Using 3-D in Interfaces

Perhaps the most commonly seen use of 3-D–generated animations is rotating text or logos in a Flash-generated user interface. Although these work as animated decorative elements, they can also be a functional part of the interface itself. With a little planning and forethought, any number of simple Swift 3D animations can be incorporated into menus, buttons, levers, doors, and sliding, folding, or flipping panels. But, remember, use restraint. If you’ve got everything on your page madly spinning and rotating, you’re just going to distract your users, not engage them. This is a case of a little going a long way. It’s like a simple black dress and pearls—keep it classy and elegant, not garish.

In the next exercise, you’ll take the output from the Swift 3D file and import it into a Flash file as the rotating main display panel of an interface.