Xara and 3D export

Could I invert this interesting thread proposal : http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=32791

Exporting XTreme extrusions to true 3D through .obj format (with n-gons please!) could be very cool. I asked it already for Xara 3D in the past but without replies. However I think the technology is almost ready ; take a look at the wireframe mode in X3D (press CTRL+SHIFT+W) and you will see a perfect 3D object ready to export in any 3D format.

On the other hand, exporting them through .fbx could be also very cool because in this format camera point of view, object colors and lights are preserved. But this is a more complex kind of thing.

What would be the point? How would you use it? If you are going to take it into a 3D application, why not do your extrusions there, where you have access to more sophisticated tools? i.e. Export your drawing as an Illustrator file and import it into your 3D application. Makes much better sense to me.

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Originally Posted by BONES

What would be the point? How would you use it? If you are going to take it into a 3D application, why not do your extrusions there, where you have access to more sophisticated tools? i.e. Export your drawing as an Illustrator file and import it into your 3D application. Makes much better sense to me.

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X3D is a quick and capable tool for creating bevels and other interesting profiles and apply them to text and curves. I used many 3D tools and no one is so quick and cool for that.

Concerning Xara curves export, that works well with some of them like Rhino, but there again, nothing is so cool than playing with booleans in Xara and extruding the result in X3D.

Creating simple or complex primitive objects could become a breeze with true 3D export.

I only know one small external 3D utility which works a little bit like X3D but which lacks many of its bevelling features and is not able to play with simple curves : Elefont.

kindly,
ivan

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Originally Posted by covoxer

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Thanks Covoxer :)

On the other hand, while direct links with bitmap editors now work very nicely, why not a direct link with some 3D programs (in fact the new extrusion tool is nothing else). Some of them have powerful real time rendering capabilities with phong shading and now real time shadows. I don't ask that all commands should be available directly in Xara, I only propose that rendering is updated when going back to Xara after changing some things in the 3D program.

Bitmap editing links are working ; now 3D editing links are the future.

kindly,
ivan

Oh, I'm sorry. I have posted that message by mistake... :)

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Originally Posted by covoxer

Oh, I'm sorry. I have posted that message by mistake... :)

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HaHaHa, no problem ;)

kindly,
ivan

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Originally Posted by ivan louette

X3D is a quick and capable tool for creating bevels and other interesting profiles and apply them to text and curves. I used many 3D tools and no one is so quick and cool for that.

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You're kidding, right? 3DS Max is easily as fast and better in every way. The Shell modifier has infinitely greater possibilities. Don't want to use it, try Extrude or Bevel, interactively in the viewport with sophisiticated real-time shading.

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Concerning Xara curves export, that works well with some of them like Rhino, but there again, nothing is so cool than playing with booleans in Xara

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Actually, using Pro-Booleans in Max, doing interactive, real-time 3D boolean operations, is much, much cooler. Rhino is just a modeller, why would you want to use it with Xara at all? BTW, every Illustrator file I've ever exported from Xara has worked perfectly in Max.

Sorry Bones, I think I was'nt clear enough.

What I would say is that everybody who needs 3D doesn't need MAX. I used Lightwave and I use C4D but they are also way too heavy and expansive for most of 3D uses. Lot of people could easily use apps like the cheap and capable SILO for poly modeling and MOI for Nurbs (which works with Rhino files and does nicely exchange with SILO) and free renderers like BLENDER one (even if I must say that no free renderer is as easy to use as SILO and MOI are for modeling).

If Xara could exchange with any lightweight real time renderer and interactively update that could be a must.

Don't forget that food and oil prices will increase, thus immaterial goods like software will be constrained to decrease their prices.

kindly,
ivan

3D Max is a bit more expensive too. Like about $4,000 US.