FAQs

1. What is Muvizu and what is Muvizu 3D?
2. How are Muvizu 3D and the Muvizu website connected? What can I do with it?
3. The old site had a "projects" section, what's happened to it and where are my project assets?
4. I've made a video masterpiece with Muvizu 3D, but I'd like it in broadcast quality, can you help?
5. Can I use Muvizu 3D on a Mac?
6. What file types can be uploaded to the Muvizu site? Are there any size limits?
7. How much personal storage do I get with my profile?
8. What file types can be used in the Muvizu 3D app? Are there any size limits?
9. What is a gatekeeper account?
10. Where may I get help?

1: What is Muvizu and what is Muvizu 3D?

The Muvizu website is a place to meet fellow creatives and, using our site tools and downloadable free 3D animation software, make your own movies or collaborate with Muvizu members on larger projects. Muvizu 3D software has been designed to allow anyone with a decent computer and graphics card to make animated videos without specialist training and equipment.

The Muvizu website and 3D application allow you to upload your creations straight to YouTube. The website contains other tools to complement your creative efforts. There's a powerful script editor, storage space for your audio, image, video and other files, forums and, to provide feedback, work you publish may be rated and commented on.

2: How are Muvizu 3D and the Muvizu website connected? What can I do with it?

When you are running the Muvizu 3D application, it connects to the site in a couple of ways (in subsequent releases this integration will become closer and extend the functionality of the software). At the moment, you may post your finished videos from within the application and you will also receive upgrades of the application automatically via the website.

If you log in on the app, you can download any images/audio that you have uploaded to the site directly into the application.

3: The old site had a "projects" section, what's happened to it and where are my project assets?

The projects section wasn't working, for many reasons. It was unwieldy, confusing and, above all, seemed to foster isolation rather than collaboration. Members have preferred to interact in the forums, which are lively and constructive, and by the Muvizu message system.

The projects section was redundant and, if anything, created barriers to communication. However, we remain keen to develop useful collaborative tools and intend these to be informed by member feedback.

All your assets, meanwhile, are in your profile for you to determine which to showcase to other members via the privacy settings.

4: I've made a video masterpiece with Muvizu 3D, but I'd like it in broadcast quality, can you help?

We certainly can help. As it says in the Muvizu 3D terms, we will deal with any commercialisation requests on a case-by-case basis, so email us at this address - support@meshmellow.cn - and enter "high-def request" in the subject line. We'll get back to you.

5: Can I use Muvizu 3D on a Mac?

Yes you can, but Muvizu 3D is built on the Unreal Engine 3 made by Epic Games and, as yet, there is no Mac OS X version. However, any Mac produced in the last few years uses Intel processors and, if it has adequate graphics capabilities, you may use Mac's Boot Camp to set up a PC partition on your machine on to which you may install and run Muvizu 3D.

You may also use a virtualised/emulated PC environment using software such as VMware Fusion or Parallels - however, performance via these will be slower, especially if you create complicated sets with many characters in a scene.

6: What file types can be uploaded to the Muvizu site? Are there any size limits?

The formats currently accepted are:

• Images: .JPG, .JPEG, .BMP, .PNG, .GIF
• Video: .3GP, .WMV, .MOV, .MP4, .MPEG, .FLV, .MKV (h.264), .AVI
• Audio: .MP3

• max video size: video is uploaded to YouTube, which specifies a maximum 2GB file size and 15-minute duration
• max image size: 500 KB
• max audio size: 5 MB

7: How much personal storage do I get with my profile?

Each user may upload and store a maximum of 2GB of data (excluding video).

8: What file types can be used in the Muvizu 3D app? Are there any size limits?

• Audio files: .MP3, .WAV
• Video files: .AVI
• Images: .JPG, .JPEG, .BMP, .PNG, .GIF
• 3D models (static meshes): .ASE
• Output format: .set -> Muvizu Set files (your saved scenes), .avi (movie output).

There are no size limits, other than that of the computer's memory. When you use video files for audio, the Muvizu application abandons the video portion of the file and uses only the audio.

To use video files as images, your machine must have the right codec to process them. Muvizu 3D will check which codecs are on your machine and present those as options when saving.

9: What is a gatekeeper account?

You must be at least 13 years old to join Muvizu as a full member with a regular account. However, if you are a teacher, drama group leader or similar and some of your charges are under 13, you may open a "gatekeeper" account. This will allow you to set up subsidiary accounts for them which you will administer and over which you will have full visibility and control. These are invisible to anyone except members of your group or another gatekeeper group with which you have chosen to collaborate.

10: Where may I get help?

In the first instance, check our forums. These are full of useful information contributed by members and by our own testing, development and art teams.For instance, under the tech help forum - you'll find troubleshooting advice on most common problems.

If you can't find what you need in the forums, email us at contact@muvizu.com and we'll try to help.