For 3D animations, objects (models) are built on the computer monitor (modeled) and 3D figures are rigged with a virtual skeleton. For 2D figure animations, separate objects (illustrations) and separate transparent layers are used with or without a virtual skeleton. Then the limbs, eyes, mouth, clothes, etc. of the figure are moved by the animator on key frames. The differences in appearance between key frames are automatically calculated by the computer in a process known as tweening or morphing.Finally, the animation is renderd. The equipment that is used for 3D CGI Animation is the same as the equipment that is used in 2D Animation and that is a digital scanner, digital camera, drawing tablet. Its much more realistic than traditional animation. Its a lot more you can do in 3D than in 2D. If it isn't done properly it could be disastrous. Also, with games, not everybody has complete access to the game. You still need advanced video cards and higher memories. The first use of 3D Wireframe imagery was in its sequel, Futureworld and this was made in 1976, which featured a computer-generated hand and face created by then University of Utah graduate students Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke.
2D computer graphic animation is the computer-based generation of digital images and they are mostly from two dimensional models and by techniques specific to them. 2D computer graphics are mainly used in applications that were originally developed upon traditional printing and drawing technologies, such as typography,cartography,technical drawing,advertising, etc. In those applications, the two-dimensional image is not just a representation of a real-world object, but an independent artifact with added semantic value; two-dimensional models are therefore preferred, because they give more direct control of the image than 3D computer graphics. The equipment they used at that time was digital scanner, digital camera, drawing tablet.
The first year 2D graphic animation was used was in 1960 and featured a 30-second vector animation of a car traveling down a planned highway at 110 km/h was created at The SwedishRoyal Institute Of Technology on the BESK computer. The short animation was broadcast on the 9th of November 1961 on national television.
The advantages of using 2D computer graphic animation is speed of development and flexibility of digital imagery and the disadvantages are Sophisticated and expenses hardware and high degree of expertise required.
The equipment they used at that time was digital scanner, digital camera, drawing tablet
