Ulead COOL 3D, COOL 3D PRODUCTION STUDIO User Manual

User Guide Ulead Systems, Inc. April 2003

First English edition for Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio, April 2003. © 2003 Ulead Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or storing in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.

Software License

The software described in this document is furnished under a License Agreement which is included with the product. This Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses of the product.

Licenses and Trademarks

Ulead, Ulead Systems logo, EasyPalette and Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Ulead Systems, Inc. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, DirectX, DirectX Media, and/or other Microsoft products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license. QuickTime is registered in the U.S. and other countries. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Illustrator, and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. 3D Production Studio is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. RealText and RealPlayer are either registered trademarks or trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The RealPlayer is included under license from RealNetworks, Inc. ©1999-2001. RealNetworks, Inc. All rights reserved. Macromedia, Flash and Macromedia Flash are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. in the United States and internationally. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

tation is licensed to practice the Free Form Deformation method under United States Patent No. 4,821,214 owned by Viewpoint Corporation. The licensed user of that copy may use the copy to practice the patented Free Form Deformation method in accordance with a license granted by Viewpoint Corporation. For information on additional patent licenses contact: Viewpoint Corporation. 498 7th Avenue, Suite 1810, New York, NY 10018

Sample Files

Files provided as samples on the program CD-ROM can be used for personal demonstrations, productions, and presentations. No rights are granted for commercial reproduction or redistribution of any sample files.

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Contents

Welcome to Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio ................................................6

Getting help............................................................................................................................................... 7

Installation ................................................................................................................................................. 7

Running Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio............................................................................................ 8

Getting updates......................................................................................................................................... 8

Workspace ...........................................................................................9

Getting started ..................................................................................... 12

Using the EasyPalette ............................................................................................................................ 12

Using Composition presets ...........................................................................................................................12

Using Objects presets ....................................................................................................................................13

Dimensions......................................................................................................................................................14

Creating and editing objects .................................................................... 15

Adding and editing text............................................................................................................................ 15

Adding and editing 3D graphics and shapes.......................................................................................... 16

Using the Path Editor .....................................................................................................................................16

Creating basic 3D objects .............................................................................................................................19

Creating lathe objects ....................................................................................................................................20

Importing 3D models .............................................................................................................................. 21

Selecting and grouping objects............................................................................................................... 22

Using the Object Manager ............................................................................................................................22

Editing object style .................................................................................................................................. 24

Color.................................................................................................................................................................24

Texture.............................................................................................................................................................25

Transparency..................................................................................................................................................28

Bevel.................................................................................................................................................................28

Modifying individual faces of an object........................................................................................................30

Object precision and quality..........................................................................................................................30

Wireframe display ...........................................................................................................................................31

FreeForm ............................................................................................................................................... 31

3D scene basics ................................................................................... 33

Camera .................................................................................................................................................. 33

Lens type and distance..................................................................................................................................34

Background............................................................................................................................................ 35

Color Background...........................................................................................................................................35

Image Background .........................................................................................................................................36

Video Background ..........................................................................................................................................37

Background Audio.................................................................................................................................. 38

Understanding the 3D coordinate system............................................................................................... 39

Light ........................................................................................................................................................ 40

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Animation basics .................................................................................. 42

Working with key frames and timelines..................................................................................................43

Advanced timeline mode........................................................................................................................ 45

Creating a simple animation ................................................................................................................... 47

Animating color....................................................................................................................................... 49

Animating background............................................................................................................................ 49

Showing and hiding objects ....................................................................................................................50

Animating position ..........................................................................................................................................52

Animating with multiple attributes .................................................................................................................54

Plug-in effects ..................................................................................... 55

Key frames and plug-ins ........................................................................................................................ 55

Understanding global and key attributes.................................................................................................56

Background effects................................................................................................................................. 56

Gradient Background .....................................................................................................................................57

Magic Texture Background ...........................................................................................................................58

Object Effects..........................................................................................................................................59

Bend .................................................................................................................................................................60

Cartoon Shader ..............................................................................................................................................61

FreeForm ........................................................................................................................................................61

Object Explosion.............................................................................................................................................62

Stylized Outline ...............................................................................................................................................63

Twist..................................................................................................................................................................64

T ext Effects............................................................................................................................................. 65

Blast..................................................................................................................................................................65

Bump ................................................................................................................................................................66

Dance ...............................................................................................................................................................67

Distort...............................................................................................................................................................68

Explosion ..........................................................................................................................................................69

Jump.................................................................................................................................................................70

Path Animation ................................................................................................................................................71

Surface Animation ...........................................................................................................................................72

Text Wave........................................................................................................................................................73

Token Skew (G) ..............................................................................................................................................74

Token Size (G) ................................................................................................................................................75

Token Move (G) .............................................................................................................................................. 76

Token Rotate (G) ............................................................................................................................................77

Particle Effects........................................................................................................................................ 78

Smoke ..............................................................................................................................................................78

Fire ...................................................................................................................................................................79

Snow.................................................................................................................................................................81

Bubble..............................................................................................................................................................82

User Guide

Global Effects..........................................................................................................................................83

Fire ...................................................................................................................................................................83

Glow..................................................................................................................................................................84

Lightning ..........................................................................................................................................................85

Motion Blur ......................................................................................................................................................86

Shadow ............................................................................................................................................................87

Natural Paint ...................................................................................................................................................88

Project output ...................................................................................... 89

Saving your project ................................................................................................................................89

Export Video Overlay ............................................................................................................................. 89

Export 3D Models ..................................................................................................................................89

Creating video files.................................................................................................................................. 90

Creating image files ................................................................................................................................ 90

Creating animation for the Web............................................................................................................... 91

GIF animation ..................................................................................................................................................91

Flash animation ..............................................................................................................................................93

RealText 3D .....................................................................................................................................................93

Main Program........................................................................................................................................94

Shortcut Keys ...................................................................................... 94

Path Editor .............................................................................................................................................. 95

Index ................................................................................................ 96

Welcome to Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio

Welcome to Ulead® COOL 3DTM Production Studio, a professional 3D text and graphics software for use with video and multimedia. COOL 3D Production Studio is a radical change from earlier COOL 3D versions because it offers a host of new tools and control-set additions specifically designed for video production, yet retains innovative pre-set options for quick 3D project generation. The result is a new breed of professional 3D animation software that is specifically suited to the video production and multimedia creation.

Cutting edge 3D art

With COOL 3D, you can conveniently convert text and shapes into dazzling 3D figures as well as import/export *.X and *.3DS files, work with lathe objects, do freeform deformation, and achieve any 3D titling goal in minutes. Create and edit your work like a pro without the hassle. All you have to do is click away .

Video support like nothing else

You don't have to edit your video clips outside COOL 3D. User-friendly and powerful, COOL 3D allows you to use video files as scene background or object texture and edit the clips right there. It's video support like you've never seen before. COOL 3D gives you the power of many programs, saving you both time and money .

Increased usability

Edit your work per key frame and have better timeline control with COOL 3D's Timeline W indow . You will also find it easy to work around the interface by using the attribute panel, selection indicator, light guide, axis indicator, visual open and many other usability enhancing features. These make creating and editing your projects easier and much more enjoyable.

User Guide

Getting help

The best way to familiarize yourself with COOL 3D is to experiment with all of the options provided. To help you get started, this manual offers basic tutorials as well as a glimpse into advanced techniques. If you should get stuck at any time, you can use one of the following methods for more assistance:

• Click Help, then move the cursor to the object in question, and click again to find

out more on that feature.

• Go to the Help: Help Topics menu command to get more detailed information on

specific subjects.

• If you are a registered user, you are entitled to Ulead technical support. This can be

accessed through Help: Ulead on the Web - Technical Support, or go to our Web site by clicking Ulead Homepage on the Standard Toolbar.

Installation

It’s easy to install Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio. The Installation Wizard will guide you through the process.

To install Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio:

1 Place the COOL 3D CD into the CD-ROM

drive.

2 When the Setup screen appears, follow the

instructions to install Ulead COOL 3D onto your computer.

3 If the Setup screen doesn’t appear after

loading the CD, by double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.

4 Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

When the CD-ROM window opens, doubleclick the Setup icon.

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Running Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio

There are two ways to run the program:

• Double-click the Ulead COOL 3D

Production Studio icon on your Windows desktop, or click the icon on

the Quick Launch Toolbar.

• Select the COOL 3D icon from the program group on the Windows Start menu.

Getting updates

Keep apace with the latest in COOL 3D news and updates - the program automatically detects and notifies you of any new events in the COOL 3D homepage. You can also click Ulead Homepage to read about other Ulead news and products.

Workspace

COOL 3D intuitive design makes it easy for you to find and use the tools that you need. Toolbars, graphic editing tools, and Attribute Panel have been placed in a manner for you to really take advantage of all the program’s features and plug-ins. The following section should help you become familiar with the different areas of the COOL 3D environment.

Toggle between the Animation Toolbar and the Timeline Window

EasyPalette file directory

Attribute Panel

Timeline Window

Standard Toolbar

Text Toolbar

Navigation Toolbar

Object Manager

Location Toolbar

Edit Window

EasyPalette

Object Toolbar

Menu Bar

Status BarCamera

View Panel

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• S tandard T oolbar Contains all of the most commonly used functions and commands. In addition to the typical file commands, it also has the Object List, as well as Wireframe Rendering, Show/ Hide objects, and ambience control buttons.

• Animation Toolbar Displays all the controls you need to manipulate an animated project, including extensive key frame and timeline controls, animation looping modes, frame numbers, and frame rate. See page 43.

• Location Toolbar Shows the position, size, rotation, light, and texture coordinates of the selected 3D object. Allows you to enter values yourself, or displays the changing values of the object as you drag it in the Edit Window.

• Object Toolbar Allows you to place and edit text, graphics, lathe objects, basic 3D geometric shapes, and particle effects objects in your project. This is where you really begin your project.

• Face Property Toolbar Allows you to choose which side of the object to edit. A handy tool to have around for accurate modeling of intricate shapes.

• Navigation Toolbar Allows user to view and manipulate the object's animation through Play, Rewind, Previous, Next, Last, Loop Mode and Ping Mode.

• Text Toolbar Allows you to adjust the alignment of the text within a text object, as well as the spacing between lines and characters.

User Guide

• Edit Window Lets you preview the 3D

project as you work. You can also drag objects directly within the window to customize basic aspects, such as position, rotation, and size, among others.

• EasyPalette Contains a file directory of

all the aspects that you can apply to your 3D object, including plug-in effects. Click on any item within each category to access dozens of preset effects in the thumbnail pane. These can be quickly and easily applied to your project. See page 12.

• Timeline Window Enables you to

specify key frames and have full control over the timing of multiple object attributes. A superb tool in choreographing your entire project!

• Attribute Panel Lets you customize

many aspects of your projects, including plug-in effects. Once you understand the available options, you have the potential to create projects like a pro!

• Object Manager A floating panel that

lets you group two or more objects in a subgroup, allowing you to position or edit them as a single object. The Object Manager contains features such as Group/Ungroup, Lock/Unlock, Enable/ Disable, Rename, and Delete. See page

22.

The EasyPalette file directory lists all of the objects and effects that you can apply to your project. When you click on a category or a specific plug-in name, the thumbnail presets for that particular item appear in the thumbnail pane. To apply a preset, use one of these methods:

• Drag and drop the preset into the Edit Window.

• Double-click the preset.

• Click Apply on the EasyPalette Toolbar.

Using Composition presets

Composition is the first category of presets in the EasyPalette file directory. It offers a collection of ready-to-use Movies, 3D Models, and Video Frames that you can custom edit to fit your project.

To create animation using Composition presets:

1 Select Movie under Composition in the

EasyPalette file directory, then drag a

thumbnail containing a text object to your current Edit Window (or double-click it to open in a new Edit Window.)

Getting started

Starting a project in COOL 3D is simple. The following section takes you through the steps of beginning a first project.

Using the EasyPalette

The EasyPalette provides you with the fastest way to create astounding titles and graphics. With its vast number of presets, this is where you can add color and life to your project with just a few clicks.

EasyPalette file directory

EasyPalette thumbnail pane

User Guide

2 Click the text object or select it on the

Object List on the Standard T oolbar; you can also use the Object Manager. (See Using the Object Manager on page 22.)

3 Then click Edit Object on the Object

Toolbar. The Insert T ext dialog box appears, displaying the text object that you selected.

4 Change the text as desired, then click OK.

The new text appears in the project, replacing the original text.

5 You can also select other objects in the

document and modify their attributes and behavior.

6 Click Play on the Navigation Toolbar to

preview the animated project.

Using Objects presets

The Objects category in the EasyPalette file directory provides still and animated objects that you can arrange and modify on the Edit Window to fit your needs in creating your original 3D compositions. You can work with a single object to create a simple animated clip, or use multiple animated objects which you can easily choreograph to create a more complex composition.

