3DFA ease of use/capable of Flash Loaded stuff?

[gromster]

Hello, I'm new here.

I have next to no 3-d experience, but tons of 2-d exp. (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator). I worked as a graphic designer at a full time job for 3 years.

For all means and purposes, let's just say that I have no Action Scripting knowledge (aside from the very, very basics, e.g., adding a "go to and play" action on to a button).

I have tried learning advanced action scripting, but I'm usually very intimidated by it, or else, my eyes glaze over from boredom while reading the how-to books (which I wind up not understanding). I do intend on continuing studying it, though.

In the meantime, I've been looking at using scripts written by other people, whether they come in componenets or in a software package.

I was looking at the 3dFlash animator package (http://www.3dfa.com/). I can't really tell from looking at their site just how much action scripting I'd have to know, if any. (For one thing, the screen shot of their action scripting box is so tiny that I can't make it out.)

I was also looking over some of the components for sale at the Flash Loaded site:
http://www.flashloaded.com/3dbox.php

One of the things I liked about these components at Flash Loaded is that it looks *easy* to use -- for someone like me who isn't good at Actionscripting.

It looks like you would just plug in what you want, and their product takes care of everything for you (for example, see the screen shot of the Properties box under the sub-heading "Advanced live preview").

The folks at Flash Loaded clearly don't expect the artist/designer to type out a bunch of script (or to even know how to go about it).

Is the same true with 3d Flash animator? Can I basically plug in information and the software takes care of all the Scripting?

Can the 3d Flash Animator do the same things as the Flash Loaded components, and allow for user input? For instance, I make a cube in 3DFA and tell it to let the user click on it with his or her mouse to rotate the thing around?

[blanius]

Well asked, I hope I can answer some of your questions.

Firstly you can download and try out 3dfa and see if you like it.

3dfa comes with many built in effects, but it doesn't have the "component" concept at all. To do many of the kind of things you describe does require scripting.

The component you linked to could be done in 3dfa, not with 3d elements but as it is done in the component using 2d elements that you distort into the 3d effect. It would require more math knowledge than I have but I know it could be done, we had a user here "Kusco" who did something similar a long time ago.

I can't help but notice that the component also costs $40. As this is nearly what 3dfa costs by itself, it woud be asking quite a bit for 3dfa to have effects like that included. Not to menetion that components are for Macromedia Flash which starts at $500.

If you can afford Flash and afford to buy components that just might be the way you should go. But I really encourage you to download 3dfa and give it a shot first. As you get into the scripting the users of this forum are always ready to assist anyone that makes an effort to figure it out. Also the scripting in 3dfa is nearly identical to the Actionscript in FLASH now so most tutorials for Flash MX will translate to 3dfa.

[gromster]

Thanks for the answers.

I didn't notice that they allow a trial period... after I saw that in your post, I went back to their site and found it.

They really ought to put that in big print on their home page, though, as it's easy to overlook (IMHO).

I'll download it and give it a try and see how it goes.

Just FYI, I do own a full version of Flash. I have Flash MX. (I'm currently too poor to afford an upgrade to Flash MX 2004.)

[gromster]

After spending more time with their product (3d Flash Animator), I think I'm going to call it a day and go ahead and get the components by the other company.

I just found the layout and all else to be confusing in 3dfa.

One of the most frustrating things was just trying to get stuff to appear on stage.

I'm used to having a drawing tool in a tool box, going onto the stage, and drawing stuff -- or else, selectng a "shape making" tool, dragging on stage, and having a box, circle, or whatever appear.

I did manage to find some panel that had a million shapes on it, so once or twice, I *was* able to get a star shape (or box etc) on the stage, but then, I had *no idea* how to make it look 3-d.

I also could not (despite the "add new action" button, or whatever it's called) get the shape to move, jump, or what have you.

I figured out how to make 3d looking text appear, but not how to make it move and jump around(*). And yes, I saw the boxes that said "bounce" and "elastic."

(*) that is, aside from one time, I was able to animate the first letter of my name, but I couldn't figure out how to make it do the *entire* name)

I'm sure it's a swell product, but I don't know if I feel like sinking time into learning yet another graphics package that doesn't act like or look like ones I'm used to (i.e., ones by Adobe or Macromedia).

On the plus side, there was one feature I stumbled across in 3dfa that I really liked, and I think Macromedia should've included ones like it in their Flash product:

In "3d Flash Animator," after you get your shape on the stage, all you have to do is find the check box for "make draggable," and presto, the box becomes draggable! That's it, no coding required.

(When using Macromedia Flash MX) I for one don't like having to go into the symbols, movie clips, etc. and having to attach action scripts to them to get them to be draggable.

It would be so nice if Macromedia enabled people such as me to just *click a button* in "FlashMX" a la "3dFA" to make the shapes / movie clips do stuff.

I'm trying to learn more action scripting, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to progress beyond simple stuff, so it would be nice if Macromedia allowed *automation* of special effects and features, such as draggable graphics in "3dfa."