Foundation Swift 3D v3 [Paperback]

Kris Honeycutt (Author), Alex Hallajian (Author), William McBee (Author), Dave Sharek (Author), Bill Spencer (Author), Lumbotharan Thevathasan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003

Foundation Swift 3D is the ultimate guide to out of the box 3D design. Combining simple but professional 3D editing techniques with a full guide to using Swift 3D in object construction, animation, enhancement, and production, Foundation Swift 3D also features a chapter on transferring your projects into Flash MX.

Foundation Swift 3D really does unlock the power of 3D on your desktop. It covers all you need to know, before you need to know it, backing up every piece of theory with solid practical tutorials. With a case study running the length of the book and organized so you get practical, hands-on experience of everything that you learn, this book will bring you all that this new, and unparalleled version of Swift 3D has to offer.

Developed in association with Electric Rain, the makers of Swift 3D, Foundation Swift 3D contains all the insider information, tips, tricks, and techniques that you would expect from a book written and reviewed by Swift 3D v3's Support Manager, Documentation Writer, beta testers and developers, and moderators of support forums.

Whether you're entirely new to Swift 3D v3, have some experience of an earlier version, or have used v3 extensively, this book is packed with essential information from the true luminaries of the Swift 3D world that will extend your knowledge to true professional level.

With Foundation Swift 3D, your world is just a few chapters away!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A bio is not available for this author. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Wrox Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904344194
• ISBN-13: 978-1904344193
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,538,613 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Sharek (1977) spent his formative years in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. After moving back to the States for university, he studied architecture, art, graphic design, and journalism. Along the way, he taught himself various programming and multimedia development tools, with Flash as his weapon of choice. After graduating, he worked in various roles including multimedia manager, programmer or designer (mainly in the eLearning sector). In 2007, he decided to satisfy his intellectual passions by returning to university to pursue a doctorate in Human-Computer Interaction.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for anyone interested in learning Swift 3D v3., June 29, 2004

By 

Kirupa Chinnathambi "Computer/Design Geek" (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Foundation Swift 3D v3 (Paperback)

Swift 3D is the popular application that helps you to create and export your 3D creations to Flash. The program features plenty of tools and features that make the program useful for beginners and seasoned 3D professionals. Because of the program's coverage of complex material, it takes a book such as Foundation Swift 3D to guide you through the world of Swift 3D (version 3).

The book starts you off at the basics. You are introduced to the program, and the examples help you to get a good feel for using Swift 3D. You learn how to create new objects, adjust lighting, move the camera, incorporate textures, and more. Besides just introducing you to Swift 3D, the various authors share their tips and terminology when it applies to 3D modeling in general. You also learn how to integrate the program with Flash MX.

You will definitely like the writing style of the authors. By no means do the authors shy away from teaching you how to create elaborate, complex examples. They provide various alternate explanations, screenshots, and even sample files from the included CD to help you along the way. Some of the elaborate examples you create involve a miniature city with complicated buildings, a 3D logo, a motorcycle, and more. All of that is created in Swift 3D!

Overall, Foundation Swift 3D is a great book. The authors' ability to teach Swift and complicated 3D concepts is excellent. If you are interested in learning Swift 3D for the first time, or if you are interested in expanding your knowledge of Swift 3D, you will definitely find the book worthwhile

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 4, 2003

By 

Greg (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundation Swift 3D v3 (Paperback)

I wrote a review for this book the day after it came out. Hopefully it will not be deleted again. Anyway, the book is a fabulous reference guide. The "Friends of Ed" publishing company has, as usual, come up with a great lesson book. I have waited a long time for a book to come out on this fabulous 3d program. The manual that comes with the software does not go into great depths as to what the program offers but this book does. No offense to "Erain" because there products are awesome.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As with all Friends of ED books a 5!, January 31, 2003

By 

Felipe Garcia (Long Island, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundation Swift 3D v3 (Paperback)

I awaited this book for a long time (2 weeks in the mail) and the wait was well worth it. The day I got I couldn't stop reading until my head hurt and I usually wear off after the first chapter of most books, it's that good really!!! This book covers a lot of ground, from modelling a Harley to a city to a lego cube. It also explains a lot of 3D terms I wasn't even aware of.. with all that said, buy it now with overnight shipping!

Well, that's all I have to say. Praise to Friends of ED!