ector graphics have always been a separate category in the field of two-dimensional graphics. While bitmap graphics can show a lot of detail, the absolute pixel nature of a bitmap makes it limited by its resolution. Because vector graphics are defined by mathematic rules, enlarging a vector image will only result in more detail, because of more available pixels for the software to draw its mathematically defined shapes. Another advantage of vector graphics is that its math-based structure allows it to produce file sizes that can be much smaller than the absolute range of pixel data a detailed bitmap needs.

The most popular vector applications include Macromedia Flash and Adobe Illustrator. While Illustrator is used a lot for printed illustrations, Flash is used a lot on the web and includes the option to have animated vector graphics. But what if you're a 3D illustrator or animator and would love to turn your 3D creations into 2D vector graphics? Well, there are a number of applications available to realize this, but to be honest none of them can truly compete with Electric Rain's Swift 3D Max version 3.

STEP INTO THE WORLD OF 2D VECTORS
Swift 3D Max is the 3ds Max plug-in version of Electric Rain's stand-alone Swift 3D application. Users of 3ds Max will find it to be completely integrated within their favorite 3D suite. Swift 3D Max comes in the shape of a plug-in renderer that transforms 3ds Max into a deluxe 3D graphics to 2D vector graphics output suite. Just change the default scanline renderer into the Swift 3D Max renderer and a wealth of vector rendering options will unfold.

The Swift 3D Max render dialog, filled with 2D rendering options.

The first section of the Swift 3D Max renderer interface concentrates on the different possible file formats that Swift 3D Max is able to export. The most popular formats are Shockwave Flash (.swf), Adobe Illustrator (.ai) and the general purpose Encapsulated Postscript vector format (.eps). But Swift 3D Max can also export its output as Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg) and USAnimation (.pnt). Last but not least there is a special output format called Swift 3D Flash Importer (.swft). This format enables the user to save a layered Flash file that contains desired elements from the 3D scene separated into individual Flash layers. This allows for unprecendented flexibility when it comes to adjusting the output afterwards in the Flash application. Swift 3D comes with a Macromedia-approved import module for this format, which is optionally added to the Flash installation folder.

‘Swift 3D Max is the most advanced 2D vector rendering software for 3D applications that is available at the moment.’

The second and third section of the Swift 3D Max render dialog offer a number of options that influence the two-dimensionally rendered look of your 3D objects. In the fill options section you can choose from a list of methods that render your objects with a solid appearance, ranging from a simple plain color fill to impressively detailed advanced gradient fill methods, complete with optional highlight gradients, with the smooth Mesh Gradient Shading method being the pièce de résistance that approaches the look of a bitmap render. When choosing one of these fill methods it is important to keep in mind that more fill detail obviously results in a bigger file size. When the output image is only a single file this is usually not an issue, but when it comes to animation a more complicated fill method can quickly increase the animation size, resulting in longer loading times when used on the web.

The rapidly increasing file size of a Flash animation rendered by Swift 3D is also caused by another reason: when exporting Flash animation from a 3D application, the renderer can not intelligently derive from the 3D animation how the generated 2D surfaces and lines transform from frame to frame. If a 3D object rotates, new lines will have to be created and old ones will have to disappear. Another example: if another light source becomes visible on an object, a new highlight gradient will have to be generated on the fly. In other words: Swift 3D Max can only export animation by generating a keyframe per animation frame, which is the least efficient method of generating Flash animation. However, using the multi-layered SWFT output you can afterwards determine in Flash which separate elements can be optimized to only a few or only one keyframe. As a valuable tool to further reduce Flash file sizes I can heartily recommend the efficient "Optimaze!" SWF file compressor that can also be purchased at Electric Rain's website: www.erain.com/products/optimaze/

ADJUSTABLE LINE STYLES
The third section of the Swift 3D Max render dialog is dedicated to the optional generation of lines along various desired parts of your 3D objects, to add a dynamic, illustrative touch to the 2D output. Swift 3D Max version 3 offers more options than before to determine the style of the lines, by adjustment of the brush shape that is used, plus alteration of its angle and aspect. For example a calligraphic line style can be realized using these options, and if you want the polygonal edges of your 3D mesh to be displayed as lines, Swift 3D Max also makes this possible.

Two good ol' teapots rendered using different Swift 3D Max appearance settings. The teapot in the foreground shows the smooth Mesh Gradient Shading surface with a calligraphic line thickness variation. The background teapot shows the Mesh Outlines line style.

Not all fill and line appearance options can be exported in the available vector output formats that Swift 3D Max offers. For instance, the AI format does not support the advanced gradient fills, but the EPS format does, and as EPS is importable in Adobe Illustrator, this can be used as a work-around. Having mentioned this little restriction, another part of Swift 3D Max has become less restricted: each object can have its own fill type, line style, line thickness etcetera. These individual properties can be easily adjusted in a special Swift 3D Max properties rollout when the Create panel tab is active and an object is selected.

The final paragraph of this review can safely conclude with the statement that Swift 3D Max is the most advanced 2D vector rendering software for 3D applications that is available at the moment. The pleasantly rapid rendering speed and the many options to customize the appearance of your vector renderings allow for a varied result and the layered Flash output is the key to highly adjustable Flash files.

Metin Seven

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