INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAMPLE 3-D 360

BETA v. 1.0

Download the files. If there is a problem downloading the files, e-mail Scotttygett@juno.com for an e-mail attachment containing the requested files. The "lenticular61a.zip" and other files will need to be renamed "lenticular61a.lwo," as needed.

The scene "sample.lws consists of two chair objects from INSPIRE3D, a null (for the camera), a mirror ball and two pair of lenticular tubes which metamorphose back and forth every frame. Lenticular 1 and Lenticular 3 are an alternating object pair, as are Lenticular2 and Lenticular 4. The camera is parented to a null object to facilitate easier loading of the Scene objects into other scenes via the "load from scene" button. If your camera doesn't position on the Null when parented to it, do this manually. The Null file includes a pivotting rotation for the camera of 124 degrees that compensates for the "toe-in" of the two lenticular tube views, allowing things like making anaglyph pairs.

The four elements are not parented to anything, and are located "off-center," but one may parent them all to a Null, and then adjust that, in order to change their position and/or size. Changing the size of the sphere and tubes is actually recommended for a better 3D technique.

Lenticular 1 and Lenticular 3 are recommended to be used, over Lenticular2 and Lenticular 4, which are extreme. (One may also create Lenticular 3 from Lenticular 1 by rotating it 180 degrees on the x or z axis.) If a less-pronounced 3D effect is desired, it is recommended that one parent the objects to a master Null and reduce its size. A more immersive 360 degree record may be obtained by cutting a hole in the mirror ball and adding another single-sided hemisphere and a slab mirror below the 2 mirror hemispheres. Alternatively, one may simply copy the scene with the master Null rotated 180 degrees. There is some evidence that the lenticular effect falls-off near the top and bottom of view, as one would expect.

For there to be ANY effect, the reflection surface will need to be loaded or entered manually AND "Trace Reflection" activated in the Render Panel.

Although one may shorten rendering times by having one of the two hemisphere images render without a lenticular tube, and without as pronounced a 3D effect, the lack of symmetry will probably induce stereo image distortions. The ball and tube are each 60,000 point objects. One may construct a 120,000 point object and cut it in half (or 240,000 and cut quarter...), if one needs a greater level of detail.

It was discovered that the camera Null was apparently off-center, and this was adjusted for by compensating for the shift in the camera Null's motion file on the X and Z axes, rather than re-center. Expect this to be corrected in the revolutionary Beta v 1.1

(Another fix will likely be an object like a periscopic cone or toroid to rotate tube "fall-off" near the image "ceiling." to match the rest of the image, or a Scene file of a semitransparent patch with the correct image rotation giving a similar result by Compositing.)

 

 

Plese feel free to e-mail ScottTygett@juno.com for any comments or suggestions. This Beta program is intended to be commercially marketed, but has only been proposed to LIGHTWAVE at this time.

Do you think a 360 3D digital or video camera would be a popular item? Would you watch full immersion TV on your computer?