1 comments about Beyond Maps: GIS Decision Making in Local Government.

1. My copy fell apart the first time I opened it due to poor binding. I found the writing to be not really focused, it rambles a bit.

5 comments about Foundation Flash 8 Video (Foundation).

1. Foundation Flash 8 Video
   by Tom Green and Jordan Chilcott
   Publisher: Friends of Ed
   Copyright: 2006
   ISBN:-13(pkb): 978-1-59059-651-7
   
   If you need some inspiration, this is a good book to read. It starts out basic and gets becomes advanced.
   
   It explains the whole video process from scratch. One part that I liked was the description of buffering. The book explains that the key to successful playback is the data rate and storing enough packets before the video starts.
   
   This author has fun with video. He is always showing you the amazing things you can do with a very small amount of code. He starts with showing you what the components can do and then ramps up with a very simple code sample that is required
   to connect a video object to a web server.
   
   Next Tom and Jordan go into Alpha Channels. They show you how to make a video clip with a green screen mask, attach it to a video object and add a drop shadow. Other exciting topics are: trim a video and use it like an ad banner, play video on video, adding cue points to trigger Flash events, and having someone walk across your web page in a browser. You can do amazing things like having a talking head discuss car models and adding a race car in another video zooming by in the background.
   
   Filters are discussed and how they are added to a video embedded in a movie clip. He warns you that adding filters can be processor intensive.
   
   Some of the things you learn are: moving your mouse across a video and creating trail of blur as you go. Also projecting a video onto an underlying image
   with a screen blend mode.
   
   Masking videos is discussed. You can create a mask in Illustrator, drag it into Flash and make it a mask layer. In Illustrator you would apply the roughen filter to 0.5 and the chalk scribble brush stroke. This would be placed as another copy above the mask to enable the details of the artwork to show.
   
   Tom and Jordan show you how to fill Times Square with your own videos by removing the ads, and making masks for your own video feeds.
   
   There is quite a lot of information about building a video wall. He explains getting the Flash Media Server 2 for no charge.
   
   One of the crucial things about working with video the authors say is "Watching the pipe". This means always considering how much bandwidth you are using.
   
   This book is not a complete resource on the Flash Media Server 2 or After Effects but, it touches on them just enough to get you interested.
   
   The authors even leave you with a bit of information on video cameras and how to hook them up with just 2 lines of code. I enjoyed the fun approach in this book and its simplification of a complex topic.



2. Title: Foundation Flash 8 Video
   Author: Green & Chilcott
   Publisher: Apress/FriendsofEd
   
   
   Begins with an overview of video file formats with brief descriptions of each. The various steps involved in creating an FLV file are covered using the Video Wizard and the Flash 8 Video Encoder. Ample screenshots with settings selected are provided, as are descriptions of all the menu options, etc. Basic video editing is described using readily available programs like MovieMaker and iMovie. Alternative FLV creation tools such as Sorenson Squeeze and ON2Flix are covered also, with start-to-finish examples provided for both. FLV components as well as the video object are introduced also.
   
   Alpha channels and keying are described with various tutorials using Premiere Pro, After Effects, and FinalCut Pro. Using a single clip, users learn how to remove background from video with these applications. The keying plugins used in the Adobe program tutorials are specific to the Creative Suite Production Bundle. Users of the standalone versions of these programs will be able to achieve the same results using other included plugins.
   
   Filters, blend effects, and masking provide an insight into the creative potential of Flash video. One compositing tutorial I found particularly useful used a single FLV file to demonstrate the different effects possible using drop shadows. Others use Illustrator shapes to create masks, and ActionScript code samples enable the manipulation of mask color as well as creating motion. Other useful topics with their own chapters include creating video walls and choosing and playing multiple videos. Bandwidth issues and their importance are stressed several times here.
   
   Streaming video using the camera object is described in detail, as well as creating a video box and flipping video. The creative possiblities seem endless. If you have a webcam installed, you can see yourself on multiple billboards in Times Square using the Chapter 10 tutorials. The last two chapters get further into ActionScript and motion graphics using After Effects.
   
