"I’ve been meaning to post a review of Focal Press’ new book, "Flash 3D - Animation, Interactivity and Games" for a few weeks now, but found myself digging through it more and more, which is a sure-fire sign that I’m enjoying it thoroughly. And that’s definitely the case. Big thumbs up from me, especially if you’ve been daunted by 3D animation and/or development before. Kudos to co-authors Jim Ver Hague and Chris Jackson for presenting this material in such a down-to-earth and easy to disseminate format." - Scott Fegatte, Adobe Systems.

"If you’re a Flash developer, animator, multimedia designer or student, this book aims to push your creative ideas to the next level in content delivery. With 3D one of the hottest subjects in interactive design, Flash 3D shows you how to use real and simulated 3D space in your Flash games and interactive systems. It explores the new possibilities 3D offers to thinking and designing with Flash. The book’s accompanying CD offers interactive examples that demonstrate the broad range of Flash applications from Web site to DVD/CD delivery" - Digit magazine

Jim Ver Hague is a professor of Computer Graphics Design in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has more than 30 years experience in the field of computer graphics, ranging from the US space program to microcomputer-based applications in graphic design to the design of training, educational and diagnostic tools for the medical profession. Jim has lectured, consulted, and conducted workshops internationally in the fields of multimedia, electronic publishing, computer-aided information design, and computer art and sculpture. Jim holds degrees in communications design, mathematics, and sculpture.

Chris Jackson is a computer graphics designer and professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His professional design work for clients that include Eastman Kodak, has received over 25 distinguished national and international awards for online communication.

Push your creative ideas to the next level in content delivery.
Use real and simulated 3D space in your Flash games and interactive systems.

3D possibilities offer an untapped creative approach to thinking and designing with Flash. Tap into this medium by:
* Creating reusable templates to reduce costs and cycle time for project development.
* Experimenting with author-provided interactive examples that demonstrate a broad range of Flash applications from website to DVD/CD-ROM delivery.
* Practicing the real-world project techniques presented by the authors in full color.
* Expanding your horizons with experimental projects.

Jim Ver Hague is a professor of Computer Graphics Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the field of computer graphics and has lectured, consulted, and conducted workshops internationally in the fields of multimedia, electronic publishing, computer-aided information design, and computer art and sculpture.

Chris Jackson is a computer graphics designer and Associate Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Chris has an extensive background in graphic design, printing and interactive multimedia. His professional work has received over 25 distinguished national and international awards for online communication.

$44.95 / £25.99

User Level: Intermediate

Key Features:
* Techniques for creating reusable templates that reduce costs and cycle time for project development.
* A companion CD-ROM that includes an artists’ gallery of example projects and project media for real-world exercises and tutorials.
* A balance of practical and experimental projects designed to teach and stretch your skills.

Push your creative ideas to the next level in content delivery. Use real and simulated 3D space in your Flash games and interactive systems. 3D possibilities offer an untapped creative approach to thinking and designing with Flash. Tap into this medium by:
* Creating reusable templates to reduce costs and cycle time for project development.
* Experimenting with author-provided interactive examples that demonstrate a broad range of Flash applications from website to DVD/CD-ROM delivery.
* Practicing the real-world project techniques presented by the authors.
* Expanding your horizons with experimental projects.

Key Features:
* Techniques for creating reusable templates that reduce costs and cycle time for project development.
* A companion CD-ROM that includes an artists’ gallery of example projects and project media for real-world exercises and tutorials.
* A balance of practical and experimental projects designed to teach and stretch your skills.

well explained, maybe a little to extensive
One of the first things I realized when the book arrived where all the colored images... and that’s great because many of the explanations would be hard to understand without colors.
I think the biggest advantage of the book may be for some the biggest disadvantage - it’s very well explained, sometimes to well, and very extensive. The chapters are build like tutorials with step-by-step instructions complete with review after every chapter in ’what did we learn today’- manner. The language of the book mirrors both author’s profession - they lecture in universities. So often I felt a little like sitting in a classroom reading this book.
Nevertheless it’s a great book. More for beginners than for pro’s, obviously. One thing gets clear fast while reading though: There is not much 3D in flash :)
But what there is, you’ll find here.

