 3D modelling, rendering & animation
- Martin Hash's Animation Master is used for the majority of the modelling. Decals are produced in Clarisworks; textures and background pictures are produced in Bryce; and these are then converted to Targa format using Graphics Converter. Most of the characters are based on two fundamental human figure models, but edited to suit the individual characters, although some common elements like hair and some features are re-used in places.
- Two action libraries deal with the low-rez and high-rez models, and provide common movements for all the characters. Individual special movements are also stored in the same libraries. Scenes are stored as Choreographies, again in libraries to facilitate re-use. Typical rendering times for the animation were between two and five minutes per frame.
- Most of the 3D buttons used throughout the site (plus the 'Made on a Mac' logo) were designed and rendered using Bryce 2.1 and 3D 3.1. The more recent ones (like the Tee-shirt button, were designed and rendered using Hash Animation Master.
- Music and MIDI
- Opcode Vision DSP and Studio Vision Pro are the main sequencers used to produce the music used in Betsubetsu. The themes and melodies are composed on a Yamaha SY99 synthesizer using its built-in notepad pattern sequencer, typically building up four or five example patterns. These pattern groups are then copied across to the MIDI & Audio sequencers, and split into smaller phrases and part tracks (melody, bass, chords, etc). Drum and percussion patterns are imported at this time. Arranging and orchestration is then carried out.
- The drum sounds used for the start of the main theme are produced using a Yamaha RY30 drum machine, by pitch shifting drum samples using the built-in drum instrument synthesizer. The lead guitar sound is actually a Yamaha VL-70m physical modelling synthesizer processed by a Lexicon MPX100 effects unit. Most of the backing sounds are produced by Emu Morpheus and Vintage Keys modules, although the bell-like middle 8 sound is produced by a Yamaha TX7. With one or two exceptions, the majority of the sounds are original and are not factory presets.
- Mixdown of the MIDI-generated audio is recorded using a Panasonic SV-3800 DAT recorder, and this is then transferred back to the Mac using a Lucid digital I/O PCI card.
- Made on an Apple Macintosh
- All of the planning, databases, text, animations, images and music for Betsubetsu shown on this site were created entirely using Apple Computers. (Rendering of longer animations in the future may be done on whatever server farms that we can get time on!)
- All shareware used is registered.
- More details of the Mac applications used in the project...
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