Rating: 
Summary: A 3D Animator's Must Have !
Review: If you own Animation Master or even thinking about purchasing Animation Master then this is the book for you. Great tutorials that take you through the software which (a demo) is included on the CD along with all the Chapter data needed. It has helped me a lot as a relative "newbie" to the program a lot easier then reading the Manual ...also a good source. And later you can talk to the Author on line.
Rating: 
Summary: You need it; it's sloppily put together
Review: If you own the program Animation:Master, you need this book in order to excel at some of its advanced features.Many of the figures, are sloppy and it's hard to tell exactly where the control points are. Also, the text is lacking in its descriptions of exactly what to do. Nevertheless, you may be able to learn a great deal despite this book's shortcomings.
Rating:
Summary: If you own Animation Master you MUST own this book!
Review: In the past, the biggest problem folks have had with Animation Master was the lack of a good documentation. There's no question, that this book has answered that user problem. This book isn't a supplement to the manual, it surpasses the manual in clarity, organizations, and general usefulness. The book includes a version of Animation master that seems to be fully functional (minus high quality rendering). Since the book includes a version of Animation Master, buying this book is the least expensive way to experiment with character animation.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book with a lot of patience
Review: Its not a question whether I can recommend this book or not. Why do I say this? Its because the original manual that comes with Animation Master is so awful that you have to buy this book to make sense of it all. Now in the case of reviewing the book, there is some good things to say and some bad things to say: First of all, Jeff Paries is extremely knowledgable on the subject matter. The book is packed with so much information (600 pages worth) so that makes it a valuable tool. The biggest complaint is that some of the tutorials need clarification. I went through a lot of them and I find bits of essential information missing. Somethings I have to improvise and experiment (which is not necessarily a bad thing but it can be frustrating). I think the author (and the editors too) should take some test subjects and let them go through the tutorials and point out any inconstancies in the text.
Rating:
Summary: Very easy to understand and learn by !
Review: Most books I get are thick and full of content but most of the time only 30% or so of the content is helpfull if at all..... So far I must say this AM Handbook 2nd Edition is the best book I've had for any particular product.... Other books I have had for other products seem like they were written by a person who really doesn't use the product but was just given the task to write about it, if you know what I mean ..... But this AM handbook is so different...... Kinda a jump-in and go book, read it ...... do it ..... next page :) This book has been helpfull and teaching me alot with new perspectives on methods to use and how you do-its in areas from modeling to decaling! My thanks to Jeff for a great book and I recommend it to anyone ! Brian R. June June3D Designs
Rating:
Summary: An Invaluable Resource
Review: The Animation:Master Handbook (second edition) has been an invaluable resource to me as I endeavour to familiarize myself with Hash's software package and 3D modeling and Animation in general. The books major strong point is in its voluminous use of tutorials to actually have you work on every point (simple and complex) that it sets out to teach. Jeff Paries has done a really wonderful job and his efforts have greatly improved my creative endeavours.
