Electric Rain Swift3D LW 2
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Limitations
Since there isn't really anything inherently wrong with Swift3D LW 2 in how it performs its given task, this seems to be as good a place as any to throw out the few caveats that probably need to be mentioned when considering a product like this. First and foremost, Swift3D content is not true 3D, in the sense that Flash is doing any real-time rendering or manipulation of 3D content the way Shockwave 3D does. So think of whatever you get out of Swift3D as 2D elements that look 3D instead of having the potential for immersive worlds. I suppose it's possible for a combination of creative Ravix output and ActionScripting to simulate a true 3D interactive object or world, but just remember that each vector image you have adds to file size in your final movie.
Second, anyone thinking that any version of Swift3D is somehow a magic bullet that turns your 3D content into beautifully rendered, compact Flash files will be kind of disappointed. Swift3D LW 2 is very much a tweaker's tool, inviting trial and error at every point from original model optimization to experimentation with any one of the plug-in's controls to achieve acceptable results. Each choice you make has definite ramifications on file size, rendering speed and ultimate image quality, so it's very possible that you'll need to render and re-render a sequence several times before you're able to find the right balance. Also, be warned that depending on the amount of geometry and the settings you've selected, render times can sometimes be prohibitively long, so be cautious.
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The last thing I'll mention is that since Swift3D LW 2 works with LightWave, you may be tempted to think that it's no problem to repurpose any old pre-existing LightWave scene you may have lying around. While in theory this is true, I found that no LWS file, at least that I had, was really "ready to go" as-is with Swift3D. First, every model in the scene has to be prepped by tripling polygons, as Swift3D LW 2 can't handle polygons with more than three vertices. In some cases, this process results in some really heinous geometry, and this will definitely be a factor come render time. A good rule of thumb I learned while working with Swift3D LW 2 is that if your model looks good in wireframe mode, it'll probably look good when rendered with the Ravix engine. Conversely, if your model looks like it's had a rough day at the office in wireframe mode, you'll probably get pretty nasty results with Swift3D LW 2 regardless of how you tweak the controls (fig. 11).
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| Figure 11: Clean wireframe, clean Ravix render. Nasty wireframe, nasty Ravix render. The front of the blue object is supposed to be flat and smooth. |
The Bottom Line
Overall, Swift3D LW 2 finally delivers on the promise of the original Swift3D, but it's still probably a better tool for delivering content specifically designed to take advantage of its inherent strengths rather than converting existing LightWave content originally destined for another medium. However, excellent results certainly are possible, and one only need visit the Electric Rain web site to see more than a few nice examples of what Swift3D can add to one's Flash movies. I'm of the opinion that Swift3D LW is a little pricey for what it does, and at $295 for the full version and $149 for an upgrade, it's not exactly pocket change to get on board. But despite the price and the need for constant tweaking during the production process, Swift3D LW 2 gives you a pretty nice vector rendering solution, one that's already integrated into an existing 3D package and that produces content that can be used directly within Flash, and as such it's definitely worth taking a serious look at to see if it's right for you.
When not fleeing the paparazzi or spending his vast fortune associated with the fame and notoriety of being a DMN contributor, Kevin Schmitt can be found with his eyeballs glued to his computer screen, attempting to use some of the hardware and software he rants so incoherently about. An award-winning animator, artist and multimedia producer, he is currently a freelance designer located in the enormously bustling megalopolis of Charlottesville, VA. Whether you're looking to "give him the business" of either the figurative or literal type, feel free to drop him a line. He's ready to believe you!
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