User manual ULEAD COOL 3D 3.0

[title] First English edition for Ulead COOL 3D Version 3.0, March 2000 © 1997-2000 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 are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Ulead Systems, Inc. Intel, Pentium and MMX 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, and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. 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. © 1995-2000. RealNetworks, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Ulead Systems, Inc. North & South America Europe 970 West 190th St., Suite 520 Torrance, CA 90502 U.S.A Tel: +1-310-523-9393 Fax: +1-310-523-9399 http://www.ulead.com http://www.webutilities.com International Wolfenbütteler Str. 33 38102 Braunschweig, Germany Tel: +49-531-220-7920 Fax: +49-531-220-7999 http://www.ulead.de Japan 10F, No. 45, Tung Hsing Rd. Taipei, Taiwan 110 Tel: +886-2-2764-8599 Fax: +886-2-2764-9599 http://www.ulead.com http://www.asiapac.ulead.com No. 202, TE Building, 4-5-16, Yohga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097, Japan Tel: +81-3-5491-5661 Fax: +81-3-5491-5663 http://www.ulead.co.jp Contents Welcome to Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 ........................................................ 5 Whats new ............................................................................................................................... 5 Getting help .............................................................................................................................. 6 Installation ................................................................................................................................ 7 Running Ulead COOL 3D ........................................................................................................ 7 Getting updates and free downloads ..................................................................................... 7 Workspace .................................................................................. 8 Getting started ............................................................................ 11 Using the EasyPalette ........................................................................................................... 11 Dimensions and display quality ............................................................................................ 13 Adding and editing text .......................................................................................................... 14 Selecting and grouping objects ............................................................................................ 15 Moving, sizing, and rotating an object ................................................................................. 17 Move ................................................................................................................................................ 17 Rotate .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Size .................................................................................................................................................. 19 Using the Object Manager ............................................................................................................. 16 Using Studio presets ...................................................................................................................... 11 [toc] Editing object style ................................................................................................................. 20 Color ................................................................................................................................................ 20 Light ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Texture ............................................................................................................................................. 22 Modifying individual faces of an object ........................................................................................ 23 Basic bevel styles .................................................................................................................. 23 Adding a background ............................................................................................................. 25 Adding and editing 3D graphics and shapes ....................................................................... 25 Animation basics ......................................................................... 28 Working with key frames and timelines ................................................................................ 29 Creating a simple animation ................................................................................................. 31 Animating light and color ....................................................................................................... 33 Animating with multiple timelines ......................................................................................... 34 Animating with multiple objects ............................................................................................ 35 Making basic 3D objects ................................................................................................................ 27 Plug-in effects ............................................................................ 37 Key frames and plug-ins ....................................................................................................... 37 Understanding Global and Key attributes ............................................................................ 37 Bevel Effects .......................................................................................................................... 38 Board ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Custom Bevel ................................................................................................................................. 38 Hollow .............................................................................................................................................. 40 Frame .............................................................................................................................................. 41 Imprint .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Object Effects ......................................................................................................................... 43 Bend ................................................................................................................................................ 43 Dance .............................................................................................................................................. 44 Distort .............................................................................................................................................. 45 Explosion ......................................................................................................................................... 46 Motion Path ..................................................................................................................................... 46 Path Animation ............................................................................................................................... 48 Surface Animation .......................................................................................................................... 49 Token Move (G) .............................................................................................................................. 50 Token Rotate (G) ............................................................................................................................ 