A Plunge in 3D
Ripples Over Time
H2Overdrive

How-To articles by Jeff Paries

[_18_|_20_|_21_]
In 3D Artist issues #18, 20, and 21, Jeff Paries showed different aspects about working with water in Animation Master, Martin Hash Animation (MHA3D), and Playmation. Here are excerpts with the settings given in those three articles. Note that not all of these settings will work correctly with A:M v4 or later.--Ed.

A Plunge in 3D -- 3DA#18 page 38
This issue is out of print.

[This scene] simulates immersion in 15 to 20 ft. (5m) of water.
...
The ocean floor here was created by making a large square in the Sculpture module, with a diagonal spline from the lower left corner to the upper right corner. The diagonal created a two-spline segment, allowing the piece to render solid. After saving the segment as OCFLOOR.SEG, it was loaded into the Character module, scaled to 1000 on both the X- and Z-axes to insure proper dimension for the Choreography in the Direction module, and assigned the following attributes: 
Red   :   0
Green : 213
Blue  : 255

Ambiance     :  20
Transparency :   0
Roughness    : 100
Specularity  :   0
Mirror       :   0
Refract      :   0
...
The boat hull was created in Sculpture as a simple hull shape. In Character, this segment was given the following attributes to get an uneven, rotting wood type of look: 
Select Mottled Texture

Color1 (left)   Color2 (right)
Red   :  25     Red   : 117
Green : 191     Green :  61
Blue  : 206     Blue  :   0

Texture Scale : 15
...
[The grass was assigned] Red: 0, Green: 178, Blue: 127 [and] texture settings were left at default values.
...
The camera channel elements used to simulate underwater scenes are the RGB color channels and the [H]aze element. The RGB channels control the background color, and, for this example, were set to 0,76,208.
___ The [H]aze channel sets a distance from the camera, beyond which everything becomes progressively washed out toward the background color. The farther away the object or figure, the more washed out it becomes. Since haze can be altered over time, if you change depth in an animation, change the haze setting accordingly. The haze element for this choreography was set to 1000.
___ A single type 5 light (bulb without shadows) lights the scene from behind and slightly above the camera. The [A]ll colors element under the light channel is set to 212.5. This will adequately light the scene without defeating the haze effect. The light is non-shadow casting because light usually doesn't penetrate water enough to cause shadows.


Ripples over Time -- 3DA#20 page 28
This issue is in print, as of the latest revision to this page.

Start the Character module and load WATER.SEG. If it isn't aligned with the horizon line along the bottom of the screen, double click on the segment's pivot, holding down the mouse button on the second click, and drag it down into alignment.
___ Click the Wave Texture button (bottom row center) to activate the wave control, and set the following segment attributes: 
Red   :   0
Green :   0
Blue  : 150

Ambiance     :  40
Transparency :   0
Roughness    :   0 
Specular     : 100
Mirror       :  15
Refraction   :   0
At this point, the Wave Source Editor window should contain a sine wave. Set the wave source parameters like this: 
Source  Amp  Frq  Dmp  Cyc  Prp
  #1     0     0    0   0    0
  #2     2   100  100   6    0
  #3     2   101  100   6    0
  #4     2    25  100   6    0
  #5     1    85  100   6    0
[button] Figure 8 (18.9K GIF)

These settings will create a rippling effect across the WATER.SEG segment (Figure 8). Save as WATER.FIG.


H2Overdrive -- 3DA#21 page 28
This issue is in print.

Start the Character module, click the Add Segment button, and enter LEAVES.SEG in the file dialog. Set the following attributes for the segment: 
Red   : 255
Green : 255
Blue  :255

Ambiance     : 85
Transparency :  0
Roughness    :  0 
Specular     :  0
Mirror       :  0
Refract      :  0
From the File menu, select New. Click on the Add Segment button once again, and enter WATER.SEG when prompted for a file name. Click on the Wave texture button, and set the following attributes for the segment: 
Red   : 0
Green : 0
Blue  : 0

Ambiance     :  20
Transparency :  95
Roughness    :   0 
Specular     : 100
Mirror       :  20
Refract      :  10
You will also need to enter the following values into the wave table: 
    AMP  FRQ  DMP  CYC  PRP
#1   0     0    0   0    0 
#2   1    27  100   6    0
#3   1    25  100   6    0
#4   1    23  100   6    0
#5   1    27  100   6    0
[3DA#21]

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Revised: 21 Aug 00
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