To create animation using Objects and Object Effects presets:

1 Open a new document and select Grouped

Objects under Objects in the EasyPalette file directory.

2 Drag a preset object to the Edit Window. 3 Select Object Motion under the Object

Effects in the EasyPalette file directory.

4 Drag a preset motion to the Edit Window to

apply it to your object.

5 Click Play on the Navigation T oolbar, to

preview the animated project. Try placing other objects on the Edit

Window and animate them in the same way using the above steps.

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Dimensions

When you set up a 3D project, the dimension settings of the project will differ depending on how you plan to use the end product. You might want to use it as part of a video, include it as a GIF animation on a Web site, or save it as a still 3D image. Regardless of your plans, when you are experimenting with different effects and settings, try using smaller dimensions to allow your computer to render the project at a faster rate. When you have exactly what you want, increase the dimensions of the project.

Click Project: Dimensions to open the Dimensions dialog box. The User-defined option lets you customize the dimensions. If you have inserted your own image or video as the background, click Use Background Image Size to have the dimensions of the project match the background. See Image Background and Video Background on pages 36 and 37.

If you plan to output your project for the video or the Web, the Standard list has a range of commonly used dimensions.

Creating and editing objects

If you can imagine it, you can create it in Ulead COOL 3D. Generate and modify text and graphic objects with ease using high-precision modeling and image editing tools at your fingertips.

Adding and editing text

Choose from a wide range of preset Text Objects under Objects in the EasyPalette file directory. You can also use text objects found in Composition presets and modify them as

individual text objects as discussed in the previous chapter. It’s a breeze to create and edit original text objects using the Insert Text tool. You can set font

face, script for character sets, style, and size as easily as you would in a word processor. For information on adding and editing graphic objects, see page 16.

To insert a text object:

1 Click Insert Text on the Object T oolbar. The

Insert T ext dialog box appears.

2 Select a font from the list. When searching

for a font, a ToolTip appears to give you a preview of the font currently highlighted. After selecting your font, set the script, size, and style of your text, and then enter the actual text in the text box.

3 Click OK. The text appears in the Edit

Window.

4 If you want to insert another text object,

click Insert Text again. T o edit the existing text, see the following tutorial.

Note: Create a text string of multiple lines by creating a line break in a string of text. In the Insert Text dialog box, simply press [Enter] where you want a line break to occur.

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To edit a text object:

1 Click Edit Object on the Object T oolbar. The

Insert T ext dialog box appears with the

selected text object.

2 Edit the text in the text box, then click OK

once you’ve made your changes. The edited text appears in the Edit Window.

You can also adjust the character spacing as well as the line spacing and alignment with functions on the T ext T oolbar.

Note: If you have added more than one text object, be sure to first select the one you want to edit from the Object List on the Standard Toolbar, or select it from the Object Manager. See page 22.

Adding and editing 3D graphics and shapes

Create outstanding 3D logos and images by customizing graphic objects. In COOL 3D, importing, creating, and modifying highly complex models are tasks that are rendered elementary because of its powerful set of modeling tools.

Using the Path Editor

A vector graphic is different from the bitmap graphics that are most widely known (for example, those in BMP, JPEG, and GIF formats). Vector graphics are composed of paths and often stored in Adobe Illustrator (*.AI), Window Metafiles (*.WMF) or Enhanced Metafiles (*.EMF) formats. The easiest way to create these graphics is to use

Path Editor, accessed by clicking the Insert Graphics on the Object Toolbar.

Bitmap of a logo (top), and the same logo converted to 3D with Path Editor (bottom).

User Guide

The simplest way to add a vector graphic object is to draw the paths yourself using the Path Editor tools. COOL 3D, however offers other options to work on vector graphics to your

project by importing vector graphic files.

To import a vector graphic object:

1 Click Import Graphics in the Path Editor

dialog box. In the Open dialog box select your file in Adobe Illustrator (*.AI), Window Metafiles (*.WMF) or Enhanced Metafiles (*.EMF) formats that you would want to work on.

2 Click Open and the object is placed in the

Path Editor dialog box.

You can also acquire paths from your JPEG or BMP image files and convert them to vector.

To convert a bitmap graphic object to vector:

1 Click Insert Graphics to open the Path

Editor dialog box.

2 Click Convert to Vector and the Open dialog

box will come into view. Select the image file you want to convert and click Open.

3 The Convert to V ector dialog box is

displayed. Modify the Tolerance; Jump point and Threshold values of the paths to your preference and click OK.

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Whether you have selected pre-existent vector graphics, rendered paths on bitmap images or utilized the freehand tool, you can modify your paths just as easily.

To edit a graphic object:

1 Now , you can select or deselect multiple

nodes at one time. To do this, let us make an example using the Freehand T ool. Select this tool and render a shape on the workspace of the Path Editor.

2 Close the path by clicking Close Path.

Notice the path has closed smoothly by default.

3 Click Adjust and the nodes will appear. Left

click while simultaneously pressing [Ctrl].

4 Click on the nodes you want to select or

deselect. While holding down [Ctrl], drag the entire group of nodes the same time.

5 When using the mouse, drag the pointer

and draw a selection box across the nodes. Release the button and the nodes will be selected or deselected. Dragging multiple nodes will also apply .

6 When removing or adding nodes, click Add

Node or Remove Node. Apply the selection process above to automatically delete the multiple nodes or quickly press [Del].

User Guide

Creating basic 3D objects

COOL 3D lets you insert basic 3D geometric objects into your project with just a click of the mouse. Use them with text and graphics to create unique 3D animations and stills. You can use several 3D shapes together to create an eccentric object, or just a few as props for an animated title. In this tutorial, learn how to edit a cylinder.

To insert and edit a geometric shape:

1 Click the Insert Geometric Object drop-

down arrow on the Object T oolbar and select a 3D shape. The object appears in the Edit Window.

2 In the Attribute Panel, select 3D Shape in

Property List and enter values to adjust the attributes of the object.

3 Then select presets under Object Styles,

Object Effects, Text Effects, Global Effects, and other plug-ins in the EasyPalette file directory and apply them to your geometric shape.

4 You can also use the basic animation

buttons on the Animation T oolbar to create an animated sequence.

Note: Bevel attributes and plug-ins cannot be applied to geometric shapes.

Other things you can do with geometric objects

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Creating lathe objects

Lathe objects are easier to generate or render with COOL 3D. Simple and irregular shapes or paths can be instantly transformed into amazing symmetrical objects using the Lathe Object Editor and Object Preview Panel for real-time editing.

To create a Lathe object:

1 Click Insert Lathe Object on the Object

Toolbar and the Lathe Object Editor dialog

box is displayed.

Note: To recall the dialog box, double-click the object you created or select Edit Object on the Object Toolbar.

2 Click on the Shape T ool, Path T ool and

Freehand T ool and render a variety of paths

and shapes.

3 To start modifying your paths, click the

Object T ool and Adjust T ool. Y ou have the option of rendering your paths or shapes across or beside the Lathe axis, according to your desired output of the object. Click on X-axis or Y-axis to change the orientation of the default axis.

4 Increase the modification of your paths by

choosing from the Open Path or Close Path.

5 Click Launch object preview panel in the

Lathe Object Editor to preview your objects. You can rotate your object by selecting Auto rotate object .

6 Experiment further using the Attribute

Panel. Manipulate Angle and Sides spin slider controls to produce the desired degree of angle or number of sides for your object. It is possible to render 2 sides by selecting Two-sides rendering .

User Guide

Importing 3D models

Import DirectX (*.X) and 3D Studio (*.3DS) models for immediate use in your project or for further editing in COOL 3D.

To import 3D models:

1 Select File: Import 3D Model. 2 Then select the 3D model type DirectX

Model or 3D Studio Model.

3 The Open dialog box is displayed for you to

select your file.

4 Select C3D data type to import the model

without color or texture attributes, if you prefer to customize these later. Or select D3D data type to import the model with its inherent color and texture attributes intact.

5 Select Scale to proper size so that the

height and width of the 3D model will be adjusted properly to fit your window . Otherwise, it will be imported in its original size.

6 Click Preview to view your selected file. The

model preview should be shown in the Information Area.

7 Click Open.

You can also export COOL 3D models as Direct X (*.X) and 3D Studio (*.3DS) files and work on them in other modeling environments. To export a 3D model, select File: Export 3D Model and select DirectX Model or 3D Studio Model.

The Open dialog box is displayed for you to select your file. Under Export object at, choose whether to export at the current frame or other frames ranging from 1 to 10. Click Apply mesh plug-ins to include the mesh plug-ins. In the case of DirectX, you need to choose between Text mode and Binary mode as the DirectX output method. Select Compress to decrease the size of your output file.

Objects in the X file format, as C3D data type (top), and as D3D data type (bottom)

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Selecting and grouping objects

COOL 3D allows you to insert more than one object into your project, whether it be text or graphics. After you have created the individual objects, you can edit and animate each one individually just by first clicking on it in the Edit Window to select it. You can also use the Object List on the Standard Toolbar to select the object that you want to edit. An even more convenient way to keep track of objects is to use the Object Manager (see the following section).

A text object and a graphic objectMultiple text objects

Using the Object Manager

The more objects you create, the more of a challenge it can be to keep track of them. The

Object Manager makes it easier for you to organize and edit your objects. To open it, click View: Toolbars Manager - Object Manager. Here are some of the basic functions:

• Select objects When you create a text or graphic object, it appears as an individual item in the directory . Click on that item in the Object Manager to select it. This allows you to edit only that object.

You can also select multiple objects by clicking them with the mouse while pressing either [Shift] for a row of items or [Ctrl] for individual items. This allows you to group, align and apply plug-ins to all the selected items simultaneously.

User Guide

• Group multiple objects Objects

belonging to the same parent can be grouped and arranged into multiple levels of subgroups.

To group objects, select them and click Group objects. The selected items form a subgroup. To see which objects are in the subgroup, click the + symbol.

The Pivot Setting dialog box is also displayed to set the rotation behavior of the new subgroup. Choose to place the pivot at the center of the subgroup objects' mesh bounding box, at the center of their original pivot points, or use the current parent group’s pivot.

• Ungroup objects To have a group of

objects form separate objects again, select that subgroup from the list, then click Ungroup objects. All motions applied to these objects while grouped are retained even after they are ungrouped.

• Delete selected objects or groups

simply select the desired object or group of objects, and click Delete object(s).

• Rename objects Do this by selecting the object in Object Manager, and then clicking it again to edit the name. This is convenient when you want to do the following:

- Change the name of an object to keep track of all objects; objects receive a generic name by default.

- Differentiate between two or more of the same text or graphic objects in a project. Multiple objects receive the same name by default.

You can create as many subgroups and subgroup levels as you want. Each subgroup is treated as a distinct object.

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• Lock/Unlock objects Individual objects

or entire subgroups can be locked to prevent further modifications of their attributes. To lock/unlock objects or subgroups, simple select them and click Lock/Unlock objects.

• Enable/Disable objects Individual

objects or entire subgroups can be disabled. Disabled objects are not visible on the Edit Window and their attributes cannot be modified. To disable/enable objects, click Enable/Disable objects.

Editing object style

There are many ways to customize the physical appearance of your object in COOL 3D. The controls are accessed in the EasyPalette file directory, under the Object Style category. The easiest way to style an object is to use one of the presets in Object Style: Material Attributes or Material Gallery, all of which combine many attributes. Or you can control each attribute individually with extensive options on the Attribute Panel. This section shows you how to customize color, texture, bevel, and transparency attributes.

Color

It’s easy to apply color to your object. You can use one of the presets that include both light and color settings, or customize the color yourself.

To apply color to an object:

1 In the EasyPalette file directory,

select Object Style: Material Attributes - Color.

Drag the color thumbnail from the EasyPalette to the object.

User Guide

2 In the Attribute Panel, select Color in

Property List. You can modify both

the surface and specular colors of your object by clicking the Color square under Surface or Specular. This opens a standard Windows Color dialog box where you can select a color.

3 To the right of the Color square, adjust

the Brightness, Saturation, and Hue of the color until you have the effect that you want. Under Specular, you can also use the Property Controls to adjust Luster.

Texture

By applying a texture map to your 3D object, you can give it the appearance of being made from a specific material, such as wood or metal, or you can apply a pattern or design to it. A texture map is a *.JPG or *.BMP image that is wrapped around the surface of a 3D object.

You can also create more dynamic compositions by wrapping your object in full motion video. COOL 3D allows you to use an *.AVI or *.MOV file as texture that will play within the boundaries of the 3D object where it is applied. A project with a video background can also contain multiple objects with video textures. Imagine the effect of all video clips in such a project playing simultaneously .

To apply an image texture to an object:

1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select

Object Style: Material Attributes - Image T exture.

Drag the preset image texture thumbnail from the EasyPalette to the object.

