Crazytalk v6 - This looks like a big improvement over the previous version, if only they would add vectors to the workflow they would have a killer app... One thing they have added that is intriguing is limited head turns (quite limited though - maybe 5-10 degrees at most).
Video demos:
Talking painting (quite impressive);
Kid sketches; you can see some of the limited head turns here;
Comic book (you can tell the bitmap base here in the mouth movement very easily, they need to add some better anti-aliasing to remove the jaggies)
Crazytalk 6
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
I have no intention of becoming Reallusion's defender, or anything like that, but we've all been too simple-minded in our mantra of "vectors, vectors, vectors." (I include myself.)
Consider this:
1. Has any device ever been invented which can actually display vectors? Arguably, a laser show projection comes about as close as I can imagine, and it's extremely limited in its capability. Besides, do you even have access to one? If not, then sooner or later, you precious vectors are going to need to be crunched into plain old pixels. That's right, bucko. Plain old pixels. And pixels are pixels are pixels. Seen one, you've seen 'em all.
2. 3D software uses vectors, too, you know. It's just that most applications approximate smooth vector surfaces using triangle facets (which are pure vector shapes). The nice thing about traingles is that it's easy to depth-sort them. I have to cringe when I see an Anime Studio user crowing about success in some elaborate, Rube-Goldberg attempt to script the depth of shapes in a headturn. When I use CrazyTalk or iClone, they eat depth sorting for breakfast and leave plenty of room for strawberry pancakes.
3. That leaves the matter of inklines. Here, you've got a legitimate concern. Reallusion software does not currently offer any cel shaders. You can, however, fake toon lines using high- frequency-pass filters on your video. I suspect that if iClone or MovieStorm ever offered serious cel shaders, it would lay waste to the market share of applications such as AS, Flash, and ToonBust.
Consider this:
1. Has any device ever been invented which can actually display vectors? Arguably, a laser show projection comes about as close as I can imagine, and it's extremely limited in its capability. Besides, do you even have access to one? If not, then sooner or later, you precious vectors are going to need to be crunched into plain old pixels. That's right, bucko. Plain old pixels. And pixels are pixels are pixels. Seen one, you've seen 'em all.
2. 3D software uses vectors, too, you know. It's just that most applications approximate smooth vector surfaces using triangle facets (which are pure vector shapes). The nice thing about traingles is that it's easy to depth-sort them. I have to cringe when I see an Anime Studio user crowing about success in some elaborate, Rube-Goldberg attempt to script the depth of shapes in a headturn. When I use CrazyTalk or iClone, they eat depth sorting for breakfast and leave plenty of room for strawberry pancakes.
3. That leaves the matter of inklines. Here, you've got a legitimate concern. Reallusion software does not currently offer any cel shaders. You can, however, fake toon lines using high- frequency-pass filters on your video. I suspect that if iClone or MovieStorm ever offered serious cel shaders, it would lay waste to the market share of applications such as AS, Flash, and ToonBust.