The History of MikuMikuDance Models Summarized by nhinkptis on YouTube

 Posted by at 3:55 am  Hatsune Miku, MMD, Other  3 Responses »
Jun 152014
 

MikuMikuDance has become an integral part of the Vocaloid community since its release in 2008, and has been used for thousands of unique music videos. It even inspired its own 3D animation competition, MikuMikuDance Cup. And of course, many various 3D models of Hatsune Miku were created for the program over the years.

The history of many of these models is unknown to most fans in both the West and East. So the user nhinkptis on YouTube has taken on the task of creating videos summarizing the history of many models that have been created since 2007 and onwards (many pre-2008 models were later converted to MMD format), and are available in both English and Japanese.

The videos are currently split into two parts to cover model releases dating from 2007 until 2013. Enjoy watching below!

Part 1 (2007~2010)
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUaK97pDl0o]

Part 2 (2010~2013)
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMI2c18Ilkk]

MikuMikuDance DirectX 11 Version Enters Alpha Stage Development

 Posted by at 4:10 pm  MMD  1 Response »
May 032014
 

For people with more modern computer hardware, the MikuMikuDance 3D model choreography tool is about to get a lot faster. Up to 100% faster, according to some tester results.

The creator of the tool, Higuchi_U, released an alpha build of a DirectX 11 version of the program last night via twitter. He asked people to load the included ALLSTAR animation project file and compare the performance results to older MikuMikuDance versions, and nearly everyone reported high framerate gains.

Of course, to run the DirectX 11 version, you will need three things:

1: An operating system that supports DirectX 11. This means Windows Vista (fully updated) or newer.
2: A graphics card supporting DX11. Most desktop GPUs older than 4 years wont work, and most integrated graphics older than 3 years wont work.
3: The Visual C++ 2013 redist package from Microsoft.

If you meet these requirements and would like to try out the new MikuMikuDance, copy and paste the download link below from Higuchi_U’s tweet.

MikuMikuDance 9.0.3 Released and New jThree MMD Generator Launched

 Posted by at 6:52 am  MMD, Software  3 Responses »
Mar 172014
 


Image of MikuMikuDance 9.0.3 Interface

The creator of the MikuMikuDance 3D model choreography tool has updated the program past version 9.0, all the way to 9.0.3. The most recent updates bring some much welcome enhancements and features. Some of these include:

■ Physics “on/off” toggle function, and physics “trace” mode (allows you to see physics behavior between frames without needing to play the animation).
■ Physics “on/off” toggle function for individual model bones (helpful for keeping some parts of models rigid during animation, if needed).
■ Shadow detail manipulation in camera/accessory mode, as well as auto shadows based on camera distance.
■ Numerical values can now be entered for facial manipulation (helpful for more accurate adjustments).

This latest version of MikuMikuDance can be downloaded from the official website.


 
Also recently released by a completely seperate entity named “jThree” is a web-based jquery/javascript plugin called MMD-Generator. It is capable of rendering MikuMikuDance animations within your browser using WebGL animation. The developer says the web application works best on Windows 7 with the latest versions of the Chrome, Firefox or Opera browsers. Mac users may have some luck running the application with Opera.

There are a few demos available directly from the site: Senbonzakura (warning, heavy animation), Melt and a Solar system Simulator. You can also use the tool to load your own MMD models and VMD motion data for camera and models. It also supports the rendering of MP3 and OGG audio. The plugin can be downloaded and run locally from your own system.

The program code is also included and uses an MIT license. There is no documentation or instructions provided yet (which the developer apologizes for). You can expect more updates to this application in the future.

Website: http://www.jthree.jp/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jThree_jp

EDIT: As soon as I finished this article, it was announced that the web application was taken down due to the discovery of many bugs. The creator apologizes and will try to have them fixed as soon as possible. The demos are still available, however.

MMD-Generator rendering the on-site demo of Senbonzakura.

MikuMikuDance Newcomer: Koron Miku 2.0

 Posted by at 5:15 am  Hatsune Miku, MMD  7 Responses »
Dec 312013
 


 
A MikuMikuDance modeler by the name of Koron uploaded a teaser video to Nico Video on December 24th to showcase a new and improved Hatsune Miku model nearly a year since releasing his first one. The model is very high quality, has very precise rigging, and has a large variety of facial expressions. Since the video preview was uploaded on December 24th, the video has already surpassed well over 100,000 views, clearly demonstrating its popularity.

Koron promised the download would be available before the new year, and he kept his word. The download is now available through a link in the video description, and is available for anyone to download and use as long as they abide by the Terms of Use. The password hint says to type the 8 digits after the “SM” in the video url.
 

Sony Japan Announces Release Date for Miku Miku Hockey

 Posted by at 1:28 am  Hatsune Miku, MMD, Software, Videogames  3 Responses »
Aug 222013
 

Sony has finally revealed the release date for the Play Station Vita app, Miku Miku Hockey to be released on the PSN market come September 10th.


 
After revealing the demo at the Nico Nico Chokaigi convention, the game has been shown to utilize the Vita’s AR abilities and involves playing Air Hockey with 2 familiar MMD models: LAT type Miku, and Mikudayo (Type Suzu). The game’s AI has been said to be improved, as well as hold a special mode where you can spectate a match between Miku and Mikudayo.


 
The game will be available for PSN Plus members from September 10th until November 12th, and has only been announced for Japan’s Playstation network. However, it’s possible that it may be released in other regions. If you are in Japan for the upcoming Magical Mirai event, stop by their booth to give the game a try for yourself!

Via SG Cafe and Play Station Report

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