Blender is a vast and customizable 3D-modeling application used by many artists across creative industries, from television to games. This newest book, in Alan Thorn's How to Cheat series, offers insightful and bite-sized power-tips to help you develop Blender mastery. More than five hundred figures illustrate interesting shortcuts and clever ways to improve your Blender workflow. A companion website at http://www.alanthorn.net provides bonus content, including videos and resources to help sharpen your skills further. How to Cheat in Blender 2.7x is for Blender users of all levels, offering time-saving tips and powerful techniques to increase your productivity. Key Features Bite-sized tips and tricks that can be read in any order Illustrated examples and step-by-step guides for improving your workflow Explores practical applications and real-world contexts Demonstrates "lesser-known" and unconventional tips Improves your efficiency and workflow

Due to its comprehensive tool-set and great potential for 3D modeling, more and more architectural design and interior design firms are adapting Autodesk Maya and integrating it into their practice. There has been no book aimed at architects and designers who wish to harness the opportunities presented by this software, until now..... The book promotes parametric design. It integrates the theoretical research of computational design and Maya non-linear modeling techniques associated with simulation, animation, digital fabrication and form-finding within 2D & 3D design. Readers will learn: How to use Maya polygon and NURBS modeling tools to create non-linear procedural model. How to use Maya driver keys and relationship tools to generate parametrically negotiable solutions across various design professions. The design logic and generative processes, as well as the potential of parametric thinking as a resourceful tool for achieving diversity and complexity in form generation and fabrication. How to use Maya to prepare files for rapid prototyping and the integration of Maya into various fabrication techniques such as laser cutting, CNC milling, and 3D printing. How to create a digital simulation to simulate all aspects of surface properties and dynamic forces with Maya physics engine. How to use Maya skeleton system and animation tools to control complex architectural forms. How to create photo-realistic renderings with Maya lighting, material and texture mapping. Using several real projects as examples, the book will go through the entire rendering process step by step. How to combine Maya with various CAD/BIM tools to create an efficient design pipeline. How to use Maya MEL script to create customized tools and interface. The book includes case studies from Zaha Hadid Architects, Greg Lynn Form, Gage Clemenceau Architects, Tang & Yang Architects, as well as step by step exercises, demonstration projects and crucially a fantastic online resource which includes video tutorials, scripts, and Maya source files.

In Pro OpenGL ES for iOS, you'll find out how to harness the full power of OpenGL ES, and design your own 3D applications by building a fully-functional 3D solar system model using Open GL ES OpenGL has set the standard for 3D computer graphics, and is an essential aspect of iPhone, iPad, and iOS development. This book offers everything you need to know, from basic mathematical concepts to advanced coding techniques. You'll learn by building this fascinating 3D solar system simulator After introducing OpenGL ES, Pro OpenGL ES for iOS explains the basics of 3D math and then orients you to the iOS-native 3D libraries you'll be using in your own 3D games and the solar system project you'll build using this book. Through the solar system example project, you'll learn how to incorporate a variety of graphic and animation techniques into your applications. You will also discover how the full spectrum of 3D development that awaits, with topics such as lighting, texture-mapping, modeling, shaders, blending modes, and several more advanced concepts.By the time you finish Pro OpenGL ES for iOS, you'll have learned all the skills you'll need to build your own incredible 3D applications, based on one of the most powerful 3D libraries available. What you'll learn * The basics of 3D mathematics, and how they are applied in the OpenGL library * How to design and build your 3D worlds * To create 2D interfaces within the 3D world * To develop animation and 3D movement * How to implement 3D shading, coloring, and texturing * The differences between OpenGL and other 3D toolkits * To build a fully-functional 3D solar system simulator using OpenGL ES Who this book is for Experienced iOS programmers who want to enter the 3D world of OpenGL ES programming. Table of Contents * Introduction to OpenGL ES and Our 3D Solar System Project * Generating a Basic OpenGL Program * Getting Past the 3D Math * Shading, Lighting and Colors * Materials and Textures * Animation * Creating a User Interface * Blending Modes, Buffer Objects, and Other Cool Stuff * Latest Features of OpenGL ES * Ray Tracing, Hidden Surfaces, and Other Advanced Topics Appendix A: APIs

The first book to cover Agile Modeling, a new modeling technique created specifically for XP projects eXtreme Programming (XP) has created a buzz in the software development community-much like Design Patterns did several years ago. Although XP presents a methodology for faster software development, many developers find that XP does not allow for modeling time, which is critical to ensure that a project meets its proposed requirements. They have also found that standard modeling techniques that use the Unified Modeling Language (UML) often do not work with this methodology. In this innovative book, Software Development columnist Scott Ambler presents Agile Modeling (AM)-a technique that he created for modeling XP projects using pieces of the UML and Rational's Unified Process (RUP). Ambler clearly explains AM, and shows readers how to incorporate AM, UML, and RUP into their development projects with the help of numerous case studies integrated throughout the book.
* AM was created by the author for modeling XP projects-an element lacking in the original XP design
* The XP community and its creator have embraced AM, which should give this book strong market acceptance
Companion Web site at www.agilemodeling.com features updates, links to XP and AM resources, and ongoing case studies about agile modeling.