2 T o use your own image file, select Image

and click Load texture image file in the Attribute Panel. Select the image file that you want to use for your texture (*.BMP or *.JPG) in the Open dialog box and click Open. The image will be applied to the object.

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3 Click Show texture color only to remove

any color that was previously applied to the 3D object, leaving you with just the color in the texture map itself.

4 Select a Wrap mode for your texture. This

determines how the image is applied to the object. For instance, if you have an object with a cylindrical shape, you might want to choose Cylindrical. For shiny or metallic textures, using Reflection often produces best results.

T extures are fitted around the object depending on the Normal vector that you select.

T extures are initially applied around the Z- direction. If you have a cube, this results in the texture wrapping from the front to the back of the cube towards the back.

Choose X- or X+ if you want the texture to wrap around from the sides going left or right. Choose Y- or Y+ if you want the texture to wrap around from top to bottom.

5 If you selected Flat mode, you can click Fit

to width or Fit to height to resample the texture to fit the object's horizontal or vertical dimension. You can also use the Fit to height feature for Cylindrical mode.

Select Keep aspect ratio to maintain the image’s proportion when fitted to the object's dimensions. Keep this option clear if you want to separately modify the width or height values of the object.

6 Use the Mapping tools to place the image

exactly where you want on the 3D object. Position, Rotate, and Resize the image by clicking the desired button, then drag the mouse in the Edit Window until the image is the way you want it, or enter values on the Attribute Panel under T exture property.

Texture applied in the Y- direction.

Texture applied in the X- direction.

Texture applied in the Z- direction.

User Guide

7 Select the Filter option to create a softer,

more blurred effect.

8 Textures in Object S tyle also feature the

Emboss function which gives the image a more tactile and raised texture. Select

Emboss then adjust the following settings:

- Width The horizontal offset of the texture.

The greater the value, the more stretched out it will appear.

- Depth The appearance of the thickness of the texture. A higher value will result in the texture having a greater raised appearance.

To apply a video texture to an object:

1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select

Object Style: Material Attributes - Video T exture.

Drag the preset video texture thumbnail from the EasyPalette to the object.

2 T o use your own video file, select Video and

click Load texture video file in the Attribute Panel. Select the video file that you want to use for your texture (*.MOV or *.AVI) in the Open Video File dialog box.

3 Click Duration to set the Mark In/Out

points on your video/audio file.

4 Click Info to view properties of your video/

audio file. You can also preview your selection by clicking Preview.

5 Click Open and the video will be applied to

the object.

To run your video continuously, simply click Loop video playing in the Attribute Panel. Select the wrap mode and method, map your video texture, and apply Emboss the way you would with an image file.

Emboss is applied to the sphere in lower right.

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Transparency

Creative manipulation of transparency levels among objects can create dramatic effects especially when integrated with a play of light and motion. You can control the opacity of individual, multiple items, or entire subgroups by modifying Transparency property.

Select the object you want to render transparent and open the Attribute Panel. Select Transparency in Property List. Drag the slider to control the opacity or transparency of your selection - you can also enter a specific value for percentage of transparency.

The actual transparency level of an object within a subgroup is the combined value of its own transparency and that of its parent group.

Bevel

A bevel refers to the edge of a 3D object. You can add depth and character to your text and graphics objects by applying bevel styles. You can select from EasyPalette presets or customize your own by selecting Bevel in the Attribute Panel Property List and adjusting its characteristics. Once you become familiar with bevel attributes, you can even animate them. This section gives you a glimpse into the anatomy of a bevel as well as basic bevel styles.

An object with no bevel (left) and the same object with a flat bevel (right)

User Guide

To apply a bevel style to text and graphic objects:

1 Insert a text or graphic object into the

workspace.

2 Select Object Style: Material Gallery -

Extruded Objects. Drag a bevel style to your object in the Edit Window to apply it.

3 T o customize your bevel style, select Bevel

in the Property List in the Attribute Panel.

4 Change the settings for Extrusion, Weight,

Border, Depth or Precision until you get the effect that you want.

Basic Board Bevel Styles

Round-Round

Chiseled-ChiseledChiseled-Round

Round-Chiseled

ChiseledRound

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Object precision and quality

Adjust the smoothness of your 3D objects by selecting Precision & Quality in the Property List in the Attribute Panel. A higher Precision value increases the mesh density of the object.

This way you can deform objects to create smoother surfaces. Click Wireframe to observe this.

Keep in mind, however, that higher precision means slower rendering time, therefore it is a good idea to wait until you’re finalizing your project before setting this.

Modifying individual faces of an object

The great thing about applying texture and color in COOL 3D is that you can apply them to individual faces of your object. Click a Bevel Face option on the Face Property Toolbar to select the side of the object to edit. Then, drag a color or texture from the presets to the Edit Window. Try applying different colors and textures to the different bevel faces of an object. The illustration below shows you this effect when applied to an object with a Flat bevel style (see the following section for more on bevel styles).

Lower object precision (left) and higher object precision (right)

Front Face

Front Bevel

Side Face

Back Face

Back Bevel

User Guide

Wireframe display

COOL 3D allows you to display objects as wireframes.

Wireframe mode renders your objects as geometric models, displaying them as structures made up of straight and curved lines, and giving them an architectural quality.

Objects can also be exported in all the available formats as wireframes.

The display mode can be toggled from the Standard Toolbar.

FreeForm

The FreeForm feature allows you to modify the shape of any object by changing the form of its mesh and create morphing animation. You can choose the transformation type to move selected control points as well as transform the preview window to operate the tool from any angle.

To use FreeForm:

1 Select an object. 2 Click Object: FreeForm to invoke the

FreeForm Editor dialog box.

3 Set the grid number for each plane (X, Y, or

Z). The values range from 2 to 11.

4 Under Selection, pick control points then

drag them to deform the shape of the object or pick the type of deformation to apply to the object (e.g. move, rotate, and scale) under Transform.

Note: Should the Rotate option be chosen, the user should choose an axis (X, Y, or Z) to move the object toward to.

5 V iew by opting to click Rotate or Distance.

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6 Select Axis-indicator to view the X, Y, and Z

planes. Click Reset View to return to the original

view settings.

7 Click Wireframe to view the object's mesh

structure.

8 Click Reset Mesh to revert to the original

structure of the object.

9 Click OK when done.

Grid There are 3 editing boxes with spin buttons to set the grid number of bounding control points found on the right side of the FreeForm Editor dialog box. The values range from 2 to 11.

Selection Allows you to use the selection mode to choose control points (Point, Line-

X, Line-Y, Line-Z, Face-XZ, Face XY, and Face YZ). To do multiple selection, press [Ctrl].

Transform Select the type of transformation

(move, rotate, and scale) by clicking the option on the right side of the FreeForm Editor dialog box, under Transform, right below Grid.

Note: When using the Rotate or Scale mode, you should select at least 2 control points to define the rotation center or scaling relative center.

Select Fixed to drag nodes only on the selected axis. Clear Fixed to be able to drag nodes on all axes.

3D scene basics

A three-dimensional scene shows objects the way the human eye would perceive them. Unlike a flat two-dimensional image, a 3D composition gives you an enhanced sense of depth and space, and makes it easier for you to comprehend scales and distances between objects.

Experimenting with various elements that create depth in the 3D environment can help you deliver powerful 3D compositions.

Geometric perspective evokes depth in a 3D scene. By scaling objects using mathematical algorithms, they are made to appear as if they are receding into vanishing points.

Light and color also create depth. If an object is farther, its colors are less intense because the atmosphere absorbs and scatters light from them. This changing of color and contrast is called attenuation. This is often achieved by adding a soft sheen to distant objects.

There are various creative and enhancing features that let you experience the excitement or working with 3D objects and space.

Camera

If you want to view different sides of an object without manually rotating it, use the Camera View Panel to select different perspectives of the object. In COOL 3D, the virtual camera

roams around your 3D space to show you all sides the object in relation to the position that the object is in.

This feature provides options for viewing your work from six different vantage points: front, back, top, bottom, left, and right. This comes in handy when trying to figure out how a complex composition was put together.

Select View: Toolbars Manager - Camera View Panel to open the Camera View Panel and choose the camera position that offers the best perspective. It displays the six vantage points depending on the origin (0, 0, 0) of the object as seen in the Edit Window.

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Lens type and distance

Choose from presets that simulate the specific lens type of a real-world camera and its motion of zooming in and out of the workspace. Select Camera, under the Scene category of the EasyPalette file directory to display the preset thumbnails. To modify the camera angle and distance, show the Attribute Panel and select Camera in the Property List.

Drag the Camera lens slider to the left to increase the focal length of the camera and simulate a zoom lens. This shows a tighter view of a scene but renders clearer details of distant objects.

Drag the slider to the right to decrease the focal length of the camera and simulate a wide-angle lens. This shows a wider view of the scene and makes objects look as if they are moving towards you.

The Distance slider increases and decreases the distance between the camera and the objects in the scene.

By changing lens and distance values, you can emphasize distortion, width, height and other characteristics of objects in your scene and direct the viewer to focus on them.

User Guide

Background

Choosing a background is one of the most important design decisions you will make in your project. Background and the way it is used give a unique identity to your title. Readability should be your foremost consideration. Try to test the clarity of your foreground objects to make sure that they are identifiable against whatever color, image video, or effect you choose. Since older computers may be able to display only 256 colors, testing your combinations in monitors with lower color depths is also good idea.

COOL 3D allows you to use Color, Image, or Video as background for your title or apply effects such as Gradient and Magic Texture. You can select presets in the EasyPalette or use your own file.

Color Background

Colors greatly affect the "look" of your title. Certain colors are generally considered to be warm or cool. Greens and yellows, for example, suggest nature, while pastels give a light, airy feel. COOL 3D makes it easy for you to create color schemes and pick their actual shades and hues. Keep in mind that a colorful background can obscure foreground objects. In such a case, a plain background color might serve your needs better.

To apply a solid color background:

1 Select the Scene: Color Background

category in the EasyPalette file directory and drag the color thumbnail to the Edit Window.

2 Adjust the predefined color or customize

your own by using the Attribute Panel.

3 Select Background in the Property List of

the Attribute Panel . 4 Under Backgr ound Mode, select Color. 5 Click the Color square to open the

Windows standard Color dialog box.

Customize your color then click OK. 6 To fine tune your selection, adjust the

controls for Brightness, Saturation, and

Hue.

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Image Background

An image background provides a setting for your project. You can use it to simulate a real world environment or to create a scenery that is based in fantasy. Select from the EasyPalette or use your own JPG and BMP file.

To apply an image background:

1 Select the Scene: Image Background

category in the EasyPalette file directory and drag the image thumbnail to the Edit Window. Modify the predefined image or apply your own image file by using the Attribute Panel.

2 Select Background in the Property List of

the Attribute Panel . 3 Under Background mode, select Image. 4 Click Load background image file and

select an image file (*.JPG or *.BMP) in the

Open dialog box, then click Open. 5 You can adjust the dimensions of your

project to match the size of the image that

you are using by clicking Resize dimension

to background image size. 6 Click Tile background image to render your

background image into seamless individual

tiles. 7 If there is an image stored in the clipboard

which you want to use, simply click Paste

background from clipboard.

User Guide

Video Background

COOL 3D allows you to use videos in MOV and AVI formats as background for your project. By using EasyPalette presets or importing your own movies through the Attribute Panel, you can easily create powerful compositions of object or particle effects set against a moving background.

You do not need a video editing program to do this. You can modify the dimension, duration and other properties of your video file right within the COOL 3D interface.

To apply a video background:

1 Select the Scene: Video Background

category in the EasyPalette file directory and drag the video thumbnail to the Edit Window. Modify the preset video or apply your own video file by using the Attribute Panel.

2 Select Background in the Property List of

the Attribute Panel . 3 Under Background Mode, select Video. 4 Click Load Background Image File and

select a video file (*.MOV or *.AVI) in the

Open Video File dialog box, then click

Open.

If you need to view the properties of your selected file, click Info in the Attribute Panel or in the Open Video File dialog box. Imported video files should have the same duration, dimension, and frame rate as your COOL 3D project.

Adjust dimension by clicking Resize Dimension to Background Image Size. To modify duration, click Duration to open the Duration dialog box and set Mark In/Out points on your video file.

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The duration, dimension, and frame rate of the imported video files will be adjusted automatically to fit your COOL 3D project.

Note: When importing video, make sure that the file size is not too large for loading especially on the Web.

Background Audio

Your title can be outfitted with sound effects, music, and voice. COOL 3D allows you to separately load *.WAV, *.MP3, *.AIFF, *.AVI, and *.MOV audio files into your 3D title.

To apply an audio background:

1 Open the Attribute Panel and select

Background Audio in Property List.

2 Click Load Audio File to display the Open

Audio File dialog box. Select the audio file you want to use and click Open.

Note: Click Use audio if you want to use a previously selected audio file in your project.