51 Token Skew (G) .............................................................................................................................. 52 Token Size (G) ................................................................................................................................ 53 Twist ................................................................................................................................................. 54 Blast ................................................................................................................................................. 55 Bump ............................................................................................................................................... 56 Jump ................................................................................................................................................ 57 Transition Effects ................................................................................................................... 55 Global Effects ......................................................................................................................... 58 Fire ................................................................................................................................................... 58 Glow ................................................................................................................................................. 59 Motion Blur ...................................................................................................................................... 61 Shadow ............................................................................................................................................ 61 Path Editor ................................................................................. 62 The basics of vector graphics ............................................................................................... 62 Using the Shape tool ............................................................................................................. 63 Using the Object tool ............................................................................................................. 64 Using the Path tool ................................................................................................................ 65 Using the Freehand tool ........................................................................................................ 66 Adjusting paths ....................................................................................................................... 67 Viewing paths and images .................................................................................................... 68 Tracing and converting raster images .................................................................................. 69 Saving your project ................................................................................................................ 71 Creating image files ............................................................................................................... 71 Creating video files ................................................................................................................ 72 Creating animations for the Web .......................................................................................... 73 GIF animation ................................................................................................................................. 73 RealText 3D .................................................................................................................................... 74 Outputting your project .................................................................. 71 Appendices ................................................................................ 75 Shortcuts ................................................................................................................................. 75 Main Program ................................................................................................................................. 75 Path Editor ...................................................................................................................................... 76 Index ....................................................................................................................................... 77 Welcome to Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Unparalleled 3D titling capabilities puts Ulead COOL 3D at the vanguard of its kind. With this latest version, new tools, plug-ins, and other enhancements let you delve further into the unlimited depths of your creativity to produce still and animated 3D titles and other fun projects that you can use to liven up Web pages, videos, and presentations. Experiment and take advantage of all the power that Ulead COOL 3D has to offer, and discover why it remains the industry leader in 3D titling software. Whats new Ulead COOL 3D brings you a wide range of new features that give you increased flexibility when creating and outputting your 3D projects. New plug-in effects add extra spice to your animation, and new tools let you do just what you've always wanted to do - create graphic objects and simple geometric 3D shapes that you can use in your projects. · Path Editor With this new tool, you can create customized graphic shapes that you've always wanted to use in Ulead COOL 3D projects, without having to use external vector graphics software. This feature offers you a multitude of tools for creating and editing shapes, and tracing images. It even lets you convert simple raster graphics to vector graphics. · 3D Geometric Shapes The Geometric Toolbar makes it easy to insert and edit simple three-dimensional geometric objects into your projects. You can put spheres, cones, cylinders, cubes, and pyramids into the picture, all of which you can customize. · New plug-ins This new version expands your creative potential with whole new plug-ins. Transition plug-ins make one string of text move to another in amusing and unexpected ways, and a new Bevel plug-in lets you apply special bevel shapes to your objects for eye-catching results. The Distort effect stretches your title to new perspective, while the Motion Path plug-in lets your text string move in unusual ways along specially designed paths. · Enhanced GIF animation output You now have additional options when outputting your project as an animated GIF. Among others, you can create a global palette, remove redundant pixels, and loop the animation. · Object Manager This convenient tool lets you easily determine how the various objects in your project are grouped together, giving you more control when editing. 5 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · VIO support More options are available to you when creating videos. Among other things, you can preview the final video file, make advanced video settings, and output your project to the QuickTime file format. · New file formats supported Ulead COOL 3D lets you take advantage of the latest in 3D technology - with this version, you can output your project to the RealText 3D format for convenient use on the Web, and you can also import complex 3D images in the DirectX file format (*.X). · Key frame control improvement Create animations with even greater control by taking advantage of modifications in key frame controls. These let you manipulate the first and last key frames (for plug-in effects) and show/hide your 3D objects as well. · Enhanced preview performance With the new playback cache, you can now preview your 3D animations with greater speed. Getting help The best way to familiarize yourself with Ulead 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 the Help button, 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 a certain subject. · If you are a registered user, you are entitled to Ulead technical support. This can be accessed through the Help: Ulead Technical Support menu command, or go to our Web site by clicking the Ulead Homepage button on the Standard Toolbar. Other helpful information is available through the newsgroup at comp.graphics.apps.ulead. 