Inspire your own creativity with "Digital Mayhem 3D Machine Techniques. "Compiled by Duncan Evans, founder of 3D Artist Magazine, this book is the next installment of the "Digital Mayhem "series. Explore, page after page, spectacular machine images created by the industry s top talent.

With over 500 stunning images," Digital Mayhem 3D Machine Techniques "is not your basic software manual. It is where technique and inspiration meet a detailed and innovative guide to great machine images. Each chapter contains vibrant images and an explanation of the artist s workflow, including a step-by-step tutorial to help you achieve similar results. From pre-viz to post production, this book takes you through the whole process of creating your very own machine masterpiece

• Get inside the minds of the artists with breakdown overviews and supporting imagery to explain what went into their piece.
• Expand your digital canvas to include a variety of software techniques, tools and workflows.
• Visit the companion website for additional resources to help you develop your machine technique skills.

There's a new trend towards sylized, comic-style art, with the latest wave of 3D movies (a la Pixar ). Max users can do this kind of thing, and they want to learn how. Andy Gahan is building on the success of his Focal book, 3ds Max Modeling for Games (which covers realistic style art) with this new VOLUME II, covering stylized comic-style art. Forum members are asking for this treatment, and we are delivering. We are linking up to original book branding and titling, and offering the same robust portal for both books - the art on the cover will show the distinction of this volume. The book will offer new modeling techniques, specifically cartoon style - think Pixar, offering new challenges to people who bought Volume I (which focused on more realistic art). Website (www.3d-for-games.com) is unique - an online forum where readers can post and answer questions about their work. In terms of developing a portfolio, online peer critiques are invaluable, and current readers have made use of this feature, in fact some have happily become the forum responders (along with Andy) to coach and develop new artists at work. Also included: step-by-step project files for each chapter; all the relevant texture files and source photos; panoramic skies, small scene objects, bonus texture maps & models so that artists can create whole scenes very quickly without starting from scratch each time; countless examples of what's hot and what's not in 3D modeling and also enough support images and photos to keep the budding artist busy for months. Unrivalled support in over 10,000 current posts - backing up the book with a lively forum and community of readers from all over the world, ready to help your work.

Revitalize your architectural visualizations by bringing new levels of realism to them with an enhanced command of the mental ray toolset in 3ds Max. Full-color step-by-step tutorials give you a firm understanding of the processes and techniques needed to create impressive interior and exterior visualizations. You'll learn how to prepare materials, light a daytime interior scene, use mr Physical Sky, and how to save time during complex renders. The companion website includes all of the tutorial files and sample files from the book. Plus find more information at http: //jamiecardoso-mentalray.blogspot.com/.
* Beautiful full-color visualization projects provide step-by-step instruction on valuable techniques and tools
* An official Autodesk Techniques co-branded title written by an authoritative expert on visualization
* Companion website contains all of the tutorial files from the book

Go from 'beginner' to 'expert' with this professional, tutorial-based guide to Maya 2016 Mastering Autodesk Maya 2016 is your professional hands-on coverage to getting the most out of Maya. If you already know the basics of Maya, this book is your ticket to full coverage of all Maya 2016's latest features, and showcases the tools and methods used in real-world 3D animation and visual effects. From modeling, texturing, animation, and effects to high-level techniques for film, television, games, and more, this book expands your skill set, and helps you prepare for the Autodesk Maya certification exam. Filled with challenging tutorials and real-world scenarios this book provides valuable insight into the entire CG production timeline. Take your Maya skills to the next level with step-by-step instruction and insight from the industry professionals. * Learn professional techniques used in real-world visual effects * Master Dynamics, Maya Muscle, Stereo Cameras, mental ray, and more * Expand your skills with advanced techniques for cloth, fur, and fluids * Understand everything you need to know for the Maya certification exam

Supported with code examples and the authors real-world experience, this book offers the first guide to engine design and rendering algorithms for virtual globe applications like Google Earth and NASA World Wind. The content is also useful for general graphics and games, especially planet and massive-world engines. With pragmatic advice throughout, it is essential reading for practitioners, researchers, and hobbyists in these areas, and can be used as a text for a special topics course in computer graphics.

