Re: FLASH: 3d vector art

[David Gary]

Al Rosetti wrote:


> I know this probably comes up all the time but... could somebody point me in

> the general direction here?  I'm making some 3d stuff and I'm fairly pleased

> with it.... but it lacks any shading.  Here is what I'm doing...

>

> I go into my 3d program....

> Make my animation....

> Render it to BMP's frame by frame....

> Go into Freehand and trace the shape.....

> Export to SWF....

>

>


Hiya Al,


Why use Freehand? Its tools arent any better than Flash3's and importing will

increase uneccessary file size.

Create in Flash when you can. Make your animation in your 3D proggy import,

sequence then hand "line draw" around edges of 3D object on higher layer. Once

you have you lines drawn.(traced mesh), fill in with vector gradient to add

lighting.


Matinee used 3D max and painstakingly hand traced each frame. Fwiw, if your

clients want 3D effects on their web site,

let them know how time consuming it is and charge accordingly. Its not as easy

as creating in MAX or a simpler 3D proggy

and import frames into Gif Animator. Its extremely time consuming in Flash,

unless you want to export sequenced BMP

and try selling 300k swf  to a potential client. If you do, lemme know who they

are.


3D is a bitch in Flash.


> It looks to me like Matinee is actually exporting to vector format

> from their 3d program.


not so. 3D MAX does not export Flash support ai. Its still jpg.


> If so, what 3d program are they using?  I can't

> imagine they are hand drawing or tracing that shading.


imagine it.


The latest craze is Adobe dimensions3.0, but I personally found this only good

for very basic extrusions and

shapes, anything besides that and handtracing is probably quicker if your good

with Flash's line tool.

Dimensions is the only vector 3D renderer.


If your going to be doing alot of rotating simple circle and one extrusion

shapes for clients, then you might want to pick up Dim3,

however if your just "foolin'" around, Dim3 is not cheap and imo not worth the

high price for such a basic

3D proggy that has absolutely no support and crashes like it was beta.


Ive seen some fairly impressive 3D with Dim3, but only with very simple objects.

Rotating floppies, cubes, etc.


There is no "magic" answer to Flash3D, just skill and patience.


hth,


-DG-



------------------------------------------------------------------------

To UNSUBSCRIBE send: unsubscribe flasher in the body of an

email to

list-managershocker [dot] com

.  Problems to:

ownershocker [dot] com

N.B. Email address must be the same as the one you used to subscribe.

For info on digest mode send: info flasher to

list-managershocker [dot] com