If your sound file is too long for your title, you can trim it by clicking Duration in the Attribute Panel or Open Audio File dialog box. The Duration dialog box is displayed for you to set Mark In/Out points.

If the file is too short, you have the option of selecting Loop audio playing in the Attribute Panel to allow the sound to repeat continuously until the title is finished. You can also view properties of your audio file by clicking Info either in the Attribute Panel or Open Audio File dialog box.

User Guide

Understanding the 3D coordinate system

The coordinate system can help you keep track of objects in 3D space. The X- and Y-axes define a coordinate plane or a two-dimensional world. To work in a three-dimensional space, the Z-axis, which represents depth, is added.

The three axes are perpendicular to each other and intersect in the point of origin. Each one is like a number line with the point of origin designated as 0,0,0, because it is located on the 0 point on all three axes. Thus, a point in 3D space is described by giving three numbers. The first one is the distance of the point from the origin in the X-axis. The second one is the offset of the point from the origin along the Y-axis, and the third on distance away from 0 along the Z-axis.

3D coordinate systems are imaginary and can represent anything you want. When creating a 3D scene, keep in mind the proportion of objects with respect to each other. You can do this by establishing well your viewpoint or position and orientation.

COOL 3D then automatically calculates the movement of the origin, your point of view, or the object's center of gravity.

When transforming objects or applying effects, you work with both the object’s own coordinates and the world coordinates.

For example, when doing freeform deformation, you adjust the shape of the object by dragging nodes in its own X-, Y-, and Z-axes.

But when you are lighting an object in a scene, the values are based on world coordinates.

X=0, Y=0, Z=0 X=30, Y=30, Z=300

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Light

Various materials or textures respond to light differently. Add realism to your titles by simulating the way light sources illuminate objects in the real world. COOL 3D not only allows you to direct various light sources but also adjust surface and ambient lighting.

To apply light to a scene, select Scene: Light category in the EasyPalette file directory and drag a preset thumbnail from the EasyPalette to the Edit Window. You can customize or adjust your lighting by using the Attribute Panel.

To adjust lighting in a scene:

1 Select Lights in the Property List of the

Attribute Panel.

2 Click a Light Source to activate it. Then

click the radio button above it to edit its properties.

3 Click the Color square to open the Color

dialog box and change the color of the currently selected light.

Adjust Brightness, Saturation, and Hue by dragging their sliders.

4 Select a Mode for the light:

Directional Shines a direct beam of parallel light rays with a constant strength. The light source orientation is based on the angle of rotation around the X- and Y-axes.

Point Shines diffused light with variable strength on the object. The further the light is from objects, the weaker the light appears. The light source position is based on its location along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes.

Spot Shines a focused, cone-shaped beam like a theater spotlight. The light source position is based on its location along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes and its orientation is based on the angle of rotation around the X- and Y-axes. Because the beam is cone shaped, moving the source closer to the object reduces the area of illumination.

Directional mode often creates more vivid highlights and shadows.

Point shines a diffused, variable strength light similar to the sun.

You can either set the light position or select a target object to apply the Spot mode.

User Guide

5 Click Position to move the location of your

light source or Orientation to adjust the

direction towards which the light is

projected. Orientation can be adjusted in

Directional and Spot modes. Position can

be adjusted in Point and Spot modes. Drag

your mouse in the Edit Window until you

have reached the desired effect using the

Lighting Guide. These images (right)

illustrates the position of the light sources

and orientation of light beams on a scene. 6 Click Select target object to launch a dialog

box where you can select the object to

which the new light settings will be applied.

This function is available when you are

working in Spot mode. 7 In Attenuation mode, set the degree of light

reflected from the object with relation to the

specified light source distance. 0 value

means that the distance will not affect the

light attenuation. Select 1 to set the

attenuation according to the distance

specified, and 2 to set the attenuation in

proportion to the square of the specified

distance. 8 Adjust the distance between the light

source and the object in Light range. For

Spot mode, you can adjust the angle of light

by specifying a value in Spotlight angle.

The general light that surrounds the object or ambient light can also be adjusted in COOL 3D. Ambient light is a result of illumination coming from direct sources and those reflected on the surface of other objects. Click the Color square to modify the color of the ambient light. Adjust Brightness, Saturation, and Hue by dragging their sliders.

Animation basics

After familiarizing yourself with three-dimensional space, you’re ready to start making fun animations. While there are many factors you have to take into consideration when creating an animated project, it’s definitely worth taking the time to learn some basic ideas. From there, it will be easy for you to advance to creating stunning and complex animation sequences. The Animation Toolbar and its enhanced Timeline provide highly versatile functions for animating your objects. Brief descriptions of the Animation Toolbar functions are listed below.

• View: Timeline Toggles between displaying and hiding the Timeline Window in the

workspace.

• Object List Allows you to select an active object that you can modify from the list box. The first on the list is always labeled as Group which merges all the objects and subgroups you’ve added as a single object. Only when you split the text will the characters be displayed separately, allowing you to work on the objects individually.

• Properties Menu Lists all of the basic properties of the 3D object. If you have applied a plug-in effect to the object, this will be listed as well. The Timeline Control, just to the right of it, shows the timeline and key frames that are related to the property that you have selected from the list.

• Timeline Control Allows you to choreograph your animation with key frames. The top line represents the frame-by-frame position, while the bottom line displays key frames. Key frames are those frames in which you specify an attribute or behavior of an object. For plug-in effect timelines, an additional Control Line (in red) appears between these two lines when you enable Plug-in Mask.

• Add/Delete Key Frame Lets you add or remove a key frame from the Timeline Control. Each time you add a key frame, you can change the attributes or behavior of an object. When you remove a key frame, all attributes associated with that key frame are also removed.

Plug-in Mask

Number of Frames

Current Frame

Frame RateSmooth

Motion Path

Properties Menu

Timeline Control

Add/Delete Key Frame

Object List

View: Timeline

Reverse

Plug-in Enable

User Guide

• Reverse Allows you to reverse the sequence of key frames on the Timeline Control, so that the animation starts with the last frame and ends with the first.

• Smooth Motion Path Plays the animation smoothly, where the transition from one frame to the next becomes less noticeable.

• Plug-in Mask Allows you to set the start and end points of a plug-in effect in the animation sequence.

• Plug-in Enable Toggles between showing and hiding a plug-in effect.

• Current Frame Denotes the frame number that is currently displayed.

• Number of Frames Sets the total number of frames in the animation sequence.

• Frame Rate Sets the speed in frames per second (fps) at which the animation plays.

Working with key frames and timelines

When you start to create an animation, you begin with a timeline. The timeline represents a number of frames in the animation. In COOL 3D, you use the Timeline Control to edit the attributes of timelines. Many properties of the 3D object (such as size, position, color, and any plug-in effects) have individual timelines that you can edit independently. These are listed in the

Properties Menu. Key frames let you choreograph your animation sequence as you work with the timeline. By

adding key frames and editing attributes in those key frames, you can, for instance, set your object to move from left to right, and then rotate. Any adjustments you make to your object at a given key frame determines the state of the object at that frame of the animation (for example, the position, size, color, etc.). The following describes some basic controls of the Timeline Control:

• Properties Menu Use this to select the timeline for a specific property that you want to edit. By default, the basic attributes are listed (i.e. Position, Orientation, Color, etc.). If you apply a plug-in effect to the object, that will be added to the list. Once you select a property, the timeline for that property will appear.

Properties Menu

Slider

Move to Next Frame

Move to Previous Frame

Jump to Next Key Frame

Jump to Previous Key Frame

Key Frames

Object List

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• Object List Use this to select an active object to modify.

• Slider Drag this to move to any frame in the animation, or click Move to Next/ Previous Frame.

• Jump to Next/Previous Key Frame Click these buttons to move from one key frame to the next, or directly select a key frame by clicking it.

Here is a simplified diagram of the default timeline for an object’s color. It contains 10 frames and always has a key frame at frame 1 of the animation. At this key frame, the object is set to be red. When you preview the animation, the object remains red in all frames.

In the next diagram, two key frames have been added to the color timeline. At key frame 1, the object is red, at key frame 5 it is blue, and at key frame 10 the object is green. When previewing the animation, you see the object’s color start out at red, gradually transform to blue and finally to green.

Because each property has its own timeline, you can control multiple timelines in your animation, as shown in the following illustration. Not only can you set the timing within each timeline, but you can also control the timing of events between the many timelines by coordinating their key frames, as if you were a director telling your various actors what to do and when to do it. After you familiarize yourself with timelines and key frames, you can also work with multiple objects that have multiple key frames.

Frame 1 Frame 5 Frame 10

Red Blue Green

Frame 1 (Frame 10)

Red

Frame 1 Frame 10 Frame 30Frame 20

Start at far left

Move to far right Move to center

Red Red Green

No rotation No rotation Rotate 360º

Position

Orientation

Color

User Guide

Advanced timeline mode

COOL 3D’s advanced timeline mode gives you greater control in choreographing the behavior of objects with multiple attributes. Click View: Toolbars Manager - Timeline or Timeline Window in the Animation Toolbar to display the Timeline Window . In the Timeline Window, each attribute is represented by a timeline which you can edit independently. Every change you make on an attribute will be reflected as a key frame. Any adjustment you make to an object at a given key frame determines the object’s state at that frame. Brief descriptions of the Timeline Window functions are listed below.

• View: Animation T oolbar Toggles between showing and hiding the Animation Toolbar.

• Modify Frames Displays a drop-down menu that enables you to edit the number of frames in the animation sequence.

• Thumbtack Allows you to mark attributes where you assigned key frames. You can use these marked properties as reference while you work on other objects in the animation. The attribute where the thumbtack is enabled remains on top of the Attribute List even if you might already be working on a different object.

Ruler Bar

Key Frame Window

Modify Frames

View: Animation Toolbar

Object List

Thumbtack

Plug-in Mask

Plug-in Enable

Next/ Previous Key Frame

Attribute List

Current Frame

Scroll Bar

Number of Frames

Frame Rate

Add/ Delete Key Frame

Reverse

Smooth Motion Path

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• Key Frame Window Displays all the frames in the animation sequence. Dots

indicate key frames. Since each object contains a different set of timelines, the frames reflected in this window change depending on which object you are currently working on.

• Ruler Bar Indicates the frame you are currently working on. Click anywhere in the

Ruler Bar to go to a frame within the specified duration.

• Add/Delete Key Frame Lets you add or remove a key frame. Each time you add a

key frame, you can change the attributes or behavior of an object. When you remove a key frame, all attributes associated with that key frame are also removed.

This shows the Timeline for an object with changing color, position, and texture attributes. It contains 10 frames and always has a key frame at frame 1 of the animation. You will notice changes in color at frames 5 and 10.

User Guide

Creating a simple animation

The best way to understand key frames is to actually create an animation. The following section shows you how to create simple animated sequences with a single object and a single timeline, as well as some more complicated sequences involving multiple objects and timelines.

To create a simple animation using the Animation Toolbar:

1 Insert an object to the Edit Window. On the

Animation T oolbar, the default frame

number should be 10, and set the default fps to 15. Change the frame number to 15. Notice that the current frame is 1, and that the timeline already contains a key frame.

2 On the Location T oolbar, click Move Object.

In the Edit Window, drag the object to the left side of the window . On the Location Toolbar, the coordinates change to show the object’s position at the first key frame.

3 Drag the Timeline Control slider to the last

frame of the timeline, or type 15 as the current frame number. Click Add Key Frame to add a key frame.

4 Drag the object to the right side of the Edit

Window. The coordinates on the Location Toolbar change to reflect the position of the

object at frame 15 of the animation.

5 Click Play to view the animation. The object

should move from the left to right in the Edit Window.

6 Save the project by clicking Save on the

Standard Toolbar. This allows you to save it in the COOL 3D file format (*.C3D). Y ou can open this file later within the program to edit the project.

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To create a simple animation using the Timeline Window:

1 Open the project that you created on the

previous page (part I). Switch to advanced timeline mode by clicking View: Timeline on the Animation T oolbar.

2 Select Position in the Attribute List and

frame 7 on the Ruler Bar.

3 Add a key frame by clicking the Add Key

Frame.

4 On the Location T oolbar, click Move Object

and drag the object in the Edit Window so that it is at the top and center of the window .

5 Click Play, and notice how the object now

moves in a triangular path.

6 Now you have key frames at frames 1, 7,

and 15 of the animation. If you want to change the position of the object at any of these key frames, click the key frame on the Timeline Window and drag the object to another position. Click Play to view the animation.

7 Increase the number of frames to 30 by

clicking Modify Frame and selecting Change Duration. Notice how the motion of the object becomes smoother.

8 On the Standard T oolbar , click Save to save

the animation. Your project will be saved in the COOL 3D format (*.C3D).

User Guide

Animating color

The most obvious thing to do when you want to animate an object is to make it move. To animate the color of an object itself is less obvious, but can result in interesting effects. In this tutorials, learn how to make color change on a stationary object. Try animating texture as well.