Topics covered include:

• Rendering globes, planet-sized terrain, and vector data
• Multithread resource management
• Out-of-core algorithms
• Shader-based renderer design

Discover how graph databases can help you manage and query highly connected data. With this practical book, you'll learn how to design and implement a graph database that brings the power of graphs to bear on a broad range of problem domains. Whether you want to speed up your response to user queries or build a database that can adapt as your business evolves, this book shows you how to apply the schema-free graph model to real-world problems. This second edition includes new code samples and diagrams, using the latest Neo4j syntax, as well as information on new functionality. Learn how different organizations are using graph databases to outperform their competitors. With this book's data modeling, query, and code examples, you'll quickly be able to implement your own solution. Model data with the Cypher query language and property graph model Learn best practices and common pitfalls when modeling with graphs Plan and implement a graph database solution in test-driven fashion Explore real-world examples to learn how and why organizations use a graph database Understand common patterns and components of graph database architecture Use analytical techniques and algorithms to mine graph database information

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Latent Variable Analysis and Signal Separation, LVA/ICA 2018, held in Guildford, UK, in July 2018.The 52 full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 62 initial submissions. As research topics the papers encompass a wide range of general mixtures of latent variables models but also theories and tools drawn from a great variety of disciplines such as structured tensor decompositions and applications; matrix and tensor factorizations; ICA methods; nonlinear mixtures; audio data and methods; signal separation evaluation campaign; deep learning and data-driven methods; advances in phase retrieval and applications; sparsity-related methods; and biomedical data and methods.

This book explores break-through approaches to tackling and mitigating the well-known problems of compiler optimization using design space exploration and machine learning techniques. It demonstrates that not all the optimization passes are suitable for use within an optimization sequence and that, in fact, many of the available passes tend to counteract one another. After providing a comprehensive survey of currently available methodologies, including many experimental comparisons with state-of-the-art compiler frameworks, the book describes new approaches to solving the problem of selecting the best compiler optimizations and the phase-ordering problem, allowing readers to overcome the enormous complexity of choosing the right order of optimizations for each code segment in an application. As such, the book offers a valuable resource for a broad readership, including researchers interested in Computer Architecture, Electronic Design Automation and Machine Learning, as well as computer architects and compiler developers.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed proceedings of the 13th Biennial Conference, KogWis 2016, held in Bremen, Germany, in September 2016, and the 10th International Conference, Spatial Cognition 2016, held in Philadelphia, PA, USA, in August 2016. The 11 revised full papers presented in this book were carefully selected and reviewed from 20 submissions. They focus on the following topics: spatial ability; wayfinding and navigation; spatial memory; and systems and simulations.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Learning and Intelligent Optimization, LION 11, held in Nizhny,Novgorod, Russia, in June 2017. The 20 full papers (among these one GENOPT paper) and 15 short papers presented have been carefully reviewed and selected from 73 submissions. The papers explore the advanced research developments in such interconnected fields as mathematical programming, global optimization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Special focus is given to advanced ideas, technologies, methods, and applications in optimization and machine learning.

The six volume set LNCS 10634, LNCS 10635, LNCS 10636, LNCS 10637, LNCS 10638, and LNCS 10639 constitues the proceedings of the 24rd International Conference on Neural Information Processing, ICONIP 2017, held in Guangzhou, China, in November 2017. The 563 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 856 submissions. The 6 volumes are organized in topical sections on Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Big Data Analysis, Deep Learning, Brain-Computer Interface, Computational Finance, Computer Vision, Neurodynamics, Sensory Perception and Decision Making, Computational Intelligence, Neural Data Analysis, Biomedical Engineering, Emotion and Bayesian Networks, Data Mining, Time-Series Analysis, Social Networks, Bioinformatics, Information Security and Social Cognition, Robotics and Control, Pattern Recognition, Neuromorphic Hardware and Speech Processing.

The six volume set LNCS 10634, LNCS 10635, LNCS 10636, LNCS 10637, LNCS 10638, and LNCS 10639 constitues the proceedings of the 24rd International Conference on Neural Information Processing, ICONIP 2017, held in Guangzhou, China, in November 2017. The 563 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 856 submissions. The 6 volumes are organized in topical sections on Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Big Data Analysis, Deep Learning, Brain-Computer Interface, Computational Finance, Computer Vision, Neurodynamics, Sensory Perception and Decision Making, Computational Intelligence, Neural Data Analysis, Biomedical Engineering, Emotion and Bayesian Networks, Data Mining, Time-Series Analysis, Social Networks, Bioinformatics, Information Security and Social Cognition, Robotics and Control, Pattern Recognition, Neuromorphic Hardware and Speech Processing.

