From: "tim (t.) betts" <tbetts@bnr.ca>
Subject:  TECH: Help w/ First 3D/VR Project 
Date: February 7, 1996
Message-ID:  <4f8f4i$mq7@bcrkh13.bnr.ca> 
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd. 


From: "tim (t.) betts" <tbetts@bnr.ca>

I have relatively limited experience with 3D modelling/animation
environments, but I have a very strong C, C++, Object-orientated
programming background, and a flair for presentation through creative
artistic designs.

I have read and discussed as much as I could with what I would
call domain experts in the hope that I could get setup at home with a
system capable of accomplishing my goal.

First goal:
    Requirements:
    -------------
    Taking a set of vanilla architectural (i.e. no color/texture, etc.,
    3D models provided by a friend in DXF format (or other standard CAD
    formats), I need a sufficiently comprehensive modelling package to
    produce a series of ray-traced (or generally high-quality realistic
    rendered images).

    Next, the client would use a simple stand-alone user interface to choose
    and flick through these images with their customer to allow them to
    choose from this limited set of customizations of their products that the
    3D models represent.

    Questions:
    ----------
    1. What software for;
        a) the modelling package, and
        b) the client interface,
        would you would you recommend to accomplish this goal.

    2. What hardware configuration would you recommend.  Lets say I
       have a total
	budget of around $10,000. I figure around $6,000 for the PC, $2,000 for
       some graphics accellerator, and $2,000 for software via educational
       resources, or any other practical money/hardware splits. I can be
       very flexible, but only within my budget. i.e. I could blow the lot
       on a DEC Alpha, but not be able to afford the software, or buy a
       reasonable single- (or dual) -pentium pro system running windows NT.

       Anyway, any insight into real PC configurations that you have used
       or are currently using with success would be useful to me.

As you can see this will give the client a set of reference images
to use with customers, but is confined to only popular pre-rendered color
and texture schemes.

Second goal:
    Requirements:
    -------------
    Therefore, I would want to build a more complex (functionally) user
    interface to take the 3D model files from the CAD application, and allow 
    the customer to choose various pre-defined color schemes, textures, etc.,
    which can be applied to various pre-defined portions of the 3D models.

    Finally, once these selections have been made the customer would be able
    to orient the model and choose from either a set of pre-defined a camera
    angles or position it themselves, before pressing a key causing the model
    to be fully rendered (on a 486-DX2 66MHz PC) (again very high-quality would 
    be needed in conjunction with a pre-defined lighting scheme), and 
    printed (if needed).

    Questions:
    ----------
    Same questions as above really, but if anyone can advice me on what software
    and hardware to use to develop this kind of product (end-to-end), I would
    be very grateful.

So it is to you I turn for advice in terms of real software and hardware
names, versions, vendors, prices, etc., to assist me in this venture.

In return, I will make every attempt to return the favor anyway I can in 
the future.

Please respond via my email if you have time, I am serious, and need to be
running pretty soon.

Thanks and take care,

   Tim R. Betts
   Email: tbetts@bnr.ca

Disclaimer: These are my strictly my personal oppions and do not necessarily
reflect those of either my client, my employer.