Posted in Computers & Tech / Internet and Websites
Author: Vyoma Total-Replies: 5

I was on a scrouge of the wide internet to look out for some good open source (or atleast freeware) 3d design tool. And I was quite pleased with what I found:

www.blender.org

It gives away a open source 3d design software. I had used 3d-max earlier, and I was quite amazed that this freeware lived up to those expectations. I am not a professional in 3d-design, but for my needs I found Blender quite appealing.

What amazed me though was the small footprint of the software. The download is just about 8 MB. Now compare it to any other 3d design software and one can realize the weight of it, considering that it contains most of the professional features.

It was originally a propriety software of NaN company, which they later released as open source after a fund raising campaign.

I was just wondering if there were any Blenderers here at Astahost.

Posted in General Discussion / Computer Talk
Author: szupie Total-Replies: 2

Firefox is a browser, like Internet Explorer, but much better (In my opinion and many others' opinion). It's an open-source browser developed by Mozilla. Firefox is free to download right here. It has many useful features like tabbed browsing (If you've only used Internet Explorer, you don't know what it is: it allows you to open multiple web pages in one single window, and you can switch between them with tabs--kinda like the tabs in Windows' configuration dialogs), RSS support (like a live news feed thing... I don't use it much), customizability (you can pretty much change every thing in your browser's look, including the position and design of the buttons), and extensions (there are many user-made little tools that you can add to your Firefox browser). Fortunately for web designers, Firefox supports many web standards, and in the recently updated version, it added support for SVG, a language used in web pages to draw vector graphics.

Just go download it and try it to see if you like it. If you don't, you can switch back to the browser you're currently using. Here's the like again: http://www.mozilla.com

Posted in Computers & Tech / Programming / Game Programming
Author: tek3D Total-Replies: 0

Best Open Source Engines:
1. OGRE
2. Irrlicht
3. Crystal Space
4. Panda3D
5. jME
6. Reality Factory
7. Blender Game Engine
8. The Nebula Device 2
9. RealmForge
10. OpenSceneGraph

I tried ORGE, Irrlicht, and OpenSceneGraph(OSG).
- OpenSceneGraph is an portable, high level graphics toolkit for the development of high peformance graphics applications such as flight simulators, games, virtual reality or scientific visualization. Providing an object orientated framework on top of OpenGL, it frees the developer from implementing and optimizing low level graphics calls, and provide many additional utilities for rapid development of graphics applications. I recommend it for simulation application.
- The Irrlicht Engine is a cross-platform high performance real-time 3D engine written in C++. It is a powerful high-level API for creating complete 3D and 2D applications like games or scientific visualizations. It comes with documentation and integrates all the state-of-the-art features for visual representation like dynamic shadows, particle systems, character animation, indoor and outdoor technology, and collision detection. All this is accessible through a well designed C++ interface, which is easy to use. Irrlicht is easy to learn and program for beginners.
- OGRE (Object-Oriented Graphics Rendering Engine) is a scene-oriented, flexible 3D engine written in C++ designed to make it easier and more intuitive for developers to produce games and demos utilising 3D hardware. The class library abstracts all the details of using the underlying system libraries like Direct3D and OpenGL and provides an interface based on world objects and other intuitive classes.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing
Author: mzwebfreak Total-Replies: 15

In all my years of web and graphic designing, I have a few main sites, such as gettyimages.com, that I go to for stock photos, or ones like atpictures.com for celebrity photos. What kind of sites, if you prefer those over stock CDs, have you found to be the most helpful in your designing, and, if there's a specific reason, why. What are the pros and cons of your favorites?

Me, personally, I like Getty because it seems to be the main source for all sorts of graphics for all kinds of ideas...yes, some are rights-managed, so you have to give credit and such like that, but they also have a ton of royalty-free images you can use for graphics and layouts. As for AtPictures, yeah, they generally have a lot of celeb pics, but most of them seem to be at events, rather than photo shoots, which is what I prefer to use for my graphics...then I found out about All Stars Online, that is more along the lines of what I was looking for, plus the pictures scanned are of really good quality...as long as I link back to the site, and say that's where I got the graphics from, they don't mind people using the graphics...that's what they put them there for.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems / War Of the OS World
Author: Alegis Total-Replies: 13

Good to hear that you're enjoying your OS. Bear in mind other's have their reasons to enjoy theirs, so in case you want a fair poll you'd better try not to show your choice too much as well as denigrating those that choose other than you.

My only problem with avid linux fans is their cries of superiority and frowning down on the heretics using some corporate software. Free and open-source stuff is good, enjoy it - but try not to parade.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing
Author: ReBoot Total-Replies: 20

3d softwares? Well, I use lately sketchup (and its free from google!). It's quite easy to learn that software.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing / Graphics Design
Author: destinedskater Total-Replies: 9

OK im in desperate need of a graphics program but it must be free!
Ive looked all over and cant find one that is very good
I heard someone a little while a go say that there is a free one but i never saw what it was called help please!!

