Tools - Page 3

Choosing tools to create 3D images or animation represents a larger risk than selecting tools for Web multimedia and graphic art. One daunting factor is the price of many of the high-quality 3D packages, which generally run in the same price range as a serviceable used car. Another factor is the number of tools offering different approaches to the same concepts and features. If you are interested in digging deeper into the 3D world than spinning logos, my recommendation is to start with free and low- cost tools, many of which embody the same concepts and even features of their high-cost siblings. The following is a short list of my favorite low-cost tools, with reasons for why I like each.

Strata 3D

This package is perfect for our purposes in this chapter. It is very easy to use, features an intuitive interface that should be easy for any Flash veteran to pick up, implements all the basic concepts of 3D we will talk about, and best of all, it is free. If you get bitten by the 3D bug and decide to dig deeper, you can easily and inexpensively extend the functionality of Strata with commercial plug-ins available from Strata at http://3d.com. The quality of Strata's rendering engine, even in the free version, is very good. Another feature of Strata is the active, fun, and open community of users. Many Strata users who participate in the Stratalist email discussion list are experienced 3D professionals who consider Strata to be a viable alternative the more expensive 3D packages. You can read more about Strata at http://3d.com.

Nendo

Nendo is a perfect tool to use as an introduction to modeling, and you may continue to use it for the remainder of your 3D career, regardless of the software package( s) you choose. Nendo is a masterpiece of desktop application GUI usability. I can hardly imagine a cleaner, more intuitive environment for traditional modeling techniques. If you entertain any fantasy of becoming a master 3D artist, you will have to learn to model at the polygon level. Nendo is a perfect place to start. There is a free, crippled demo of Nendo available at http://www.nichimen.com. At the time of writing, the full-blown pro version costs $100.

Blender

This is a curious package. Blender is freeware, and parts of the package are even open source, so there are multiple solutions available for some extensions. One of the most striking things about Blender is its interface, which provides every imaginable 3D tool within an elegant, nonclaustrophobic environment. However, since the interface is different from other 3D packages, and more complex, taking up Blender represents a larger initial investment of your time. Once you learn the interface, you will be able to access easily an amazing array of tools within an uncluttered environment. I had a very hard time picking which low-cost package to use in this chapter; the interface was the only reason I did not choose Blender. At the time of writing, there is a buzz in the Blender community about developing 3DS export, which would make it even more attractive to a very large number of Flash developers, since it would simplify a 3D-to-Swift 3D workflow. You can read more about Blender at http://www.blender.nl/.

Swift 3D

The primary strengths of Swift 3D are its well-thought-out, easy- to-use interface, the ability to import 3DS models and animations, parallel timelines for each object, its high-quality SWF rendering, and its popularity. Because Swift 3D is a successful product, it is likely to be around for a long time, and therefore likely to develop better features and interfaces with each version. Swift also includes the ability to group objects, which allows for more complex animation. Learn more about Swift 3D at http://www.swift3d.com.

Vecta 3D

At $60, you have little to lose by trying this product. Despite its low cost, the interface has a more standard feel to me than those of its direct competitors. It seems to include more controls that are familiar from my experience in other tools. For instance, in the "style" window alone, you have a selection scheme that is similar to 3D Studio Max, a distinction between outlines and fills similar to the Flash authoring environment, and a color selector that is common to a bazillion graphics applications, 2D and 3D alike. You also have the parametric object and world rotation dialog right in the main interface, as well as a simple tool to edit only the center of the object. Vecta will also import DXF models directly.

Crosswinds

At the time of writing, this useful little app is freeware. This tool can import and export a large number of 3D file formats, including 3DS, the preferred format for Swift 3D. Find out more about Crosswinds a http://home.europa.com/~keithr/crossroads/.

Amorphium Pro

This is a unique application, both in the arena of Flash tools and the 3D world in general. Since the chapter focuses on traditional 3D techniques and low-cost workflow for rendering 3D images and animation, a separate discussion of this tool is included at the end of the chapter. At an MSRP of $369 (though it is estimated that the street price will be less), Amorphium Pro is the most expensive tool to be covered in this chapter.

Animation: Master

If character animation is your cup of tea, proceed directly to Animation: Master. Its feature set for character animation is considered comparable to the big-name, big-money packages, yet it has a MSRP of only $300. The native modeling tools are certainly not as extensive as the big packages; but there are extremely low-cost modeling packages out there to make up the difference. Animation: Master is something of an industry phenomenon, creeping silently into use among professionals without any kind of advertising that I've seen. The only downside of Animation: Master for Flashers is that you will not be able to translate your creations to SWF in vectors, (not without tracing, anyway). Find out more about A:M at http://www.hash.com.

Overview of Flash 3D - Page 2
Macromedia Flash 5 Developer's Guide
Introduction to 3D Using Strata - Page 4