   The book itself provides a solid introduction to Flash video, and demonstrates the many ways Flash now increasingly interacts with other programs. The tutorials are straight-forward and practical, and keep the reader interested. Like other FriendsofEd books, all the source files are



3. This is a well-written and enjoyable immersion into the nuts and bolts of creating and publishing video on the web using Flash 8. Aimed squarely at those beginning to work with Flash Video, the book is quite thorough for that audience. Most importantly, it covers all the essential principles one needs. From data rates for encoding videos to alpha channel effects to using the BitMapData and other classes, this book will set you up to launch that internet tv channel you've been thinking about.
   
   However, if you're looking for the mind-bendingly master kung-fu video tricks that break existing rules of reality, I'm afraid you'll have to look further. Or write it yourself!
   
   I like the clear organization and simple instructions the writers give. The book serves as a handy reference for those just starting to use video and other related objects in Flash. The code is broken down and explained for the reader and one can use these building blocks in combinations to stunning effect. Especially helpful is the section on playing multiple videos.
   
   The writers make the whole thing fun and light. Hell, we're all playing around figuring out what we can do with these toys. I'd like more heavy, serious passages as well, though. Still, worth the cover preice, though.



4. I bought this book being a big fan of the Friends of Ed series and expecting that an entire book on just Flash Video would cover all I need to know and then some. Wow, was I wrong. There is hardly anything to be learned here.
   
   I'd be willing to bet you'll learn a lot more from a video chapter in a general Flash book like Flash Bible than you will from this.
   
   As an example, one thing I wanted to do is display a video's current and remaining time (like YouTube does). None of the current FLV skins support this, only the Media Player component which you can't customize. This is not covered anywhere in the book. Maybe its just me but I think that is a HUGE omission. The chapter on customizing your skins is short and elementary...nothing new to learn. And that was the main reason I bought the book. I emailed the author about the time thing, and got back a link of an FLV showing only the current seconds in decimal form. Much like the book, no effort was put into this.
   
   Luckily in an online forum someone was good enough to post their code on how to link up text boxes with the current and total playing time of an FLV, in conventional time format. Honestly I learned more from those 3 small blocks of code than I did from this entire book.
   
   Steer clear and save your money for an ActionScript book. You won't learn anything from this book.



5. Fantastic training book for video professionals breaking into web delivery. Easy to understand explanations and examples, perfect for someone who understands the basics of the web, and wants to get their work out there for people to see. This book shows you how to create interfaces just like myspace and youtube, so your site can be easy to navigate for any web audience. However, it also gives you the tools to get really creative with your video viewer - so you can say, with gusto, 'what box'? This is a must have for ALL video professionals, even if you're not on the web yet - you will be.

5 comments about LightWave 3D 7.0 Character Animation (With CD-ROM).

1. I had Lightwave for about two years, and found if you put the time into it, you get the rewards. However, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get skelagons/bones to work properly. Luckily I found this book. It took me thru the whole boning process from modler to layout to bone conversion to proper rotation and more. Amazing enough, the book knows were I had problems in the past and tells you how to correct it! In the past, other books went straight to the next step.
   In short, I suppose if you're already an animator, this book may not be telling you nothing new. But if you know your way around Lightwave but never got into bones/charater animation, I highly recomend this book. It's well worth it!



2. In response to the anonymous reviewer with the title "Not For Animators" dated Sept 13 2002 - It's painfully obvious that this reviewer did not read the book thoroughly. He asked if he was "missing something" well he/she missed the entire boat.

   Chapter 3 does start of with "You've got your character all ready to go ..." But the reviewer unjustly took this sentence out of context. The paragraph finishes with " ...Before you can animate him, you've got to set him up. And before you can set him up, you've got to prep him for the setup, and that means planning." Ch. 3 is about pre-bending the limbs of the character to help the IK. It is not about suddenly jumping into animating your completed character that the non-reviewer would lead you to believe.

