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Chapter 17: Working with Models and
Model Resources
Lights
illuminate the 3D world and the models in it. Without lights, the world exists, and actions can take place, but
users see nothing. You can add lights to your 3D world in your 3D modeling application and with the Property
inspector or with Lingo or JavaScript™ syntax.
Cameras
act as windows into a 3D world. Each camera that exists in a 3D cast member offers a different view into it,
and each sprite that uses a 3D cast member uses one of these cameras. A camera’s position can be moved with the
Property inspector or the Shockwave® 3D window. You can also use the Adobe® Director
®
3D behaviors or Lingo or
JavaScript syntax to add camera and manipulate camera positions.
For more information, see the Scripting Reference topics in the Directory Help Panel.
About models and model resources
Models
are the objects you see in the 3D world. You can create models within Director. Spheres, boxes, planes,
cylinders, and particle systems can be created either with Lingo or JavaScript syntax or with Director behaviors.
These simple shapes are called
primitives
. They are the basic shapes from which more complicated models are built.
(Particle systems are different from the other primitives. Instead of being shapes, they create cascades of moving
particles.) You can also create mesh primitives, which allow you to define any kind of complex shape you wish.
For the most part, you should create complex models outside of Director, use a 3D modeling application, and then
import them into Director in the W3D file format.
Accessing properties and methods of a model or any other node type, such as a light or camera, requires that the
node be on the Stage or explicitly loaded with the
preLoad()
method.
Model resources
Model resources are 3D geometries defined in 3D modeling software or created in Director by scripting in Lingo or
JavaScript syntax. A model is an object that makes use of a model resource’s geometry and occupies a particular
position and orientation within the 3D world. Model resources are viewable only when in use by a model. Several
models can use the same model resource.
Common model resource properties
All model resources share the following properties:
