7 October 1988

    This disk contains twelve VideoScape 3D objects that I created in 1987
for the movies "Apocalypse Real Soon Now", "Iceberg", and "Halloween 3D".
The object files on this disk are in their original 3DG1 text format and
are exactly as used in the films mentioned.  Since Aegis Modeler 3D was
still under development back then, I used a text editor and the EGG and OCT
utilities to create the objects.  Following the VideoScape convention, all
coordinates are specified in meters, so different objects can be used in
the same scene without scale problems.  Many of these objects depend on
VideoScape 3D's surface detail capability, so they may not work well with
other animation programs.  If these objects are to be used with version 2.0
or greater of VideoScape, I recommend converting them into 3DB1 binary
format to reduce disk space and loading time.  Have fun with these!

                                                - Allen Hastings



OBJECT NAME    FILM            COMMENTS

AH64Body       Apocalypse RSN  This is an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
                               with a full weapons load, but no main rotor.  This
                               This object was featured on the cover of
                               Amazing Computing (volume 3 number 5).

AH64Rotor      Apocalypse RSN  This is the main rotor for the Apache.  See
                               the instructions below to animate it.

AratiBuilding  Apocalypse RSN  This object is designed to fit into the
                               space in the "Arati Lot" object.

AratiLot       Apocalypse RSN  This is the parking lot and landscaping for
                               the "Arati Building".

RightTurnSign  Apocalypse RSN  These are some of the signs seen by the
LeftTurnSign   Apocalypse RSN  Lotus driver before striking the unicycle.

StopSign       Apocalypse RSN  This was created for the film but didn't
                               actually appear in it.

Iceberg1       Iceberg         These fractal objects have built-in blue
Iceberg2       Iceberg         reflections.  For best results, use side
                               lighting, light blue sky, and dark blue
                               ground colors.

Pumpkin        Halloween 3D    This is a smiling jack-o-lantern.  Use a
                               custom palette to change red into orange.
                               The candle can be lit by making the black
                               polygons yellow.

HauntedHouse   Halloween 3D    These objects were easily created by joining
Graveyard      Halloween 3D    a few simple building blocks with the OCT
                               utility.

    The best way to animate the AH64 main rotor is to use hierarchical
motion (available in version 2.0 or greater of VideoScape).  Load the
"AH64Body" object and its motion first, then load "AH64Rotor" and specify
"AH64Body" as its parent object.  This ensures that the rotor will stay
attached to the helicopter no matter what the helicopter's motion may be.
Then set the rotor's X, Y, Z, and heading to zero, and set its pitch to 96
degrees (this gives it a forward tilt).  To make the rotor spin, increase
its bank angle during the scene.  For example, if the rotor spins 30
degrees per frame, then during a 60 frame scene its bank angle would vary
from zero to 1800 degrees.