6 User Guide Installation It's easy to install Ulead COOL 3D. In the installation process, the Installation Wizard will guide you through the steps and the options. To install Ulead COOL 3D: 1 Place the Ulead 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. Note: If the Setup screen doesn't appear after loading the CD, then you can manually start it by doubleclicking the My Computer icon on your desktop, then double-clicking the icon for the CD-ROM drive. When the CD-ROM window opens, double-click the Setup icon. Running Ulead COOL 3D There are two ways that you can run the program: · · Double-click the Ulead COOL 3D icon on your Windows desktop, or click the icon on the Quick Launch toolbar. Select the Ulead COOL 3D icon from the Ulead COOL 3D program group on the Windows Start menu. Getting updates and free downloads Keep apace with the latest in Ulead COOL 3D news, updates, and free downloads - the program automatically detects and notifies you of any new events in the Ulead COOL 3D homepage. You can also: · Click the Free Downloads button located on the Standard Toolbar to · check for updates at your leisure. Click the Ulead Homepage button to read about other Ulead news and products. 7 Workspace The intuitive design of Ulead COOL 3D makes it easy to use the program. In this version, there are more toolbars and buttons that allow you to really take advantage of all the program's increased capabilities and new features. The following section should help you quickly familiarize yourself with all of the main functions. Menu Bar Object Toolbar Location Toolbar Geometric Toolbar Animation Toolbar Standard Toolbar Text Toolbar Edit Window EasyPalette file directory Status Bar Attribute Toolbar EasyPalette Object Manager 8 User Guide · Standard Toolbar Contains all of the most commonly used functions and commands. In addition to the typical file commands, it also has object and bevel face selection buttons, as well as the three basic movement controls: Rotate, Move, and Size. · 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 28. · 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. · Geometric Toolbar Activated when you insert a basic 3D geometric shape. Lets you customize its dimensions and select individual faces to edit. See page 27. · Object Toolbar Allows you to place and edit text, graphics, and basic 3D shapes in your project. This is where you really begin your project. 9 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · Text Toolbar Allows you to adjust the alignment of the text within a text object, as well as the spacing between lines and characters. · Edit Window Lets you preview the 3D project as you work. You can also drag objects directly within the 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 11. · Attribute Toolbar 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, rename, and delete objects for improved editing control. See page 16. 10 Getting started Starting a project in Ulead 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 Ulead COOL 3D. 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 The EasyPalette file directory lists all of the 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. Right-click a preset, and select Apply from the menu that appears. Using Studio presets Studio is the first category of presets that appears in the EasyPalette file directory. By using its collection of presets, you can easily complete a project with special animated effects, shapes, and backgrounds in no time. The following section briefly describes its preset categories and how to customize them to your needs. 11 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · Compositions Completed animated projects that you can apply to blank projects, including special effects. See the next section for a tutorial. Backgrounds A collection of patterned, photographic, and solid color backgrounds. Shapes A group of three-dimensional objects inspired by objects familiar to us in daily life. Objects A variety of graphic objects that you can insert into your project. Some include texture attributes and animation effects. Motion Animation presets designed using the basic Position, Orientation, and Size controls. Camera Effects that simulate the motion of a camera and its specific lens type to zoom in and out of the entire project. · · · · · To create a finished title in a few minutes: 1 Drag a Composition preset to the workspace, or double-click it. The entire composition appears in the Edit Window. 2 On the Standard Toolbar, select a text that you want to change from the Object List. 3 On the Object Toolbar, click the Edit Text button. The Ulead COOL 3D Text 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 On the Animation Toolbar, click Play to preview the animated project. 12 User Guide Dimensions and display quality When you set up a 3D project, the dimensions and quality of your project depend on how you plan to use it. You might want to use it as part of a video, include it as a GIF animation on your Web site, or save it as a still 3D image. Regardless of your plans, try using smaller dimensions and lower display quality while editing. This allows your computer to render the project at a faster rate when you are experimenting with different effects and settings. Then, when you have exactly what you want, increase the dimensions of the project. Some commands accessible on the Image menu are listed below: · Dimensions Click this command to access the Dimensions dialog box. The User defined option lets you customize the dimensions. If you have inserted your own image as the background, click the Use Background Image Size button to have the dimensions of the project match the background. If you plan to output your project for the video or the Web, the Standard list has a range of commonly used dimensions. Use HAL Rendering Select this to have your computer directly access the DirectX 6.1 Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) to render your project. Selecting this option enables better performance with your animations. (Available only if your display card supports this. Check your display card's specifications). Display Quality Choose from several display qualities, ranging from Draft to Optimal. However, while you are editing your project, use a lower display quality to shorten rendering time. This is particularly recommended for largersized projects or projects that use multiple plug-in effects. Output Quality Similar to Display Quality, this menu lets you select the quality of your project when you convert it to its final format as a still image or an animation sequence. · · · 13 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · Object Quality Specify how smooth the 3D shapes and forms are. The higher the precision, the slower the rendering time, so wait until you're finalizing your project before setting this. Cache View Select this option and play your animation once to store the frames of your animation in a cache. This allows the animation to be played at approximately the specified frame rate the next time you preview the project. · Lower object precision (left) and higher object precision (right) Adding and editing text When you create your project, the first step is to insert an object. To add and edit a text object, follow the next tutorials. (For information on adding and editing graphic objects, see page 25.) To insert a text object: 1 On the Object Toolbar, click the Insert Text button. The Ulead COOL 3D Text 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 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 of the main program. 