Away3D 3.5.0 & 2.5.0 released
April 22nd, 2010
Away3D’s latest update brings some FPS love to Flash… in the form of a brand new render engine and data format for large play areas.
2.5.0 and 3.5.0 represent the latest full engine releases of Away3D for Flash Player 9 and 10. You can grab the code either from the svn repository or the downloads page, where you will also find a bunch of updated examples.
Accompanying the Away3D update is the latest version of Prefab3D a 3D preparation tool created by Fabrice Closier using Adobe AIR. You can download the runtime from the official Prefab3D installation page, or from the AIR Marketplace where you can also submit feedback (and we encourage you to do so!). Prefab3D is still very much a work in progress, but its newest feature allows the export of specially formatted .awd files optimised for FPS rendering (otherwise known as BSP files).
As an example of what is possible with this new feature, the following Hacienda demo was created using the latest Prefab3D runtime and Away3D sources:
A number of rooms can be navigated using the mouse and keyboard, with collision detection enabled by processing the BSP format in Away3D. The beautifully shaded textures were created using Prefab3D’s texture baking feature.
Be careful where you tread, as this is still an experimental demo! Further optimizing work is being carried out on collision and rendering loops in Away3D, but even at this stage, the speed benefits are evident.
Alongside the new FPS features, the Away3D codebase has undergone a fairly major rehaul and anyone wishing to upgrade their project to use 2.5 / 3.5 needs to be prepared for a little re-formatting here and there. We apologies in advance, but most of the updates have been in preparation of the long awaited Away3D 4.0 release which will be the next major version release for Flash Player 10 only. A full set of changes will be published later today on our mailing list.
For your own Hacienda demo, we have prepared a simpler setup creating the interior of a bunker, for which source code is available. Click the image below for the demo, or go straight to the source. The version shown here uses Flash Player 10, but code for both 9 and 10 can be found in the respective 2.5.0 and 3.5.0 examples downloads.
Using Prefab 1.3, the following video takes you through the creation process for the Bunker demo, step by step. The only starting requirement is a simple textured model, ready for processing. The final output is the demo you see above!
Livedocs will be updated to the new codebase within the next few days. As usual, please direct any bug reports to our googlecode issues list, and any questions about functionality to our mailing list.
Enjoy the new release!
The Away3D Team
Popularity: 45% [?]
nice demo! no strafing?
Comment by felix
— April 22, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
[...] of Away3D 2.5.0 and 3.5.0. Along with other features and changes, of which you can read more in the official announcement, the Flash Player 10 version contains the new BSP/PVS support! I’ve slaved months on this, so [...]
Pingback by BSP/PVS released in Away 3.5.0! | Der Schmale - David Lenaerts's blog
— April 22, 2010 @ 2:08 pm
This is looking great already, well done!
Comment by Ringo
— April 22, 2010 @ 3:23 pm
[...] has a new double-release in the now familiar 2.X / 3.X format for Flash Player 9 and 10 branches of the main [...]
Pingback by infinite turtles » Blog Archive » Away3D 2.5.0 & 3.5.0 released — April 22, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
Is this new version covered in the book The Essential Guide to 3D in Flash? I saw something about the book in an aPress newsletter. Does any one know if the book covers using PreFab3D. Sorry if this is off topic.
Comment by William
— April 23, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
@William
yes, use of the Away3D 2.5 / 3.5 release is the version covered in The Essential Guide to 3D in Flash, due to be released soon. Prefab3D is not covered in the book, but it shouldn’t be long before we have more online video tutorials.
Comment by Rob Bateman — April 24, 2010 @ 4:11 pm
[...] In addition to basic 3D modeling introduced in Flash CS4 / Flash Player 10, Away 3D has jumped onto the scene. Even though it hasn’t been around as long as Papervision, with the newest version just released a few days ago, Away 3D is covering some serious ground. Along with Prefab3D (a 3D preparation tool), the demos being created with Away are very impressive. You can see the demos and more about the latest version here. [...]
Pingback by Anonymous — April 25, 2010 @ 7:22 pm
woh, thats looks amazing!
Comment by ben
— April 26, 2010 @ 3:30 pm
I downloaded the hacienda source, created a new AS3 project, saved in same folder as the Intermediate_BSPBunker.as file and then set the Document under Property inspector to Intermediate_BSPBunker. When I try to compile I get an error about “Namespace was not found or is not a
compile-time constant.” Using Flash Professional CS5.
I just want to get an Away3D scene loaded up so I have a working code sample to build from, any ideas?
Comment by Michael
— April 26, 2010 @ 8:39 pm
@felix now standard out of the box + bunker demo was updated with the new outputs :)
@Michael The BSP programming and modeling are so specific, I wonder if its wize to start with this. I suggest you go to flashmagazine.com, they have great away3d tutorials to get you started. You could also register to our user dev group.
Comment by Fabrice Closier
— April 29, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
why do i get a blank screen when i compiled the source?
Comment by hud
— April 30, 2010 @ 2:06 am
never mind got it working.thanks
Comment by hud
— April 30, 2010 @ 2:37 am
Hi, this may be a stupid question.. but I can’t seem to find the answer. Does the new v3.5 have all of the Flash Player 10 speed increases that Away3d Lite has? Or is Away3d Lite still faster and able to handle more polys?
Comment by Shawn McInerney — May 4, 2010 @ 4:38 pm
[...] through to advanced features such as bones animation and 3D text manipulation, using the latest 2.5 & 3.5 double release as its code base. Each chapter is packed full of examples that teach underlying 3D concepts as well [...]
Pingback by infinite turtles » Blog Archive » Away3D: The Essential guide to 3D in Flash released — June 1, 2010 @ 7:15 am
[...] through to advanced features such as bones animation and 3D text manipulation, using the latest 2.5 & 3.5 double release as its code base. Each chapter is packed full of examples that teach underlying 3D concepts as well [...]
Pingback by Away3D Flash Engine » First Away3D book: The Essential guide to 3D in Flash — June 1, 2010 @ 7:56 am
hey ya…
does prefab render the bsp/pvs tree automatically when one exports in awd format?
Comment by vicmara
— June 10, 2010 @ 11:06 am
it very good for beginer
Comment by pee
— July 1, 2010 @ 2:01 am
[...] (z.B. Vector) im Flash-Player 10, was bereits vom allseits bekannten 3D-Framework Away3d in der neusten Version 3.5.0 umgesetzt wird, ein enormer [...]
Pingback by Flash goes 3D @ werkraum blog
— July 9, 2010 @ 9:29 am
Hi
Im using the flash cs5 and when i try compile one of my tutorials the flash gives to me this error :
1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: Face.
1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: NGon.
1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: Vertex.
1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: UV.
anyone can help me? or tell me if the flash cs5 supports the Away3D?
thanks for all
Comment by tácio — July 28, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
The installer for prefab says “The application could not be installed because the installer file is damaged. Try obtaining a new installer file from the application author.”
It appears to be a well known problem. It occurs even when downloading the file to the local hd. I don’t know if others are having this issue. Many other air developers seem to be encountering the problem as well.
Comment by Nathan
— August 11, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
This looks amazing. I have just ordered myself a copy of The Essential Guide to 3D in Flash. Cant wait for it to come. Nice work.
Comment by Game Up
— August 12, 2010 @ 6:46 am