To animate the color of an object:

1 Insert an object, and apply a color at key

frame 1.

2 Add a key frame control at the last frame of

the animation, then apply a different color to the object. Remember that you can also apply different colors to individual bevel faces.

3 Click Play to preview the animation.

Animating background

Just like with foreground objects, you can animate your background to create an effect of varied shifting colors. The result can be smooth or jerky, depending on the mood you want to evoke. Arrange an upbeat display of fast changing, highly contrasting colors. Or work with a single color and, by modifying some of its properties, come up with a gradually fading monochromatic display .

To animate your background:

1 Create a new document and set your frame

number to 20 by clicking Modify Frame and

selecting Change Duration. 2 Select Background in Attribute List. 3 In the Attribute Panel, select Color in

Background mode. 4 Add a key frame control at frame 5. Click the

Color square and select a different color .

Add other key frame controls at frames 10,

15, and 20. Apply a different color in each

key frame. 5 Click Play to preview the animation.

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Showing and hiding objects

You can control when an object in a project appears or disappears. Showing and hiding text and/ or images can be done per key frame.

To show and hide an object:

1 Insert two objects, then set the total number

of frames to 30.

2 Select the object that you would like to

hide.

Note: Having the Object Manager visible may help give you an idea as to what object or text is currently being edited. Click View: Toolbars Manager: Object Manager. Or you may use the selection indicator by clicking View: Selection Indicator.

3 Move the Timeline Control slider to

frame 5.

Note: If you do not want the object to be seen at the start of the presentation, move the Timeline Control slider to key frame 1.

4 Click Show/Hide on the Standard Toolbar to

hide the object.

5 Move the Timeline Control slider to frame

10.

6 Click Show/Hide on the Standard Toolbar to

show the object again.

7 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Working with more than one object can result in a stunning project. The next tutorial shows you how to coordinate two objects. Make a second object appear after the first one completes its action.

To show and hide two objects :

1 Insert an object, then set the total number

of frames to 30. 2 At frame 1 click Move Object on the

Location T oolbar and set the Y coordinate

to 50. 3 Click Rotate Object. The Properties Menu

displays Orientation. On the Location

Toolbar, make sure that all coordinates are

set to 0. 4 Move the Timeline Control slider to frame

25 or enter 25 as the current frame. Click

Add Key Frame.

5 Set the X coordinate to -720, then click Play

to preview the animation. 6 Insert a new object. At frame 1, click Move

Object. Enter -100 for the Y coordinate on

the Location T oolbar. 7 At frame 1, click Show/Hide on the

Standard Toolbar to make the object

disappear. 8 At frame 30, add a key frame and click

Show/Hide to make the text object appear . 9 Click Play. The second object should appear

just after the first object has completed its

rotation.

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Animating position

When you want to spice up a project by animating an object’s position, the Animation Toolbar and Timeline Control bar allow you to work on multiple timelines as well as make the proper adjustments on the image’s current position per key frame.

To animate position:

1 Insert an object, then set the total number

of frames to 30.

2 Move the Timeline Control slider to frame

25 or enter 25 as the current frame. Click Add Key Frame.

3 Click Move Object on the Location T oolbar. 4 Drag the object to a desired location or set

the coordinates to your preferred position on your desired plane (be it X, Y or Z) for that particular frame.

Note: Displaying the Axis Indicator might give you a better idea on which plane to locate your object. Click View: Axis Indicator.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

To animate the position of two objects:

1 Insert an object into the project and set the

total number of frames to 30.

2 Select Position in Properties. On the

Timeline Control, add key frames at frames 10 and 20.

3 Click key frame 1 of the animation to select

it.

4 On the Location T oolbar, click Move Object

and set the values of X and Z coordinates to -350 and -200 respectively. The object disappears off the screen.

5 At frame 10, set the X coordinate to 0. Do

not adjust the Z coordinate. At frame 20, set the X and Z coordinates to 100 and 3000. The Y coordinate should remain at 0.

User Guide

6 Click Play to preview the animation. The

object should move to the right and away

from you. 7 Insert a second object into the project, then

select Position in Properties. Add key

frames at frames 10, 20, and 30. 8 Click Move Object on the Location T oolbar

and at frames 1 and 10, set the X and Z

coordinates to -350 and -200 respectively.

At frame 20, set the X coordinate to 0, and

do not adjust the Z coordinate. At frame 30,

set the X and Z coordinates to 100 and

3000.

9 Click Play to preview the animation. The

second object should chase after the first

one, following the same motion path.

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Animating with multiple attributes

Inevitably, you will want to animate more than one aspect of your object. This means that you must work with multiple timelines. When using the Animation Toolbar, you always need to keep an eye on Properties to know which attribute or timeline you are currently editing. This makes it more advisable to switch to the advance timeline mode and use the Timeline Window which simultaneously displays all attributes or timelines of your object. This example shows you how to make a basic animations with two timelines.

To animate position and color in the Timeline Window:

1 Insert an object in a blank project (with a

black background).

2 On the Attribute List, select Color. At

frame 1, set the object color to be black.

3 Add a key frame at the last frame of the

animation. Set the color to red.

4 Click Play on the Navigation T oolbar to

preview the color animation.

5 Click Move Object on the Location T oolbar

or the Position thumbtack in the Attribute List.

6 On the Position timeline, select the first key

frame, then on the Location T oolbar, enter 200 for the Z coordinate.

7 Add a key frame at the end of the Position

timeline, and then enter -200 for the Z coordinate.

8 Preview the animation. The object should

emerge from the background color and come straight towards you.

Plug-in effects

Plug-in effects are what can make your still or animated title extra special. In COOL 3D, you can give objects a unique backdrop by applying a variety of Background effects under the Scene category. You can also create astonishing 3D text titles with Text Effects and Bevel, make objects move in special patterns with Object Effects, enhance a whole scene using Particle Effects, and give your titles a unique flair with Global Effects.

The various categories are located in the EasyPalette file directory. Click a category or plug-in name to view and apply the presets that come with it for instant results. If you have a specific effect you want to achieve, try applying different presets, and see how the attributes change in the Attribute Panel. This gives you a better idea of how the variables affect the object.

Key frames and plug-ins

Most plug-in effects have a special red Control Line that appears on the Timeline Control in the Animation Toolbar and Key Frame Window if in the Timeline mode. This is a special feature that lets you move the first and last frames of the timeline, so that you can determine exactly when the plug-in effect is applied within the animation sequence. To adjust the length of the Control Line, click and drag on either end until you have reached the desired length.

Control Line in Animation Toolbar

The example (right) shows the Control Line of the FreeForm plug-in in the Key Frame Window. This means the plug-in is applied from frames 5 to 20.

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Understanding global and key attributes

When you are working with the Attribute Panel to make an animated project, it is a good idea to take note of the ToolTip that pops up when you move the cursor over each variable. This contains a brief description of the variable in question, followed by a (G) or (K) which stands for Global or Key attribute.

A Global attribute is valid for the entire duration of the animation. For instance, if you set a Global attribute to have the value “x” at frame 1, the value “x” will be applied throughout the animation. If you change this value at frame 5, then this new value will be changed accordingly in all frames of the animation.

A Key attribute can vary with individual key frames. For example, Color is a Key attribute because at frame 1, you can have an object be red, then at frame 5 you can set the same object to be green, and at frame 10, you can make the object change to red again.

Background effects

The Gradient and Magic Texture features provide a collection of animated background effects of gradually shifting colors and patterns. You can apply these effects to simulate movement of natural elements such as sunlight and whirlpools.

Global and Key attributes as indicated in the EasyPalette file

directory.

Gradient (top) and Magic Texture (right)

background effects

User Guide

Gradient Background

Gradient is a feature that helps create complex gradient patterns that serve as a colorful animated backdrop for your projects. This feature is fully customizable, so you can create your own color patterns.

To apply a Gradient Background:

1 Create a new document and select

Background from the Property List in the

Attribute Panel.

2 Select Gradient under Background mode. 3 Set the pattern color by adjusting the

Palette Ramp. Click Edit to open the Palette

Ramp Editor. Select a different color ring or

create a new one. 4 In the Attribute Panel, specify Hue shift,

Ring, and Repeat number settings. Hue

shift adjusts the hue in the ring palette

without changing the saturation and

brightness, while Ring rotates the color ring

changing the first color of the set. Enter the

degree of turn. Repeat number defines the

number of times to repeat the ring palette in

the pattern. 5 Select a Pattern type by clicking on an

image in Mode. This indicates how your

texture would initially appear. Move the

slider to view more patterns. A

corresponding number is assigned to each

pattern type. 6 For some modes, you can set Slope,

Frequency, and Amplitude values. Slope

specifies the pattern's direction and is

measured in degrees. Frequency allows you

to specify the number of times to apply the

pattern in the magic gradient effect, while

Amplitude allows you to specify the length

and width of the pattern.

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Magic Texture Background

Magic Texture is a feature that helps create complex gradient patterns that serve as a colorful animated backdrop for your projects. This feature is fully customizable, so you can create your own color patterns.

To apply a Magic Texture Background:

1 Create a new document and select

Background from the Property List in the Attribute Panel.

2 Select Magic Textur e under Background

mode.

3 Choose the look of your pattern in Texture

Type. Emboss makes the background appear

stamped or imprinted on a solid surface. Turbulence gives your selected pattern a wild, disorderly appearance.

Note: Each texture is three-dimensional with sections along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. Only the XY plane are shown. Variation is the Z-value that determines which XY plane of the selected background will be displayed. The degree of variation is therefore affected by the X and Y values that you set.

4 Click the thumbnail of the pattern to use as

background.

5 Under Texture Cell, set the extent by which

the pattern is stretched or compressed horizontally or vertically in X Size or Y Size.

In X Offset or Y Offset, enter how far along the horizontal or vertical plane you want to shift the image in pixels.

6 Disturbance computes the final cell size

that will be used for generating the pattern. Set a higher value to have a closer look at the selected pattern’s details.

7 Change the hue value of each pixel in Shift.

You can modify this attribute when the texture type you are using is Turbulence.

A high Disturbance value of 250 shows the pattern’s details (left)

User Guide

8 Select Edit to display the Palette Ramp

Editor. This shows the ring palette

containing the set and order of colors used

in the current magic gradient effect. Adjust

the hue in the ring palette without changing

the saturation and brightness. Set the hue

value in Hue Shift and the degree of turn of

the color ring in Ring. 9 Increase the Amplitude to make your

pattern more irregular. Set also a higher

value in Frequency to increase the degree

of disarray in the selected pattern. 10 Click Random to readjust the texture settings

to random numbers. To revert the image to

its original form, click Reset.

Object Effects

The control you have in animating individual objects is one of the things that make COOL 3D remarkable. The Object Effects category in the EasyPalette file directory allows you to apply motion, cartoon shading, bending, twisting, explosion, stylized outlines, freeforms, and psychedelic presets to your objects.

You can also use the Attribute Panel to create custom object effects. This section shows you basic projects for each plug-in. For detailed information on all plug-in attributes, please refer to the Help Topics.

Amplitude at 1 (top) and at 200 (right)

To apply your own effects, click Add plug-in and select the effects to customize in the Attribute Panel

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Bend

Use this plug-in effect to bend your object in any direction, then animate the bending movement to attract special attention. In this tutorial, learn how to combine this effect with basic rotation settings. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Bend effect to an object:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window . Click

Add plug-in and select Bend in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, set the Direction of the bend to

Y-Z and select Asymmetric under Type. Set

the Level to 100 to completely bend the object, and set the Cutting Point to 50 so that the object bends at the center.

3 At frame 30, set the Level to 0. This allows

the object to unbend.

4 Click Rotate Object on the Location

Toolbar. At frame 1, the rotation coordinates should all be 0. At frame 30, set the Z coordinate to -720. This rotates the object twice in a clockwise direction.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Cartoon Shader

Cartoon Shader is an non-photo realistic (NPR) effect that renders your 3D animation into simplistic cartoons. Based on classic movie/TV animation shading techniques, Cartoon Shader "simplifies" your 3D objects by applying flat colors and shades. This effect reduces the complexity of the object and lessens the bulkiness often seen in 3D objects. Cartoons are known for having basic colors, with a dominant color as the highlight, and a secondary color as the shadow. You may choose to render objects in a finished project, or render them beforehand. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Cartoon Shader:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Cartoon Shader in

the Attribute Panel . 2 At frame 1, choose Smooth in Style. 3 Set Shadow settings by adjusting the Factor

and Luminance values. A higher value in

Factor increases shadow size, while

increasing the value in Luminance

brightens the object. 4 Do the same for the Highlight settings. 5 Click Play to preview the animation.

