swift ... ..<

It’s a very little known fact that when Shakespeare wrote "True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings", he had actually just spent the previous four hours playing with Electric Rain’s Swift 3D 4.0.

鲜为人知的事实是，当莎士比亚撰写“真正的希望是Swift的，并带着燕子的翅膀飞翔”时 ，他实际上只是在前四个小时中玩了Electric Rain的Swift 3D 4.0 。

Of course, when everyone kept telling him, "Y’know, man… That’s really deep," he decided to claim he meant it that way all along. I think we’ve all done that at some time.

当然，当每个人都对他说：“你知道，伙计……那真的很深。”他决定声称自己一直都是那样。 我认为我们已经在某个时候做到了。

It isn’t, however, terribly difficult to understand how Will could get all inspired like that. Like most of us, Will can, at times, be a little bit suspicious when it comes to Flash. He understands only too well that the first incarnations of the Web were conceived primarily as fast, simple and robust vehicles for the written word — and that, for the past decade, this has meant hypertext mark-up. Given that between 700 and 800 million global users publish, search and consume billions of Web pages daily, you could certainly make the case that the underlying design of ‘interconnected text’ has been wildly successful.

但是，要理解Will将如何获得所有灵感并不是很难。 像我们大多数人一样，在谈到Flash时，Will有时可能会有些怀疑。 他非常了解，Web的第一个版本主要被认为是书面单词的快速，简单和强大的工具-并且在过去十年中，这意味着超文本标记。 鉴于每天有700到8亿全球用户发布，搜索和消费数十亿个Web页面，您肯定可以证明“互连文本”的基础设计已经取得了巨大成功。

It’s no wonder that, like Will, many of us get a little perplexed when site owners decide to take their simple, standardized, index-able, searchable textual information out of a hypertext document and obscure it in some other layer (i.e. Flash, Director, Java, etc.), often for no better reason than to implement a few mechanical text transitions, or a spinning logo.

难怪像Will一样，当网站所有者决定从超文本文档中提取其简单，标准化，可索引，可搜索的文本信息并将其遮盖在其他层级(即Flash，Director)时，我们当中的许多人感到有些困惑，Java等)，通常没有比实施一些机械文本过渡或旋转徽标更好的理由了。

There are, however, many other types of non-textual data that hypertext isn’t able to handle without some help, most commonly video, sound and 3D/VRML. It’s quite obvious that, while there’s value in reading about the latest Nike trainers you want to order, there’s nothing quite like being able to spin those babies in your hands, admire them from all angles, and perhaps zoom in on particular details to get a closer look.

但是，还有许多其他类型的非文本数据，如果没有一些帮助，超文本将无法处理，最常见的是视频，声音和3D / VRML。 显然，虽然有价值的信息是您想订购的最新耐克运动鞋，但没有什么比能够旋转这些婴儿的手，从各个角度欣赏它们，甚至放大特定的细节以获得更好的体验更胜一筹了。仔细看看。

For those who haven’t previously encountered Swift 3D, this is exactly the kind of functionality the software can help you create.

对于以前从未接触过Swift 3D的用户，这正是该软件可以帮助您创建的功能。

The core trick that Electric Rain’s developers have mastered is the ability to take a 3D scene and translate it into a smooth, low-fat, Flash-ready 2D file. On top of this, they’ve added an ever-growing array of modeling and animation tools, along with separate products designed specifically to export Flash directly from 3D Studio or Lightwave.

Electric Rain的开发人员已掌握的核心技巧是能够拍摄3D场景并将其转换为平滑，低脂，支持Flash的2D文件。 最重要的是，他们添加了数量不断增长的建模和动画工具，以及专门设计用于直接从3D Studio或Lightwave导出Flash的单独产品。

Is this true 3D? Not once it makes it to Flash. Flash has no inbuilt 3D abilities, so any interaction with your 3D object/environment has to be anticipated and pre-rendered as a 2D sequence.

这是真正的3D吗？ 不会一次出现在Flash中。 Flash没有内置的3D功能，因此与您的3D对象/环境的任何交互都必须预先确定并预先渲染为2D序列。

应用程序 (The Application)

Swift 3D is built around the ‘Scene Editor’ tab, where most of the scene construction, lighting and animation takes place. The five additional tabs provide access to a set of modeling tools, a ‘Preview and Export Editor’ and an IE-powered ‘Web Assistant’ designed to help you access tutorials, support services and Swift communities from within the application. The Web assistant is a nice idea, although personally, I felt a little weird using it without my normal set of browser controls.

Swift 3D围绕“场景编辑器”选项卡构建，其中大多数场景构建，照明和动画都在其中进行。 另外五个选项卡提供对一组建模工具，“预览和导出编辑器”和IE支持的“ Web助手”的访问，这些工具旨在帮助您从应用程序内部访问教程，支持服务和Swift社区。 Web助手是一个不错的主意，尽管就我个人而言，如果没有常规的浏览器控件，我会觉得有点奇怪。

Modeling Tools

建模工具

As you might expect, Swift 3D’s modeling tools have continued to evolve with each new release and now constitute a seriously useful modeling toolbox. Lathe and extrusion tools allow you to lift and spin two-dimensional profiles into more complex three-dimensional objects.

