Adobe has products that handle design, imaging, web and video but there has not been much in the realm of 3D. Sure in the new Adobe Photoshop CS3 there are some 3D features that have been addressed, but not in a full service product. Over the years, Strata has been handling 3D design with its Strata 3D products, now it has released the latest version of it's modeling product Strata 3D CX v5.0.
Strata 3D CX v5.0 is the only 3D application that is specifically designed for use with industry standard graphic applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. It uses the same standard palates and interfaces that are found in these applications and therefore it is very easy to pick up on. Version 5 has added many new features such as modelers, interfaces enhancements and plug-ins to connect to third party applications.
Don't get me wrong, just because you are an expert with Photoshop or Illustrator does not mean that you will be just an idea away from a completed project, rather it means that there are a number of levels of learning curve that you don't have to experience.
If you have ever tried to work with a 3D product before such as Maya, trueSpace or Studio Max, you have not only a complex product, but a complex interface. Most of these products have interfaces that are different from the standard Mac or Window's look and feel. As you can see in the image below, with Strata 3D CX v5.0 you can now work within your world. (Image by T. Haarup Laursen)
So what's new with Strata 3D CX v5.0? Well beyond the enhancements that have made it more Adobe interface friendly, they have added Scripting Power by using the Lua Scripting language. This is the language that is used by many of the 3D games and engines. It is also the same scripting language that is used to drive around 40% of Adobe Lightroom code. Scripting can allow you to apply filters based on an objects direction, lighting or just about any other variable that you need to control.
Quad Modeling have been introduced into Strata 3D CX v5.0 making the leap from triangular-based meshes to Quad-based meshes. The Quad surfaces use the Catmull-Clark algorithm for subdivision; this helps when building symmetrical items and adds compatibility with other 3D applications. This also helps in approximating a curved surface by breaking the polygons into smaller and smaller faces.
Another powerful feature is the ability to animate almost anything within Strata 3D CX v5.0. This again goes back to the Lua scripting. By using Groups, Shapes, Joints and Bones you can set up animation hierarchies for complex sequences. By taking a simple approach; using keyframes, timelines and scripting, it makes animation much easier to use.
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Yes, Strata 3D CX 5.0 is powerful 3D images creator. It is the latest version of Strata 3D's for modeling, animating, visualizing,and now scripting. The minimum Windows system requirements are Windows XP/2000 SP 4, a Pentium-compatible, at least 256MB RAM, 330MB HD space and a VGA display at least 1024x768 resolution. On the Macintosh, the minimum system requirements are Mac OS X 10.3+, 256MB RAM, 330MB HD and a resolutions monitor at least 1024x768. The price is $US695. More price, more features.