My company is considering creating a interactive advisor(3d) for our customer. I was trying to find appropriate software for 3d modeling of human figure (realistic).
We are taken into consideration two approaches.
First option is to use one of the 3d modeling software for a creating model and the with help of some internal scripting language animate the model. The software should act as rendering server because 3d model should be reacting on user action in some way. Therefore we are considering applications that has some kind of scripting language.
The second option is to use 3d modeling software to create a character and then animate it with OpenSceneGraph.
There is also the hard way: do it all with OpenGL but I do not think it is a right way.
The project is at a very early stage of negotiations but I have to collect some knowledge to realize if its even possible to do that is such way. Therefore I have few questions:
- Is it possible to use a software like Cinema 4d/Maya/Blender to animate in real time single character?
- Which software would be the best to model a character (price is not an issue, what matter is rendering speed and very good ‘realitness’). We are considering Maya, Cinema 4D, Blender or ZBrush, Poser, 3DMax (however last three does not have scripting language as far as I know).
- Can OpenSceneGraph can be easily use for animating any character from software listed above?
As you can see the main issue is 3d software and question if it is possible at all :). I appreciate all suggestions.
Thank you in advanced.
The probably best way to do this is using a 3D game engine, like the CryEngine3 (it’s free for noncommercial projects) or the Unreal3 engine. Technically you’re interested in only the character animation, but you’ll need sophisticated material and lighting support in addition for multi layered shaders. Those engines can do it.
3D Modelling programs like you suggested are not optimized for realtime rendering. Although Blender has a game engine built in with quite thorough shader support it may a bit hard to get started with it. But for modelling the character and get a high quality preview it’s very well suited.
The realtime rendering of each of those programs is meant as preview, not the final product. Blender has the game engine, but this is not optimized for such kind of things.
Scripting helps you only so much with animating a character. You’ll also need tons of reference and pose data from which the animation system can blend together the expression.
Not really. Use a game engine instead if you want to get this done fast. Take a look at the CryEngine3 gallery. And like said: The SDK is free if this is noncommercial. If the program goes commercial you’ll require a licence though.