The process is very simple: ANY model in ANY format you upload to 3DVIA.com gets automatically converted into a DAE file as well as a 3DXML file. The
DAE format includes any model you create in 3DVIA Shape, which is a great quick tool for creating 3D content.  This content can now be used in most digital content applications like Adobe Photoshop and 3D applications used for film and gaming.

Yippee!

There is no prize, but we all win a big smile when we see some of the wacky humor that 3DVIA users show in their models. 3D modeling can be way too serious at times and I just love it when I come across a model that just cracks me up and makes me laugh out loud!

It’s kind of like when young kids show up where you work and you’re reminded that we all are part of a big family. Hearing a child’s voice makes a workplace feel like it’s part of the whole world. A funny model makes me feel the same way. Humor is a vital part of enjoying ourselves and it’s great to see models from all over the world that don’t need words to make us smile!

Shape 2.0 makes it even easier to create a funny moment in your models. Since you can add many existing models into your own Shape model and move them around and make them bigger and smaller – the possibilities for a laugh are endless. If you haven’t tried it, you’re missing a lot of fun.

I’ve gone through all 4400+ models on 3DVIA to come up with these ten choices (phew!). Check them out and if you can stop laughing long enough, add a comment to this post with your top three choices. If I missed one that makes you double up with laughter, put the model title or url in your comment and I’ll add it in.

I’m glad to say that we’re getting funnier as we go along. There are more funny models being added recently!

Comment and vote as often as you want, but try not to vote for the same models twice. We’ll keep track and after a couple weeks or so (no legal mumbo jumbo needed – it’s all free and just for fun) we’ll let you know which ones made the world of 3DVIA voters laugh the most.

By golly, if you can’t have fun doing this, then please check to make sure that you still have a pulse!

Next, we need to be sure that we really know what we’re seeing. If you are drawing an object on a piece of paper, you always know where your lines are – on the paper. You’ll never be surprised that one of the lines you just drew is actually on the back side of the paper, or on its edge, or has just plain disappeared. In 3D space there are all kinds of such surprises.

That’s why being able to confidently move around in 3D space is so important. If I draw a simple rectangle, a line from corner to corner, and then a vertical line without changing my viewpoint – I can end up not knowing where it went. The first image below demonstrates this confusing state of affairs. I can change my model color, as I’ve done in the second image, but that takes time. If I simply change my viewpoint, as in the third image, it’s easy to see where the line is and that it went where I wanted it to go.

If I have a more complicated model, it is even more important to be able to zoom around and in and out to check up on what I’m really creating. In the first image, I think that I’m drawing a line across the gray face of the model. Once I move my viewpoint, I see that my line is heading somewhere else entirely. If I had continued to model without checking, I would have been really surprised later.

The value of knowing where you are is even more apparent when you see the whole crazy asteroid that this is part of:

“What?”; you say, “Of course it’s hard to see – where did all the lines go?” That brings up the importance of knowing about the “Environment” button (or just use F4 and be done with it) to be able to see all of the edges to help guide your modeling.

“Enough already! You’ve convinced me. Now, how do I do all of this amazing rotating and zooming and everything?” I’m glad you asked.  Depending on which part of your brain you like to use, we have multiple tools to help you.

For those who love video presentations with avatars; there are video tutorials created using TVnima.com. (The “Navigation” tutorial is, oddly, at the end of the list, rather than at the beginning.)

If you prefer more traditional tutorials, we’ve got a bunch of those too. (The “Viewing in 3D” section is the first item under the “Using 3DVIA Shape Tools” heading.)

And we have a quick synopsis right here from an excellent and more complete blog post on the subject done by Rodd back in November.

By now, I hope you are ready to find your way around your model in 3D space and avoid some of the more likely surprises. Then again, there is always my favorite button on the screen:

Undo!

P.S. If you have specific questions about this blog post or previous ones, you can ask me directly, now that we have Messaging!

Go to Episode 2!

Go to Episode 1!

As in any endeavor, he had to start at the beginning and learn how to exploit the strengths and work around the foibles of Shape. The available online video tutorials are a start and also a good place to return when you’re frustrated/confused or if you just want to know more about a particular tool. The online documentation is another good place to look.

