Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

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Ziggy72
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Re: Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

Post by Ziggy72 »

No Ikes, not yet. My plan is to make the animations and characters in iclone/Character Creator, then export them into S2 as pre-canned motions (as FBX). I can use the S2 world space to build the sets around that (along with the building generator). For interiors I'd use iclone though. It's easy to export iclone scenes with transparent backdrops so you can just drop them in front of anything (just like the layers in Muvizu).

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Ikes
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Re: Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

Post by Ikes »

Well Ziggy, I look forward to see an example of it. Is this Iclone / character creator worth the money? Do you need the 3DXchange as well to export the characters to S2? Because then we're talking about $450,- right? My believe is that Iclone is especially focused on making lots of money with selling as much content packs as they can, like Daz3D.

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Ziggy72
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Re: Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

Post by Ziggy72 »

Everything you just said is correct Ikes, yes. Iclone requires a lot more from you up front, but the payoff is the flexibility and total control this gives you when it comes to actually making something. 3DXchange is a pain in the ass, but yes you need it to allow you to import non Reallusion content or else iclone is pretty useless. Their business model (on their marketplace) is based around professionals who use these assets for commercial work, but you don't need to buy any of it. You can download tons of free stuff (off Renderosity and similar sites) or create your own clothing, you own props, your own scripts, etc (and if you do make stuff for iclone, you can sell it on their marketplace). And Daz is free, only the content specifically for it is monetized (but you can import/export what you like unlike iclone).

This is a much longer reply than I meant to write lol, but my point is that it depends on your ultimate goal - dabbler or serious. I started off dabbling with Muvizu and now I'm getting more serious about it and looking at using other tools to go beyond the limits of Muvizu's old engine. I'm willing to fund my own films but most people aren't going to do that, so iclone isn't for everyone, no.

Mindi Flyth
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Re: Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

Post by Mindi Flyth »

I'd given S2 a good look, but I haven't bought it. I'll be curious to see what you do with it, Ziggy. I'm especially intrigued about the prospect of uploading characters and I hope you'll do a tutorial or something when you have it figured out. What kind of built-in character creation does S2 offer? I've looked all over their website and at various videos, but I've never been able to see what their character creator is like or if they even have one.

GameGuru is another game engine with a lot going for it in terms of easy location creation, it's got a thriving user forum and it updates a lot, so in those ways I feel like it has more potential than S2... but its character creator is bad and people on the forum have said it's pretty hopeless for making movies. A lot of the games produced with it look kind of 2003, although some more talented users get good results. There's supposed to be a big update coming for the character creator, but who knows when that'll happen. With both programs I hesitate to jump in, because I'd be trying to use a game engine to make movies, and it seems like I'd always be swimming upstream, trying to make it something it's not.

It's sadly telling that even Ziggy, the moderator of this forum, is moving on to another program. If Meshmellow wants to save Muvizu they better get on it FAST.

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Ziggy72
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Re: Serious question: Is it worth getting started with Muvizu?

Post by Ziggy72 »

S2 doesn't have a character creator Mindy, AFAIK, and relies on you importing what you need. Since it's primary function is game creation is assumes you'll be bringing your own assets to the table, as it were. What it gives you are placeholders for everything, to make creation of levels and AI easier. You can create landscape slices with up to 8km x 8km and then populate that with whatever you want, which is what interested me in it as well as the procedural building generator, which is great and can export the buildings to any other programs. Well, any other programs that can import complex models - you'd have to break the building up in blender or something to get Muvizu to take them, unlike iclone which will take them no problem.

Character Creator is free for anyone to download and try out, and combined with iclone it is pretty useful. I'm still trying to work out exactly how and if this is possible at the moment (combining iclone with S2) but I will report back when (and if) I get it working.

And I'm not really moving on to another program, just adding another set of options to what I have. Things like iclone, Outerra and Bryce can be combined with Muvizu to good effect - it's all about your imagination, and getting the best out of what you already have. And a decent video editor doesn't hurt ;) Even if I don't make another film in Muvizu, I will continue to help it's users as long as I can. I even gave my feedback to the meshmellow email asking for it. Not sure if they listened, but we shall see I guess.