I know we have to use 3Ds Max to make the animation but is 2D animation within a 3D allowed?
For example, could I use Flash or hand-drawn animations and 3D combined together?
The rules say nothing against it besides no Maya… what do you guys think?
no problem as far as i know. My team has used flash to make “moving textures” before. like for a computer screen, we animate a bunch of numbers in flash, save as an avi, then apply as if it were a bitmap. if that’s wht you want.
I know that judges really like to see video compositing. so if that’s what you’re getting at, then by all means, go for it!
yeah like animated textures or for computer screens. Video compositing has been really big the past years but whers the animation part ? it sometimes gets too much but can be useful to make small things nice and “flashy”
As long as you use 3D STudio Max they don’t care what other programs you use so long as you list them.
There can be some pretty cool compositing and texture done by combining things.
I had an issue a few yeays ago, when the winner had cut to full frame video for a large chunk of the entry, since the rules state- 30 SECONDS OF STUDENT ANIMATION. It also used to say (I didn’t check for it this year) that you can include video and such in your entry. The only way I know to combine the two rules and still be complients is how we did it the last couple years- www.shsrobotics.org (Check out the MEDIA- VIDEO- ANIMATION section) Out team has shown how you can include both.
If you can do 2D and include it in a 3D environment, then go for it. One of my clients just paid many tens of thousands of dollars (to anonther vendor) to achieve that exact effect. (Live video- 2D - and 3D) So its very good skills to learn and adds a unique look and feel to the video.
Kind of funny you mention that because Autodesk just barely acquired the company that makes Maya… So maybe you can use it 
–Jake
No you can’t. I’m pretty sure they specifically mentioned it (for the first time) because they now own it, and they didn’t want A) Everyone asking them, and B) People Using it!