Tips & Tricks
Helpful hints to make you a 3D Graphics wizard

If you have any other tips & tricks, please e-mail them to the cgimktg@crystalgraphics.com.

1. What are some general tips for using Crystal 3D IMPACT! to enhance a web site?
2. What are some general tips for using Crystal 3D IMPACT! to enhance a video?
3. How do I generate 3D artwork over a background image?
4. How do I generate 3D text or a 3D logo image to integrate into a web page that already has a background texture or image?
5. How do I generate an animated 3D logo to integrate into a web page that already has a background texture or image?
6. What can I do if Crystal 3D IMPACT! seems to be running slowly?

1. What are some general tips for using Crystal 3D IMPACT! to enhance a web site?

1. To keep file sizes small:
• Animate icons and logos rather than full 3D text (fils size stays smaller when your 3D text remains stationary).
• Keep the file resolution, frame rates, and colors to a minimum.
2. To create nice effects:
• Set your working area to a planned resolution before you start.
• Use rotating motions rather than fly-in motions (fly-in motions are best for full-screen animations such as the type used for video tape output).
• When you plan to display your 3D artwork and animations over a background image, use Set Background, then render after setting your Save Image or Make Movie options to "Transparent Background" plus "Blend Edges with Current Background".

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2. What are some general tips for using Crystal 3D IMPACT! to enhance a video?

For best output results:

• Set Background to black to make your 3D artwork stand out more.
• Use the highest quality compression option in the Make Movie dialog.
• Avoid deep reds, since they do not tend to look very good in video formats.

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3. How do I generate 3D artwork over a background image?

3D artwork displayed over an appealing background image or texture gives the finished artwork a creative and professional look. And it's easy to do using Crystal 3D IMPACT!. Just follow these steps:

1. Load the Crystal 3D IMPACT! software. (To do this, double click on the 3D IMPACT! icon from your desktop.)
2. Click on the Scene menu, and then select Set Background.
3. In the Set Background dialogue box, there are two options from which you can choose: Color and Image.
4. Click the button by the Image option. You can either type in the location of your picture file or click on the Browse button. (The Browse button will bring up a standard Windows browse dialogue.) Select a picture file name that you'd like to set as your background, then click on the Open button. The name of the selected picture file should appear in the box near the Browse button.
5. Within the Image dialogue, you can choose whether you want to scale or tile your picture file. If you would like your picture to be repeated across the background, then click the button by the Tile option. Otherwise, select the Scale option, which will display a scaled version of your picture in the background.
6. Once you have your background image set up, the 3D artwork that you create will be superimposed over the background texture, making it useful for checking creative balance and ideal placement right up to the final rendered image.

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4. How do I generate 3D text or a 3D logo image to integrate into a web page that already has a background texture or image?