Rating: 
Summary: Animation Master 2000 Handbook
Review: The only reason I bought this book was to learn how to use Animation Master. I have the Book that came with the software which is about a "2 ½ star" book. After much research and review of other animation programs, I have concluded that Animation Master is a "5 star" program with "2 ½ star support". Here is a simple analogy. A person needs to get to a street called "E street" and in order to get there they must know that there is an A,B,C,D, street. In comparison the author of this book constantly gives directions like take A,B,D, or A,C,D leaving out essential details thus leaving the student of this excellent animation program frustrated and confused. Basically the author of this book is probably an excellent animator and story teller. As a writer myself I remind the author that if the details of a story are left out a percentage of the audience will bail thus creating inappropriate and negative views about the potential of becoming animators and I believe that the author is trying to help people to become animation enthusiast not discourage them. If you want to be as good in writing your tutorials as you are hopfully an animator then please take the time to avoid assumptions about your readers. If on the other hand you have written the book to get quick cash because of very little competition. Then I will ask that someone who has more tolerance of beginners and understands the essential nature of including all of the steps A,B,C,D,E please take the challenge. In conclusion I believe that this is a program well worth the price of admission . I only ask for a larger group of us who are newer and can learn well with a more detailed tutorial book that someone please take on this needed to be done task. P.S. to Jeff Paries I an not trying to insult you. I'm simply asking for a more complete and linear set of tutorials from you or anyone else. There is a business need at this graphic revolutionary time even if you write two books. Beginning to Intermediate book one followed by Intermediate to Advance. Then we are happier to give the writer more money that they deserve and word of mouth advertising is expanded to a higher level. Thank you for your time. renzai@pdai.com
Rating:
Summary: Animation Master 2000 Handbook
Review: The only reason I bought this book was to learn how to use Animation Master. I have the Book that came with the software which is about a "2 ½ star" book. After much research and review of other animation programs, I have concluded that Animation Master is a "5 star" program with "2 ½ star support". Here is a simple analogy. A person needs to get to a street called "E street" and in order to get there they must know that there is an A,B,C,D, street. In comparison the author of this book constantly gives directions like take A,B,D, or A,C,D leaving out essential details thus leaving the student of this excellent animation program frustrated and confused. Basically the author of this book is probably an excellent animator and story teller. As a writer myself I remind the author that if the details of a story are left out a percentage of the audience will bail thus creating inappropriate and negative views about the potential of becoming animators and I believe that the author is trying to help people to become animation enthusiast not discourage them. If you want to be as good in writing your tutorials as you are hopfully an animator then please take the time to avoid assumptions about your readers. If on the other hand you have written the book to get quick cash because of very little competition. Then I will ask that someone who has more tolerance of beginners and understands the essential nature of including all of the steps A,B,C,D,E please take the challenge. In conclusion I believe that this is a program well worth the price of admission . I only ask for a larger group of us who are newer and can learn well with a more detailed tutorial book that someone please take on this needed to be done task. P.S. to Jeff Paries I an not trying to insult you. I'm simply asking for a more complete and linear set of tutorials from you or anyone else. There is a business need at this graphic revolutionary time even if you write two books. Beginning to Intermediate book one followed by Intermediate to Advance. Then we are happier to give the writer more money that they deserve and word of mouth advertising is expanded to a higher level. Thank you for your time. renzai@pdai.com
Rating:
Summary: Animation Master 2000 Handbook
Review: The only reason I bought this book was to learn how to use Animation Master. I have the Book that came with the software which is about a "2 ½ star" book. After much research and review of other animation programs, I have concluded that Animation Master is a "5 star" program with "2 ½ star support". Here is a simple analogy. A person needs to get to a street called "E street" and in order to get there they must know that there is an A,B,C,D, street. In comparison the author of this book constantly gives directions like take A,B,D, or A,C,D leaving out essential details thus leaving the student of this excellent animation program frustrated and confused. Basically the author of this book is probably an excellent animator and story teller. As a writer myself I remind the author that if the details of a story are left out a percentage of the audience will bail thus creating inappropriate and negative views about the potential of becoming animators and I believe that the author is trying to help people to become animation enthusiast not discourage them. If you want to be as good in writing your tutorials as you are hopfully an animator then please take the time to avoid assumptions about your readers. If on the other hand you have written the book to get quick cash because of very little competition. Then I will ask that someone who has more tolerance of beginners and understands the essential nature of including all of the steps A,B,C,D,E please take the challenge. In conclusion I believe that this is a program well worth the price of admission . I only ask for a larger group of us who are newer and can learn well with a more detailed tutorial book that someone please take on this needed to be done task. P.S. to Jeff Paries I an not trying to insult you. I'm simply asking for a more complete and linear set of tutorials from you or anyone else. There is a business need at this graphic revolutionary time even if you write two books. Beginning to Intermediate book one followed by Intermediate to Advance. Then we are happier to give the writer more money that they deserve and word of mouth advertising is expanded to a higher level. Thank you for your time. renzai@pdai.com
Rating: 
Summary: Great but there's room for improvement
Review: There is no doubt that this is a must for users of Animation:Master. However it fails to acknowledge users like me who need to be shown graphically which buttons to press. This text fails to spoon feed, (at least in the beginning). Another problem with it is that it refers to version 5.0 of A:M, and I am using version 6.0.
| 