4 If you want to insert another text object, click the Insert Text button again. To 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 Ulead COOL 3D Text dialog box, simply press Enter where you want a line break to occur. 14 User Guide To edit a text object: 1 Click the Edit Text button.The Ulead COOL 3D Text 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 Text Toolbar. 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 16.) Selecting and grouping objects Ulead 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. Or you can 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). Multiple text objects A text object and a graphic object 15 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 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. Here are some of the basic functions: · Select objects Each time 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. 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 be more specific. Otherwise, it will receive a generic name by default. Differentiate between two or more of the same text or graphic objects in a project. Otherwise, they will receive the same name by default. ¡ · Group multiple objects To edit several objects together as a group, select the desired items by clicking them with the mouse while holding either the Shift key (for a row of items) or the Ctrl key (for individual items), then click the Group Objects button. The selected items then form a Subgroup. To see which objects are in the Subgroup, click the + symbol. Divide a group of objects To have a group of objects form separate objects again, select that Subgroup from the list, and then click the Ungroup Objects button. Delete selected objects or groups Simply select the desired object or group of objects, and click the Delete Object(s) button. · · 16 User Guide Moving, sizing, and rotating an object Ulead COOL 3D makes it easy to manipulate and animate 3D objects in three-dimensional space. For basic motions that combine changes in position, rotation and size, use any of the Motion presets located in the Studio category of the EasyPalette. Eventually, you will probably want to customize objects using your own settings using the Move Object, Rotate Object, and Size Object buttons on the Standard Toolbar. You can use these to make an animation, or simply to enhance your title in a still composition. To begin adjusting your object, first click one of these basic positioning controls, then either drag the object directly in the Edit Window, or get more precise results by entering coordinate values in the Location Toolbar. The basic object controls (left) and the Location Toolbar (right) The variables in the Location Toolbar all involve values for X, Y, and Z, which are the three axes in three-dimensional space. The X and Y axes refer to the position of the object as it moves horizontally and vertically, while the Z axis refers to the object as it moves towards you and away from you. Two-dimensional space (left) and three-dimensional space (right) Move Insert a text or graphic object, then click the Move Object button. Notice that it is inserted by default where the X, Y, and Z axes intersect. The values of X, Y, and Z at this intersection are 0, which you can also see on the Location Toolbar. Try some of the following steps to orient yourself: 17 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · Drag the object upwards in the Edit Window, and notice that the value for Y increases. Drag the object downwards, and the Y value decreases. Drag the object left and right to see how the X values change on the Location Toolbar. As the object moves towards the left, the value for X decreases. When it moves to the right, the value increases. Drag the object along the Z axis by holding the right mouse button while dragging. This makes the object come towards you or move away from you. If you have not already rotated the object, then it will simply appear larger as you move it toward you or smaller as you push it away. (To rotate the object for a better view, see the following section.) Hold the Shift key down while dragging the object along any one of the three axes. Notice that the object will move only along the axis that you drag it along. For more exact control over the position of the object, enter values directly in the Location Toolbar. · · · · Rotate Insert an object, then click the Rotate Object button. The default rotation value is 0 for X, Y, and Z. In this state, the object stands upright facing you. When you rotate an object, you rotate it around one of the three axes. The values in the Location Toolbar represent the angles of rotation. For example, a value of 360° equals one complete rotation, while a value of 180° is half of a complete rotation. A value of 720° is equal to two complete rotations. This concept becomes important when you start animating objects. 18 User Guide · Drag to the left and right with the mouse, and the object rotates accordingly. Notice how values become negative when you drag to the left and positive when you drag to the right. Drag up and down with the mouse, and the object rotates backwards away from you and towards you. Hold the right mouse button down, then drag up and down in the Edit Window. The object spins counterclockwise and clockwise. · · Note: The axes around which objects rotate are determined by the center point of the object. For text objects, this often depends on the font used, and if the character is lower or upper case. Size Insert a text object, then click the Size Object button. The default size value for X, Y, and Z is 100. A larger X value increases the width of the object, while a larger Y value increases the height. Z values affect the thickness of the object. Again, you can enter values in the Location Toolbar, or you can either drag on the object itself in the Edit Window. · Drag upwards in the Edit Window to · · decrease height and downwards to increase it. Drag the cursor left to decrease width and right to increase it. Hold the right mouse button down, then drag towards the left or right to adjust the thickness of the object. (To see this effect best, rotate the object slightly.) 19 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Editing object style There are many ways to customize the physical appearance of your object in Ulead 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: Gallery, all of which combine many attributes. Or you can control each attribute individually with extensive options on the Attribute Toolbar. This section shows you how to customize color, light, texture, and bevel 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 the Object Style: Light & Color category. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Surface from the Adjust list, then click on the Color square to the right of it. A standard Windows Color dialog box appears. 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. Light With Ulead COOL 3D, you can adjust different types of light that affect the look of your object. Here is a brief description of the types of light that you can control: · Specular Commonly known as the highlights that are reflected from an object when a light source shines on it. By adjusting the specular light of an object, you basically determine the quality of the object's surface. Light The light source itself. You can have up to four light sources and set them to be directional or diffuse. (See the following page for a tutorial.) Ambient The general light that surrounds the object. The light source for ambient light comes from several sources in addition to the light itself, for example, the light reflected from other objects. · · 20 User Guide To apply Light to an object: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select the Object Style: Light & Color category. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Light from the Adjust list. The attributes for Light appear. 