   Chapters 3 through 9 go into extensive details about the mechanics of setting up characters in Lightwave 7.x. The first 9 chapters are:

   Ch. 1 About this Book

   Ch. 2 Inverse Kinematics: It's Strengths and Weaknesses

   2.1 IK
   2.2 IK's Strengths
   2.3 IK's Weaknesses Lightwave-Specific
   2.4 IK Setup Basics
   2.5 IK Rules

   Ch. 3 Prepping Your Character for Setup

   3.1 Where is He Going to Bend?
   3.2 Pre-bending to Help IK

   Ch. 4 Boning Your Character

   4.1 Adding Bones to Your Character
   4.2 Spinal Controls
   4.3 Hand Controls
   4.4 Foot Controls
   4.5 Fingers
   4.6 IK System Skelegons

   Ch. 5 Converting, Organizing, and Aligning (Bones)

   5.1 Converting Skelegons to Bones
   5.2 Organizing the Schematic into Something Helpful
   5.3 Aligning the Spine, Pelvis, and Feet
   5.4 Bone Hierarchy
   5.5 Recording Pivot Rotations
   5.6 Recording Bone Rest Information

   Ch. 6 Putting IK to Work

   6.1 Terminating IK Chains
   6.2 Creating Goal Objects
   6.3 Activating IK
   6.4 Activating Individual Controllers
   6.5 Deactivating Individual Manual Controls

   Ch. 7 Point Weighting

   7.1 Point Weighting Basics
   7.2 Beginning the Point Weighting Process
   7.3 Swapping Models and Testing Weight Mappings
   7.4 The Use Weight Map Only Option
   7.5 Finding Stray Points
   7.6 Straightening the Feet for Animation
   7.7 Putting Him Through the Motions
   7.8 Tidying Up

   Ch. 8 Using the Controls

   8.1 The Model Itself
   8.2 Root
   8.3 Pelvis
   8.4 Spinal Bones
   8.5 Head
   8.6 Hand Translation Controls
   8.7 Hand Rotation Controls
   8.8 Shoulder Controls
   8.9 Elbow Controls
   8.10 Foot Controls
   8.11 Toe Controls
   8.12 Knee Controls
   8.13 The Fingers and Thumb
   8.14 Notes on Modifying the Setup

   The remaining 10 chapters, except ch. 15, deal with the generic techniques and theory of animation that can be obtained in any non-3d animation book. Ch. 15 briefly goes over the mechanics of digitigrade (quadrupeds,etc...) characters.

   As a solo free-lance medical illustrator/animator of 10 years, it's very difficult to come across such useful information without taking classes or working in a large studio with other creative types. I have every imaginable training video/dvd/CD, and book written about Lightwave (by Dan Ablan, Dave Jerrard, Doug Kelly, Patrik Beck, Ken Brilliant, Bill Fleming, Desktop Images, Class on Demand, etc...)

   So far, I have not found any other source that comes close to what Timothy Albee has written for the Lighwave community. Kudos!




3. When you read the first chapter you'll be lead into a false sense of comfort that newbies will be animating by the end of this book. Not true. You may successfully make it through the exercise in chapter 2 (though it didn't work for me) and even be impressed of the level of detail they show you in how to navigate the menus. But by chapter 3, you'll be lost. I got as far as opening the model included in the CD-ROM. The next section (p. 28) says "1. Pre-bend your model's arms..." and that's the end of my learning. All of the sudden you've got select portions of the model that you are working with, but the book never explains or shows how to get there (this part is pre-bending the shirt, and only is working with the shirt as if the rest of the chacter doesn't exist). If I could just figure out how to get that select part of the model on screen, I would be happy. Of course the book doesn't say HOW to pre-bend the arms of the character either, just to do so to make it look like the figure... This book is a waste unless you've got some modeling or animation experience.



4. This book is great. Lots of good information, and a cool character to boot.

   My only complaint is that I wish there was a little more step by step to actually posing and animating the character between setups.

   Other than that - add it to my library! This, along with Dan Ablan's titles round out my LightWave learning.




5. "Lightwave3D 7.0 Character Animation" is a must-have for anyone trying to learn how to rig and animate in Lightwave3D. Timothy Albee takes all the mystery out of how to properly set up a character, including tips on modeling for rigging, weight maps, skelegons, bones and IK. It also shows you methods to circumvent Lightwave's quirky process of rigging to ensure the most stable rigs possible: the kind that animators like to use. On top of that, a good portion of the book is dedicated to animation techniques, including some great chapters on posing and conveying weight through your animations. And, the CD has a lot of useful content, including all the necessary supporting files to get you rigging or animating right away.

   One thing that could make this book even better is a complete demonstration of weight maps on a character. However, that could take an entire book on its own, and there is sufficient information to teach you the method. In any case, the info in this book saved me hours of guesswork...I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Digital Effects Animation Using Maya (Graphics Series).

1. One of the best things that Maya brought to the 3D creation community was it's character animation, and digital effects capeabilities. This books concentrates on the later. Kian patiently walks you through a series of tutorials, jogging through the center, where the reader ends up running with his new tool set of F/X animation techniques.



2. sir i would like to learn maya advanced 2.5 rel i have already done 2 leavels if you can help me to find the better way please mail me sir if any video or cd rom is avl. and discout price. plece let me know thanks



3. This book is exactly what i need.
   It is what i was always looking for.
   Best wishes,Rimas.



4. The book is very good teaching Particles, but there are better tutorials online. It was written for Maya 2.5. So, if your using Maya 3 or 4, there's parts changed.
   I was required to buy this book for a class at RIT, I recommend anyone who is required to buy the book for a class or any sorts to see if someone else has the book. Because, spending money on an old tutorial book and getting frustrated is a no no, when your trying to learn a new program.
   Hopefully, there will be an updated book in the future, now Maya has become a powerful particle tool.



5. Early on in my career I bought this book hoping that it would give me some technical chops. It didn't. Now, to be fair, I bought it back in 2001, but still, I distinctly remember not liking it and thinking it was a waste of money. Why? I can't recall, but from what I understand there's plenty of other good books on Maya and mel out there.

5 comments about Teach Yourself VISUALLY Macromedia Flash MX 2004.

1. This book taught me Flash MX 2004 very efficiently and quickly. Unlike other books it does not give tedious explanations that tend to tire and confuse the reader. It shows you precisely where and what to do. The illustrations are beautiful and direct, which is absolutely helpful for Flash graphics. This is also a well structured book so you can easily find the topics you want when you need a quick reference. If you want to learn Flash quickly and enjoy it while learning, buy this book.



2. I am a beginning Flash student and bought this book to compliment my classes at school.
   
   I was initially attracted to this book due the abundant screenshots and arrowed-pointed annotations. However, very often, the technical writing is extremely sparse, basically giving one no more information than what a contextual menu would pop-up in an application's glossary section. The technical writings are no more than blurbs, and often times one really needed to study the screenshots to understand what the blurb was addressing.
   
   The book wastes a alot of pages on some very rudimentry sections on basic Windows 101 practices such as: Opening and saving files, changes colors of the text, and text manipulation. The first 100 pages were basically review and intuitive for anyone with a fundamental computer background; thus making the first one-third of book pretty much a waste.
   
   Speaking of waste, there was a cutesy-picture at the start or each section that might have been more efficently used for technical information or a section objective rather than a cute graphic.
   
   In addition, there are no practices files on a cd or a website to acquire the media assests. I would have to create my own graphics to do the exercises. Thus, my outcomes never looked like the finished exercises in the book. Two-thirds of the way into this book, I was shopping for another Flash MX 2004 book to replace this sad, boring book.
   
   This book is okay for a quick bookshelf reference but do yourself a favor and save your $30.00 for a more substantial technical manual.



3. I'm a visual person. This is the perfect book for someone like me. Short on unnecessaary copy, long on simple to understand pictures and guides. I would highly recommend this book or any of the "Teach yourself Visually" books.



4. Teach Yourself VISUALLY books overall are my favorite books to get when I am just starting out on a new program. Everything is so basic, clear, and easy to understand, the way they show it. Highly reccomended to all beginners.



5. I have been using this book for almost 2 months to teach myself Flash programming. I do think the book is very good at making things simple and easy to understand but sometimes it's "too easy." I think those that are learning flash programming are already going to have some experience with using computers, so some of the stuff that this book explains is unnecessary. Also, there are no source files so sometimes I would like to follow the directions in the book to do something but I don't have any basic source files to do any of the things the book describes...so I think this book is only good for introducing the program. I need to get another book that actually has a more "recipe" like structure so that I can follow along and do as the book instructs but with source files.

No comments about Expert One-on-One XNA Game Programming: For Xbox 360 and Windows.

4 comments about Animation Unlimited: Innovative Short Films Since 1940.

