kmaier@p3.f11.n369.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Kenneth Maier) (02/01/90)
Can anyone tell me about TOPAS, the PC based modeling software developed by AT&T????
Specifically, what sort of hardware is required to take advantage of this software, what can it do, and how much does it cost? Is there a phone number that someone can give me for AT&T so I can call them and find out more information?
Thanks in advance,
-Kenneth
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Kenneth Maier via FidoNet node 1:369/11
UUCP: {attctc,<internet>!mthvax}!ankh,novavax!branch!11.3!kmaierkatefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City) (02/04/90)
> From: kmaier@p3.f11.n369.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Kenneth Maier) asked > > Can anyone tell me about TOPAS, the PC based modeling software > developed by AT&T???? > Specifically, what sort of hardware is required to take advantage of > this software, what can it do, and how much does it cost? Is there a phone > number that someone can give me for AT&T so I can call them and find out > more information? Topas is a approx. $10k package (depending on the modeler and animator in the package) that runs on a 20mhz and up 286 or 386. A newly announced version includes a "Rapid Render System", a i860 based co-processor board. The renderer uses either Phong or Gauroud shading (selectable) with one shadow spotlight, 20 point, and one distant light source. With 8 megs of EMS ram up to 9 texture maps may be used. It uses a Targa 16, 24, or 32 or Vista 1, 2, or 4 meg. framebuffer. It can render to film at up to 8k. AT&T can refer you to any of over 100 dealers - most of whom know less about the program than you do! Topas' principle competitor is Digital Arts' DGS. Approx. $10k. DGS runs on 386/387, YARC 68030 (40 mhz) and/or INMOS T800 Transputer (up to 32 nodes) DGS' renderer is based on Pixar's RenderMan standard (it has everything but NURBS). It combines Phong and Gauroud shading with unlimited point lights, 5 shadow spots, unlimited spotlights, distantlight and ambientlight. It can access 24 maps of varying size, up to 4k x 4k, per scene, for texture, transparency, bump, displacement, reflection and environment mapping. It uses procedural shaders. It uses the same framebuffers as Topas. It can also render to 8k. It has very few dealers, but they seem to know what they are talking about. Basically Topas is very easy to use, but at the cost of capability and flexibility. DGS is more difficult to learn, but is more capable and flexible. Chris Williams, Call or E-Mail me for more info, ......................................................... : Chris Williams : Motional Images : : katefans@world.std.com : 1627 Main Suite 500 : : : Kansas City, Mo. 64111 : : Phone (816) 561-0846 : (816) 421-6534 : :...........................:...........................:
dkelly@npiatl.UUCP (Dwight Kelly) (02/05/90)
katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City) writes: > Topas' principle competitor is Digital Arts' DGS. Approx. $10k. DGS runs >on 386/387, YARC 68030 (40 mhz) and/or INMOS T800 Transputer (up to 32 nodes) > DGS' renderer is based on Pixar's RenderMan standard (it has everything >but NURBS). DA's DGS is not RenderMan compatible yet. You can not write procedural shaders at your site. This is very important! The renderer is very good and fast on a 16 node T800. The builders however are very limited in the number of objects it can manipulate (~2000). Anyone know where I can get faster versions of the blur and matte utilities? Dwight Kelly Network Publications, Inc. Atlanta, GA
katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City) (02/06/90)
> dkelly@npiatl.UUCP (Dwight Kelly) > >katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City) writes: > > Topas' principle competitor is Digital Arts' DGS. Approx. $10k. DGS > > runs 386/387, YARC 68030 (40 mhz) and/or INMOS T800 Transputer (up to 32 > > nodes. DGS' renderer is based on Pixar's RenderMan standard (it has > > everything but NURBS). > DA's DGS is not RenderMan compatible yet. You can not write procedural > shaders at your site. This is very important! The renderer is very good > and fast on a 16 node T800. The builders however are very limited in the >number of objects it can manipulate (~2000). > Dwight Kelly > Network Publications, Inc. > Atlanta, GA Sorry if I gave anyone the wrong impression. DGS produces a RenderMan compatible file, (.rip rather than .rib.) It is based on an older definition of RenderMan (pre Ri- suffixes.) At the RenderMan dog'n'pony show at Siggraph last year I was told that it had not been decided if user-defined shaders were to be a required part of the specification. I have definitely exceeded 4k faces on an object. Anyway it can handle larger databases than Topas. One other thing I forgot to mention about Topas vs. DGS is the fact that Topas doesn't produce alpha channel data, and has limited matte'ing facility. >Anyone know where I can get faster versions of the blur and matte utilities? Have you tried Ron Scot's QFX utilities? His blur isn't directional but it is faster. And his matte is much more flexible. I'll be posting a piece about using QFX in produce to the Digital Arts BBS soon. ......................................................... : Chris Williams : Motional Images : : katefans@world.std.com : 1627 Main Suite 500 : : : Kansas City, Mo. 64111 : : Phone (816) 561-0846 : (816) 421-6534 : :...........................:...........................:
bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com (Bob Lindabury) (02/08/90)
In-Reply-To: message from dkelly@npiatl.UUCP > katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City) writes: > >> Topas' principle competitor is Digital Arts' DGS. Approx. $10k. DGS runs >> on 386/387, YARC 68030 (40 mhz) and/or INMOS T800 Transputer (up to 32 nodes) >> DGS' renderer is based on Pixar's RenderMan standard (it has everything >> but NURBS). > > DA's DGS is not RenderMan compatible yet. You can not write procedural > shaders at your site. This is very important! The renderer is very good > and fast on a 16 node T800. The builders however are very limited in the > number of objects it can manipulate (~2000). > > Anyone know where I can get faster versions of the blur and matte utilities? > > Dwight Kelly > Network Publications, Inc. > Atlanta, GA >From what I understand (and from the literature for DGS) it can operate in a 286 platform. Of course you are talking major slow downs and the need for an Accelerator but it will still run on a 286 if you want to use it as a platform. -- Bob _______________________ Pro-Graphics BBS 201/469-0049 ________________________ InterNet: bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com | ProLine: bobl@pro-graphics UUCP: ..crash!pro-graphics!bobl | CServe: 70347,2344 ARPA/DDN: ..crash!pro-graphics!bobl@nosc.mil | Amer. Online: Graphics3D ___________ ____________ Raven Enterprises - 25 Raven Ave. Piscataway, NJ 08854
dkelly@npiatl.UUCP (Dwight Kelly) (02/09/90)
bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com (Bob Lindabury) writes: >>From what I understand (and from the literature for DGS) it can operate in a >286 platform. Of course you are talking major slow downs and the need for an >Accelerator but it will still run on a 286 if you want to use it as a >platform. Yes DGS will run on a 286 based system with either a transputer or a 680?? co-processor board. None of the utilities use 386 opcodes. The pc runs the utilities and is the host for the coprocessor. DGS has a 386 version of the [23]build and render. The 286 will only slow down file i/o and the dos based utilities. The builders and render will not slow down (except for i/o). Dwight Kelly Network Publications, Inc.