3 Click a Light Source button to activate it. Then click the radio button above it to edit its properties. 4 Click the Color square to open the Color dialog box and change the color of the currently selected light. 5 Select a Mode for the light: ¡ Directional Shines a direct beam of light with a constant strength on the object. The light source position 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 the text, the weaker the light appears. The light source position is based on its position along the X, Y, and Zaxes. ¡ 6 Click the Position Light Source button to adjust the direction from which the light shines. Then drag your mouse in the Edit Window until you have reached the desired effect, or specify values on the Location Toolbar. 7 Repeat steps 3 through 6 for any additional light sources that you want to use. 21 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 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 bitmap image that is wrapped around the surface of a 3D object. Apply a preset, or use your own bitmap image and apply that to the surface. To apply an image texture to an object: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select the Object Style: Texture category. The Attribute Toolbar changes to display Texture options. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, click the Load Texture Image File button. In the dialog box that appears, browse for an image file that you want to use for your texture (*.BMP or *.JPG), then click Open. The image is applied to the object. 3 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. 4 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 Location Toolbar. 5 Click the Clear Tint option if you want to remove any color that was already applied to the 3D object, leaving you with just the color in the texture map itself. 22 User Guide Modifying individual faces of an object The great thing about applying texture and color in Ulead COOL 3D is that you can apply them to individual faces of your object. Click a Bevel Face button on the Standard 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). Front Face Front Bevel Side Face Back Bevel Back Face Basic bevel styles A bevel refers to the edge of a 3D object. By adjusting its characteristics on the Attribute Toolbar, a bevel can be part of what makes objects really interesting. 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) 23 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Precision Determines the fineness of the bevel. A higher value creates a more precise bevel. This is useful if you have a rounded bevel and want smoother curves. Border Weight Extrusion Depth Round Chiseled Round-Chiseled Chiseled-Round Chiseled-Chiseled Round-Round 24 User Guide Adding a background Once you've inserted and styled an object, you're ready to add a background to your project. You can use a preset in the EasyPalette, or use your own image. For solid color backgrounds, simply adjust the controls for Color, Brightness, Saturation, and Hue located on the Attribute Toolbar for the Studio: Background category of the EasyPalette file directory. To insert an image into the background: 1 On the Attribute Toolbar, click the Load Background Image File button. 2 Select an image file (*.JPG or *.BMP) in the dialog box that appears, and click Open. 3 If you want, you can adjust the dimensions of your project to match the size of the image that you are using. To do this, use the Image: Dimensions menu command, click the Use Background Image Size button in the dialog box that pops up, and click OK. Adding and editing 3D graphics and shapes Everyone wants to use customized graphics in Ulead COOL 3D to create outstanding 3D logos and images. With this latest version, importing and editing graphic objects has become that much easier. There are four ways to do this: · Insert vector graphics with Path Editor A vector graphic is different from the bitmap graphics that are most widely known (for example, those in BMP, JPEG, GIF formats). Vector graphics are composed of paths and often stored in EMF and WMF formats. The easiest way to create these graphics is to use Path Editor, accessed by clicking the Insert Graphics button on the Object Toolbar (see page 62 for details). You can also convert elements Bitmap of a logo (top), and the same logo converted to 3D with Path Editor (bottom). 25 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · · · of a bitmap image to become vector graphics, as well as import pre-existing vector graphics into Path Editor to use in your project. Create simple 3D geometric objects Insert spheres, cubes, cones, cylinders, and pyramids by using the Geometry Toolbar (see the following section). This is convenient for making still or animated props for other 3D text and graphic objects in your project. Import 3D objects in the DirectX file format (*.X). These are special files that contain complex 3D shapes and textures. Included with the program are a number of these samples that can be used in your project. If you are already using this format in other 3D modeling software, you can create your own shapes to use in a Ulead COOL 3D project. Import these files by using the File: Import X Model menu command. In the dialog box that appears, you can import them as C3D data type (without color, lighting, or texture attributes) and then customize its attributes yourself. Or you can import them as D3D data type (with its inherent color, lighting, and texture attributes intact). Insert symbol-type fonts (such as Wingdings). Then, you can either use them as they are, or adjust the shape by clicking the Edit Graphic button on the Object Toolbar and working with Path Editor (see page 62.). You can also change the shape of text with the Edit Graphic button. However, once you edit it, the text will be converted to graphics, meaning that you will no longer be able to change the text content itself. 3D geometric objects Objects in the X file format, as C3D data type (top), and as D3D data type (bottom) Examples of symbol-type fonts. 26 User Guide Making basic 3D objects Ulead COOL 3D lets you insert 3D geometric objects into your project with just a click of the mouse. The fun part is when you use them with text and graphics to create unique 3D animations and stills. You can use several 3D shapes together to create an alien 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 On the Object Toolbar, click the Insert Geometric Object button. If the current icon doesn't display the desired shape, click on the bottom right corner to view a menu with other shapes on it. Select the shape you want, then click the button to insert it. The object appears in the Edit Window. 2 On the Geometric Toolbar, enter values to adjust the dimensions of the object. Then, select the desired Face buttons to edit Color and Texture attributes individually or as a group. 3 You can now apply plug-ins to it, or use the basic animation buttons on the Standard Toolbar 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 27 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 time to learn some basic ideas. From there, it will be easy for you to learn to create stunning and complex animation sequences. The Animation Toolbar is what you will work with the most when you start animating your objects. Brief descriptions of its functions are listed below. Add/Delete Key Frame Properties Menu Timeline Control Reverse Smooth Motion Path Current Frame Ping Mode Play Show/Hide Stop Frames per second Loop Mode · Number of frames · · · · · 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 only 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 any 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 (see page 37 for details). 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. 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. Current Frame Denotes the frame number that is currently displayed. 