Cyber Studio

Last updated
Cyber Studio CAD-3D
Original author(s) Tom Hudson
Developer(s) Antic Software
Initial release1986;37 years ago (1986) [1]
Stable release
2.02 / 1987;36 years ago (1987)
Operating system Atari TOS
Type 3D computer graphics
License Proprietary

Cyber Studio CAD-3D (or just CAD-3D) is a 3D modeling and animation package developed by Tom Hudson for the Atari ST computer and published by Antic Software. The package is a precursor to 3D Studio Max. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

CAD-3D is a basic polygonal 3D modeling and rendering program. An operator can assemble a scene out of geometric primitives or custom extruded or lathed objects. Various view ports are available to adjust lighting and camera positioning. The limited rendering functionality allows for flat shading in 16 shades. Rendered images can be exported in Degas Elite or NEOChrome format.

By making changes between rendering separate cels, CAD-3D can be used for simple animations. Without its scripting extension Cyber Control changes have to be made by hand.

History

The first version was published in 1986 titled CAD-3D. [1] It still lacked advanced modeling features (boolean subtraction) and any animation.

In early 1987 Tom Hudson extended the application and it was renamed 'Cyber Studio CAD-3D v.2.02 '. The name Cyber Studio was proposed by Antic Software publisher Gary Yost due to his interest in William Gibson's seminal 1984 book "Neuromancer" which had introduced the term Cyberspace to describe a virtual 3D environment. [5] As of 1987 the software was packaged together with Cybermate, a Forth-based authoring language written by Tektronix engineer Mark Kimball, the creator of the StereoTek liquid crystal shutter 3D glasses that Antic Software sold as an add-on to Cyber Studio. [6] Cybermate was used to edit, sequence and present the animation files along with sound. The scripts allowed an operator to control when and how fast a video or audio segment played and whether it should loop. In combination with the other scripting language, CyberControl, users were capable to create video animations up to five minutes long. Jim Kent wrote Cyber Paint, a 2D animation program that brought together a wide variety of animation and paint functionality and the delta-compressed animation format developed for CAD-3D.[ citation needed ]

Extensions

Antic Software published a variety of related Cyber-products to extend the software's functionality:

Related Research Articles

Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has offices worldwide. Its U.S. offices are located in the states of California, Oregon, Colorado, Texas, Michigan, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Its Canada offices are located in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta.

Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities and a flexible plugin architecture and must be used on the Microsoft Windows platform. It is frequently used by video game developers, many TV commercial studios, and architectural visualization studios. It is also used for movie effects and movie pre-visualization. 3ds Max features shaders, dynamic simulation, particle systems, radiosity, normal map creation and rendering, global illumination, a customizable user interface, and its own scripting language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gmax</span>

Gmax is an application based on Autodesk's 3ds Max application used by professional computer graphics artists. 3ds Max is a comprehensive modeling, animation and rendering package with some secondary post-production and compositing features. Gmax is much more limited due to its singular intended use—game content creation. Infrequently used tools and features, or the ones completely unrelated to creating 3D game models, were removed, leaving the core modeling, texturing, and basic animation rigging and keyframing capabilities. In 2005, the promotional freeware software was discontinued after version 1.2, but a licensed version is still available from TurboSquid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Softimage (company)</span> Former 3D animation software company

Softimage, Co. was a company located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that produced 3D animation software. A subsidiary of Microsoft in the 1990s, it was sold to Avid Technology, who would eventually sell the name and assets of Softimage's 3D-animation business to Autodesk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autodesk Animator</span>

Autodesk Animator is a 2D computer animation and painting program published in 1989 for MS-DOS. It was considered groundbreaking when initially released.

Autodesk Media and Entertainment is a division of Autodesk which offers animation and visual effects products, and was formed by the combination of multiple acquisitions. In 2018, the company began operating as a single operating segment and reporting unit.

SpeedTree is a group of vegetation programming and modeling software products developed and sold by Interactive Data Visualization, Inc. (IDV) that generates virtual foliage for animations, architecture and in real time for video games and demanding real time simulations.

Antic Software was a software company associated with Antic, a magazine for the Atari 8-bit family of computers. Bound into issues of the magazine, the Antic Software catalog initially sold Atari 8-bit games, applications, and utilities from the recently defunct Atari Program Exchange. Original submissions were later added, as well as public domain collections, with all software provided on self-documented disk. When the Atari ST was released, it became a mixture of Atari 8-bit and Atari ST software and sold some major Atari ST titles such as CAD-3D. The magazine insert changed names several times, eventually being branded as The Catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motion graphics</span> Digital footage or animation which create the illusion of motion or rotation

Motion graphics are pieces of animation or digital footage which create the illusion of motion or rotation, and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects. Motion graphics are usually displayed via electronic media technology, but may also be displayed via manual powered technology. The term distinguishes static graphics from those with a transforming appearance over time, without over-specifying the form. While any form of experimental or abstract animation can be called motion graphics, the term typically more explicitly refers to the commercial application of animation and effects to video, film, TV, and interactive applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autodesk Revit</span> Building information modelling software

Autodesk Revit is a building information modelling software tool for architects, landscape architects, structural engineers, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers, designers and contractors. The original software was developed by Charles River Software, founded in 1997, renamed Revit Technology Corporation in 2000, and acquired by Autodesk in 2002. The software allows users to design a building and structure and its components in 3D, annotate the model with 2D drafting elements, and access building information from the building model's database. Revit is 4D building information modeling application capable with tools to plan and track various stages in the building's lifecycle, from concept to construction and later maintenance and/or demolition.

Navisworks is a 3D design review package for Microsoft Windows.

3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery.

The history of computer animation began as early as the 1940s and 1950s, when people began to experiment with computer graphics – most notably by John Whitney. It was only by the early 1960s when digital computers had become widely established, that new avenues for innovative computer graphics blossomed. Initially, uses were mainly for scientific, engineering and other research purposes, but artistic experimentation began to make its appearance by the mid-1960s – most notably by Dr Thomas Calvert. By the mid-1970s, many such efforts were beginning to enter into public media. Much computer graphics at this time involved 2-dimensional imagery, though increasingly as computer power improved, efforts to achieve 3-dimensional realism became the emphasis. By the late 1980s, photo-realistic 3D was beginning to appear in film movies, and by mid-1990s had developed to the point where 3D animation could be used for entire feature film production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flare3D</span>

Flare3D is a framework for developing interactive three-dimensional (3D) graphics within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR, written in ActionScript 3. Flare3D includes a 3D object editor and a 3D graphics engine for rendering 3D graphics. Flare3D runs on current web browsers utilizing the Adobe Flash Player, and uses Stage3D for GPU-accelerated rendering. Flare3D has not been under active development since late 2014.

DEGAS is a bitmap graphics editor created by Tom Hudson for the Atari ST and published by Batteries Included in 1985. Hudson created some of the sample paintings that shipped with DEGAS.

Tom Hudson is an American computer programmer best known for co-creating the 3D modeling and animation package 3D Studio as well as creating its precursor, CAD-3D for the Atari ST.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Yost</span> American filmmaker and software designer

Gary Yost is an American filmmaker and software designer, best known for leading the team that created Autodesk 3ds Max.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art of Illusion</span>

Art of Illusion is a free software, and open source software package for making 3D graphics.

References