This volume constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Mathematical Methods for Curves and Surfaces, MMCS 2016, held in Tonsberg, Norway, in June 2016. The 17 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 115 submissions. The topics range from mathematical theory to industrial applications.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Simulated Evolution and Learning, SEAL 2017, held in Shenzhen, China, in November 2017. The 85 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 145 submissions. They were organized in topical sections named: evolutionary optimisation; evolutionary multiobjective optimisation; evolutionary machine learning; theoretical developments; feature selection and dimensionality reduction; dynamic and uncertain environments; real-world applications; adaptive systems; and swarm intelligence.

The six volume set LNCS 10634, LNCS 10635, LNCS 10636, LNCS 10637, LNCS 10638, and LNCS 10639 constituts the proceedings of the 24rd International Conference on Neural Information Processing, ICONIP 2017, held in Guangzhou, China, in November 2017. The 563 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 856 submissions. The 6 volumes are organized in topical sections on Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Big Data Analysis, Deep Learning, Brain-Computer Interface, Computational Finance, Computer Vision, Neurodynamics, Sensory Perception and Decision Making, Computational Intelligence, Neural Data Analysis, Biomedical Engineering, Emotion and Bayesian Networks, Data Mining, Time-Series Analysis, Social Networks, Bioinformatics, Information Security and Social Cognition, Robotics and Control, Pattern Recognition, Neuromorphic Hardware and Speech Processing.

The six volume set LNCS 10634, LNCS 10635, LNCS 10636, LNCS 10637, LNCS 10638, and LNCS 10639 constitues the proceedings of the 24rd International Conference on Neural Information Processing, ICONIP 2017, held in Guangzhou, China, in November 2017. The 563 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 856 submissions. The 6 volumes are organized in topical sections on Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Big Data Analysis, Deep Learning, Brain-Computer Interface, Computational Finance, Computer Vision, Neurodynamics, Sensory Perception and Decision Making, Computational Intelligence, Neural Data Analysis, Biomedical Engineering, Emotion and Bayesian Networks, Data Mining, Time-Series Analysis, Social Networks, Bioinformatics, Information Security and Social Cognition, Robotics and Control, Pattern Recognition, Neuromorphic Hardware and Speech Processing.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Cellular Automata for Research and Industry, ACRI 2016, held in Fez, Morocco, in September 2014. The 45 full papers and 4 invited talks presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 59 submissions. This volume contains invited contributions and accepted papers from the main track and from the three organized workshops. The first part is organized according to three topics: (1) Cellular Automata Theory and Implementation (2) Cellular Automata Dynamics and Synchronization, (3) Asynchronous Cellular Automata and Asynchronous Discrete Models - ACA. The second part of the volume contains three topics: (4) Modelling and Sim-ulation with Cellular Automata (5) Crowds, Traffic and Cellular Automata -CT&CA (6) Agent-Based Simulation and Cellular Automata - ABS&CA.

This Festschrift volume has been published in honor of Ed Brinksma, on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The contributions in this Festschrift are written by a number of Ed's former Ph.D. students and collaborators. The papers are a reflection on his research contributions and interests and all fall into the area of formal methods, or in Ed's terminology applied mathematics in computer science. The papers address modeling languages and semantics, model-based testing, verification and performance analysis, probabilistic computation, system dynamics, and applications of formal methods.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th InternationalConference on Computational Logistics, ICCL 2017, held in Southampton,UK, in October 2017.The 38 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the book. They are organized in topical sections entitled: vehicle routing and scheduling; maritime logistics;synchromodal transportation; and transportation, logistics and supply chain planning.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Algorithmic Game Theory, SAGT 2017, held in L'Aquila, Italy, in September 2017. The 30 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 66 submissions. The papers cover various important aspects of algorithmic game theory such as auctions, computational aspects of games, congestion games, network and opinion formation games, mechanism design, incentives and regret minimization, and resource allocation.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th EuropeanWorkshop on Computer Performance Engineering, EPEW 2017, held in Berlin,Germany, in September 2017. The 18 papers presented together with the abstracts of two invited talks in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers presented at the workshop reflect the diversity of modern performanceengineering, with topics ranging from advances in Markov models; advances in quantitative analysis; model checking; and cyber-physical systems to performance, energy and security.