About

About the Site

ScriptSpot.com is a web resource providing the 3d community with a single source for scripts, extensions and tutorials relating to some of the most command 3d software packages. ScriptSpot was first launched in May of 2000 as a 3ds Max resource. It began as homegrown ASP pages written by myself but lacked the flexibility and features necessary to keep the site moving forward. In 2006 my wife and I decided to invest the necessary funds to have ScriptSpot rewritten and moved into a framework that would allow for the growth. ScriptSpot is now based on the Drupal open source content management system, a great platform for the site which will allow for growth for years to come.

Now, you might be an artist or maybe you are a programmer - but if you are anything like me you have found that there are many things in 3DS that could be automated. For example, if you use surface tools, how many times have you built up a model and then decided you needed to add a little more detail...Well, normally that would mean refining maybe dozens of splines in the model, creating a new cross section using snaps, etc. If you had used a MAXScript called Spline Tools you could have just selected the splines you wanted refined, and it would subdivide them and automatically create the new cross section... As you can see, something like this could have saved several minutes or maybe several hours... So, if you aren't very familiar with MAXScript yet, I would encourage you to just browse the scripts that are available, maybe you will find something that will fit your workflow...

ScriptSpot has gone through a few facelifts over the years (the original black/orange UI I can't seem to find currently)

The Transition to Drupal...

2007 was an interesting year for ScriptSpot as it marked the transition from being "homegrown" ASP pages to a site powered by Drupal - an open source content management system. In July 2008, ScriptSpot was updated to Drupal 5.x and with that some bug fixes, a few new features and a basic light colored theme. In December 2009 ScriptSpot was upgraded to Drupal 6.x which brought along with it some refinements to the UI, an entirely new & more powerful search system and the move away from a custom theme to a standards compliant  one. Moving to Drupal has provided a lot of opportunities for additional features and future growth that weren't previously possible. Currently, ScriptSpot is powered by Drupal core 6.x & thousands of dedicated users around the globe.

A Bit About Me...

You can view my ScriptSpot blog here or my personal 3d portfolio here.

Well, my story began when I was young - only 14 actually. I was busy learning the intricacies of DOS, of the basics of bitmaps in NeoPaint and otherwise enjoying all kinds of shareware products on my superfast 486dx 33... oh yeah... My father had a co-worker who was into this new 3d rendering thing, and so consequently my dad started getting really interested in this new technology (that's my dad). Fortunately for me, my father wanted me to learn some of it so he managed to get me an old 3ds r2 for DOS license after his co-worker was done with the dongle... (those were the days... does anyone remember dongles?) So basically my interest in 3d graphics grew from there. I went from doing basic medical objects to my bike to airplane models... It took a while for me to really enjoy it, but soon I was totally into 3d. Once again, my dad helped me out by doing some sidework with me that enabled us to buy a 3ds r4 DOS license of our own. From there it's just been a matter of upgrading - i've been hooked ever since.

So in 1997 I graduated from high school and quickly hit the streets to find a job. At this point in my life I didn't expect to find a graphics job, but I applied everywhere - computer shops as a technician, best buy, local graphic design shops, print shops, and every other computer store I could find. Nobody was hiring - or maybe more accurately, nobody was hiring me... Until one summer day I was reading an article in the Business Press (a business newspaper I never subscribed to but just started arriving at my door) about a local TV station and at the end of the article there was a single paragraph mentioning a guy who was starting a new animation studio... So I looked up the name in the white pages, called him up and asked if he was hiring animators... The rest is history. In June of 2003, I graduated from La Sierra University with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and minors in Religious Studies and Mathematics... This is now my sixth year working at Digital Empire, but as times change, I'll be moving onto another studio beginning March 8, 2004... It's a new chapter in life, I'm a graduate, almost a husband (April 11), and moving on from my first job in the 3d biz...

If you are interested in 3d, there are tons of different programs to try out. But, a good artist will learn to use the computer as just another artistic tool. That doesn't mean you have to be an artist, but understanding the principles of art, especially color and light are instrumental aspects of any artistic medium. In the computer world, a strong understanding of Cinematography, Lighting, and Composition are crucial to being able to create good 3D artwork... If you want to see my online portfolio, current as of latter 2009, go to christophergrant.com