Strata 3Dpro ‘Rich Media Edition’ adds Flash export

Strata is shipping the Rich Media Edition of Strata 3Dpro, its high-end 3D software. The latest version — 3.6, by the way — adds the ability to render 3D images and animations and export them as Macromedia Flash files and other vector formats for the Web or print.

Targeted to artists and Web designers, the Rich Media Edition of Strata 3Dpro lets users create images in both pixels (JPEG and video) as well as vector formats such as Flash that are small enough to stream even over modem connections, according to Strata President Dennis Derrick. By providing the ability to output 3D artwork in vector graphics formats, Strata 3Dpro makes it possible to “smoothly integrate 3D content” into applications like Flash, he said in announcing the new product.

“Not only will Strata be able to provide its global user base with the capability to re-purpose their 3D content, but will also be able to speak to entirely new communities, like the current users of Flash,” Derrick said.

The new version of Strata 3Dpro also incorporates the new Swift 3D PowerModule, which utilizes RAViX II rendering technology from Electric Rain. RAViX II is a solution for creating high-quality, low bandwidth, scalable 3D vector animations for Flash-enabled Web sites. The module will include a variety of vector output options — three levels of outlines, five levels of cartoon shading, two levels of gradient shading, shadows and specular highlights. Electric Rain claimed that RAViX II could handle models containing more than 200,000 polygons in fully optimized files.

Mac system requirements for the Rich Media Edition of Strata 3Dpro are: a Power Macintosh with System 8.6 or higher (sorry, but it’s not been Carbonized for Mac OS X); QuickTime 3.0 or higher (QuickTime 4.0 or better is recommended); 128 MB of RAM (256 MB is recommended); 125 MB of free disk space; Open GL 1.1.2 or higher; Open Transport; and a monitor resolution of 800×600. The retail price is US$895. The academic price is $499.