Swift3D 3D graphics for Flash

Dateline: 7/5/00

Swift3D 3D graphics for Flash

If you've been waiting for a 3D package to use with Flash you're wait is over. Electric Rain has produced Swift3D a 3D vector manipulation program that exports right out to Flash (.swf) files. The interface is clean and the types of graphics you can produce are good for the flying logo type of illustrations. Of course the whiz-bang animation you are hopefully viewing at the start of this article was produced using Swift3D. It actually only took on the order of a half hour at most, with some adjustments and edits. There is a good starting users guide included as a PDF file that covers all the basics. Oh and by the way Swift3D also works with Adobe's LiveMotion.

swift3d overview
Swift3D application, entire screen layout.

The upper left portion of the interface consists of icons that allow you to add text, spheres, cones, torus, scale the model and some camera manipulation controls.

control icons
Icons with page layout controls

Unfortunately Electric Rain does not offer any sort of free trial...BAD IDEA folks! It would be much more enticing to let people try the package a little bit, even with a modified save feature. I've seen one package that scrambles the text before exporting to Flash...great idea! (hint hint)

trackball controls
Trackball controls

There are two trackball type controls on the bottom portion of the interface. The one on the left it for manipulating the position and rotation of the selected object. The icons let you lock the motion horizontally or vertically.

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