Rating: 
Summary: Softimage 3D Design Guide is an essential.
Review: Softimage 3D Design Guide is an essential for all Softimage 3D users. Gene Bodio and Barry Ruff share concepts and techniques that you will not find anywhere else. Sure, this book covers some basics. But, this book shows you how to combine all of the elements to create the COMPLETE product. Rob Stiff - Softimage 3D Extreme User
Rating: 
Summary: I would recommend this for people who own the manuals only.
Review: The publication isin't bad, but doesn't go really into depth on all the features that are available. Tutorials are always nice for a new user and even for the veteran who is the know-all type. I wished that there was more of everything and maybe even a template or a quick reference, that is what new users need instead of having to memorize everything. Overall I give it a average rating because of the different things the design guide is missing. Books and especially design guides are to be filled with how-to's, but even more on what everything does and what needs to be done before going on to another step of the design process.
Rating: 
Summary: Real world Softimage projects and techniques.
Review: The Softimage 3D Design Guide is a hands on overview of many of Softimage's most fundamental tools. It is targeted at readers who have 3D experience but are new to Softimage. The book jumps right into practical applications of Softimage's primary tools, building on examples, techniques and features that are the foundations for completing real projects. And that's what this book is about. The early chapters are just warm up for the projects which walk you through actual production jobs. Softimage is a vast and powerful system for acheiving your creative goals. This book is not a reference guide, or a user's manual, it's an introduction to creating useful 3D graphics and animation. "Illuminate Globally, Render Locally." -bcr
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended only for beginners
Review: The title "Softimage 3D Design Guide" shouldn't be taken literally - it's not about design, it's a book for beginners (or newcomers to Softimage who may have used other 3D programs) that teaches you a lot of the basics of the program. The first part of the book is a survey of general information about Softimage, with chapters 1 & 2 covering some basic modelling functions, chapter 3 on materials, chapter 4 on textures, and chapter 5 on lights. Chapter 6, Tools, goes into more detail on several different beveling functions, plus proportional modelling and several plug-ins. Chapter 7 gives a brief overview of Mental Ray, and Chapter 8 gives an overview of Particle. In the center are several pages with color printing, since the rest of the book is black and white. Then the rest of the book, Chapters 9-14, are tutorial projects: Dolphin Animation, Boggle Interface, Ant Walk, Car Walk, and City, which walk a user through a lot of different commands. By the time you've done these, you'll be ready to run a lot of the main features of Softimage, although most of the functions covered seem to also be covered in tutorials that ship with Softimage. The appendix has a number of pointers to sources of Softimage-related information on the net. I haven't looked through the CD-ROM that comes with the book, although the list of contents says "Softimage 3D not included." (Drat!) It seems up-to-date as of version 3.7, although it was not updated for SP1. The book is not without a few minor mistakes, although they would probably not bother the beginning users who will be reading it. Overall, I would recommend this book to beginners who are starting to learn the software by themselves, and want more material to study, or for people getting started with Softimage without their own set of manuals. After 10 years on the market, I think it's great to finally have some books coming out about Softimage, and this book does have a niche to fill.
Rating:
Summary: Recommended only for beginners
Review: The title "Softimage 3D Design Guide" shouldn't be taken literally - it's not about design, it's a book for beginners (or newcomers to Softimage who may have used other 3D programs) that teaches you a lot of the basics of the program. The first part of the book is a survey of general information about Softimage, with chapters 1 & 2 covering some basic modelling functions, chapter 3 on materials, chapter 4 on textures, and chapter 5 on lights. Chapter 6, Tools, goes into more detail on several different beveling functions, plus proportional modelling and several plug-ins. Chapter 7 gives a brief overview of Mental Ray, and Chapter 8 gives an overview of Particle. In the center are several pages with color printing, since the rest of the book is black and white. Then the rest of the book, Chapters 9-14, are tutorial projects: Dolphin Animation, Boggle Interface, Ant Walk, Car Walk, and City, which walk a user through a lot of different commands. By the time you've done these, you'll be ready to run a lot of the main features of Softimage, although most of the functions covered seem to also be covered in tutorials that ship with Softimage. The appendix has a number of pointers to sources of Softimage-related information on the net. I haven't looked through the CD-ROM that comes with the book, although the list of contents says "Softimage 3D not included." (Drat!) It seems up-to-date as of version 3.7, although it was not updated for SP1. The book is not without a few minor mistakes, although they would probably not bother the beginning users who will be reading it. Overall, I would recommend this book to beginners who are starting to learn the software by themselves, and want more material to study, or for people getting started with Softimage without their own set of manuals. After 10 years on the market, I think it's great to finally have some books coming out about Softimage, and this book does have a niche to fill.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for dikfers!!!
Review: This book is quite intersting. It touches on the very fabric of reality. SoftImage is a great program, and Gene Biodio can really grasp large objects. It has a nice cover, and the pictures are neat!!! Boy is this book great. I'm so excited that Mr. Biodio has written such a marvelous book for people who can afford to spend $14,000 on SoftImage. Thank You.
Rating:
Summary: A book for intermediates to pros looking for new direction
Review: This is a good book if you are after a few new FX to include in you work. There are some simple things in there, such as basic NURBS modelling, but over all this book assumes you know what you are doing and teaches you some new tricks. Once learnt these become very useful in general and can be put to good use in bigger and better projects.
Rating:
Summary: I've got to give this book the props it deserves . . . .
Review: This is an excellent book for Softimage 3D users to own. I think that all of you Softimage 3D users should get it. This is not the type of book you use to learn out of. It is meant to be just as the title says. It is a DESIGN GUIDE. That is the point that too many of you are missing. It 's meant to be an enertaining and informative resource for learning the principles of Softimage 3D design, not a book full of tutorials. The information in this book is invaluable, and will greatly improve your work. So far, the two Softimage 3D books on the market are both must haves. Don't boot up without this book by your side to aid in design!
Rating:
Summary: not too bad, but could be a lot better...
Review: well, it's not a bad book. you can find a lot of nice tips, but as they say: this book start where the manuals left you...
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