如您所料，Swift 3D的建模工具随着每个新版本的发展而不断发展，现在已成为一个非常有用的建模工具箱。 车床和拉伸工具使您可以将二维轮廓提升并旋转成更复杂的三维对象。

Although it’s quite easy to draw simple 2D shapes directly in Swift 3D, you’re free to construct more complex shapes in your preferred drawing program and import the 2D shape as an Illustrator file (AI), an EPS, or even an AutoCAD DWG. I probably should add that getting that 2D profile into the Lathe Editor (shown above) is a more convoluted process than it needs to be (i.e. via the Extrusion Editor).

尽管在Swift 3D中直接绘制简单的2D形状非常容易，但是您可以在首选的绘制程序中自由构建更复杂的形状，并将2D形状导入为Illustrator文件(AI)，EPS甚至是AutoCAD DWG。 我可能应该补充一点，将2D轮廓导入车床编辑器(如上所示)比所需的过程(例如，通过拉伸编辑器)复杂得多。

In addition to the Extrusion and Lathe Editors, version 4.0 now contains an ‘Advanced Modeler’. Along with a wide selection of primary forms (cubes, cylinders, cones, etc.), the Advanced Modeler allows you to deform your mesh directly through individual vertices, single edges, faces, entire surfaces and a nice ‘soft selection’, which allows a graduated deformation that reduces as you move away from the selection point.

除了拉伸和车床编辑器之外，版本4.0现在还包含一个“高级建模器”。 除了各种主要形状(立方体，圆柱体，圆锥体等)之外，Advanced Modeler还允许您直接通过单个顶点，单个边沿，面，整个曲面和一个不错的“软选择”来变形网格。随着您远离选择点而逐渐减小的渐变变形。

Probably the most impressive aspect of the modeling controls is that they’re easy enough for users to work with them immediately, while still providing fine-level control when needed via the ‘Properties Panel’. Though the pack we received contained a lovely little user guide/manual (seemingly a rarity these days), I was able to figure out most of the operations through simple tinkering — something that certainly can’t be said about some modeling programs.

建模控件最令人印象深刻的方面是，它们很容易让用户立即使用它们，同时在需要时仍通过“属性面板”提供了精细的控件。 尽管我们收到的软件包中包含一个很小的用户指南/手册(如今看来很少见)，但我仍然可以通过简单的修补来找出大多数操作-对于某些建模程序当然不能说这些。

In general terms, the modeling tools included should be more than sufficient for the vast majority of interface designs, logo treatments and product demos. In projects for which high-precision product models are required (perhaps mobile phones, consumer electronics, etc.), they can be constructed in any 3DS-compatible modeler (even Blender as a free option) and imported into the ‘Scene Editor’ separately.

一般而言，所包含的建模工具应足以满足绝大多数界面设计，徽标处理和产品演示的需要。 在需要高精度产品模型的项目中(也许是手机，消费类电子产品等)，可以在任何与3DS兼容的建模器中构建它们(甚至可以免费使用Blender)，然后将其分别导入到“场景编辑器”中。

Surfaces are a simple matter of drag-n-drop. Dozens of preset surfaces are available in flat color, glossy, metallic, patterns, reflective maps, stone, miscellaneous textures, transparent tones and wood grain. Each one of those colors/textures can be individually ‘tuned’ via adjustment of the desired pattern, color, finish and texture. Additionally, custom made bitmaps can be imported and applied to any surface. The possibilities are endless.

表面是拖放的简单问题。 提供数十种预设表面，包括平面颜色，光泽，金属，图案，反光贴图，石头，其他纹理，透明色调和木纹。 这些颜色/纹理中的每一种都可以通过调整所需的图案，颜色，表面处理和纹理分别进行“调整”。 此外，可以导入定制的位图并将其应用于任何表面。 可能性是无止境。

In summary, the modeling tools are powerful enough to handle the vast majority of situations, with fallback options if more power is needed.

总而言之，建模工具功能强大，足以应付绝大多数情况，如果需要更多功能，则具有后备选项。

Animation Controls

动画控制

Although Swift 3D’s animation controls might initially give Flash users a jolt of familiarity, they are conceptually quite different. Flick the ‘Animate’ button in Swift and you have access to tweening controls for your model’s position (in 3D space), pivot point, rotation, scale, shearing and colors (ER Vectors).

尽管Swift 3D的动画控件最初可能会使Flash用户感到不熟悉，但它们在概念上却大不相同。 轻击Swift中的“动画”按钮，您就可以访问补间控件，以控制模型的位置(在3D空间中)，枢轴点，旋转，比例，剪切和颜色(ER矢量)。

Simply move the frame marker to a point further along the timeline, and change any aspect of the model to create a new keyframe with the intervening frame auto-tweened. It’s easy and quick to get results, and you can animate surfaces and lights just as simply as you can the models themselves.