One very valuable source of help for the Shape modeler is that the program itself is eager to help you as you work. Shape is constantly providing you with onscreen choices to help you quickly get your ideas down. Most things that we want to make as humans have square corners and flat or vertical surfaces. We want our walls to stand up straight and our rooms to have flat floors and doors that work. Shape knows this and tries to help.

The most basic thing we can create in Shape is a line. Seems simple enough, right? Well, sort of…because one simple thing can take away the help that Shape is so eager to give.

In the earliest version of Shape, a line was drawn by selecting the line tool and then left-clicking where you wanted the line to start and then holding the button down while you dragged the line to where you wanted it to end. Then you released the button and you had your line. Shape helped you make sure that your line was flat and square to other parts of your model by providing feedback. The line would change color and show angles as you moved the mouse.

Unfortunately, usability studies showed that that is not the way that most people intuitively used their mouse to draw a line. So, it was changed.

The black line was drawn using the old method and looks parallel with the grid and good to build off, but when you draw your next line, you’ll find that you’re off by 1 degree, which will cause no end of problems throughout the rest of your model.

Now, the method is to select the line tool, then left-click at the start of the line AND THEN RELEASE THE MOUSE BUTTON before you drag your line to where you want it to end – then left-click again to finish the line.

As you move your mouse, you will see the clues that Shape provides. The line turns yellow when it is parallel or perpendicular to surfaces and other parts of your model as well as giving angular measurements and showing you which plane you’re drawing on. If you hold the left button down while dragging, you’ll lose all of those helpful clues.

If you use the new method, Shape will help you by showing the line in yellow when it really is parallel with the grid. So, when you put your next line in it will be a true 90 degree angle and you can continue modelling with confidence that everything will be square.

So, remember to click and release to start and end a line and you’ll be square (in a good way, I mean).

Go to Episode 1!

Go to Episode 3!

Without trying, he has exemplified what 3DVIA is all about – trying to help 3D become an enjoyable part of people’s lives – in the way that they want it to be.

He has employed his substantial creativity and imagination to use Shape in ways that few users have. In particular, his use of curves as a central part of his models is very sophisticated.

BBD Class Star Fighter                                         TD Class Star Fighter

 And it’s not just a couple of starships…it’s a whole slew of them!

Now we get to the humble pie part. I tried to recreate just one of his models in order to encourage more curvy modeling in a post – and I couldn’t figure it out. Wah! So, rather than crying in the corner, I flat-out asked him how he did it and he most generously provided over 100 pages of how-to tutorials (with lots of pictures for slow learners like me).

This whole series of blog posts will be based on that mega-doc from m2morgan64, with his permission and consultation as needed. I’ll also be adding in some other basic tips that I find from experience, learn from other users (feel free to send additions, corrections, and improvements) and from re-visiting the available online tutorials. We’ll also follow his game development process as it evolves.

m2morgan64 realizes that his game is quite an endeavor for one person, so he’s hoping others will check out his blog about his plans and contribute models if you want to. There’s a group discussion thread where he outlines what he’s looking for.

So, fasten your zero-gravity belts and stay tuned as we head for piracy in the heavens!

Go to Episode 2!

Go to Episode 3!

mvcomputers has provided us with a great example of thinking ‘Inside the box’.

Some of you may have skipped right over an odd little box all by itself that looks like this in big mix of things:

Not only is it kinda’ boring, it has the title “Battle Cruiser”, which makes one cringe to think of trying to speed across the galaxy in a black, speckled brick.

However, for the curious there is much to be found! A closer look will reveal some instructions…

…and if one dutifully zooms inside the box…

…the reward is huge! How truly excellent – to use the INSIDE of the box to create one’s own finite galaxy. That is SMART. As long as you stay ‘Inside the box’, you can have a blast checking out this cool cruiser.

For the really, really observant folks (which I was not until I went to write this post and was grabbing some images), this cruiser is not singular. As you press in for the attack, you’ll also have to deal with several companion cruisers ready to minutely particulate anything you might be riding in…

There are several hanging around, so do be careful! My mousing is not precise enough to get super close, but the hangers on look like this when increased in size (the use of the term blown up might be confusing in this context).

So, today’s lesson to be learned is: have fun! try crazy things! make everybody wonder how you did that! make everybody wonder WHY you did that!