Posted in Computers & Tech / Software / Freeware
Author: Tech Live Total-Replies: 7


Taken from http://feeds.feedburner.com/techlive2

Posted in Computers & Tech / Programming / Scripting / JavaScript
Author: k22 Total-Replies: 15


Are you sure? http://www.sothink.com/flashdecompiler/ it can decompile every flash sites....
The only way to "protect"(why should you do it?) that I know is PHP GD or Js, yep, Javascript is runned by the client and some anti-spam system create a little js that the client sees like a mail addres when he opens that
http://www.kenric.com/AntiSpambotMailto.html

'njoy

IMHO there is no-reason to protect the code..the code must be free..like internet IMHO

Posted in Computers & Tech / How-To's and Tutorials / Websites and Web Designing
Author: r3d Total-Replies: 23

nice topic
you can get more info about design stuff in this link http://www.webstyleguide.com/index.html?/contents.html its a free online book for proper web designing, it does teach you html

Posted in Computers & Tech / How-To's and Tutorials / MISC (no matching category)
Author: Giniu Total-Replies: 4

Hi...

I see you liked it and I'm happy with it... but you said, you won't be able to get a team of 50 people and even with them finish in short time, so I would write there some facts that may make you change your mind...

When you have engine and design it's noted you can be done with large RPG with 20 people within 26 months (taken from Deus Ex - it got Game of the Year, i don't remember year... - you may think it's bad example, since it's old, but remember development techniques also went up...)

Also wirting GOOD design document should take something about 6 months for team of 6 people incuding 2 writers (one technic and second scenario writer) and 4 artists (mainly for concept arts...)

But right - when you have engine... in Neverwinter Night creation of engine took few years! But there is solution that is on top of technology - Open Source engine components, from witch you can build your engine like from LEGO with one programer within 6 months.

you need have the design done, before you would start making engine, so you have one year of preparing and two years of production (QA, beta and testing included!), it gives you 3 yers with 25 people, so, this is only 75 years of one-man work and if you would find 75 peoples (this is number of NWN developers) you would be able to finish in ONE YEAR...

first question: how to find those engines?
answer: just look around in the net for "free game engine" - or visit site www.devmaster.net/engines/index.php that provides an engine listing, also look atwww.cyberloonies.com - they also got their listings and also tutorials...

take a close look at those engines:

OGRE3D (Object-oriented Graphics Rendering Engine) http://www.ogre3d.com/
ODE (Open Dynamics Engine) http://ode.org/
FEAR (Flexible Embodied Animat aRchitecture) http://fear.sourceforge.net/
OpenAL (Open Audio Library) http://www.openal.org/
CAL3D (Character Animation Library) http://cal3d.sourceforge.net/
HawkNL (Hawk Network Library) http://hawksoft.com/hawknl/

When you combine them you can get engine on top of todays technology (like normal maps and pixel shader) and engine that works on (Win/Lin/Mac) so this is unusual even for large comercial engines!

second question: from where I can get people to join my team?
answer: just look around in the net for "game development forum" - or visit site [forums at www.gamedev.net] and ask for help - many Open Source/Free/Commercial projects do that and they are able to find help, so just try!

Someday I would probably write another part of this How-To... There would be hints for development process...

Regards

Giniu

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing / Animation
Author: unimatrix Total-Replies: 24

Try Blender 3D (free and opensource) or Maya Personal Learning edition if you want to learn on the industry standard application.

Posted in Free Web Hosting / *FREE WEB HOSTING REQUESTS / FREE WEB HOSTING : NEW ACCOUNT..
Author: polarysekt Total-Replies: 1

To generate an application for free web hosting please click here: Free Web Hosting Request Form


I would like to request free web hosting from Astahost.
Please find my application below.

1. Your Registered Domain Name or Desired Astahost Subdomain Name:
   
   
   1. polarysekt.astahost.com
      
   
   
   
2. Account Username:
   
   
   1. pskt
      
   
   
   
3. Introduction:
   
   
   1. About me? Well...
      
      I enjoy just about anything computer...
      this includes (although is not limited to) programming and electronic music sequencing/production.
      
      I enjoy programming the most in c++, although my knowledge extends very little beyond the standard libraries and the win32 API - which is still viable for console-mode UNIX apps...
      
      I've been delving a bit into JAVA for platform compatibility's sake, although I very much dislike having to bundle any runtimes or additional libraries with my software. (It's all about that OBE baby...)
      
      Most of my software thus far has been in the application genre (and open source), although I've been researching extensively various tips and techniques related to game programming and artificial intelligence.
      
      My knowledge of web programming is limited, mostly to HTML and client-side JavaScript - and since my IP address is designated usually by my neighbor's router (DHCP?), I am unable to host a website of my own (though I have most experience using Apache). As it is, my webpage sitting on geocities is generated by JavaScript to provide a consistent user interface... (oh how nice it would be to use php or at least server-side includes...)
      
      
      For the music end - I enjoy techno (of course in this context I'm not referring to the general "umbrella" term commonly misused by popular culture to mean electronic music...)
      