1. When you plan to create 3D artwork to insert on a web page that has a background texture or image, you'll want to have the background texture available to bring into Crystal 3D IMPACT!. If you do not have a saved copy of the background texture file, you can use your web browser tools to save a copy of it. Follow these steps to do this:
1. Run your web browser software and go to the web page where you plan to add 3D artwork.
2. Move the cursor to an area of the web page where the background image is displayed.
3. Click the right mouse button; a menu of commands will display.
4. Choose the Save as a Picture command. Save the background texture to a selected folder on your local hard drive (i.e. the Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pictures folder) as a GIF file, which is a common image file format used for web page graphics.
5. You can then exit your browser software if you'd like.
2. Load the Crystal 3D IMPACT! software. (To do this, double click on the Crystal 3D IMPACT! icon from your desktop.)
3. Click on the Scene menu, then select Set Background.
4. In the Set Background dialogue box, there are two options from which you can choose: Color or Image.
5. Click the button by the Image option. Load the image that is being used for a web page background. You can either type in the location of the desired image file or click on the Browse button. (The Browse button will bring up a standard Windows browse dialogue.)
6. Within the Image dialogue, you can choose whether you want to scale or tile your picture file. Choose the Tile option and click OK.
7. Create your 3D text and/or logo over the background image. Don't forget that it is very important to save your work periodically! To save, click on the File menu and select Save. The first time you save, it will bring up a dialogue box that will allow you to choose a name for your image and its location on your computer. Click Save after you are done. This will save the file in Crystal 3D IMPACT! (.3di) format.
8. Once you are satisfied with your work, you can render your artwork and save the image to disk. To save the image:
1. Click on the File menu and select Save Image. The Save Image dialogue box will prompt you to enter an image filename. Type in a name for your file.
2. Click on the Select Folder button to choose the directory in which you would like to store your file (i.e. Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pictures folder).
3. Once you have completed steps a & b, click on the Save button. This will close the Select Folder dialogue and bring you back to the Save Image dialogue box.
4. Next, select the picture file Type. Since you will be integrating your Crystal 3D IMPACT! artwork with a web page that already has a background image, you'll want to save the image with a transparent background. For a transparent picture, click on the triangle to the right of the blank box and select GIF (*.gif) from the options.
5. Click on the Options button and a dialogue box will display with three options: Transparent Background, Blend edges with current background and Incremental Download. Click on all three of those options such that there is a check mark in the box in front of each option. Then click OK. (You don't need to be concerned about "Format" because there is only one format available for this option and it is automatically selected.)
6. You'll then set the resolution or size of the image that you are saving. The X value is the height of your image and the Y is the width. Remember that this size is in pixels. Type in the size you want for your image. (Please refer to question 1 for tips on how to keep file sizes small). Once you have set the output resolution , click OK.
9. Once your image file is saved, exit Crystal 3D IMPACT! and use your preferred web authoring tool(s) to place your custom 3D image on your web page.

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5. How do I generate an animated 3D logo to integrate into a web page that already has a background texture or image?

1. Follow steps #1 through #7 as described in question 4 for generating 3D text or a 3D logo image to integrate into a web page.
2. When you are ready to animate your 3D logo, select an object in your project (i.e. your logo), then click on the Animation menu and select Assign Motion. A dialogue box which displays 12 pre-defined motions will appear. Click on a motion that you want. (A preview of the selected motion for that object will be played in the center window of the dialogue box.) Once you are satisfied with the selected motion(s), click the OK button. Please refer to question 1 for tips on how to achieve optimal effects.
3. To generate an animation of your Crystal 3D IMPACT! artwork, you will create a movie as follows:
1. Go to the Animation menu and select Make Movie. The Make Movie dialogue box will prompt you to enter a movie filename. Type in a name for your file.
2. Click on the Select Folder button to choose the directory in which you would like to store your movie file (i.e. Crystal 3D IMPACT! Movies folder).
3. Once you have completed steps a & b, click on the Save button. This will close the Select Folder dialogue and bring you back to the Save Image dialogue box.
4. Next, select the picture file Type. Since you will be integrating your Crystal 3D IMPACT! movie with a web page that already has a background image, you'll want to save the image with a transparent background. For a transparent output file, click on the triangle to the right of the blank box and select GIF (*.gif) from the options.
5. Click on the Options button and a dialogue box will display with two options: Transparent Background and Blend edges with current background. Click on both of those options such that there is a check mark in the box in front of each option. Then click OK. (You don't need to be concerned about "Format" or "Color" options because there is only one format available for these options and they are automatically selected.)
6. You'll then set the resolution or size of the animated movie that you are saving. The X value is the height of your image and the Y is the width. Remember that this size is in pixels. Type in the size you want for your movie. (Please refer to question 1 for tips on how to keep file sizes small).
7. The Scene Length option allows you to enter a value for how long you want the animation to last. And the Pause option should be used if you want your movie to pause for a defined period of time at the end of one complete sequence.
8. Set the Frame Rate for the number of frames per second for the movie playback.
4. Once you have set the above output options, click OK. The Make Movie tool will create an animated GIF file and play it back on screen. You can then exit Crystal 3D IMPACT! and use your preferred web authoring tool(s) to place your custom 3D animated GIF movie in your web page.

6. What can I do if Crystal 3D IMPACT! seems to be running slowly?