只需将帧标记沿时间轴移动到一个点，然后更改模型的任何方面，以创建一个新的关键帧，并自动补间中间帧。 轻松轻松地获得结果，并且可以像对模型本身一样简单地对曲面和灯光进行动画处理。

Swift will also allow you animate at ‘model level’. By providing you with a timeline in the both the Extrusion Editor and the Lathe Editor, Swift effectively allows you to morph between multiple model ‘states’. For example, you could manually deform just the base of your logo as it bounced — very useful stuff.

Swift也将允许您在“模型级别”进行动画处理。 通过在“拉伸编辑器”和“车床编辑器”中为您提供时间线，Swift可以有效地使您在多个模型“状态”之间进行变形。 例如，您可以在徽标弹跳时对其进行手动变形，这非常有用。

And it doesn’t finish there. ‘Bezier Path’ animation tools allow you to tie your model to a predefined 3D track (not unlike Flash’s 2D equivalent), while preset ‘movement-in-can’-style spins, jumps, zooms and rolls allow you to drag-n-drop common movements directly onto your model.

而且还没有完成。 “ Bezier路径”动画工具可让您将模型绑定到预定义的3D轨道(与Flash的2D等效项不同)，而预设的“罐头运动”风格的旋转，跳跃，缩放和滚动可让您拖动n-直接将常见动作放到模型中。

In short, the program offers powerful and flexible animation controls.

简而言之，该程序提供了强大而灵活的动画控件。

Preview and Export Editor

预览和导出编辑器

Presumably, most Swift 3D users want to generate content designed for display in the Flash player, either directly from Swift, or, more often, via the Macromedia Flash authoring environment. However, that certainly isn’t your only option.

据推测，大多数Swift 3D用户都希望直接从Swift或更经常地通过Macromedia Flash创作环境生成旨在在Flash播放器中显示的内容。 但是，那当然不是您唯一的选择。

In fact, you don’t even need to focus on vector graphics. Since I’ve installed Swift 3D 4.0, I’ve used it 3 times to generate strings of JPEGs to convert into animated GIFs (at which it did a lovely job).

实际上，您甚至不需要专注于矢量图形。 自从我安装了Swift 3D 4.0之后，我已经使用了3次来生成JPEG字符串以转换为动画GIF(在此过程中，它表现出色)。

The export facility works in two modes: Vector and Raster. The options available in each of those modes include:

导出工具以两种模式工作：矢量和栅格。 这些模式中的每一个可用的选项包括：

• Vector
  向量
• SWF
  SWF
• SWFT (Swift 3D Flash importer)
  SWFT(Swift 3D Flash导入器)
• EPS
  每股收益
• AI
  人工智能
• SVG
  SVG
• Raster
  栅格
• TGA
  TGA
• BMP
  骨形态发生蛋白
• PNG
  PNG
• JPG
  JPG格式
• TIF
  TIF
• SWF (as bitmaps)
  SWF(作为位图)

Why would you want to export in raster to Flash? Well, while your file size will undoubtedly suffer, lighting effects, reflections effects and other rendering tricks certainly hold a little more of their subtlety as raster graphics. If bandwidth is no issue, pixels are a still a good option.

为什么要将栅格导出到Flash？ 好吧，尽管您的文件大小无疑会受到影响，但照明效果，反射效果和其他渲染技巧无疑会保留更多的光栅图形细节。 如果带宽没有问题，像素仍然是一个不错的选择。

The Preview and Export Editor is simple to use and offers a flexible export facility.

预览和导出编辑器易于使用，并提供灵活的导出工具。

摘要 (Summary)

Swift 3D 4.0 is a beautifully usable and useful application. Even Flash ‘doubting Thomases’ like Will and I often found ourselves wistfully musing on the possibilities it presents. With other 3D Web options (Java and SVG) unable to achieve the combination of smooth browser integration and vast market penetration of Flash, Swift appears to have the 3D Web market covered for the immediate future. Its few modeling weaknesses can be covered by alternate modeling applications (if needed) and, at less than $200, Swift 3D is not at all expensive for the power it provides.

Swift 3D 4.0是一个精美且有用的应用程序。 甚至像Will和我这样的“怀疑托马斯”的“闪避者”，我也经常发现自己在琢磨着它带来的可能性。 由于其他3D Web选项(Java和SVG)无法实现流畅的浏览器集成和Flash的广泛市场渗透，Swift似乎在不久的将来覆盖了3D Web市场。 它的几个建模缺陷可以通过替代建模应用程序(如果需要)来弥补，并且价格不到200美元，Swift 3D所提供的功能丝毫不昂贵。

For slightly jaded Web designers, maybe true hope is Swift.

对于有些疲倦的Web设计师，也许真正的希望是Swift。

Product: Swift 3D 4.0Made by: Electric RainPrice: US$189.00More Information: http://www.erain.com/products/Swift3D/

产品： Swift 3D 4.0 制造者： Electric Rain 价格： US $ 189.00 更多信息： http : //www.erain.com/products/Swift3D/

翻译自: https://www.sitepoint.com/swift-3d-review/

swift ... ..<