Flash 3D

Flash 3D

by Jim Ver Hague, Chris Jackson
Released August 2012
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136141737

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Book description

Push your creative ideas to the next level in content delivery.
Use real and simulated 3D space in your Flash games and interactive systems.

3D possibilities offer an untapped creative approach to thinking and designing with Flash. Tap into this medium by:
* Creating reusable templates to reduce costs and cycle time for project development.
* Experimenting with author-provided interactive examples that demonstrate a broad range of Flash applications from website to DVD/CD-ROM delivery.
* Practicing the real-world project techniques presented by the authors in full color.
* Expanding your horizons with experimental projects.

Jim Ver Hague is a professor of Computer Graphics Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has more than 30 years' experience in the field of computer graphics and has lectured, consulted, and conducted workshops internationally in the fields of multimedia, electronic publishing, computer-aided information design, and computer art and sculpture.

Chris Jackson is a computer graphics designer and Associate Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Chris has an extensive background in graphic design, printing and interactive multimedia. His professional work has received over 25 distinguished national and international awards for online communication.

User Level: Intermediate

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Introduction
  7. Chapter 1 Exploring 3D in Flash
    1. Types of Projections
    2. Types of 3D Drawings
      1. Multiview Drawings
      2. Single-View Drawings
      3. Paraline Drawings
    3. Paraline Drawings in Flash
      1. Exercise 1.1: Creating an Isometric Drawing
      2. Exercise 1.2: Creating a Symmetric Dimetric Drawing
      3. Exercise 1.3: Creating a Nonsymmetric Dimetric Drawing
    4. Types of Perspective Drawings
      1. One-point Perspective
      2. Two-point Perspective
      3. Three-point Perspective
    5. Summary
  8. Chapter 2 Depth Cues: Creating the Illusion of Depth
    1. Depth Perception
    2. Visual Depth Cues
    3. Simulating Depth Cues in Flash
      1. Exercise 2.1: Depth Cues
      2. Exercise 2.2: Cartoon Surface Shading
      3. Exercise 2.3: Using Gradients
      4. Exercise 2.4: Creating Soft Shading
      5. Exercise 2.5: Casting Shadows
    4. Summary
  9. Chapter 3 Animating Depth: Tweening Movement
    1. Parallax Scrolling
    2. Flash Animation Methods
      1. Exercise 3.1: Basic Motion Tween
      2. Exercise 3.2: Parallax Scrolling Using Bitmap Images
      3. Exercise 3.3: Parallax Scrolling Using Vector Art
    3. Cinematography in Flash
      1. Exercise 3.4: Scaling Movement
      2. Exercise 3.5: Using Trucking to Simulate Depth in Flash
    4. Summary
  10. Chapter 4 Programming Depth: Interactive Movement
    1. The Main Event
      1. Exercise 4.1: Parallax Scrolling Using ActionScript
      2. Exercise 4.2: Parallax Scrolling Under User Control
      3. Exercise 4.3: Depth Illusion Under User Control
    2. Summary
  11. Chapter 5 Math Primer: Trigonometry 101
    1. What Is Trigonometry?
    2. Coordinate Systems
      1. Flash Coordinates and Screen Coordinates
    3. Angles
    4. The Pythagorean Theorem
    5. Distance Between Two Points
    6. The Trig Functions
      1. Exercise 5.1: Circular Motion of One Object
      2. Exercise 5.2: Circular Motion of Multiple Objects
      3. Exercise 5.3: Circular Motion Extended
    7. Elliptical Motion
    8. Sine and Cosine Waves
      1. Exercise 5.4: Using Sine Wave Motion
    9. The Inverse Trig Functions
      1. Exercise 5.5: Using the atan2 Function
    10. Moving Away From 2D
    11. Circles in Perspective
  12. Chapter 6 Fundamentals of 3D Space
    1. Perspective Projection
      1. Exercise 6.1: Something Fishy
    2. Degrees of Freedom
      1. Exercise 6.2: Belly Up
      2. Exercise 6.3: More Complex Movement
    3. Rotation in the x-z Plane
      1. Exercise 6.4: Circular Rotation About the Y-Axis
    4. Rotating Multiple Objects
    5. A Little More User Interaction
      1. Exercise 6.5: Variable Speed of Rotation
      2. Exercise 6.6: Rotating Bitmap Objects
    6. The Flexibility of 3D
      1. Viewing Distance
      2. Circle Radius
      3. Plane of Circular Motion
      4. Horizontal Center of the Circle
    7. Rotation in the y-z Plane
    8. Tilted Rotation
      1. Exercise 6.7: Spiral Rotation
      2. Exercise 6.8: Sinusoidal Motion
    9. Spinning on an Axis
    10. Summary
  13. Chapter 7 Using a Camera in 3D
    1. Exercise 7.1: Simple Camera Translation
    2. Viewer Objects and Scenes
      1. Exercise 7.2: Interactive Navigation in 3D Space
    3. Interactive 3D Information Spaces
      1. Exercise 7.3: Extending an Information Space Functionality
    4. Viewer Rotation
      1. Exercise 7.4: Viewer Rotation About the Y-axis
    5. Background Considerations
    6. Summary
  14. Chapter 8 Using Virtual Reality Concepts
    1. Object Movies
      1. Exercise 8.1: Simple Object Movie
      2. Exercise 8.2: Object Movie on a Circular Path
    2. Panoramas
      1. Exercise 8.3: Simulating a Panorama
      2. Exercise 8.4: Panning and Scrolling in Flash
    3. Summary
  15. Chapter 9 Drawing 3D Objects
    1. Object Transformations
      1. Simple Planar Object
      2. Exercise 9.1: Creating a Filled Planar Object
      3. Exercise 9.2: Extruded Objects with Lines
      4. Exercise 9.3: Modeling Solids with Lines
      5. Exercise 9.4: Modeling Solids with Planes
    2. Removing Hidden Lines
      1. Exercise 9.5: Planes of Different Colors
    3. Summary
  16. Chapter 10 Integrating 3D Graphics in Flash
    1. Extruding and Revolving 3D Objects
    2. Using Adobe Illustrator
    3. Bitmap Caching
    4. Electric Rain’s Swift 3D
    5. Creating Animated 3D Characters with Poser
    6. Alpha Channels
    7. Summary
  17. Chapter 11 Flash 3D Applications: Putting It All Together
    1. Project 1: Space Blaster
    2. Project 2: Test Drive
    3. Project 3: Gargoyle Gallery
    4. Project 4: Museum Trail
    5. Project 5: A Walk in the Park
    6. Summary
  18. Index

Product information

  • Title: Flash 3D
  • Author(s): Jim Ver Hague, Chris Jackson
  • Release date: August 2012
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136141737