Esy to learn
Easy, concrete and full of very appealing examples. I read this book day by day without interruption, trying all the exaples in it. Sometime i found Actionscript a little bit redundant, but i suppose only to underline all the passages in the examples.It’s not requyred a huge ability in math formulas or a great skill with flash. The only skill required is the individual imagination.

Severely Lacking in Some, Overkill in Others
Book has been a disappointment and source of frustration. The authors are not good writers and have failed to really provide any depth on the critical principles that would help readers grow as 3d flash designers. For example, here is a statement from the book: "sine we now have multiple objects, the placeObj function needs the addition of calculating the angle myAngle at which each object is on the path (line 31)." HUH? This statement is far too vague to be meaningful. I won’t get into the diagram they provide - just skip them when you reach that part in the book, it will do you good.

The good part of this book is once you get past bad explanations and language, its a decent introduction into flash 3d. Lots of code in the book can be reused in other projects but if you attempt to build or expand on these projects, it would be better if the authors had spent more time discussing the more general principles of 3d in flash. Good luck.

A thorough knowledge base for creating 3D in Flash
Flash was never really intended as a 3D application. That hasn’t stopped people from trying to use it as one. Flash 3D covers numerous ways to add depth to this otherwise 2D program.

Although this book’s subtitle says it covers Animation, Interactivity and Games, the animation section is easily the shortest. Other than some good coverage of using shading to make things look less flat and simulating depth with parallax scrolling, everything else is pretty much programming based. Although a resourceful Flash filmmaker could still make good use of the other tutorials.

The majority of the instruction involves creating mathematical 3D space we can use to move our 2D objects around in. Each example builds on the ones before to eventually create a scene with a movable camera and objects that maintain a believable 3D space.

Flash 3D also covers how to mimic OuicktimeVR files, creating interactive object rotations and panoramas in Flash, as well as building a very rudimentary 3D engine that can draw and manipulate 3D solids.

The final section shows you examples of how to take everything you’ve learned and put it together into complete projects.

The comprehensive coverage in this book makes it a great asset for anyone looking to add more depth to their Flash projects.

Does the trick for me!
I found this book to be an excellent guide to producing 3d Flash animations. It is easy to follow, well layed-out with clear instructions and examples.
I use Flash occasionally and sometimes get rusty. This book has helped me immensely when needing to do specific animations. I sometimes struggle with actionscript, so the way the information is presented makes it clear and easy to understand.
I recommend this book to anyone needing a textbook or a primer to create Flash 3D animations simulations.

Thanks for a great book!
Flash 3D is an excellent book and I highly recommend it! It is well written and all the exercises are very easy to follow. The overall flow of the book is great.

The first few chapters provide tips on how to create graphics with depth and how to animate depth using the Flash timeline. The rest of the book covers how to use actionscript to simulate 3D and create interactive 3D environments. The authors do a wonderful job explaining each exercise and provide excellent comments within the code.

When it comes to actionscripting, I would consider myself an intermediate and I appreciate the effort put in the exercises and the level of explanation of the code. I really enjoyed chapter 5 "Math Primer: Trigonometry 101," which explains the basic trigonometry behind many of the exercises that follow it. I modified some of the exercises and started using them in my own work! Thanks for a great book!

for beginners
i was really disappointed to get this book and read through it - i was expecting a higher level book that cut the BS and got right down to the nitty gritty mechanics of developing a 3D environment in flash. instead it spends way too much time on stuff that i think most competent flash designers would consider common knowledge - topics like creating the illusion of depth via scaling. and beware, it only devotes one chapter to creating "true" 3D objects using actionscript drawing tools. you are better off googling "flash 3d" and reading through some tutorials than buying this book.

Outstanding teachers and good writers, too.
I studied After Effects with Professor Jackson and found his notes clearer and easier to understand than any of the in-print guides, which seemed to be written for, and by, aliens (as in, from another dimension.)
This book is as clear and concise as Jackson’s notes and will be a worthy addition to any student or educator’s bookshelf.