User manual BIONATICS NATFX FOR 3DS MAX 1.8

[. . . ] for 3ds max TM USER'S GUIDE Manual The 2D/3D Hybrid plant modeler solution for computer graphics professionals VERSION 1. 8 www. bionatics. com Copyright 2003, BIONATICS All rights reserved natFX software and natFX User's Manual are protected by Copyright law and international agreements. The contents of this document may not be copied or duplicated in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of BIONATICS S. A. This document is supplied as a guide for natFX. Reasonable care has been taken in preparing the information it contains. [. . . ] If the back of the tree is never seen, he may have natFX split the tree in two, where one half of the tree is a single billboard and the other in full geoemtry for instance. First of all, the sector settings has three different angle viewpoints : Z, Y, User. Z : Best used when the camera never moves about the tree, but only passes in front of it. Cutting the tree in two, half in geometry and half in billboard, for instance where the camera never sees the back of the tree (billboard). Sector mode activated on full geometry tree. Sector mode is applied and divides tree along the azimuth and sector starting point thus preparing the areas for billboards and geometry. The tree with Smooth + Hiighlights and Edged faces for better viewing of billboards and geometry in panel C. In this case, a single billboard replaces the back of the tree while the rest remains in full 3D. natFX® User's Manual Edition 2003 : Version 1. 8 All rights reserved 65 N AT F X I N T E R FA C E 2. Y : Best used for bird's eye and arial shots. Whenever the camera moves over the tree, the Y viewpoint should be applied because natFX will divide the billboard and geome try that is best viewed from overhead. User : user is best used for those needing a field of view in the active user view point. It is more flexible than the Z and Y viewpoints because it lets you manunally place the sector anywhere by moving the tree. 3. A B C D In figure A and B, the sector pie covers about 50 percent of the tree. However, the user may move the tree along the axis and have the sector pie cover any area he wants. In figure C and D, the tree was move along the Y axis so that the sector pie now covers about 70 percent of the tree. 2D/3D Plant modeling - minimum polygons, maximum realism 66 N AT F X I N T E R FA C E SECTOR MODE | sector settings | azimuth The azimuth is the sector pie's angle. By setting the azimuth, the user may set the areas for natFX to generate billboards and geometry. Azimuth set to 90. Azimuth set to 180. Azimuth set to 270. SECTOR MODE | sector settings | sector size The sector size is the "mouth" or the opening of the sector pie. Everything that falls into the opening, remains in 3D. Sector size set to 90. Sector size set to 180. Sector size set to 270. natFX® User's Manual Edition 2003 : Version 1. 8 All rights reserved 67 N AT F X I N T E R FA C E 32. SELECTION INFORMATION Located in the Fine Tuning section. The selection information box displays the polygon count of selected geometry (to be converted to billboard), texture size and texture count. This information is particularly useful for the modeler who needs to optimize polycount and texture. It also enables him to determine by how many polygons he may reduce by converting a selection into billboards prior to doing so. Selection information. 33. SETTINGS In the Action section. The settings button launches natFX Settings where the user may modify default settings. See natFX Settings for more info. Settings. 34. TEXTURE In the Action rollout of the Modify tab. [. . . ] 1. 5"Images" shall mean any non-virtual rendering of the plants that is generated by the operation of the Growth Engine and that may be reproduced on paper or in a variety of electronic formats. 1. 6"Error" shall mean an anomaly that prevents the Licensed Software from performing substantially in accordance with its specifications but shall not include a fault causing minor or trivial deviations from such specifications. 1. 7"Qualified Educational Institution" is a school, adult education center, or technical or vocational school. 2. License Grant: BIONATICS hereby grants you, a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right to use and operate the Growth Engine and the Plant Data Files, to copy and modify the 3D Models and the related Images in the creation and presentation of virtual 3D environments and visualization for the applicable duration of legal protection, subject to the following conditions: 2. 1 you may install the Growth Engine, the Plant Data Files, the 3D Models and the Images on an unlimited number of CPUs, provided that all such CPUs are physically located at a single specific geographical address; 2. 2 you may access the Licensed Software, including 3D Models and the Images, only at that specific address; 2. 3 you may not separately publish, distribute, or transfer the Licensed Software including the 3D Models or the related Images to another site or to a third party; 2. 4 you may not print the 3D Models or the Images or have them printed except for an accessory purpose such as sales support to your primary use of the 3D Models or Images; 2. 5 you may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Licensed Software; 2. 6 you may not adapt, translate, rent, lease, loan or assign the Licensed Software or use it in a facilities management, service bureau or timesharing environment; 130 LICENSE AGREEMENT 2. 7 if you are a teacher at a Qualified Educational Institution, and you are using the Licensed Software with a class, you may install a copy at home for the purpose of preparing materials for that class; 2. 8 you may make one copy of the Licensed Software for back-up or archival purposes, so long as that copy remains in your possession or control; 2. 9 you may not use or reproduce the Licensed Software or any of its elements (by way of example, the output files or 3D Models of vegetation generated by the Growth Engine) to produce one of your own products, or in a commercial context; 2. 10 BIONATICS reserves the exclusive right to modify the Licensed Software or any of its elements, to correct, adapt and/or make any upgrade of it; 2. 11 you may not distribute or use publicly or in respect of third parties, any video sequences compressed with the Licensed Software without the prior written agreement of BIONATICS; 2. 12 you may not use the Licensed Software or any of its elements otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this agreement, without first having obtained an appropriate license agreement from BIONATICS. 3. 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