recommendations 4 a 3D graphics prog?

[aeinstein]

looking 4 something that generates 3D graphics like Bryce 3D or Simply 3D, but (ideally) is targetd towards Macromedia (Dreamweaver/Flash/Freelance) users. any recommendations? i'm actually considering AutoCad 14 but thats a bit pricey 4 my budget 2 say the least - ok, so i'm a virgin tekkie: i dont have any cracks/warez; i'm an aspiring author so i kinda get the copyright thing...

[Dani]

Hmm ... the only 3D programs I've ever used have been Amorphium, Bryce, and Poser. I don't think any of them are specifically targeted towards any Macromedia software however.

I live in Dreamweaver (and Photoshop, but that's besides the point) but when it comes to anything else by Macromedia, I'm clueless.

Inscissor is, however, attempting to get me involved in Flash this summer and for the most part it's working. Kudos for inscissor (in doing the impossible).

Inscissor may actually be able to help you ... send him a private message if you wish to get his attention because he rarely takes a look at anything outside the Programming boards. 8)

[aeinstein]

Flash is *MAD KEWL* just some truly awesome stuff & extremely versatile - could realy blow away most presentations done in MS PowerPoint or Lotus Freelance if 1 doesnt need the structure/templates these progs offer (in otherwords it great if u know just what u want to say, how u want to say it and when u went to say it, otherwise those progs would still be either a better choice, or 4 me, i'd story board my presentation in either of those and then go mad w/Flash - i REALLY like the animation thing... ) btw, i dont even know how to use Flash, ive just been somewhat exposed to it @ work, and, obviously, on the www. 8)

&.... LOL & thanks 4 the 411 on incissor!!! :D

[samaru]

Whoa, took some time to respond. I guess Dani was right about me not looking outside of the programming section. ;)

Well, you got several options. It all depends on your budget, demands, and expectations. If you want to shell out for a good well known program that generates 3D animations/effects for Flash, I suggest you go with Electric Rain's Swift3D. One of the most popular programs in the Flash 3D market. It cost around $170. http://www.swift3d.com/

If you're low on cash, then you can go with Swish. You can do some simple (and I mean simple) 3D stuff in it. It's also very intuitive and comes with premade special effects that you can apply to images and text. I highly recommend this program if you want to do Flash but don't have the time to learn it. It's only $50. http://www.swishzone.com

Other than those two, a lot of traditional 3D programs nowadays like trueSpace, 3D Max, and Poser support plugins to export to Flash.

In my opinion, Flash's capability with 3D is somewhat limited. It's not made to handle 3D, well, not the way Director was made. (For example, you couldn't do 3D maze or world like in Quake without either making the movie size too small or having it crawl speedwise. And that's usually without texture mapping.) If you want true 3D support, that is if you're going to be making a game, like Quake, then go with Director. The only drawback is the cost. Director MX costs $1200. =)

Also Director uses Lingo instead of Flash's ActionScript. Argh... Lingo. Lingo, to me, is like programming complex routines with Logo. Just won't cut it. You know this if you've used Logo before... yeah, the one where you move the turtle and create lines and stuff... yeah that one. ;)

[Dani]

Yeap, Dan, ya never crawl out of the programming section do ya. Ooooh I remember Logo - my first language (well, before BASIC). When I was like 4 years old I would make those pretty line drawings in Logo with a lil sheet next to my computer with a list of available commands to type in and what they did. :) If lets say I wanted to make a line go right, I'd scroll down my list to find "make line go right x amount" and then I'd think of a number, and then type the command in!

But is it just me, or did that lil critter never really look a lot like a turtle?

[samaru]

I have many memories from Logo... and QBASIC too. I used to draw a lot when I was younger so I really took logo to the limit. I used to draw people, cars, super heroes, and other cool stuff. Also, if you remember QBASIC, the play command, I got carried away with that. I used to write whole compositions - all with the Play command. I can read sheet music, so I would convert all the notes with the Play command and would play it back through the PC speaker. Oh, the good times. :)

LOGO?! I'm going to have to look that one up!

[aeinstein]

WOW! how timely is this!!! i just found out today i have an op to grasp yet another rung by going from casual to expert user in Flash - in 3 months or less! i'm confident i can do it, but if u thought i was scarce b4... :o

thank u very much inscissor 4 http://www.swift3d.com/, maybe exactly what i was looking 4 ; i'll post a follow-up in a month or so.

[samaru]

You're welcome. Hey you spelled "inscissor" right. ;) Now try pronouncing it. :P

[aeinstein]

just like nsync but with a scissor instead of sink ;)

[samaru]

If that means pronouncing it like the word "incisor" (yes, it really does have one "s"), then yeah... ;)

[aeinstein]

nope, as the saying goes, i got the ryhme wrong (ok, for 10 bonus points what book/movie/movie remake is that from?) ;)

[samaru]

Hmm... gimme a hint.

[aeinstein]

1st, a correction: replace "book" with "play".

a hint? hmmmm... well, ur likely to use at least one or two of the same search engines that i do... ok...

Julie Andrews was to have played the leading lady character in the 196x remake, but it was eventually handed to Audrey Hepburn. ironically a "Julie" did wind up playing the same part nearly two decades later. you'd have to be a regular Walter Walter Cronkite to figure this one out tho... ;)