3D Printouts of Your Virtual Self
by Elizabeth Harper 
Aug 13th 2006 at 10:00AM
OGLE, the OpenGLExtractor, is a little piece of software that can be used to extract 3D geometry data from 3D graphics applications running on Microsoft Windows. What this means is that it can pull out images of our favorite alternate reality for our own entertaining uses. While some people use this to make backgrounds or videos, one of the most interesting uses of this technology seems to be making 3D printouts of your character, using a special 3D printer. And, most recently, color 3d models. While this little gnome may appear to be venturing around Un'goro, it's probably just sitting on a tree in someone's back yard. (Which, to a tiny gnome figurine, is probably about the same.) And if you're just that kind of fan, you might be able to get one of your very own...!Filed under: Virtual selves, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Calc Aug 13th 2006 7:13PM
Extractor can extract models from file or from a viewable character on the monitor?
cheezedog420 Aug 14th 2006 12:58AM
First off, (from what I can tell,) its capturing modeling data from your graphics card, and dumping it on to your 3D modeling program. Its not per say the simplest/cheapest way to go make a 3d Model, but if you do have a 3D modeling program, it save you the trouble of trying to make your own model from scratch.
http://ogle.eyebeamresearch.org/files/world-of-warcraft-full.jpg
First picture is Wow... Say hi WoW...
Secound Picture is the WoW data being dumped into Maya.
Third Picture is a finished resin model created by a 3D printer.
From what I can tell of the Model created in the 3D printer, they are using a pretty shitty 3d printer, but a fairly creative operator. (warning vary colorful description of the 3d Printing process!) My guess is they are using a 3D printer with a computer maneuvered nozzle that heats resin stock, and puts down the heated resin sort of like pissing in the snow. But since there is no snow, instead of the snow melting, the piss freezes where it lands. That's why the model has that sort of layer look to it, and around the ear, and fingers you see resin stirrups. (those Stirrups are there because the model was printed upside down by the way... Too hard to explain how I know, so believe me... I just know.)
In any case, MATC happens to have a 3D printer that works just like the machine that printed out the Gnome. It cost the Mechanical Design Lab about $50,000 or 1 million pieces of gold.... But a good 3d Printing company will normally have a better machine, with better capability to make much nicer models, and at fairly reasonable prices.
If you are interested in creating a Resin model using a 3D printer, some of the things to consider, is making sure you have this in a program file the 3D printer can understand... (Just ask what formats they support, and look in the save as list for that format.) The there will be a way to print the model without any floating geometry, (and If there is something floating out like a arm that might be unsupported during the printing process, you must create a temporary Jig that can be created with the geometry to be snapped out of place when the model is completed.) You should also consider the quality of the 3D printer they are using... (As you can tell from above, because the printer they where using was crappy, it did a terrible job of creating the ear ring. So be prepared to scale up your finished work so detail shows.) Finally there is cost. Resin stock can cost 5 to 15 dollars a Cubic cm, and the time that the operator uses to make sure your model will print correctly must be considered too. All in all, you may spend up a 100 dollar/2000 pieces of gold making a model like the one above, and larger models will of course be much more expensive... Still it's not a bad deal if you ever wanted a lawn Orc, instead of Lawn Gnome...
kossori Aug 14th 2006 4:30AM
i did a report on this company after seeing the z printer being featured on csi: ny.
zcorp