3D + Flash cartoons

[LC]

Hi there,

I'm posting this here (instead of in the 3D forum) because my question is really directed at 2D/Flash animation artists.

I'm wondering if anyone here has used Swift 3D or any other 3D vector animation program, & combined the results with Flash character animation? I'm looking for an efficient way to *draw* and *animate* vehicles and objects in 3D (but so that they look 2D) and using these in 2D Flash movies.

Has anyone done this?

I'm wondering how easy/difficult it would be for someone with no 3D experience whatsoever to learn a program like Swift 3D? (I've read that it's easier than tackling 3DStudio Max or Maya...)

[ceglia]

i think it really depends on what you're trying to do.

my experience with Swift3D is somewhat limited, but i've found it to be a little cumbersome for modeling purposes. it comes with a basic set of modeling tools: an Extrusion Editor, which allows you to create a silhoutte using a simple pen tool and then extrude that silhoutte to create a three-dimensional object; a Lathe Editor, which is basically Maya's revolve tool, and is useful for creating cylindrical objects; and a standard set of primitive shapes (cubes, spheres, cones, etc.) that you can use as a starting point when creating a 3D model.

if the object you're trying to create is pretty basic (i.e. a vase, bowl or glass, a geometric boxy object, a spherical object, or a symmetrical object), the aforementioned tools work great, but more complex, or irregularly shaped organic objects can be significantly trickier to create. the problem is that Swift3D doesn't let you select and play around with individual vertices or curve points on your model, and as a result, you have significantly less control over the final shape of your model.

many people actually create their models in 3DStudio Max or Maya 5, both of which work in conjunction with Swift3D. i believe Max exports to Swift3D via a plug-in, whereas Maya 5 exports directly to Flash by making use of Electric Rain's rendering engine. i've never done this though, so i could be wrong.

in any case, notwithstanding it's limitations as a modeler, Swift 3D is still, in my opinion, a good product. it's relatively inexpensive, pretty easy to pick up, and capable of producing some nice vector (or even raster) renders, including renders that have a nice toon-shaded look.

you can create and position up to 8 lights (i think it's 8) in your scene, and there's a decent range of textures that you can apply to your models.

Swift3D also comes with a very basic set of preset animations (basically, variations on an object spinning in place on its axis) that are super easy to implement.

[ceglia]

sorry, re-reading i realized i didn't really answer your question.

i think you could use Swift3D to create 3D vehicles that looked 2D, but your vehicles might look a bit boxy. you could select "cartoon coloring" and "include edges" in your rendering options to create that 2D toon-shaded look.

[LC]

Thanks for this information. It's really helpful.

I am still unsure whether Swift 3D will suit my needs but I guess I will never know know until I try to learn it.

the problem is that Swift3D doesn't let you select and play around with individual vertices or curve points on your model, and as a result, you have significantly less control over the final shape of your model.

Could you please clarify the above statement? Say i wanted to create the body of a car and it has a more rounded-edged non-boxy shape... Is this sort of thing do-able? Would I be able to start with a default cube, and "mould" this so that it's less boxy?

[ceglia]

if you were using Maya or 3DSMax, you could definitely start with a primitive shape such as a cube and then manipulate the individual vertices or faces of that cube using a wide variety of tools to gradually create your car.

however, in Swift 3D, i would only use the primitive shapes to create the wheels, because you won't be able to modify the primitive shape sufficiently enough to create the detail required for a car.

use the built-in Extrusion Editor instead to create the body of your car. the Extrusion Editor will allow you to draw the profile or silhoutte of your car using standard vector tools with bezier handles. you could even create your silhoutte in Adobe Illustrator, if you're more comfortable working in that program, and then import the vectors into Swift3D.

once you've created your vector-based silhoutte (which doesn't have to be boxy, just use the bezier handles to create your curves), the Extrusion Editor automatically extrudes it depth-wise into the third dimension.

your object will now be three-dimensional, but it won't look that good just yet, expecially when viewed head on. you'll need to do some tweaking. bevel the edges and scale the depth. you'll know what i mean when you see the results. basically, if you don't bevel the edges, your car will look smooth in profile, but boxy from the front.