Real 3D for Windows 3.1/3.11/NT is a complete 3D Animation package. However, this document shall be limited to discussing that which should be of greatest interest to 3D Studio users: The program includes a workstation-class quadric B-Spline Modeling & Deformation System, unlike anything ever to appear on the PC platform....in some cases, on any platform. And, the meshes can be exported to 3D Studio as triangle meshes, quad polygon meshes, or export just the spline mesh's CONTROL LATTICE for use with the Yost Group's SKIN & SLICE routines! Yes, the exported control lattices are completely compatible with Skin & Slice, allowing re-creation of the parametric surface within 3D Studio. Use SKIN to read the lattice and generate a B-Spline or Catmull-Rom Surface, and use SLICE to re-create the cross-sections. The cross-sections can then be linked to a dummy skeleton, and animated with Inverse Kinematics, or via the conventional Foward Kinematics system. No need to worry about texture mapping these imported lattices, as parametric mapping coordinates can be applied with a single mouse-click, which results in surface contour mapping as if the mesh was lofted in 3D Studio with mapping coordinates on.

You have complete control over the desired resolution for the exported mesh or lattice. You can even specify whether the SLICE routine will re-create horizontal or vertical cross-sections. Since the lattices are composed of a minimum amount of vertices, further refinement in 3D Studio is made much easier. If you like, you can also export just individual cross-sections for import into the Editor, or the 2D Shaper. You can use the exported meshes, with optimizations applied inside Real 3D, as an ideally structured object for applying Digimation's BONES PRO deformations, via a user-defined skeltonal control structure. Although it has not been tested yet, due to the preservation of the parametric mapping coordinates , we're assuming that Real 3D exported meshes will be compatible with the soon-to-be released MESH PAINT routines, allowing painting directly on a object's surface inside 3D Studio.

Constuct 3D freeform curves quickly and easily by placing control points or knot points. The curve is displayed as you construct it, or just display the control lattice. There are ample controls for defining the resolution of the mesh's rule lines, viewing knotpoints, curve direction, start point, etc.. Snap-to COGs, points, and grid assist in constructing precision models. Points can be defined interactively, from numeric input, or procedurally - using the RPL Programming Language.

You use the 3D freeform control curves to create B-Spline meshes in various ways:

• Skin any number of freeform curves in 3D space.
• Orthogonal or Coplanar Sweeps.
• Surface of Revolution Sweeps to any degree.
• Surface of Revolution with a 3rd curve to define displacement.
• Surface of Revolution with a 3rd curve to define sizing.
• Surface Patches from N-sided boundary curves.
• Extrude control curves into 3D objects, optionally with Beveling applied.
• Specify Bevel Direction, Depth, Radius, & Type: Cut Edge, Rounded, Grooved.
• Automatically create B-Spline control curves from Truetype Outline Fonts.
• Use the powerful Shrink-Wrapping system to wrap a surface around objects.
• Quadric solids w/ Booleans can be used to rough-out a design to Shrink Wrap.
• Choose from Normal, Planar, Cylindrical, or Spherical Shrink-Wrap methods.
• Use Trim Curves for meshes to be animated & rendered in Real 3D. (not exportable).

With Real 3D's incredibly powerful Modeling System, you have complete control over:  

• Curve/Mesh Parameterization.
• Curve/Mesh Control Point Distribution.
• Mesh U&V direction and Start Points.
• Join separate curves and meshes into more complex structures, or Break them apart as desired.
• Easily Move, Insert, Delete, Transform, or Deform selected Control Points.
• Use a control curve to Deform or Displace selected Control Points.
• Drop-in mesh resolution only where you need it, or remove it where you don't.
• Extract cross-sections, vertically or horizontally oriented, Edit, then Skin back into the mesh.
• Use Animation Methods to Automate complex construction (see below).
• Use Macro recording to capture Interactive Modeling Events. Playback to Automate modeling.
• Define, Create, and Deform surfaces from Mathematical Formulae.

Real 3D's extremely powerful and extensive Linear & Non-Linear Transformations & Deformations are quite unique, and so simple to operate. There are no special routines or other preparations such as FFD lattices, magnets, etc. which must be employed. Using just 2-3 mouse clicks , you can perform these operations on Curves, Meshes, or just Selected Control Points:

• All standard Transforms/Deforms such as Move, Scale, Extend, Squash/Stretch, etc.
• Use 6 variations each for Bending Locally, Globally, Endpoint, Linear, and Circular.
• Variations are: Move or Size 2D, 3D, or Radial.
• Non-Linear Deformations based on Parabolic, Circular, Sinusoidal, or User-Defined Curve.
• Use the above to Move, Rotate, Scale, Stretch, or Twist Curves, Meshes, or Selected Points.

The program's asynchronous design allows zero wait-state operation, therefore starting new operations does not affect existing operations in the background. You can literally design your own interface, save variations for specialized situations, and re-load anytime as needed in a session. While Real 3D includes a full-featured Raytracer, you also can produce scanline-speed, parametrically raytraced, smooth shaded object previews in seconds. This program also features a complete physics-driven Procedural Animation System, as well as Macro Recording, and a complete Programming Language. These features can be used to assist in modeling operations as well. For example, using control curves to define the profiles of a mesh, you can sweep a cross-section along these "rails" over time. A new cross-section will be created and positioned for every frame, which is constrained by the profile curves. This is similar to 3D Studio's Deform/Fit, but potentially more powerful.

The program also includes a very complete set of Quadric Primitives, as well as a complex Compound Quadric generator. Boolean operations can be performed on these true mathematical solids , a B-Spline skin applied using the various Shrink-Wrapping methods,and then the mesh can be exported to 3D Studio in various ways. A bitmap, or the built-in Fractal Generator can be used as a Displacement Map to shape a B-Spline mesh. There are also procedural routines which can place a large number of objects on a surface,or to fill a volume defined by a surface.

There are many more features too numerous to mention here, plus as mentioned, Real 3D includes a Physics-based Animation System, Materials Editor, sophisticated RayTracer, and a Programming Language. Coupling this fabulous Modeling System with flawless Export capabilities as mentioned above, with 3D Studio's very popular and powerful system, provides a combination which is hard to beat on any computer platform . 3D Studio and Real 3D users have requested such a system for some time, and finally.....it s available!