3D Mice
 

Hey Guys, does anyone use one of these??

http://www.3dconnexion.com/

If so is there any advantage in useability or is it more of a gimic or just for hardcore users using a 3d programme 8hrs +???

Cheers

Despite what they say on the website, I thought they are used mostly for presentation type things, not modelling.

Ive read some good things about them for 3D applications, all depends how it actually works, really dont know tbh, hence seeing if people have used em?

Well I haven't used one before but I've read that they use them in CAD and scientific stuff for viewing models. I've never heard of them being used for modelling (don't even know if its possible) although I think that thier precision rotating and zoom feautres would probaly be useful for manipulating shapes that are organic.

By the way have you heard of that 3D sculpting pen tool? I saw a documentary on TV about how they reconstructed a mummified person's face from MRI scans with Zbrush and the artist used it to sculpt the model. I think that would be more suited to modelling although I have no idea how much it costs.

Not heard of a 3d sculpting pen tool other than a graphics tablet, which if you use Zbrush is indespansable.

Think that one of those mice might be good for actually moving about in a scene and moving the model within maya, still using the mouse to move verts etc etc but having the freedome not to use the alt and click.

But as I said dunno

gster123 > 'Think that one of those mice might be good for actually moving about in a scene and moving the model within maya, still using the mouse to move verts etc etc but having the freedome not to use the alt and click.'

It does sound like a good idea to have a tool that lets you move around, rotate and zoom without having to use the mouse and keyboard, letting it focus on the modelling and stuff but it also sounds a bit awkard since you can't operate all three of them at the same time. Anyways, unless a lot of moving and rotating around a large complex scene is required, I personally wouldn't spend a $100 on something that will probaly make life a little easier.


gster123 > 'Not heard of a 3d sculpting pen tool...'

I'm still trying to find out what its called. From memory, it resembles a pen thing that suspended in the middle of the air by an arm that has force feedback so you can sculpt the model.

I think if such a pen exsists it will cost a lot of money

Yeah it would cost a fortune, without seeing it I couldent see how it would be very useable, but never know.

Think that a 3d mouse mighte be more like use one hand for the controls and the other for the movement round the scene, which if thats right might be great so you could star to move something, rotate roundthe object to see how it looks on the other side with out de selecting the vert, edge, face then reselecting, but dunno, never used one.

Has anyone??

I've got one :) got it when I thought I'd have to transition from 3ds max and just to see what they are like (cant grumble at £30)
I'll try and give you an unbiased rundown:

pros
-----
- Gives you a flyaround/flythrough ability so that you can easily and quickly navigate around with your left hand while using the mouse for other things
- can configure the two buttons to do just about any action you need (I've got one set for the generic move/rotate/scale tool which is handy)
- gives you a universal control system across multiple 3D apps or others such as in photoshop. great for quick transitions.
- once you get used to it it seems a bit wierd going back to alt - moving method
- lots of configurable options e.g, you can use the push up/pull down for up/down or for forward/backwards and set things up just how you like with the software app
- sdk so you can reconfigure/reprogram it for custom use such as in games or other apps.
- great freedom of control. pull up/push down, rotate left/right, tilt left/right, tilt forward backwards, forwards/backwards, left/right actions

cons
------
- could realistically do with more buttons so you dont have to touch the keyboard
- sensitivity can be a problem. I've got it quite sensitive so that I can quickly pan around at a distance but when up close it seems a bit too sensitive and flies around.
- takes a while to get used to the sensitivity of the pull up/push down action in combination with forward and backwards
- occasionally if I'm zoomed really far out it is quicker to alt- drag to zoom in real fast. Again this is probably just to do with the sensitivity and configuring the options that you prefer. Alternatively you could configure one of the buttons to be alt and this might help.
- you sometimes still end up letting it go to do certain keyboard actions

Overall I'd say its a nice tool that you can quickly get to grips with and helps to navigate around nicely. I could get used to not having it but would feel a little like it was a step backwards.
At £30 for the personal licence its not going to break the bank if you dont get on with it

Edit: steve - it does indeed mean you can select a vert/edge/face and rotate around it at will without deselecting or anything else. I find it particularly useful in really tight geometry areas where for some reason you cant see the little white square to select the face. I just zoom in and fly around and select it before flying back out

Edit Edit: The Architect - sounds like you're talking about a microscribe. They have one at uni over here. You basically set the mode to nurbs curves and stick a real object on a grid (calibrated to the pen). Then you put the end of the pen at the points that you want the control vertex to be and press its button. You keep doing this till you have many nurbs curves that you can then use as a basis to extrude your model from. They work pretty decently but for everyday people are far too expensive to even consider and to be honest I'd see it as a better exercise to model it the usual way from observation ;)

Si

Nice one Si, cheers for that!