FreeForm

The Object Effects category in the EasyPalette file directory also allows you to apply animated deformations to your object by selecting the FreeForm option. To customize your freeform effect, select Object: FreeForm in the main menu. You can also click Add plug-in, select FreeForm, and click Open FreeForm Editor in the Attribute Panel. This opens the FreeForm Editor. For a detailed explanation on using this feature, see FreeForm in page 31.

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Object Explosion

Blasting an object creates a fascinating and eye-catching impact in your animation. Equally stunning is reversing the effect to integrate an object from tiny bits. We will be doing this reverse explosion in this tutorial. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To create a reverse Object Explosion effect:

1 Insert an object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Object Explosion in

the Attribute Panel .

2 Set the Movement type to Gravity at frame

1. Set also the Collapse type to All and Level to 90 to disintegrate your object. Set Rotate value to 10.

3 At frame 30, set the Level to 0 for a

complete formation of your object. Enter 90 for the Rotate value.

4 Click Play to preview the effect.

Note: Experiment with different values for Variation. Each number you enter produces a slightly different variation of the explosion effect.

User Guide

Stylized Outline

Non-photo realistic (NPR) effects are a collection of enhancers that transform your 3D objects into simple, artistic shapes. Ideal for short animation strips such as cartoons, these effects are great to transform your 3D objects into fluid, streamlined animation. Stylized Outline is one of COOL 3D's NPR effects that enhance your 3D objects by simplifying them. Stylized Outline simplifies the object into visible edges. These edges are then rendered as stylized paint strokes. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply Stylized Outline:

1 Insert an object in the Edit Window . Click

Add plug-in and select Stylized Outline in

the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, choose Brush for Style in the

Attribute Panel.

3 Specify the outline width by entering 3 in

Width. This will give you a thin outline. The maximum Width value is 50, which creates the thickest outline.

4 Choose an outline color by clicking the

color box. Select Crease to include smaller lines and folds within the object when making stylized outlines.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

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Twist

This effect lets you coil up a title in a number of different directions and styles. Twist the object beyond recognition along the X- or Y-axis, or make the title coil out towards you along the Zaxis. In this project, learn how to combine the Twist effect with a basic Size animation for extra impact. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To twist an object:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window and

rotate it slightly on the Y-axis. Click Add

plug-in and select Twist in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, select Left only as the twist

Type. This twists the object starting with its

left side. Select also Z as the Axis so that the depth of the object is twisted, and set the Skew Angle to 0.

3 At frame 30, set the Skew Angle to

-360.

4 On the Location T oolbar, click Resize. At

frame 1, the Size coordinates on the Location T oolbar should be 100 (default). At frame 30, set the Z coordinate to 1000.

5 Click Play to preview the animation. The

title should twist clockwise and coil towards you.

User Guide

Text Effects

Make your text and graphic objects behave in a variety of entertaining ways using Text Effects plug-ins. Choose from a range of presets in the EasyPalette, or design your own using the Attribute Panel, and create animated text titles for your video clips in a few easy steps. Not only for letters, some of the effects under this category produce interesting results when applied to 3D objects.

Blast

Have fun exploding an object, and then have the pieces come back together to form something new. The easiest way to apply this effect is to apply a Blast preset from the EasyPalette. For more advanced users, the many variables on the Attribute Panel allow you to control the effect to amazing detail. In the following tutorial, we’ll explode a graphic and have it turn into text. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply a Blast transition:

1 Insert a graphic object in the Edit Window.

Click Add plug-in and select Blast in the

Attribute Panel. 2 At frame 1, clear the Use Original option in

the Attribute Panel. Click Text Object

Target under Target. In the dialog box that

appears, enter the text object that you want

to replace the original object with. 3 Set the Shape to Sphere, and the Collapse

to All. 4 Set the Size of the pieces to 5 and the

Action to All. The Level should be 100 by

default. 5 Select Swirl as the Movement T ype. 6 Click Play to preview the animated

sequence.

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Bump

Bump allows objects to shove each other off the screen. This effect can emphasize statements by having text push other objects away. In this example, have the main text bump a graphic object out of the way. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply a Bump transition:

1 Insert a graphic object in the Edit Window.

Click Add plug-in and select Bump in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, clear the Use Original option in

the Attribute Panel. Click Text Object Target under Target to insert an object that will replace the original.

3 Make sure that the Level is 0, and set the

Compress value to 50.

4 If the target object appears on the screen,

set the Initial Position of the target object to 300, or until it disappears off the screen.

5 Select From Left as the Direction in which

you want the transition to take place.

6 At frame 30, set the Level to 100. 7 Click Play to preview the transition.

User Guide

Dance

This effect brings out the buoyancy in your title. Choose from several dance styles - Shake, Scatter, Wave, and Bounce. The following tutorial shows you how to make a bouncing project.

(Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To make a title bounce:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Dance in the

Attribute Panel. 2 At frame 1, select Bounce as the Dance

Mode in the Attribute Panel and select

Random for Sequence.

3 Set Ground to 1. This is the minimum

distance that the letter will fall in order to

bounce. Specify 100 for Rebound, which

makes the letters bounce highest. 4 Specify 10 as the Tempo for fastest

bouncing speed. Set the Variation to 0.

This means that the letters will start out in

their normal stationary position - standing

up and facing forward. 5 At frame 30 of the animation, set the

Variation to 50. This means that by the last

frame, the letters will be facing in widely

differing directions, as if they were

bouncing out of control. 6 Click Play to preview your project. Try

using different values for Seed. This

generates a slightly different variation of

the Dance effect.

Variation value at 0 (top) and 50 (right).

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Distort

Put a new perspective on your title by using the Distort plug-in. You can either distort the perspective of the entire object, or distort the letters individually. When applied in an animated sequence, this can be useful for emphasis. Create a basic Distort animation in this tutorial. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To distort an object:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Distort in the Attribute Panel.

2 Add a key frame at frame 15 on the Distort

timeline.

3 At frame 1, select Individual for Action

sequence in the Attribute Panel so that each letter is treated as an individual object.

4 Select Y-Z as the Plane along which the

perspective will be distorted. Leave all other distortion variables at their default values (100).

5 At frame 15, set the Y1 and Z1 values to

50, and set the Y2 and Z2 values to 300. Frame 30 should have the same values as frame 1.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Explosion

The power you have when blasting a title to pieces makes this plug-in a favorite. The effect ends in a confetti shower that you can use when working with celebration or party themes. Reversing an explosion effect, on the other hand, can have all the small pieces come together to form a whole. In this tutorial, learn how to disintegrate your title. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To disintegrate your title:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Explosion in the

Attribute Panel. 2 Click the Plug-in mask to display the

Control Line. Drag the leftmost end point

of the Control Line to frame 5. This ensures

that the explosion effect will not take place

right away . 3 At the first frame of the plug-in effect (frame

5), set the Movement T ype to Left in the

Attribute Panel. Set also the Collapse T ype

to Ascending, Action Sequence to Forward,

Level to 0, and Rotate value to 30. 4 At frame 30, set the Level to 100 for a

complete explosion. Enter 100 for the

Rotate value. 5 Select Position from the Property List in

the Animation Toolbar and add a key frame

at frame 25. 6 At frames 1 and 25 for Position, all

coordinates on the Location T oolbar should

be 0. At frame 30, set the Y value to -300. 7 Click Play to preview the effect. Experiment

with different values for Variation. Each

number you enter produces a slightly

different kind of explosion effect.

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Jump

Stomp out one text object with another using the Jump effect. You can also give it a realistic bounce and rebound as one text falls on the other. This example shows you how to combine this effect with the Show/Hide function so that a second message shows up at the end of the transition. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To make one object stomp on another:

1 Insert a graphic object in the Edit Window.

Click Add plug-in and select Jump in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, clear the Use Original option in

the Attribute Panel. Click Text object target under Target to insert an object that will replace the original. The object above the original changes in the Edit Window.

3 Set the Bounce value to 30. If the target

object is visible, set the Initial Position to about 300, or so that it disappears off the screen.

4 Move to frame 30 and set the Level to 100. 5 Insert a new object. Select None as the

transition Style on the Attribute Panel. Adjust the object’s position at frame 1 so that it does not overlap with the first object.

6 Choose Show/Hide from the Properties

List.

7 At frame 1, click Show/Hide so that the

object disappears. At frame 30, click it again so that the object reappears.

8 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Path Animation

This plug-in lets your text move in ways that simulate the laws of gravity in the real world. You can let your object get caught in a tornado, ripple on water, or swing like a pendulum. In this tutorial, learn how to toss your object in an arc, and then change it into another object upon impact. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To throw an object in an arc:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Path Animation in

the Attribute Panel . 2 At frame 1, select Arc as the Path and enter

25 as the value for Speed. 3 Set the Ground to 0 (default), and enter 75

for the Level to start the object at mid-

throw. Enter 40 as the value for the Angle of

the arc. 4 At frame 30, set the Level to 0. 5 Click Play to preview the Arc animation.

The object should be thrown in from the

right of the screen. 6 Insert a new object into the project. Enlarge

the object to emphasize it. At frame 1, click

Show/Hide to hide the object, and at frame

30, click it again to make the object appear . 7 Click Play to preview the animation.

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Surface Animation

With this plug-in, you can let your object move and wrap itself around the form of different three-dimensional shapes. This tutorial shows you how to wrap your object around a small sphere, have it travel twice around the sphere, and then unwrap at the end. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To animate an object around a sphere:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Surface Animation

in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, select Sphere as the Surface

around which the object is wrapped in the Attribute Panel. Set the Path to V Line to make the object travel vertically , then set the Wrap Style to Mesh to mold the object to the surface of the sphere.

3 Enter 10 for all Size coordinates so that the

text is wrapped around a small sphere. Set the Level to 0.

4 At frame 25, enter 10 for all Size

coordinates, and enter 200 as the Level so that the object travels twice around the sphere’s surface.

5 At frame 30, set all Size coordinates to 100

so that the size of the ball increases drastically. Set the Level to 200 so that the object does not move from the previous key frame.

6 Click Play to preview the animation.

Tip: Try using the Surface Animation plug-in with the Board bevel effect, as in this example. This allows

you to actually see the shape or surface around which your text object wraps.

User Guide

Text Wave

The Text Wave plug-in provides templates to create complex wave animations with text objects. Animate them through three-dimensional planes, character by character: with variable acceleration, scale, loop frequency and more.

To create a Text Wave animation:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select T ext W ave in the

Attribute Panel.

2 Select Forward in Action Sequence. This is

the initial direction of the animation. 3 Select Normal in Acceleration. This is the

way characters speed up and slow down

while starting and completing a wave. 4 Set Length at 5. A higher setting creates a

more expansive wave where characters

move more closely in tandem together. A

lower setting creates a more compact wave

where characters move more disjointedly in

relation to each other. 5 Adjust also the following attributes:

• Scaling To focal point from which the

characters are expanded and compacted.

• X, Y & Z Scale The dimensions of

the characters in each axis. These settings are percentages of the text object’s native dimensions.

• X, Y & Z Loops The number of

loops completed between key frames.

• X, Y & Z Amplitude The amplitude, or

extent, of the waves in each axis. A negative amplitude will cause the wave to move in the opposite direction.

Note: Settings applied to a key frame will take effect until the following key frame.

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Token Skew (G)

You can stretch text and objects in any direction with this plug-in effect. In this tutorial, combine the Skew effect with a simple Position animation to make an object appear as if it were being sucked off the screen. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Token Skew (G) effect:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select T oken Skew (G) in

the Attribute Panel . 2 Add a key frame at frame 25. 3 At frame 1, set the Level to 0 in the

Attribute Panel. Select also Backward as

the Action sequence. Set the Acceleration

to Oscillate. 4 Enter 30 as the Overlap value. Choose

Front-LB as the Skew Center to fix a point

from which letters skew . 5 These are the planes along which objects

can be skewed. Under Y-X Plane, enter

1000, and leave all the others at 0. 6 At frame 25, set the Level to 100. 7 Next, animate the position of the object.

Select Position from the Property List, and

add key frames at frames 20 and 30. 8 At frames 1 and 20, view the coordinates in

the Location T oolbar for Position. They

should all be set to 0. At frame 30, set the X

coordinate to 1500. 9 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Token Size (G)

The Token Size (G) effect is especially easy to use because you only have to make most of the settings once, and then all you have to change in the key frames is the value for Level. Learn to make your money grow in this tutorial. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Token Size (G) effect:

1 Insert 3 rows of dollar signs in the Edit

Window. Rotate the group slightly on the

X-axis to tilt it backwards.

2 Click Add plug-in and select Token Size (G)

in the Attribute Panel. 3 Add a key frame at frame 15. 4 At frame 1, set the Level to 0 in the

Attribute Panel. Select also Random for the

Action sequence. 5 Under Acceleration, select Normal. Set the

Overlap to 50, which makes each object

begin moving after each previous object

has completed half of its motion. Select

Center as the Scaling Center. 6 Specify how large and in which direction

your objects grow . For X and Y Values,

enter 200. For Z Value, enter 500. 7 At frame 15, set the Level to 100, and at

frame 30, set the Level to 75. 8 Click Play to preview the animation. The

dollars will grow fully to the specified size in

random order, and then some of them

should shrink again.

