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Math and creative the side of Computer animation?

polycounter lvl 18
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Neo_God polycounter lvl 18
I would really like to know how much math is used on the creative side of 3d modeling and animation. Also what sort of math is used?

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  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    Hmm? I don't use any at all.

    Actually, maybe a little simple division when working out how many segments are needed in a certain length. Really basic stuff though. Maybe a little is used for animation timing and length too, but I'm not well-versed in animation, so don't believe me smile.gif
  • Paul Jaquays
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    Paul Jaquays polycounter lvl 18
    Allegedly, artists setting up model rigs need algebra to set up limits and such.
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    The creative people are artists, artists don't do math. Only programmers need it and they need the really nasty stuff. Quaternions, matrix transformations, etc.
  • cholden
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    cholden polycounter lvl 18
    I use math quite regularly with levels and design, but it's become second nature these days so I don't think about it much. After a while, all those standard units come from memory more than processing numbers.
  • thomasp
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    thomasp hero character
    so, programmers aren't creative then? or mathematicans, for that matter?
  • Jeff Parrott
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    Jeff Parrott polycounter lvl 19
    I use some with envir art. Just figuring out how large should x be or what cholden is saying. Nothing that I need to call NASA about, just simple stuff.
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Not very, that's a different part of the brain and most people choosing a "logical" profession are less creative. Besides, you don't have them drawing up the concepts for the game assets, do you?
  • thnom
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    thnom polycounter lvl 18
    Well for one it's maths (from mathematics -- math doesn't really make sense) and I don't do it at all really.
  • thomasp
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    thomasp hero character
    ah well. i guess problem solving and creative (doh) thinking isn't considered creative but smearing space marines on a piece of paper is? wink.gif
    i consider creativity basically as the ability to come up with something - be it a game asset or a formula, a cool animation or a clever hack to make the engine run faster.
    the difference lies merely in the approach imho. and as i found out, some artists are actually really methodic in theirs, much like technicians.

    oh and yes, i sometimes use maths, for writing expressions and the likes. i also do quite a bit of shell scripting and generally like the textual interface for certain tasks.
  • Neo_God
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    Neo_God polycounter lvl 18
    Well thanks for letting me know about this sorta stuff guys. Because my current math and motion class at art school is killing me, math has never been my forte, and I'm being asked questions like how would I go about scaling a 3d object using some various equation that takes half an hour to write out.
  • Toomas
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    Toomas polycounter lvl 18
    a^2+b^2=c^2 is your friend laugh.gif
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Replace ^ with ** if you're using Haskell or Python as a calculator.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    I use math to resize my textures by half. poly108.gif

    Then there is making sure the grid in your modeling app matches the grid in the engine.
  • JonMurphy
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    JonMurphy polycounter lvl 18
    Back when I started, using CGAL, all animation was defined by writting scripts, controlling the rotation and translation through time. I have a higher maths grade than most programmers I meet, though. Good fr funky material effects and particle systems.
  • arshlevon
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    arshlevon polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Well for one it's maths (from mathematics -- math doesn't really make sense) and I don't do it at all really.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    hahahahaha!!! when i was in austraila i heard people saying "maths".. sounded really dumb to me.. lets go do some maths.. i flunked my maths test.. but once i heard the reason for the "s" as stated above it seemed to make sense, but still sounded like something corky would say..
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