Away3D is one of the most popular real-time 3D engines available for Flash, allowing for the creation of a wide range of 3D applications, including visualizing detailed 3D environments, displaying animated 3D models, creating 3D text, and showing off a huge variety of special effects. With Away3D, a little ActionScript, and a big imagination the possibilities are endless.
This book will guide you through the various features available in Away3D, demonstrating the possibilities it opens up for the Flash platform. With practical examples and some real-world tips, you will be up and running with Away3D in no time.
Starting with the very basics, this book will walk you through creating your first Away3D application by downloading the Away3D source code and using it from within a number of authoring tools like Flex Builder, Flash Builder, FlashDevelop, and Flash CS4. Next, you ease your way through creating your first primitive 3D objects from scratch, then move on to creating stunning 3D environments with incredibly detailed textures and animations. You will learn how to make your applications react to the user, learn ways to focus your camera and view your 3D scene from any angle, and then take your Away3D application to the next level with a number of optimization techniques that allow you to obtain the best performance from Away3D, without compromising on visual appeal.
From displaying a simple sphere through to creating entire 3D cities, this book will show you the steps you need to follow, with plenty of tips to help you avoid common pitfalls.
Chapter 1, Building Your First Away3D Application, which will show you how to create your first Away3D application using a variety of IDEs, including Flex Builder, Flash Builder, FlashDevelop, and Flash CS4.
Chapter 2, Creating and Displaying Primitives, where you will explore the various primitive 3D objects available in Away3D.
Chapter 3, Moving Objects, which shows you how to move, rotate, and scale 3D objects within the scene, either directly or through the TweenLite library.
Chapter 4, Z-Sorting, which explores the tricks that can be employed to solve sorting and rendering issues that can arise in Away3D applications.
Chapter 5, Materials, which takes a look at the various materials that are included in Away3D, from basic materials that display a single color, right through to those materials that make use of the advanced Pixel Bender platform. Lighting is also covered in this chapter.
Chapter 6, Models and Animations, where you will learn how to load and display both static and animated 3D models created in external 3D modeling applications.
Chapter 7, Cameras, which explores the various properties that affect how the scene is viewed, as well as demonstrating the camera classes available in Away3D that allow you to easily track and view the 3D objects in your scene.
Chapter 8, Mouse Interactivity, where you will learn how to respond to the mouse in order to create interactive 3D applications that are easy and natural to use.
Chapter 9, Special Effects with Sprites, where a number of special effects are demonstrated, including integration with the Stardust particle engine.
Chapter 10, Creating 3D Text, which shows you how to create and manipulate 3D text.
Chapter 11, Extrusions and Modifiers, which explores how complex 3D objects can be created directly by Away3D without the aid of an external 3D modeling application.
Chapter 12, Filters and Postprocessing Effects, which will show you how to add exciting visual effects to your Away3D applications.
Chapter 13, Performance Tips, where you will learn how to optimize your Away3D applications, which will allow you to create spectacular 3D environments while maintaining a high level of performance.