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PRICE: $129.00 SUPPLIER: RAYflect WEB SITE: www.rayflect.com REQUIREMENTS: |
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PRICE: $129.00 SUPPLIER: RAYflect WEB SITE: www.rayflect.com REQUIREMENTS: |
When MetaCreations introduced Ray Dream Studio 5, they included a mesh form modeler to make it easier to create organic objects. The new modeler was definitely an improvement, but it was still difficult to model complex organic objects.
Figure 1. Click for a larger version.
Figure 2. Click for a larger version.
Figure 3. Click for a larger version.Enter RAYflect, a software company based in Paris, France. RAYflect specializes in extensions which seamlessly integrate with Ray Dream software. Their previous Ray Dream extensions include, RAYflect 3D Light Pack, RAYflect Four Elements, RAYflect 3D Fun Pack, and the RAYflect Professional Lens Pack.
Their latest extension is called RAYFlect Blubble. Blubble is a metaball modeler which allows you to create smooth organic shapes. Working with the Blubble extension is like working with virtual clay. You work with primitives called Blob Elements. The 3D artist blends the Blob Elements together to create a new shape.
Blubble has four Blob Element primitives, a sphere, a cube, a cylinder, and a cushion. These primitives are either positive or negative. Working with two positive primitives is like lumping two pieces of clay together. Adding a negative primitive to a positive primitive is like tearing off a piece of clay.
To add a Blubble model to your scene, drag the RAYflect Blubble Tool into the perspective window, timeline, or hierarchy. This will launch the Blubble modeling window. Now the fun begins. A right click of the mouse introduces RAYflect's Ghost Menu. Everything you need to create your model pops up right under your cursor. Grab one of the positive Blob Elements and drag it into the modeling window. Another right click of the mouse re-opens up the Ghost Menu, allowing you to scale, move, or rotate the primitive. Continue adding, aligning, and sizing positive and/or negative Blob Elements until your desired model takes shape. To make it easier to select primitives while editing complex models, you have to option of assigning each primitive a unique color.
By changing the surface threshold, you can alter the attraction Blob Elements have for each other, thus altering the finished appearance of your model. There is also an option to increase Surface Fidelity, which adds more polygons to the finished object.
RAYflect's Blubble gives you multiple viewing options. Your model can be viewed in wireframe format or shaded format. Each format can be pre-viewed as either particles, primitives, or mesh. Previewing your Blubble model as a mesh object in shaded format will give you the best idea of what the finished product will look like. If you have a fast computer, the re-draw in this mode will be almost instantaneous. If you have a slower computer, it is advisable to pre-view your project in a lesser mode while modeling, switching to the shaded mesh format just prior to completing your model.
RAYflect makes it easy to view your Blubble model from any vantage point. A right click of the mouse while holding down the alt/option key introduces the View Presets Ghost Menu, making it possible to edit your project from any view. When you're satisfied with your Blubble model, click done to return to the Ray Dream perspective window. Ray Dream will draw your Blubble model. To edit the finished model, select it, and then double click to return to the Blubble modeling window.
You can animate any RAYflect Blubble object from inside the modeler. Create a Blubble primitive. Add the number of key frames needed to animate your model to the Blubble primitive's time line. Select the Blubble key frame where the animation change occurs, jump into the Blubble modeler, and make the desired changes.
The RAYflect Blubble extension makes it a breeze to add realistic organic models to your Ray Dream scene. The extension is well thought out and easy to use. The Ghost Menu feature is especially welcome. A simple right click of the mouse and all the elements you need to create your Blubble model appear right before your eyes. No longer are you distracted by looking for a menu or tool bar. Your attention stays where it belongs, on the work in progress.
RAYflect's Blubble comes complete with a user friendly manual in the popular Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. Three tutorials are also included with the manual.
RAYflect Blubble sells for $129.00, a fair price indeed for such a powerful extension. Blubble can be purchased directly from RAYflect's Web site, www.rayflect.com. Simply download the software and complete the transaction with your credit card through their secure server. Minutes later your personal serial number will be E-Mailed to you and you're ready to launch the extension and create convincing organic models.
Doug Sahlin is a writer, freelance graphic illustrator, and digital artist living in Lakeland, Fla. You can E-Mail Doug at das001@earthlink.net or visit his Web site, Doug's Digital Domain at home.earthlink.net/~das001/.