28 ULEAD COOL 3D 3.0 · · · · · · Ping Mode Plays the animation forwards and backwards infinitely. Loop Mode Plays the animation repeatedly in its normal sequence, skipping the last frame. Play/Stop Plays and stops the animation. Show/Hide Allows you to display or hide the selected object. Use it to hide the object for certain parts of the animation or simply for convenience when editing multiple objects. Number of frames Sets the total number of frames in the animation sequence. Frames per second (fps) Sets the speed 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 Ulead 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: Move to Previous Frame Properties Menu Jump to Previous Key Frame · Key frames Jump to Next Key Frame Slider Move to Next Frame Properties Menu Use this to select the timeline for a specific object property that you want to edit. By default, the basic attributes are listed (i.e. Position, Rotation, 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. 29 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 · · Slider Drag this to move to any frame in the animation, or click the Move to Next/Previous Frame buttons. 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. Below 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. Frame 1 Red (Frame 10) 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. Frame 1 Red Frame 5 Blue Frame 10 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 Position Start at far left Frame 10 Move to far right Frame 20 Move to center Frame 30 Color Red Red Green Orientation No rotation No rotation Rotate 360º 30 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 (I): 1 Insert an object to the Edit Window. On the Animation Toolbar, the default frame number should be 10, and the default fps should be 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 Standard Toolbar, click the Move Object button. 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 the Add Key Frame button 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 the Play button to view the animation. The object should move from the left to right in the Edit Window. 6 Save the project by clicking the Save button on the Standard Toolbar. This allows you to save it in the Ulead COOL 3D file format (*.c3d). You can open this file later from within the program to edit the project. 31 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 To create a simple animation (II): 1 Open the project that you created on the previous page (part I). 2 In the Properties Menu, select Position. On the Timeline Control, move the slider to frame 7 of the animation. 3 Add a key frame by clicking the Add Key Frame button to the right of the Timeline Control. 4 On the Standard Toolbar, click the Move Object button, 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 one of the key frame controls. Then, drag the object to another position. Click Play to view the animation. 7 Increase the number of frames to 30. Notice how the motion of the object becomes smoother. 8 On the Standard Toolbar, click the Save button to save the animation. Your project will be saved in the Ulead COOL 3D format (*.c3d). 32 User Guide Animating light and color The most obvious thing to do when you want to animate an object is to make it move. To animate the color and light of an object itself is less obvious, but can result in interesting effects. In these tutorials, learn how to make light and color change on a stationary object. Try animating texture as well. To animate light on an object: 1 Insert an object, and at frame 1 of the animation, define the Light settings (see pages 20 and 21). 2 Add a key frame at the last frame of the timeline, then apply a different Light setting to the object. You can change the color, brightness, hue, saturation, and position of the light(s). Note: The number of lights and the light mode remain constant between key frames. If you change these, they will be changed in all key frames. These are called global attributes (see page 37). 3 Click Play to preview the animation. Experiment with inserting more key frames into the animation. To animate the color of an object: 1 Insert an object, and apply a color at key frame 1 (to apply a color, see page 20). 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 the Play button to preview the animation. 33 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Animating with multiple timelines Inevitably, you will want to animate more than one aspect of your object. This means that you must work with multiple timelines. When you are working with multiple timelines, keep your eye on the Properties Menu - this will tell you which timeline you are currently editing. This example shows you how to make a basic animations with two timelines. To animate position and color: 1 Insert an object in a blank project (with a black background). At frame 1, set the object color to be black. 2 On the Properties Menu, select Color. Then, on the Timeline Control, add a key frame at the last frame of the animation. Set the color to red. 3 Click Play on the Animation Toolbar to preview the color animation. 4 Click the Move button on the Standard Toolbar. The Properties Menu changes to display Position. The timeline that appears pertains only to Position. 5 On the Position timeline, select the first key frame, then on the Location Toolbar, enter 200 for the Z coordinate. 6 Add a key frame at the end of the Position timeline, and then enter -200 for the Z coordinate. 7 Preview the animation. The object should emerge from the background color and come straight towards you. Note: If you want to change the color or position for specific key frames, make sure you select the relevant property in the Properties Menu first before you edit the key frames and their attributes. 34 User Guide Animating with multiple objects Working with more than one object can result in a stunning project. The next tutorials show you how to coordinate two objects. In the first one, make a second object appear after the first one completes its action. In the second one, learn how to make two objects chase after one another. To animate two objects (I): 1 Insert an object, then set the total number of frames to 30. 2 At frame 1, on the Standard Toolbar, click the Move Object button, then on the Location Toolbar, set the Y coordinate to 50. 3 Click the Rotate Object button. 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 of the animation, or enter 25 as the current frame. Click the Add Key Frame button to add a key frame. 5 Set the X coordinate to -720, then click Play to preview the animation. The object should rotate 2 times. 6 Insert a new object. On the Standard Toolbar, at frame 1, click the Move button. Enter -100 for the Y coordinate on the Location Toolbar. 7 At frame 1, click the Show/Hide button on the Animation Toolbar to make the text object disappear. 8 At frame 30, add a key frame. Click the Show/Hide button to make the text object appear. 9 Click Play. The second object should appear just after the first object has completed 2 rotations. 35 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 To animate two objects (II): 1 Insert an object into the project and set the total number of frames to 30. 2 Select Position from the Properties Menu. 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 Standard Toolbar, click the Move Object button. On the Location Toolbar, set the 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. 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 from the Properties Menu. Add key frames at frames 10, 20, and 30. 8 Click the Move Object button. On the Location Toolbar, 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. 