Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source (Authorized) [Paperback]

Phil Gross (Author), Mike Gross (Author)

Book Description

Series: Authorized | Publication Date: August 29, 2001

Macromedia Director is the best-selling multimedia authoring program and the leading tool for creating interactive media for the Web, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, corporate presentations, and more. Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio, the latest upgrade, now includes Intel Internet 3D Graphics Software, which means that for the first time, developers have an easy way to deliver interactive 3D content over the Web. Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio includes Director 8.5, Fireworks 4, Shockwave 8.5 Player, Shockwave MultiUser 3 Server, and more.

Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D covers the new 3D capabilities added to Director with the release of Version 8.5. This book uses the same step-by-step instructional method that has made the Director 8 Authorized book so popular and which gets the tasks done with the least amount of frustration for the reader. Whether you're a seasoned Director user looking to extend your Director movies into the third dimension or a 3D graphic artist using Director to propel your models into Shockwave and onto the Web, this book gives you practical, hands-on training from the source. The included CD-ROM holds all the files and models you'll need to work through the lessons, plus sample files you can compare with your own results.

The book consists of two tracks for the two types of people who will be using Director 3D. One track is for current Director users and Lingo programmers and covers in detail the elements of 3D programming, from vector math and creating 3D primitives through lights, shaders and textures, animation (including bones) and the creation of 3D objects using meshes. The other track is for 3D people who are not Director users, such as 3ds max (formerly known as 3D Studio Max) designers. That track gets 3D graphic artists up to speed with Director, allowing them to import a 3D file and output an interactive Shockwave movie that can be dropped onto a Web page. No Lingo programming is required for this track as it is done entirely through use of the Library Palette behaviors, all you need for many e-commerce applications.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Macromedia Director is the best-selling multimedia authoring program and the leading tool for creating interactive media for the Web, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, corporate presentations, and more. Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio, the latest upgrade, now includes Intel Internet 3D Graphics Software, which means that for the first time, developers have an easy way to deliver interactive 3D content over the Web. Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio includes Director 8.5, Fireworks 4, Shockwave 8.5 Player, Shockwave MultiUser 3 Server, and more. Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D covers the new 3D capabilities added to Director with the release of Version 8.5. This book uses the same step-by-step instructional method that has made the Director 8 Authorized book so popular and which gets the tasks done with the least amount of frustration for the reader. Whether you're a seasoned Director user looking to extend your Director movies into the third dimension or a 3D graphic artist using Director to propel your models into Shockwave and onto the Web, this book gives you practical, hands-on training from the source. The included CD-ROM holds all the files and models you'll need to work through the lessons, plus sample files you can compare with your own results. The book consists of two tracks for the two types of people who will be using Director 3D. One track is for current Director users and Lingo programmers and covers in detail the elements of 3D programming, from vector math and creating 3D primitives through lights, shaders and textures, animation (including bones) and the creation of 3D objects using meshes. The other track is for 3D people who are not Director users, such as 3ds max (formerly known as 3D Studio Max) designers. That track gets 3D graphic artists up to speed with Director, allowing them to import a 3D file and output an interactive Shockwave movie that can be dropped onto a Web page. No Lingo programming is required for this track as it is done entirely through use of the Library Palette behaviors, all you need for many e-commerce applications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Macromedia Press (August 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201741644
• ISBN-13: 978-0201741643
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #909,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have Book, December 8, 2001

By 

Paula Sanders - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source (Authorized) (Paperback)

I write reviews of graphic software and, on occasion, books. Before deciding to review this book, I looked at two or three others that were available at my local book stores on Macromedia 8.5. This was the only one that impressed me. In many ways, this book by Phil and Mike Gross pick up where Phil Gross's Director 8 and Lingo Authorized left off. This book is a training course which will guide the reader into the major areas of 3D programming. While this might sound daunting, it isn't because the lessons are step by step guides. The authors state in their introduction that the first four chapters are intended for 3D designers who want to bring their 3D creations to the web while the remainder of the chapters are for seasoned Director users who want to take advantage of the 3D features of Director 8.5. Even if I did not intend to use the properties of Director 8.5's 3D module extensively, these first lessons would get me started in an orderly and logical fashion because they highlight the basic information necessary to build upon should I desire to go further while giving me clear instruction on how to use basic 3D in a Director movie.

Many small points are added that help tremendously in learning and manipulating the program. I like the way the authors have designated "additional" information as Tips and Notes. This book does not teach a basic course in Director. That is not its intent. For that, the earlier book by Phil Gross, referred to above, is an excellent source of knowledge.

This book is very clearly written and logically moves the reader forward step by step. Whether the reader is advanced in the 3D world or a novice, this book describes using 3D tools in Director 8.5. The book shows how one can get heavily involved in the Lingo language and create complex 3D animations or just use basic techniques and create simpler ones.

This is a must have if you are using Macromedia Director 8.5. Shockwave Studio.

Paula Sanders ...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for starting out, June 20, 2002

By 

Adam Smith (Watertown, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source (Authorized) (Paperback)

This book has excellent tutorials, but hardcore programmers looking for more of a reference type book are best off skipping right to Paul Catanese's "Director's Third Dimension".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introductory book on Director 3d, May 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source (Authorized) (Paperback)

This is a good introductory and intermediate book on Director 3D.
But I find it disappointing that no discussion on collision detection is given, although it has example movies on terrain following. So, 4 stars.