. No, really - it's that bad. Refer back to my previous blog entry about my clay elephant that looks more like a rabid mouse with elephantitus. My visual skills have not progressed beyond that.

I just want to create some basic models to piece together some Double Space scenes. Or at least just to play with. But it looks like 3D modeling is very much an art and a skill that will take much time to master. Time I don't have...unless someone will pay me for it. :-)

Aside from the fun stuff, I have a stubborn computer that refuses to let me install Java on it. I was trying to track a flight last night, but I couldn't, because the tracker required Java. And for some reason, it won't install.

From what I could tell (following another monumental waste of my time searching and searching for information that Microsoft seemed to go out of their way to bury), the Windows Virtual Machine is no longer distributed with Windows XP. And it is funny how ALL of the help and support information explains how to go in to enable Java in IE and in the OS, etc., yet not a single item represented in the pages were even present on my machine.

WHAT IS IT WITH MICROSOFT???

I tried downloading Sun's Java installer, and it keeps telling me there was a problem and it could not install. It's just too bad it doesn't give ANY clue or ANY information about what the problem IS exactly! They must be taking cues from Microsoft.

So, I have a computer - THE ONE I BUILT FOR VIDEO EDITING! - that doesn't do Java. Won't do Java. Can't do Java. So, now what do I do?

The balcony beckons...