      I like the very clanky, churning, layered beats and acid synthlines... pounding approximately at 140-150BPM, often accompanied by wickedly syncopated hats and other percs... such as you might find under one of my favourite labels - the TrueLove.UK :: Stay Up Forever collective... including (most notably): 4x4, Ripe Analogue Waveforms, Hydraulix, and Wah Wah... and such artists as Guy McAffer/the Geezer, D.A.V.E. the Drummer, the Liberators - Julian AND Chris, Chris Liebing (CLR / Stigmata), Marco Remus (Nerven / Drumcode), Glenn Wilson/ANT, Seema, Sandy Warez, DJ Rush, etc...
      
      My focus lately has been on beat structure and development, and as always, an emulated 303 with a polyphony of 1... (would that be a monophony?? who cares lol)
      
      However, I will continue to host my tracks on mp3.com (which would involve merely a link to the site) as it has provided enough space for my tracks. (I render to the web at 256kbps or less...) In addition, they've provided me with an easy option of streaming my tracks, and their interface is fairly intuitive for casual user feedback.
      
      
      Oh, and by the way, I don't operate a motor vehicle as I have just as many problems with OPEC as I do Microsoft (although I'll argue in their defense if I see an uneducated and flimsy post about Open Source or Firefox... I actually argued in favour of IE 7 once on this site only because I felt it had become all to trendy to trash Microsoft without a solid reason...) So yeah, I ride my bike to my simple job, and then come home to code my brains out... ( I would have said hack, but that brings about the same problems as the words techno or ignorant... )
      
      In addition, my cousin has really brought the topic of Global Warming to my attention - so I've trashed all my incandescent bulbs in favour of those sexy 6-year 16 watt replacements... If I want heat... I use my heater, not 44W of my light-allocated energy...
      
      My goal by the end of the year is to build 4 solar "collectors" and power my TV, both my computers (including the speakers, router, etc), and various lamps throughout my rooms, in the hopes of eventually calling the electric company and telling them we won't be needing their services any further...
      
      
      Other than that, I guess I really don't do too much... As any computer nerd would know, there's not much time for anything else if you want things done right...
      
      
      
   
   
   
4. Email Address:
   
   
   1. polarysekt@yahoo.com
      
   
   
   
5. Age:
   
   
   1. 23
      
   
   
   
6. Country Where I Live:
   
   
   1. United States of America
      
   
   
   
7. My Websites Theme:
   
   
   1. Computers / Art and derivatives
      
   
   
   
8. Reason I Chose Astahost:
   
   
   1. I can go on and/or argue many points about many things, especially computers and programming... So posting a bit here and there has proven fairly easy... And apparently that's all I need to do to stay up and active??
      
   
   
   
9. How I Found Astahost:
   
   
   1. I think Google? Searched "Free Web Hosting" most likely...
      
   
   
   
10. My Previous Host:
    
    
    1. yahoo geocities
       
    
    
    
11. Reason For Leaving My Previous Host:
    
    
    1. slow loading sidebar advertisements, popup windows, and a very annoying upload interface
       
    
    
    
12. Desired Hosting Package:
    
    
    1. #2: Regular Package
       
    
    
    
13. Additional Comments:
    
    
    1. I really don't plan to use much bandwidth - I usually get about 100 hits a month tops (most of them from myself, monitoring and testing)...
       
       Basically my only audience currently is close friends and family (and even they could probably care less... I guess they don't know that accessing IP's are logged, and theirs are usually... missing)
       
       When I do release programs or music, I will merely link to external sites (mp3.com / sourceForge / etc)... and the site would act more as a link list... although I have some writing or poetry I might throw in there... as well as unpaid advertisements for firefox, open office, spyware utils... In other words, just recommendations on FREE software that many people pay for...
       
       One of these days I may actually FINISH an article or tutorial... but... lol... I'm more likely to do what I know, than stress out about how imperfect either of these might be... I'd rather get a compiler error or crash out my computer than have some NOOB point out a retarded mistake I've made... Plus, my code works - but the underlying theory and/or organisation gets a bit skewed after about 6 hours and a few pounds of caffeine... enough said?
       
       haha, no... I really wanted to put my age as approximately 23.84 - but apparently the box only accepts numbers...
       
       only 8 chars for the user name? : ( - well... i hope 4 is enough... it should be unique...
       
       ok, now that's it... (I already agreed and signed, I just prefer to go out of order...)
       
    
    

I have read, understand, accept, and agree with the Terms Of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, and The Forum Rules:
YES, I Agree!

Thank You,
polarysekt

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing / Animation
Author: helix Total-Replies: 21

Don't want to drop a cool grand on a modelling program just to do some hobbyist work? Try one of these:

http://www4.discreet.com/gmax/
Neutered version of 3DSMax

http://www.swissquake.ch/chumbalum-soft/
Milkshape

Posted in Computers & Tech / Internet and Websites
Author: wedjarl Total-Replies: 12

Its not that hard to create a custom built templates. Photoshop is a perfect software to create nice templates and layouts. Before I usually admire templates..how they are done, yet I was hesitant using them, for a single free template, probably there are thousands out there who are using it too. Templates are great web design guidance for me. You could grow and learn a lot from studying layouts made by others.