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Token Move (G)

It’s easy to choreograph individual letters to move sequentially. This plug-in lets you do this in any direction and in just a few steps. This tutorial shows you how to make individual letters seem to leap out at you. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Token Move (G) effect:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select T oken Move (G) in

the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, set the Level of the animation to

0 in the Attribute Panel. Set also Action sequence to Forward, Acceleration to

None, and Overlap to 30. Select the To Origin option to make individual characters

return to their original positions upon completing the specified action.

3 Set the coordinates for position. To make

the title come towards you, enter -500 for Z Value.

4 At frame 30, set the Level of the animation

to 100.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Token Rotate (G)

With this effect, you can make letters and objects spin and twirl, either all at once or in an elegant sequence. Here, learn how to make a simple wave effect. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply the Token Rotate (G) effect:

1 Insert a text object in the Edit Window and

adjust its Orientation so that the Y coordinate is approximately 45.

2 Click Add plug-in and select T oken Move

(G) in the Attribute Panel.

3 At frame 1, set the Level of the animation to

0 in the Attribute Panel. Set also the Action to Forward and Acceleration to None.

4 Set the Overlap to 90 so that the individual

letters move almost immediately one after the other. Under Rotation Center, select Front-LT (the front left top of each character).

5 For the axis around which your title can

rotate, enter -360 in X Angle.

6 At frame 30, set the Level of the animation

to 100.

7 Click Play to preview the animation.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Particle Effects

Among the other three-dimensional effects, the particle effect is one of the hardest to simulate because these are animated elements of nature. With COOL 3D, the four elements of Snow, Fire, Smoke, and Bubble can be created in a snap. Not only can you click and drag from an available roster of presets, you can also modify the settings to your preference. From the movement and direction to the speed and intensity, accentuate your scene compositions with moving Particle Objects and add a touch of realism.

Smoke

This effect is usually applied on an image of a fire, steam ship, train or anything that enits smoke. COOL 3D can simulate this perfectly. Versatile and easy-to-use, COOL 3D’s attribute settings allow you to control the motion and strength of emission. For this tutorial we will make thin smoke come out of an image. (Settings: 10 frames, 6 fps.)

To create thin smoke:

1 For this example, select a house image or a

cigarette in the EasyPalette.

2 Click the Particle Effects down arrow on

the Object T oolbar and select Smoke.

3 Set the Max. density to 20 and the Emitting

rate to 300 in the Attribute Panel.

4 Select Point for the Emitter type. This

indicates that you like to have one source of emission.

5 Under the Dragging force, set 60 for the Y-

axis to drag the motion upward making the smoke more straight and slim.

6 To control the size of the particles, set the

Initial to End sizes to 0, 20 and 5 respectively.

7 Click Play to preview your project.

User Guide

Fire

Rendering images of flames in COOL 3D is as easy as lighting a match. You can instantly light up a dark outdoor setting with a bonfire. Adding to the realism is the radiance of the image reflected on its surroundings, which you can control through the color, density and emission settings. To demonstrate this effect, the following tutorial will guide you to create a dungeon scene. (Settings: 40 frames, 10 fps.)

To simulate Fire in a dungeon setting:

1 Select Scene: Image Background in the

EasyPalette file directory and double-click

the brick wall image. 2 Click Insert Geometric Object and select

Frustum. Move the object to rest it on the

floor then rotate it to give it depth. 3 T o start simulating fire, click the Particle

Effects down arrow on the Object Toolbar

and select Fire. 4 Click Texture in the Attribute Panel and

select an image file to apply your own

texture to the particles. 5 Set the Max. density to 100 and the

Emitting rate to 90. 6 Under Color life, set the colors of the

particle from Intial to End by using the color

boxes. The combination of colors allows a

gradual change of color .

Note: Initial color is the color at the time the particle is emitted. End color is the color at the time the particle disappears.

You can also control the color differences between particles from Initial to End by editing the values in the spin boxes.

7 For the Advanced options, choose Point as

the Emitter type .

Adjust the emitting speed and initial

acceleration of particles along the X-, Y-,

and Z-axes by editing Emitting speed and

Dragging force.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

8 Select Rotate particles to rotate them as

they are emitted.

9 Under Size life, set the dimensions the

particle from Initial to End by using the spin boxes. You can also control the size differences between particles from Initial to End by editing the values in the spin boxes.

10 Life allows you to control the lifetime of the

particle.

11 Select Collision detection and adjust the

behavior of the bouncing particles in the spin box.

12 Click Play to preview your project. Notice

the varying radiance reflected on the walls, giving a touch of realism to the intensity of the fire.

Note: To reverse the particle lifetime from end to initial, select Reverse.

User Guide

Snow

Simulate winter right on your desktop. With this effect, you can produce a harsh snowstorm or give a calm ambience to your ski holiday setting. Create snow-covered rooftops and snow-filled streets. The effect is so real you can actually see snow particles settle on top of your objects and slowly roll down. To learn how to modify the distance, emission and speed of the particles, just execute these simple steps in the following tutorial. (Settings: 55 frames, 8 fps.)

To simulate snow on a text object:

1 Select Scene: Image Background in the

EasyPalette file directory . Choose a

landscape image fit for snow .

2 Click on Insert T ext and create the word

"cool". Rotate your object slightly to show the three-dimensional quality of the text.

3 Click the Particle Effects down arrow on

the Object T oolbar and select Snow.

4 Set the Max. density to 999 and the

Emitting rate to 500 in the Attribute Panel. This will control the number of particles you would want to appear per frame.

5 Select Sphere as the initial source of

emission for your particle, under Emitter type.

6 Control the size of your particles under Size

life. Set Initial size to 7, Transition size to 15 and End size to 5.

7 Set Initial size variance to 10, Transition

size variance to 5, and End size variance to

7. W e will execute this tutorial with the easiest settings possible and retain the remaining parameters of the Attribute Panel under their default settings.

8 To control the speed of the particles, make

sure you set Frames to 55 and the fps to 8.

9 Click Play to preview your project.

Note: To achieve a different angle of the particles, click Rotate or alter the Distance by selecting Camera in the Attribute Panel.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Bubble

Create a playful stream bubbles on a hot summer beach or accentuate a sparkling glass or a newly opened bottle of wine. In whichever scenario you wish to use this effect, the modifying rate of the setting is limitless. Simply change the motion and position and you can surround your background with bubbles. Let us create a stream of bubbles with the following tutorial. (Settings: 45 frames, 4 fps.)

To simulate a stream of bubbles:

1 Double-click an image background in the

EasyPalette that would bring out the color of the bubbles.

2 Click the Particle Effects down arrow on

the Object T oolbar and select Bubble.

3 In the Attribute Panel set the Max. density

and Emitting rate to 100.

4 Under Dragging force, set the X-axis at 50,

Y-axis at 60, and Z-axis at 50. This will make the bubbles move upward

diagonally towards the right hand corner of your screen yet spreading outward as they go.

5 Retain the rest of the settings on the

Attribute Panel. Click Play to preview the results.

6 Change the direction of the bubbles further,

modify the Dragging force or simply click a timeline on a frame then move, rotate or resize your object. The timeline will instantly record the adjustments.

7 Click Play and see the change in the motion

of the object per frame.

User Guide

Global Effects

This category of effects can enhance the quality of your text or graphic object. A wide variety of options let you give your 3D objects an eerie aura, set them on fire, or cast a shadow, among others. These effects are different from Object Effects in that when you apply any one of them to your project, it is applied to all of the objects in it.

Fire

Make red hot titles that burn and mesmerize. Make cool titles with icicles, or even make titles ooze with neon green goo - all with the Fire plug-in. In this tutorial, learn how to make a basic fire effect. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To burn an object:

1 Insert a graphic object in the Edit Window.

Click Add plug-in and select Fire in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, set the Strength to 10 and the

Amplitude to 10 in the Attribute Panel.

3 Set also the Direction to 90 to make the

flames go straight up, and enter 2 for the Soft Edge value.

4 Enter 10 for Length and 1 for Opacity. Then

customize the colors of the flame by clicking on the color boxes.

5 At frame 30, set the flame to full blast by

entering 200 for Strength and 100 for Amplitude.

6 Set the Length of the flames to 50, and

increase the Opacity to 75.

7 Click Play to preview the animation.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Glow

Make your object radiate with the glow of the nuclear age, or give it a halo of goodness--it’s your call! One of the things you might want to try with your object is to have it shine like light. The following tutorial demonstrates how to make an object blink. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To make a blinking title:

1 Make a bright-colored title against a dark

background in the Edit Window. Click Add

plug-in and select Glow in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, set the Width of the glow to 2 in

the Attribute Panel . Set also the Transparency to 0, and the Soft Edge to 6. Select a bright Color for the glow.

3 Add key frames at frames 5, 15, and 20.

These should all have the same attributes as those in frame 1.

4 Add key frame controls to frames 7, 13, 22,

and 28. At these key frames, set the Width of the glow to 0. This makes the glow disappear.

5 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Lightning

The Lightning plug-in is a Global Effect that throws bolts of lightning all over your objects. Either use presets included with the plug-in, or create your own effects with precise control using the Attribute Panel. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To use the Lightning effect:

1 Insert an object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Lightning in the

Attribute Panel.

2 Adjust the following settings which apply

to the entire lightning bolt in the Attribute

Panel:

• Opacity The extent to which the

background can be seen through the lightning bolt.

• Length The percentage of the

length of the lightning bolt to be shown.

• Width The overall width of the

lightning bolt.

3 Click Edit Path to tweak the outline of the

lightning bolt. Increase the number of

segments for greater variance, then move

the green nodes around to adjust the

overall shape. Use the blue handles to

change the curvature of each segment. Click

OK.

Note: There cannot be more segments than forks.

4 Specify the color of the glow effect around

the spine. 5 Adjust fork color, width, amount, length,

and sub-fork quantity settings as required

in the Attribute Panel.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Motion Blur

With this effect, you can make an object speed across the screen, bouncing with energy. It’s so easy. You can also try this with an animated object (for this particular type of procedure, it is recommended that you use the simplest settings for the animation). The following tutorial takes a look at combining object position with the Motion Blur effect. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To apply Motion Blur to an object:

1 Make a bright-colored title against a dark

background in the Edit Window. Click Add

plug-in and select Motion Blur in the Attribute Panel.

2 At frame 1, set the X coordinate to

-600 on the Location T oolbar. The Y and Z

values should be 0. At frames 12 and 18, change the X coordinate to 0. At frame 30, change the X coordinate to 1000.

3 In the Attribute Panel, select Continuous

as the Type, and set the Path to Straight.

4 Set Density to 5, and Length to 20. Set the

Direction to 180, which makes the lines horizontal.

5 Set Tail to 30 and the Converge value to 0. 6 Add key frames at frames 10, 12, 18, 20,

and 30. They should all have the same attributes as in frame 1.

7 For frames 12 and 18, change the Tail

length to 0.

8 Click Play to preview the animation.

User Guide

Shadow

You can give your object a shadow, then animate it easily after making just a few adjustments in the settings. In addition to making gray shadows seem realistic, you can also make colorful shadows. You can even have an object cast a negative shadow on a dark background. In the following tutorial, make an object float away, leaving its shadow behind on the ground. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps.)

To animate an object and its shadow:

1 Insert a title against a dark background in

the Edit W indow. Click Add plug-in and

select Shadow in the Attribute Panel. 2 Click Move Object on the Location T oolbar. 3 At frame 1, the X, Y, and Z coordinates

should remain 0. At frame 30, enter 270 for

the Y coordinate, or enter any other value

that makes the object move off the screen. 4 At frame 1, enter 5 for X Offset and Y

Offset on the Attribute Panel. Enter 3 for

Soft Edge. 5 At frame 30, enter 600 for Y Offset. Enter

40 for Soft Edge.

6 Click Play to preview the animation. The

object should float up and off the screen,

while the shadow remains. If it looks like the

shadow is moving up and down, adjust the

Y Offset value for the last key frame.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Natural Paint

Add elegance to picture your objects, text and background using the Natural Paint effect. Three handsomely created styles can be made to your texts, objects and even backgrounds. Artful touches of Color Pen, Charcoal, and Watercolor can be used for your effects.

To create a Natural Paint effect:

1 Open a blank document and change the

background by selecting Background in

the Attribute Panel Property List . 2 Select Image as Background mode. 3 Select an image in the Open dialog box and

click Open . 4 Insert an object in the Edit Window. Click

Add plug-in and select Natural Paint in the

Attribute Panel.

5 Set the specifications of your effect in the

Attribute Panel:

In Type, specify the material or painting

technique to be applied on your project.

Set a value in Level. A higher level

produces a more vivid effect and makes

your object looks abstract or stylized.

