You might wonder why someone would choose to do 3D in Flash when other programs might be more suited to getting 3D on the internet. Flash delivers small files, but once a lot of gradients are applied in Flash the files get much bigger. 3D has traditionally been used to create high-end photorealistic raster images. 3D is being used by many in Flash lately to produce less photorealistic vector images in 3D.

The problem with 3D and Flash has primarily been related to getting bitmap 3D into Flash and then converting it to vectors. Trace bitmaps just makes the files bigger. Some applications can now export 3D models as flash files ready to import into Flash. See my URL's list for plug-ins.

3D in Flash is really just a 2-dimensional projection of a 3-dimensional object creating the illusion of 3D and 3D movement. 3D is really just linear perspective.

We are all familiar with x and y coordinates, but in 3D there is not only an x and y, but also a z plane.

3D coders

There are also people who create 3D effects just with actionscripting code.:
Andries Odendaal
from: http://www.wireframe.co.za

Some individuals are making 3D engines in Flash:
Chris Glaubitz and Andy Foulds
http://www.andyfoulds.co.uk

download the engine in the movies section of FlashKit
http://www.flashkit.com