IllusionCatalyst

Information

Frequently Asked Questions (maybe not so...)

Why did you write IllusionCatalyst?

I love the creative process in computer graphics, but I hate every repetitive task. The dragon you can see in my personal website was modeled before the development of IC.Shape. It was enough for me to say I couldn't move points here and there one by one anymore. The machine, being it software or hardware, must do what I want, not the contrary. I wrote IllusionCatalyst scripts to have my own instruments, to do the work the way I like, enjoying the creative process and setting aside most of the tedious mechanics.
This is my way to gain a spot in the community. I'm not one who can write a thousands posts on a forum. I therefore decided to create something useful that artists can put into action to do even better artworks in less time, or with less struggling against the software. It's a real pleasure for me to think I somehow took part in the process of making art.

Why did you release IllusionCatalyst for free?

IllusionCatalyst required months of learning and coding. I'm quite satisfied with the results, and it would have been a waste to keep it only for me, so I decided to make a release. I left it free because I wanted to reach the widest audience and thinking about commercial issues is an accessory annoying matter for me.
IllusionCatalyst is a new script, the better way to make it known is to let people freely get, try, use it. Diffusion would be halted if obstacles were put before the first contact. I dislike the shareware formula, since time to try something new is always really short and never in the right moment. The most disappointing thing is to see the trial period expired just the day before the one you are free.

Is IllusionCatalyst really cost-free?

Yes, it is. IllusionCatalyst is cost-free and can be used in production environments, as stated in the license. Unfortunately I have seen my code copy-cut in other scripts, and that bit quite bad. Now the code is encrypted, but I'm willing to help everyone has questions about scripting or how a certain feature has been programmed. I will continue to expand the MaxScript page.

Are you planning to develop a commercial version of IllusionCatalyst?

IC.Shape has an expiry date of about three months from publication. Every new release will extend this period of time, but I'm not sure if at a certain point it will become an instrument with a small fee. Summing the time required by first and second version it passes easily six months of full time (and sometimes nights) dedication. IC.Face and IC.Mime are still unlocked.

Why the "Donate" button in your website hast disappeared?

Donations don't work. That's the only explanation I could give to the fact I had two (thank you guys!) in more than one year. The other one is my work is worthless, but I prefer to think positive.

Once I set up a model with IllusionCatalyst - i.e. IC.Face - am I bound to your script forever?

No, you're not. Consider IllusionCatalyst as a booster of standard 3ds Max functionality, not a substitutive tool. A model set up with IllusionCatalyst works without problems on any other computer having or not it installed. Its MacroScripts are like organized sets of standard instructions. Everything it does can be reproduced by hand, it would only require a much longer time. IllusionCatalyst offers a lot of shortcuts to speed up the set up and management of various stages in the CG pipeline, but never seizes your work.

Your script is awful, slow and dumb, and doesn't even make coffee...

I would like to make clear what IllusionCatalyst is not, with particular regard to IC.Shape. IllusionCatalyst isn't meant to transform 3ds Max in a displacement modeling program. It is based on the 3ds Max capabilities and core. It won't ever substitute softwares like Pixologic ZBrush or Autodesk Mudbox. IC.Shape sculpting instruments are conceived to make easier shaping Editable Poly surfaces from low to medium polygon count. Anyway, it's free.

Your script is awesome, speedy and brilliant, even if it doesn't make coffee...

IllusionCatalyst brings into 3ds Max some new features, while other are inspired by other software behavior. What is always original, in my opinion, is the approach to these concepts. I wished to show the attitude I got in problem setting and solving. Being an industrial designer I'm accustomed to define plain as well as unexpressed needs and then try to find the most comprehensive answers. I attempted to figure out what would have been better from the user point of view. Even if it doesn't make coffee, it would hopefully help you to save the time to get a tasty mug. Thank you.

Who are you?

I'm just a guy who is walking his way to make what he likes most his professional life. I'm an industrial designer, but more than this, I'm very curious and scrupulous. I learnt the most by self teaching, like computer graphics and programming and I'm still studying to improve my skills. I'm looking for a job, willing to relocate, where I can speed up my professional growth by facing real and wide-ranging challenges. I don't like to do always the same thing and become highly specialized, there's nothing more mind stimulating than put myself to the test on new applications, as well as understanding and being able to manage the whole practical art creation process, from concept to animation rendering and compositing. I know it's quite an ambitious task, but I guess it can be managed stepwise.