For W atercolor type, select Large to

generate long strokes, and select Small to

produce short strokes.

If using Charcoal, select a higher Stroke

value to produce longer charcoal lines.

Set a higher value for Balance to add more

charcoal to the image and make your object

appear more like a hand-painted illustration.

Clear Background to apply Natural Paint to your object only without affecting the background

Project output

Ulead COOL 3D offers you a wide range of possibilities on how you can output your project. With its features, you can choose to either use your project on a Web page, in a video, or simply as a graphical element on a document.

Saving your project

When you have finished editing your work, you can save it in the Ulead COOL 3D format (*.c3d). You can reopen the project for further editing and revision. If you want to output your

project as an image, Web animation, or video file, take a look at the following pages for more information.

Export Video Overlay

Using Alpha Channels is one of the most effective ways of creating transparent overlays. An alpha channel allows you to block out an entire image except the 3D object.

A TGA file supports Alpha channel transparency. Click File: Export Video Overlay- TGA to launch a dialog box where you can save your project as TGA file which you can use as a video overlay.

Click File: Export Video Overlay- AVI to launch a dialog box where you can save your project as an AVI file. This can be used to superimpose your projects while retaining your background.

Export 3D Models

Exporting COOL 3D objects as Direct X (*.X) and 3D (*.3DS) file formats enables you to use them in other modeling/animation programs. See Import 3D Models in page 21.

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Creating video files

One of the great things you can do with Ulead COOL 3D is to output projects in AVI, MOV, and RM formats to add to your collection of digital videos. To save your project as a video file, click File: Create Video File. New extended video output options allow you to tailor exactly how

you want to output your project in the video format of your choice. These are accessed in the Save As Video File dialog box by clicking Options. The following gives you a brief description of the three categories.

• Frame This gives you the option to

automatically preview the video after it has been generated.

• General Lets you specify key aspects

of your video, such as frame rate, frame size, and frame type.

• AVI Lets you specify options particular

to the selected video codec such as quality, number of key frames, and data rate. Select Preview to set compression ratio and view the video using the frame size specified in the General tab.

Select Advanced to display the Advanced Options dialog box. This contains options to optimize the playback of the video file, based on the intended output device.

Creating image files

You can output your saved project to a variety of image formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, and TGA. The following section will give you an idea of what quality you can expect with each file type, along with some of the options you have for the respective formats.

• BMP saves your image with high

quality and no data loss. However, the trade-off is that you end up with a large file size. Generally, this is the most appropriate format if you want to make high quality and high resolution graphics.

User Guide

• GIF saves the image to a smaller file size than a BMP. This is the format most

commonly used for Web pages and is most appropriate for graphics and illustrations that are relatively small and do not contain a lot of tonal nuances. When saving an image in this format, you can choose how many colors you want the engine to recognize. A lower number of colors generally results in smaller file size, but in some cases might compromise the quality of the image. You can also set the background to be transparent, so that when you place the image on a Web page, the background of the Web page will appear as the backdrop for the image.

• JPEG saves the image to a small file size and also offers very good compression for

True Color images. This format is commonly used for Web pages. One minor disadvantage of the JPEG format is that some data are lost when compressing the file. In most cases, the changes are barely noticeable to the naked eye and you can control how much is actually changed.

Creating animation for the Web

Ulead COOL 3D lets you output your animated projects in formats appropriate for viewing on Web pages: GIF, SWF, and RealText 3D. If used wisely, these can be a good way to attract the attention of Internet surfers or simply to enliven your Web pages.

GIF animation

Many animations that you see on the Web are animated GIFs. Ulead COOL 3D provides you with extra controls to create a GIF animation that suits your needs. Here’s an introduction to some of the new features that you can find, all of which are accessed by clicking File: Create

Animation File - Animated GIF File. These options are located in the Save As Animated GIF File dialog box.

• Colors Specifies the number of colors

to create in the global palette of each frame, based on the colors in that image. A lower number of colors helps to reduce file size, but sometimes at the cost of image quality.

• Dither Select to simulate True Color by

mixing the existing colors in the palette for the optimize image.

• Interlace Select to create an interlaced

GIF image when you save the optimized image. This increases file size but displays better quality .

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

• Transparent background Removes the background of the GIF so that only the 3D

objects can be seen. When the GIF image is placed on a Web page, the background of that page shows through instead.

• Looping Select to repeat the animation continuously or for a specific number of times.

• Launch Ulead SmartSaver Lets the program automatically detect and run Ulead SmartSaver, a program that helps you create and optimize animations saved in JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats.

Clicking Optimize opens the GIF Animation Option dialog box where you can select other options.

• Preview after saving Gives you a preview of the animation in your default browser after saving.

• Create global palette Builds a global palette, based on the colors of all of the images in the animation combined. Doing this can reduce size although it may not produce the best quality .

• Remove redundant pixels Takes away pixels that are common to all frames in the animation. This also helps to reduce file size.

• Show status report Displays file size and other vital data of the animation before and after optimization.

User Guide

Flash animation

COOL 3D projects can be exported as Macromedia Flash (*.SWF) files.

To export a Flash file:

1 Select File: Create Animation File -Export

to Macromedia Flash (SWF) - with Bitmap.

2 This opens the Save as Macromedia Flash

(SWF) File dialog box with BMP options

for working with a transparent background.

3 Input a name for the export file and click

Save.

Note: Select Create Animation File: Export to Macromedia Flash (SWF) - with JPEG to open the Save as Macromedia Flash (SWF) File dialog box

with JPEG options.

RealText 3D

You can output your animations in the RealText 3D file format (*.r3t). This new format stores your animation while maintaining small file sizes, thus making it optimal for display on a Web page. To output an animation in this format, use the File: Export To RealText 3D . Once you’ve saved it, you can preview it in your default browser.

Note: Exporting your project to this file format can result in the loss of the following attributes: texture, bevel, light, color, background image, and camera.

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Index

Axis indicator 32

Background 35

Color 35 Gradient 57 Image 36 Magic Texture 58

Video 37 Bend 60 Bevel 28

apply a bevel style 29

Modifying individual faces 30 Blast 65 BMP 90 Bubbles 82 Bump 66

Camera 33

Camera lens slider 34

Distance slider 34 Camera Panel 33 Cartoon 61 Color 24

apply color to an object 24 Color Background 35 Composition 12 Control Line 55 Convert to Vector 17 Coordinate system 39

Dance 67 depth

Geometric perspective 33

Light and color 33 Dimensions 14 Direct X 89

Symbols

3D models 21

Export 3D Model 21 Import 3D Model 21

3D scene basics 33

Adjust 18 Advance timeline mode 45 Alpha Channels 89 Amplitude 57, 59 Animating with multiple attributes 54 Animation basics 42

Animating background 49 Animating color 49 Animating position 52 Showing and hiding objects 50

Animation for the Web 91

Flash animation 93 GIF animation 91 RealText 3D 93

Animation Toolbar 10, 42

Add/Delete Key Frame 42 Current Frame 43 Frames per second (fps) 43 Jump to Next/Previous Key Frame 44 Number of frames 43 Object List 42, 44 Plug-in Enable 43 Plug-in Mask 43 Properties Menu 42 Slider 44 Smooth Motion Path 43 Timeline Control 42

View: Timeline 42 Attenuation mode 41 Attribute Toolbar 11 AVI 90 axes, three dimensional space 39

User Guide

Distort 68

Disturbance 58

EasyPalette 11

EasyPalette file directory 12

Edit Window 11

Emboss 27

Explosion 69

Export Video Overlay 89

Face Property Toolbar 10, 30

file formats

3D Studio 89 AVI 90 BMP 90 Direct X 89 GIF 90 JPEG 90 MOV 90 RM 90 SWF 93

TGA 89 Fire 79, 83 Flash animation 93 Frames per second (fps) 43 FreeForm

Grid 32

Selection 32

Transform 32 FreeForm editor 31 Frequency 59

Geometric Object 19

Insert Geometric Object 19 Geometric perspective 33 GIF 90 GIF animation 91

Global attribute 56 Global Effects 83

Fire 83 Glow 84 Lightning 85 Motion Blur 86 Natural Paint 88

Shadow 87 Glow 84 Gradient Background 57

Help

Technical Support 7 Hue Shift 57, 59

Image Background 36 Image Texture 25

Cylindrical 26

Emboss 27

Fit to height 26

Flat mode 26

Keep aspect ratio 26

Load Texture Image File 25

Mapping 26

Reflection 26

Show Texture Color Only 26

Wrap Mode 26 Import Graphics 17 installation 7

JPEG 90 Jump 70

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Key attribute 56 Key Frame Window 46 Key Frames

Control Line 55 Key attribute 56

Key frames 43

Global attribute 56

Lathe objects 20 Light 40

ambient 41 Mode 40 orientation 41

position 41 Lighting Guide 41 Lightning 85

Opacity 85 Location Toolbar 10 Loop Mode 10 Loop Video Playing 27

Magic Texture Background 58

Disturbance 58

Random 59

Shift 58

Texture Cell 58

Texture Type 58

Turbulence 58 Mapping 26 Modify Frames 45 Motion Blur 86 MOV 90

Natural Paint 88 Navigation Toolbar 10

nodes

Add Node 18 Remove Node 18

Number of frames 43

Object Effects 59

Bend 60 Blast 65 Cartoon 61 Stylized Outline 63 Twist 64

Object Manager 11, 22

Delete 23 Enable/Disable objects 24 Group multiple objects 23 Lock/Unlock objects 24 Pivot Setting 23 Rename objects 23 Select objects 22

Ungroup objects 23 Object Toolbar 10 Objects 13

presets 13 Opacity 85 Output project 89

Creating animation for the Web 91

Creating image files 90

Export 3D Models 89

Export Video Overlay 89

Palette Ramp Editor 57, 59 Particle Effects 78

Bubbles 82

Fire 79

Smoke 78

Snow 81 Path Animation 71 Path Editor 16

User Guide

Add Node 18 Freehand Tool 18 Import Graphics 17 Remove Node 18

plug-in effects

overview 55 Plug-in Enable 43 Plug-in Mask 43 plug-ins, categories

Background Effects 56

Global Effects 83

Object Effects 59

Particle Effects 78 plug-ins, individual

Bend 60

Blast 65

Bubble 82

Bump 66

Cartoon 61

Dance 67

Distort 68

Explosion 69

Fire 79, 83

Glow 84

Gradient Background 57

Jump 70

Lightning 85

Magic Texture Background 58

Motion Blur 86

Natural Paint 88

Path Animation 71

Shadow 87

Smoke 78

Snow 81

Stylized Outline 63

Surface Animation 72

Text Wave Animation 73

Token Move (G) 76

Token Rotate (G) 77

Token Size (G) 75

Token Skew (G) 74

Twist 64 Precision & Quality 30 presets

Background 35

Camera 34

Composition presets 12

Objects presets 13 Properties Menu 42

RealText 3D 93 Ring 57 RM 90 Ruler Bar 46 running Ulead COOL 3D 8

Saving 89 Scene

Camera 33

Color Background 35

Coordinate system 39

Gradient Background 57

Image Background 36

Light 40

Magic Texture Background 58

Video Background 37 Shadow 87 Showing and hiding objects 50 Slope 57 Smoke 78 Smooth Motion Path 43 Snow 81 Standard Toolbar 10 Stylized Outline 63 Surface Animation 72 SWF 93

Ulead COOL 3D Production S tudio

Text Effects

Bump 66 Dance 67 Distort 68 Explosion 69 Jump 70 Path Animation 71 Surface Animation 72 Text Wave Animation 73 Token Move (G) 76 Token Rotate (G) 77 Token Size (G) 75 Token Skew (G) 74

text object

Adding and editing text 15 Text Toolbar 10 Text Wave Animation 73 Texture 25

applying 25

Image Texture 25

Magic Texture Background 58

Video Texture 27 TGA 89 Thumbtack 45 Timeline Control 42 Timeline Window 11, 45

Key Frame Window 46

Modify Frames 45

Ruler Bar 46

Thumbtack 45

View: Animation Toolbar 45 Token Move (G) 76 Token Rotate (G) 77 Token Size (G) 75 Token Skew (G) 74 toolbars

Animation Toolbar 10

Attribute Toolbar 11

Face Property Toolbar 10

Location Toolbar 10 Navigation Toolbar 10 Object Toolbar 10 Standard Toolbar 10

Text Toolbar 10 Transparency 28 Turbulence 58 Twist 64

Ulead homepage 7 updates 8 Use Background Image Size 14

vector graphics

convert a bitmap graphic to vector 17

import a vector graphic 17 Video Background 37 video files, creating 90 Video Texture 27

Duration 27

Emboss 27

Loop Video Playing 27

Web

Ulead Homepage 7 Wireframe display 31

Ulead COOL 3D, COOL 3D PRODUCTION STUDIO User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual