Free and near-free tools, software, & web resources for creation, editing, animating, and displaying 3D models in eLearning. Presented at eLearning Guild's Realities360 conference, JUN 2018.

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Session #104
3D Clearance Rack: Add
Affordable 3D Content to
eLearning Simulations,
AR, & VR
Michael Sheyahshe, aNm
San Jose, CA • June 26 – 28, 2018

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Obligatory “About Me”
• Why 3D?
• Background in Film (BA, OU)
• MFA in 3D Modeling (AAU)
• Interest in “Serious Games” &
Immersive content

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What it IS
Available 3D tools, software,
& online sites
Create: still photos & image,
animations & vignettes, or
even VR demos & full-blown
simulations.
What’s out there, what each
tool does / can do, & possible
ways to get 3D in your
existing content.

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Why Discuss?
• 3D = Coolness
• Discuss ways to leverage
3D content
• Content-specific questions
(“...how would I…”)

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What it Isn’t
No how-tos of AR & VR
No examination on how each is
different from the other
Brief mention of Unity, but not
“into the weeds” of how to
develop in Unity
vs

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*Resource links available, last
slide
https://goo.gl/Zzgrv7

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WHY 3D?
Possible Use-
Cases for 3D
Content

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3D Media
● Photoreal stills
○ “Stock photo”-like images
○ Head/shoulder shot
● Stylized stills
○ Anime / cartoon-like (“cell
shaded”)
● Animation
● Visualization / Simulation
○ Fluid sim
○ Particles
○ Gravity
○ Etc.
● Games / Real-time
interactions
● AR/VR proof-of-concept

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Tools/Software to Create
3D Characters

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Adobe Fuse
CC (Beta)
https://creative.adobe
.com/products/downl
oad/fuse?promoid=X
B5KHRQ1&mv=other
Available (free) with Adobe CC
subscription
Create / customize 3D characters
Features, expressions, clothing,
hair, & accessories

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Fuse - cont’d
• Each character further
customizable
• Add expressions via
blendshapes (more info in a
moment)
• No posing or animation

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FUSE DEMO

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Mixamo ● Available (free) with Adobe
CC subscription
● Pose / animate Fuse-
created 3D characters
● Export to Unity, Maya, Max,
& Blender
● Facial expressions
(blendshapes) editable only
via external software (Unity,
Maya, & Max)
https://www.mixamo.com

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Mixamo Demo

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MakeHuman
● Open source (free)
● Create, edit, customize, pose 3D characters
● Facial expressions exported via armature rig
http://www.makehuman.org/download_makehuman_111.php

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MAKEHUMAN
DEMO

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Blender
Overview

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Blender 3D
● Open Source (free)
● Est’d JAN 1995
● Create, edit,
animate...anything… 3D

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Learning Curve
Site Link
Blender Reference Manual https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/
Blender Tutorials https://www.blender.org/support/tutorials/
Blender Guru https://www.blenderguru.com/

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Blender Demo

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Blender
• Download Blender
https://www.blender.org/dow
nload/
• MHX plugin needed for
MakeHuman models
• Instructions
https://thomasmakehuma
n.wordpress.com/mhx2-
documentation/import-
into-blender/

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Other 3D
Resources

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Turbosquid
• Online repository for 3D models & content
• Many free
• Available for commercial use
• Similar to ThinkStock or Shutterstock
• https://www.turbosquid.com/

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Turbosquid
Demo

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Honorable Mention: Microsoft
• Paint 3D
• Insert in Office 365
• Project Felix

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Beyond Editing &
Customizing

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WIIFM?
• 3D is cool, but I'm interested in AR, VR, MR
• How can any of this help me with that?

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Sketchfab
● Website-based UI (WebGL /
WebVR)
● Viewer allows real-time
interaction with 3D content
● Embed in any webpage
● VR interaction !
● Now with Sound
https://sketchfab.com/

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Resource Links
Adobe Fuse CC (Beta) |
http://www.adobe.com/products/fuse.html
Mixamo | https://www.mixamo.com
MakeHuman | http://www.makehuman.org
Blender | https://www.blender.org
SketchFab | https://sketchfab.com
Remix 3D | https://www.remix3d.com
Blender Reference Manual |
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/
Blender Tutorials | https://www.blender.org/support/tutorials/
Blender Guru | https://www.blenderguru.com/
https://goo.gl/Zzgrv7

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Contact Me
Twitter
@mas_edev
LinkedIn
https://goo.gl/1AQrC5
aNm
www.alter-native-
media.com
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