36 Plug-in effects Plug-in effects are what make your still or animated title extra special. In Ulead COOL 3D, you can give objects a unique edge with Bevel plug-ins, switch to different sentiments with Transition effects, make objects move in special patterns with Object plug-ins, and give them 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 on the Attribute Toolbar. This gives you a better idea of how the variables affect the object. To view the Attribute Toolbar, click the Attribute Toolbar button on the Standard Toolbar. Key frames and plug-ins All plug-in effects (except for Bevel Effects) have a special red Control Line that appears on the Timeline Control. 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 Understanding Global and Key attributes When you are working with the Attribute Toolbar to make an animated project, it's a good idea to take note of the ToolTips that pop up when you move the cursor over each variable. These contain a brief description of the variable in question, followed by a (G) or (K). These stand for Global and Key attributes. 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. For instance, 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. 37 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Bevel Effects You can create interesting still and animated titles with these plug-ins. These allow you to add a frame, a special hollow or engraved board, or a shape preset to your object. Once applied, you can further customize them by adjusting the standard bevel attributes. Board This effect is perfect for stunning rotating signs and banners. Not only can you put different objects on the front and back of the board, you can adjust basic bevel attributes for the text and board independently. This tutorial shows you how you can create an animated effect with the bevel. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps) To animate the Board effect: 1 Insert a text or graphic object into the Edit Window. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Bevel Effects: Board. The Board presets appear. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Board from the Bevel Mode list. The Attribute Toolbar displays the Board options, and the Edit Window displays the object on the default rectangular board. To use a different board shape, drag a Board preset to the Edit Window. 3 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30. 4 At frame 1, on the Attribute Toolbar, click the Text button to make basic bevel settings to the text. Enter 0 for Extrusion, Weight, Border, and Depth. The text object should disappear on the board. 5 At frame 30, enter 1000 for Extrusion, 5 for Weight, 20 for Border, and 20 for Depth. 6 Click Play to preview the animation. The text should appear to grow from the board. 38 User Guide Custom Bevel Create unique and wild three-dimensional forms by applying one of the dozens of preset bevel shapes to any of the objects in your project. When working with this plug-in, experiment freely with applying various Custom Bevel presets to various objects. To apply a custom bevel effect: 1 Insert an object into the Edit Window. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Bevel Effects: Custom Bevel. The presets for Custom Bevel appear. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Custom Bevel from the Bevel Mode list. 3 Apply a Custom Bevel preset to the object. Each preset represents a single bevel design that is applied to both the front and back faces of the object. 4 Scroll down to the next set of attributes. Choose a different bevel design for the Front or Back face. The object changes accordingly. 5 To further customize the custom bevel, scroll back to the first level of attributes and adjust values for basic bevel attributes. Things you can do with Custom Bevel shapes 39 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Frame This bevel effect not only offers you interesting visual options for your project, but gives you some animation possibilities as well. In this tutorial, work with a Bevel timeline and an Orientation timeline to create an animated project. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps) To rotate a frame with different text on each side: 1 Insert an object into the Edit Window. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Bevel Effects: Frame. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Frame from the Bevel Mode list. The Frame options appear, and a default rectangular frame appears around the object. 3 On the Attribute Toolbar, click the Text or Frame button under Target to customize the Text and Frame bevels if desired. 4 On the Standard Toolbar, select the Rotate Object button. Orientation appears on the Properties menu. 5 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30 of the animation. On the Location Toolbar, enter an X value of 180. This flips the frame directly to its other side. 6 Select Bevel from the Properties Menu, and move to frame 15 of the animation, and add a key frame. 7 On the Attribute Toolbar, scroll down to the second level of attributes. Clear the Use Front option, and click the Text or Import Graphic button under Object to put a different text or image on the other side of the frame. Then select the Flip Text option. 8 Click the Play button to preview the animation. 40 User Guide Hollow This plug-in effect lets your text or graphic penetrate right through the board for an interesting title. This tutorial shows you how to create a fun yet simple animation using two of the same text or graphic object. (Settings: 30 frames, 15fps) To make an object break through a board: 1 Insert an object into the Edit Window. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Bevel Effects: Hollow. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Hollow from the Bevel Mode list. The Edit Window displays a rectangular board with a hollow object. 3 Scroll down to the next level of attributes and select None for Board Bevel. 4 Insert a second object (the same as the first) to the project. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Style: Bevel, then select None for Bevel Mode on the Attribute Toolbar. In the Edit Window, you should see a seamless and flat board. 5 On the Object List, select [Group], then rotate the board and object so that they lean backwards, allowing you to better view the results. 6 Select the second object from the Object list. Select Position from the Properties Menu. On the Timeline Control, add a key frame to frame 30 of the animation. 7 Enter a negative value for the Z coordinate on the Location Toolbar. Try something like -200. 8 Click the Play button. The object should tear itself away from the board to reveal the hollow board and the three dimensional letters. 41 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Imprint Make a deeper impression by engraving a title or banner on a board with this plug-in effect. You can also make an animated effect using this plug-in. Learn how to make a basic title sink into a board in the following tutorial. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps) To apply Imprint to an object: 1 Insert a text or graphic object into the Edit Window. In the EasyPalette file directory, select Bevel Effects: Imprint. The Imprint presets appear. 2 On the Attribute Toolbar, select Imprint from the Bevel Mode list. The Attribute Toolbar displays the Imprint options, and the Edit Window displays the object on the default rectangular board. To use a different board shape, drag an Imprint preset to the Edit Window. 3 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30 of the animation. 4 At frame 1, on the Attribute Toolbar, enter 500 for Extrusion and 1 for Imprint. 5 Scroll down to the next set of attributes. Under Board Bevel, select None. Enter values for Extra Width and Extra Height if you want to increase the dimensions of the board. 6 At frame 30, enter 250 as the Imprint value. 7 Click Play to preview the animation. The title should slowly sink into the board. 