3D CONSTRUCTION KIT

9. CREATING AND EDITING YOUR FIRST OBJECT

First the existing data file must be cleared from the VIEW window. If you are using a 128K version of the 3D Kit move the pointer up to the MENU SELECTOR and move along to the FILE menu. Move the pointer down until NEW is highlighted and press the fire button. An ALERT BOX will appear warning that all current data will be lost if the operation continues. Select OK and after a few moments the VIEW window will clear revealing an empty area. Non 128K users will have to reload the Editor.

Now move the pointer to the SHORTCUT icons and select CREATE. These icons will now be replaced with a further set of icons each showing a particular type of object for you to select. Move the pointer to the CUBE icon and select it. A cube will now appear in the VIEW window. Note that the SHORTCUT icons reappear once the cube has been created.

Next select the SHADE icon and you will see that a list of objects appears on the upper left of the screen. At present it should show:
EXIT
001 ENTRANCE
002 CUBE

Select the CUBE. The screen should now change to show the SHADE PANEL. To the left of the SHADE PANEL you still see six numbered rectangles which represent the six sides of the cube, showing their current shades. To colour the cube, select the side you wish to shade with the cursor, by highlighting the values to the right of the shaded rectangles numbered one to six. These values correspond to the value of the shade shown as 16 shaded boxes numbered 0 to 15, on the right hand side of the panel.

Select a face and type in a number then press RETURN (or ENTER) to alter its shade to shade. Repeat this process until all six of the rectangles are coloured to your choice. You will also note that at the same time the cube in the VIEW window is also being coloured. Entering 0 will make a side invisible.

Now we will edit the cube. Move the pointer to the OK icon and press the fire button. The SHORTCUT icons will now reappear. Move the pointer to the EDIT icon and press the fire button to select it. Now select CUBE 2 from the object selector list.

The EDIT window shows five different groups of icons, POINT, TURN, SHRINK, STRETCH and MOVE. The POINT icons will not function on cubes and rectangles.

Move the pointer to the STRETCH icons and press the fire button when over the icon represented by an arrow pointing to the right. The cube will now stretch towards the right. SHRINK has the opposite effect to STRETCH.

Experiment a little with these icons until you are completely familiar with stretching, shrinking and turning/flipping the cube. Then try to bring the cube back to its original size (8,8,8).

When you have done this, move the mouse pointer to the OKAY icon and the SHORTCUT icons will reappear. Now move the pointer to the COPY icon. The item selector will appear in the usual way. Select the cube once again. You will now see that the cube has been copied in the VIEW window. This will be called CUBE 003. The new cube can be edited in the same way by selecting the cube from the item selector in the usual way.