1. With over 500 images, ANIMATION UNLIMITED is a visual feast. It's also a selected survey of some of the most significant works and artists of the past and present, including some fresh new talent. For many, the book will be a source of discovery, revelation, and inspiration. With a 2-hour DVD included, it's more of a curated exhibition of innovative works rather than an exhaustive history of the art form. It leaves you wanting more - but that's a good thing. For those active in, aware of, or curious about experimental or independent animation, ANIMATION UNLIMITED is affirmation that there is another world and history of animated images as exciting and valid any other more familiar or popular genre. Each of the concise artist profiles included in the book's four sections is a mini-profile of personal commitment, unique style, technical invention, creative drive, and visionary exploration. Pure abstraction and digital forms share attention and space with traditional handmade approaches, character animation, and narrative. ANIMATION UNLIMITED should, at the very least, serve as a primer to a rich and unique form of artistic inquiry and visual expression. It opens a door to animation of unlimited possibilities.



2. Excellent book and great selection of films. But beware - the DVD is in PAL so unless you are playing it on a computer or have a DVD player that converts between NTSC/PAL, you won't be able to view it.



3. First, to add a detail to something mentioned by another reviewer... Only DVDs with a Region 1 encoding will play in N. America, the "Unlimited" DVD is Region 2. Most consumer DVD players will not play the disk. However, all of the home computers I have tried the disk in play it just fine.
   
   As for the book and DVD content, if you're looking for cute Pixar style, Toy Story type shorts this will disappoint you. If you're an animation enthusiast who likes to puzzle out how someone accomplished their work, there's plenty here for you to sink your teeth into. Mostly it's non-narrative works of moving non-representational art. Pretty cool if you're prepared for it before you press "play".



4. Excellent book, with a DVD of the artists work. The book incorporates both narrative and abstract animations. I used this book and some of the examples to show my advanced animation class what is possible if one is willing to work hard and think creatively. The examples in the book and the text illustrate how animation is used as a medium for self experession.

1 comments about Geography Fun: Cool Activities & Projects for Young Explorers.

1. My four year old son and I love this book. It is absolutely choked full of terrific projects and activities that he and I can do together. There are a number of activities that will be more appropriate for an older child, but we've had a terrific time doing things like making "deep maps", creating three dimensional landscapes, and designing a treasure map that is soaked in tea leaves to make it look ancient. The directions are easy to follow, the materials used are simple and inexpensive, and the ideas sparkle with originality. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about LightWave 3D 8 Character Animation.

1. Finally, a comprehensive book on the art of character animation that goes beyond "push this button, now push that one".
   With a background of traditional animation (like Brad "incredibles" Byrd and John "Pixar Honcho" Lassiter), Timothy Albee focuses on how to use the tools within Lightwave to create characters with personality. And it's the character's personality that makes an animation memorable. This is the best book on Character animtion using lightwave that I've seen, and a great resource for learning about the art of animation regardless of your tools of choice.



2. This book is very good for learning animation, regardless of the software package you use. The one think I must say is that its hard to just jump to a chapter and start from where you want. From chapter 9 on is what interested me the most, the book didn't make it easy to just pick up from there and run. Well written, and great to practice from.



3. This book is 482 pages long, and the second half of it is not Lightwave-(or even 3D)-specific: general concepts of animation like follow-through, squash-and-stretch, etc. Everything in this section has been said before, and more eloquently, in many other books on the topic of animation.
   
   The first half (which IS Lightwave-specific) is a step-by-step tutorial for building a rather esoteric IK rig for a humanoid character. I didn't find it helpful--nothing in the exercises seems designed to expand the reader's understanding, it's just a recipe for reconstructing Albee's rig. I suspect any reader without a previous understanding of how bones work in Lightwave will be completely frustrated.
   
   If you're a beginner looking for a technical resource to animating in Lightwave, this is definitely *not* it. Any potential buyers should browse through a copy before buying this.

1 comments about Geography Crafts for Kids: 50 Cool Projects & Activities for Exploring the World.

1. This is a fantastic step by step approach to learning through INTELLIGENT craft activities. No more growing been shoots,like we've all done 100 times before. This book is full of thought provoking, challenging, unusual craft ideas about the world.It is aimed at late primary to early high school aged kids, but I enjoyed the activities as much as my kids did. We have used almost all of the activities in this book, from making our own mud bricks to the creating a dream travel box. The lay out is fantastic with lots of photo's. I want more books like this please.