42 User Guide Object Effects The control you have in animating individual objects is one of the things that makes Ulead COOL 3D remarkable. Some plug-in effects let your objects dance and explode in customizable patterns, while others let you choreograph the actions between individual letters with ease. Use the many presets to quickly create stunning effects, or use the Attribute Toolbar to create custom 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. Bend Use this plug-in effect to bend your title 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, 15fps) To apply the Bend effect to an object: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Bend. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Bend appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30. 3 At frame 1 on the Attribute Toolbar, set the Direction of the bend to Y-Z, and select the Type as Asymmetric. 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. 4 At frame 30, set the Level to 0. This allows the object to unbend. 5 On the Standard Toolbar, click the Rotate Object button. Orientation appears in the Properties Menu. On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30. 6 At frame 1, on the Location Toolbar, 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. 7 Click Play to preview the animation. 43 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 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 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Dance. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Dance appears in the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add a frame at frame 30. 3 At frame 1, select Bounce as the Dance Mode, and for Sequence, select Random. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Click Play to preview your project. Try using different values for Seed. This generates a slightly different variation of the Dance effect. 44 User Guide 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 emphasizing the noteworthy. Create a basic Distort animation in this tutorial. (Settings: 30 frames, 15fps) To distort an object: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Distort. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Distort appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add key frames to frames 15 and 30. 3 At frame 1 on the Attribute Toolbar, select Individual for Action Sequence, and select Y-Z as the Plane along which the perspective will be distorted. Leave all other distortion variables at their default values (100). 4 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. 45 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Explosion The power you have when blasting a title to pieces makes this plug-in a favorite. If you are not so destructively minded, try reversing an explosion effect, having 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 In the Easy Palette file directory, select Object Effects: Explosion. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Explosion appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, drag the leftmost end point of the Control Line to frame 5. This ensures that the explosion effect will not take place right away. Add a key frame to frame 30 of the animation. 3 At the first frame of the plug-in effect (frame 5), set the Movement Type to Left, the Collapse Type to Ascending, and the Action Sequence to Forward. Set the Level to 0 and the 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 Properties Menu, and add key frames to frames 25 and 30 on the Timeline Control. 6 At frames 1 and 25 for Position, all coordinates on the Location Toolbar 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 variation of the explosion effect. 46 User Guide Motion Path Move your title along specially designed paths with this plug-in. Have it zigzag in space, or let it zip along sweeping curves in roller-coaster fashion. The Attribute Toolbar lets you further customize how the title moves - you can twist it around the path, make it move in wave form, mold itself to the path, and have each character move in sequential order. In this tutorial, learn how to make your object travel along a figure 8. (Settings: 30 frames, 15fps) To apply Motion Path to an object: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Motion Path. Click the F/X button in the Attribute Toolbar. Motion Path appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame to frame 30 of the animation. 3 At frame 1, on the Attribute Toolbar, select Figure 8 as the Motion Path. Select the Show Path option. A model of the path appears in the Edit Window. 4 Select Horizontal as the Type of path, then set On Path to Stand. Set the Wrap Style to Position, and enter 100 as the Level. 5 Scroll down to the second level of attributes. Increase the size of the path by entering 500 for Scale. Then, under Global Rotation, adjust the orientation of both the path and the object by setting the X value to 45. 6 At frame 30, set the Level to 0 and the Scale to 500. Under Global Rotation, set the X value to 45. 7 On the Attribute Toolbar, clear the Show Path option to see the object on its own without the path. On the Animation Toolbar, click the Loop Mode button, then click Play to preview the animation. The object should travel continuously along the figure 8. 47 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 Path Animation This plug-in lets your text move in ways that simulate the natural 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 have it change into another object upon impact. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps) To throw an object in an arc: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Path Animation. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Path Animation appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame at frame 30. 3 At frame 1 on the Attribute Toolbar, select Arc as the Path, and enter 25 as the value for Speed. 4 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. 5 At frame 30, set the Level to 0. 6 Click Play to preview the Arc animation. The object should be thrown in from the right of the screen. 7 Insert a new object into the project, and click the F/X button to deactivate the effect for that object. At frame 1, click the Show/Hide button to hide the object, and at frame 30, click it again to make the object appear. 8 Click Play to preview the animation. 48 User Guide Surface Animation With this plug-in, you can let your object move and wrap 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 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Surface Animation. Click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Surface Animation appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add key frames to frames 25 and 30. 3 At frame 1, select Sphere as the Surface around which the object is wrapped, 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. 4 Scroll down to the second level of attributes. Enter 10 for all Size coordinates so that the text is wrapped around a small sphere. Set the Level to 0. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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 "object" around which your object wraps. 49 Ulead COOL 3D 3.0 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 have individual letters jut out at you for emphatic expression. (Settings: 30 frames, 15 fps) To apply the Token Move (G) effect: 1 In the EasyPalette file directory, select Object Effects: Token Move (G), and click the F/X button on the Attribute Toolbar. Token Move (G) appears on the Properties Menu. 2 On the Timeline Control, add a key frame to frame 30 of the animation. 3 At frame 1 on the Attribute Toolbar, set the Level of the animation to 0, 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. 4 Scroll down to the next level of attributes. On this level are the coordinates for position. To make the title come towards you, enter -500 for Z Value. 5 At frame 30, set the Level of the animation to 100. 6 Click Play to preview the animation. 50