Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The Model Browser window
The
Model Browser
window is where you'll locate your existing Element 3D models
to be used in your scene. They are contained in folders (such as
Primitives
). Stock
folders are grey, and add-on packs are blue (for example, in the preceding screenshot,
you'll notice that the
Jet_Strike
folder is blue, therefore, an expansion pack set).
This is important for portability. If you're rendering on a render farm, it's important
to let them know that you are not only using Element 3D, but also using add-on assets.
Directly below the hierarchy view (the tree of folders) is the model list. Each model
is represented by a preview image in the perspective view with the model name
directly below it.
The Edit window
This window can be likened to the
Effect Controls
window in AEX. This is
where all of the parameters can be edited for your object or any of its components
(shaders, orientation, and so on). In the screenshot that shows you the Element 3D
screen, you can clearly see the
Transform
and
Surface
attributes for the capsule
model that we have loaded into the interface.
The Material and Bevel Browser window
The
Material and Bevel Browser
window allows you to not only see all of the preset
materials and bevels that are available as a starting point, but it also gives you a
focused view of the materials and bevels within your scene (by clicking on the
Scene
tab at the top of this window). Similar to the
Model Browser
window, there is both
a hierarchical view (using folders along the left-hand side) and a
Preview
window
(using folders along the right-hand side). In the screenshot that shows you the
Element 3D interface, we can look at all of the presets available for the materials.
The Preview window
The
Preview
window is filled with a plethora of information. Obviously, there is a
perspective view of your current model. You can rotate the object by left-clicking on
your mouse, move it by clicking on the middle button, zoom in/out using the mouse
wheel, and rotate the environment/lights by right-clicking on your mouse.
