* Subject: 3D images (ZBuffer & SIRDS) * Date: Tuesday, 08 November 1994 23:56:49 [56] * From: "Ducharme, Alain: FOB" <Ducharme@fob.istc.ca>An example:
Load an object into the Detail editor (i.e. Cow.iob). To simplify the process UnGroup any parts then Join them all together as one object.
Attributes should be: Color white, set the rest to zero (0); Bright should be on (x), set Quickdraw on (x) and Texture: ZBuffer. Now reset your perspective view and rotate your object just as you would like to see it by the camera as viewed in the perspective view. This is important because ZBuffer is relative to Global coordinates, and not relative to the camera.
Go into the "Top" view window, turn Coordinates on, move your cursor to the bottom of the bounding box and write down the Y coordinate (Y1), move the cursor to the top of the bounding box and write down the Y coordinate (Y2). These two Y coordinates should be entered in the ZBuffer texture's Y1 and Y2. Leave the color settings from white (255,255,255) to black (0,0,0) (assuming your SIRDS generator expects white as out and black as in). Save the object
Go into Action editor, Add your object and set camera position to 0,Y1-n,0 alignment to 0,0,0 where n is the distance from the object to be viewed.
Save Changes. Go to Stage editor, add a light and place it anywhere in front of the object, turn on camera view and fine tune the placement of the camera making sure not to change it's alignment.
Render.
The resulting image should be a gray scale image which can be loaded into and processed by a SIRDS generator. I've had excellent results with this technique, many of which surpassed some commercially available SIRDS posters.
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