Under the category of cool things that you can accomplish with our very own Virtual Earth – 3DVIA 3D modeling application and Microsoft Virtual Earth, the above fly through was built for a presentation of the proposed Eos Generali building in the heart of the Paris business district.  We worked closely with several groups to produce the video including our old friends from Earthware (a.k.a. siege103 on 3DVIA.com) who produced many of the buildings that you see in the presentation.

Although you may not have the 3D modeling talent of Chris (Earthware) or Marc (3DVIA), you can produce the same concept on Virtual Earth today.  Everything you see above was produced through applications that are freely available right now.  The buildings were modeled with the Virtual Earth – 3DVIA version of our free Shape 3D modeling application and the “fly through” capability comes standard with Virtual Earth.  Marc has already promised a tutorial on how to produce your own that will be posted here soon.

The video was posted earlier on several sites including the Virtual Earth / Live Maps and Earthware blogs.  I like Michael’s second comment on the VE / Live Map blog…”It almost looks just like 2nd Life! I couldn’t help but notice that. It would be interesting to have a sort of 2nd Life in Virtual Earth. Where it takes place in more realistic setting and realistic people, don’t you? That would be neat.” 

Interesting, don’t you think?

Just last month, Microsoft blogger Steve Lombardi posted a great article on 3D mashups created utilizing the modeling capability of Virtual Earth – 3DVIA combined with Virtual Earth technology.  He detailed how developers can embed Virtual Earth 3D maps into their web applications and use our Virtual Earth – 3DVIA product to import custom building models.  You can see the final result here.

Although I did not get a chance to post an article on his creation then, this week delivered yet another great example of a 3D mashup posted on the IDV Solutions blog titled “3D, or Not 3D: That Is the Question“.  The article is a great step-by-step tutorial on how to build 3D models for Virtual Earth.  However, in addition to the snappy title that I know he must have been dying to use, the article contains a link to the incredible mashup they have created on their own Virtual Earth a based application.  It is a great example of what you can be accomplished with Virtual Earth – 3DVIA and worth checking out.

Fans of 3DVIA.com might remember the IDV Solutions 3D building  model as one of our featured models in January.  Here is the model on 3DVIA.com. (click the PLAY 3D button to view it).

And here is the here is the same building within the IDV 3D Mashup built on what they call their “experiment”.  What do you think?

 3D Model of the Duxford Control Tower

View Model on 3DVIA 

Thank you for the quick turn around on the very cool 3D model.  I put the same assignment out to anyone else – make a 3D model using 3DVIA Shape and drop a comment here.  I’ll post the best versions when you upload them to the site.

While we are on the subject of buildings…you should check out Marc’s new group for House and Building 3D modelers.  After you join the group, you can add your 3D models to the group directly from the model page.

siege103 from Earthware recently posted some interesting 3D models to 3DVIA that were built using Google SketchUp. The best 2 models he uploaded were the Housing Terrace and Shopping Center models.

My assignment for Chris this week…try creating some of your models using 3DVIA Shape?

 Siege103’s 3D Shopping Center

You may remember his great (and honest) review from the Earthware Blog covering the Microsoft Virtual Earth – 3DVIA release and the video he produced on “Creating your first building in Virtual Earth 6“.

To upload your 3D models to our free 3D model hosting service, create a 3DVIA account and enjoy.

Cheers!

For my latest request, please add your links for new years related models.  It could be champagne bottles, party hats…a 3D model of your friends after they’ve had to much 3D Champagne and 3D party hats?  Anything that you would like to celebrate the new year.

Last time, Shadows44 provided his Xmas model for our holiday request.  If you get a chance, check out his Shadows.fr 3D blog (French).

Happy 3D New Year!!!

3D SANTA CLAUS

Check out the 3D Santa that mcrodrigues from Rio de Janeiro uploaded. Somehow, I think that our 3D Santa might have trouble making it down the 3D chimney?

3D CHRISTMAS TREES

DonBlur out of Los Angeles brings us both the festive tree on top and the evergreen below.

I think our second tree may need a few ornaments but check out the detail on that model up close.

I’ll post more models as I find them over the next few weeks. Please make sure to tag your models with a holiday related tag so I can find them easily.