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The essence of the method I used was to create a 2-D GIF animation in Xara X first, using flat shapes, then export the 2-D shapes in each frame to Xara 3D 5 for extrusion and lighting, and further animation, then export single GIF images back into Xara X for selection and cropping, before exporting the final animated GIF.

Creating a 3D rotating piston engine tutorial ©2002-2003 Mike Simms

Here are the basic elements of the engine. The flywheel was covered in Part I of this tutorial last month (Guest Tutorial 26). The other elements are the pistons (which always operate at the same distance from one another), the connecting rods, and the cutaway view of the engine block.

 

Creating a 3D rotating piston engine tutorial ©2002-2003 Mike Simms

To maintain sizing and positional relationships when exporting to Xara 3D 5, two 1-pixel-sized points are placed top left, & bottom right of each frame.  When a shape is exported, the two points are selected as well, and all combined (CTRL-1) into one shape before exporting.

 

Creating a 3D rotating piston engine tutorial ©2002-2003 Mike Simms

Once the first three frames are created, the rest are simple reflections of an earlier frame. Saves a lot of time. Here are the 8 frames for the GIF animation.

NOTE: If you need a tutorial on how to create GIF animations in Xara X, see the January 2000 Xara Xone Tutorial.

 

Creating a 3D rotating piston engine tutorial ©2002-2003 Mike SimmsHere is what the 2D GIF animation looks like.

 

 

 

 

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