Shade 3D
Encyclopedia
Shade is a 3D
modeling, rendering
, and animation
software program developed by E Frontier Japan
and published by Mirye Software.
and Windows. E Frontier, a Japanese software company acquired Shade from its previous owner ExpressionTools in the late 1990s. E Frontier later acquired Curious Labs, the developer of Poser and marketed Shade through a subsidiary E Frontier America. E Frontier America sold its directly owned assets to Smith Micro. Beginning in 2009, Mirye Software took over localization
and exclusive publishing
of Shade in the English language worldwide. Shade has an estimated 200,000 users worldwide.
based lines - a unique modeling method similar to bezier based vector editing tools such as Adobe Illustrator
and not available in some other 3D modeling applications. Shade also supports NURBS based modeling. Modeling in Shade is done with Metric or Imperial measurements selected making Shade useful for architecture.
The Professional version of Shade creates large renders. Shade 12 Pro renders up to 22528x22528. This render size is larger than the 12000x8700 IMAX
digital version theoretical display size. In print, a 1200dpi A3 document(11.7x16.5in/297x420mm) is 14032x19842.
The current Shade 12 supports a wide variety of popular formats including adobe formats(ai, psd, swf), movie formats(avi, mov, quicktime vr panorama, quicktime vr cubic, quicktime vr object), 3d formats(obj, lwo, 3ds, dxf, rib), video game digital asset formats(bvh, direct x, collada, collada animation, blue mars, second life), picture formats(bmp, targa, tiff, png, epix, hdr, openEXR), and format options with toon rendering on export (ai, swf) among others. This wide format support of popular application formats makes working between programs easier than usual.
Because of its history with the Poser
product line, some versions of Shade also incorporate PoserFusion, a file hosting solution rather than a direct file import solution. This allows Shade to maintain Poser specific features within the Shade rendering environment; it is possible to later edit the original Poser file and then see the changes reflected in the hosting Shade scene.
EX has been importing the Shade format directly for some time, it seems likely that Manga Studio
EX was used for print advertisement.
, new Polygon Modeling Tools, Hair Salon, Parallax Bump Mapping, improvements to PoserFusion, previewing and HDRI import and export.
Shade 10 was released on February 14, 2010. Shade 10 included significant integration features with online game and MMO content, including native export of Avatar Reality
Blue Mars
, COLLADA
and Second Life
.
Shade 12 was released in March 2011. Shade 12 includes a redesigned interface based on user feedback, upgrades to boolean operations, volumetric materials and lights, strengthened modeling(addition of photo modeling, sketch modeling, mirror modeling tools, and cage modeling), animated normal mapping, displacement mapping, subsurface scattering, preview rendering, stereoscopic, unlimited maps per mesh, and unlimited rendering nodes in standard and pro versions.
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
modeling, rendering
Rendering (computer graphics)
Rendering is the process of generating an image from a model , by means of computer programs. A scene file contains objects in a strictly defined language or data structure; it would contain geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information as a description of the virtual scene...
, and animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
software program developed by E Frontier Japan
E Frontier
was founded in 1999 and is a major developer and publisher of graphic design and consumer entertainment titles. E Frontier is based in Tokyo, Japan. E Frontier develops Shade 3D, a modeling, rendering and animation software on Windows and Mac OS X....
and published by Mirye Software.
History
Shade was first published in Japan in the late 1980s, making it one of the oldest 3D applications on Mac OSMac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
and Windows. E Frontier, a Japanese software company acquired Shade from its previous owner ExpressionTools in the late 1990s. E Frontier later acquired Curious Labs, the developer of Poser and marketed Shade through a subsidiary E Frontier America. E Frontier America sold its directly owned assets to Smith Micro. Beginning in 2009, Mirye Software took over localization
Internationalization and localization
In computing, internationalization and localization are means of adapting computer software to different languages, regional differences and technical requirements of a target market...
and exclusive publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
of Shade in the English language worldwide. Shade has an estimated 200,000 users worldwide.
Special features
Shade 3D supports polygon modeling, however all versions of Shade support curved surface modeling based on bezierBézier curve
A Bézier curve is a parametric curve frequently used in computer graphics and related fields. Generalizations of Bézier curves to higher dimensions are called Bézier surfaces, of which the Bézier triangle is a special case....
based lines - a unique modeling method similar to bezier based vector editing tools such as Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Adobe Systems. Illustrator is similar in scope, intended market, and functionality to its competitors, CorelDraw, Xara Designer Pro and Macromedia FreeHand....
and not available in some other 3D modeling applications. Shade also supports NURBS based modeling. Modeling in Shade is done with Metric or Imperial measurements selected making Shade useful for architecture.
The Professional version of Shade creates large renders. Shade 12 Pro renders up to 22528x22528. This render size is larger than the 12000x8700 IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
digital version theoretical display size. In print, a 1200dpi A3 document(11.7x16.5in/297x420mm) is 14032x19842.
The current Shade 12 supports a wide variety of popular formats including adobe formats(ai, psd, swf), movie formats(avi, mov, quicktime vr panorama, quicktime vr cubic, quicktime vr object), 3d formats(obj, lwo, 3ds, dxf, rib), video game digital asset formats(bvh, direct x, collada, collada animation, blue mars, second life), picture formats(bmp, targa, tiff, png, epix, hdr, openEXR), and format options with toon rendering on export (ai, swf) among others. This wide format support of popular application formats makes working between programs easier than usual.
Because of its history with the Poser
Poser
Poser is a 3D CGI rendering and animation software program optimized for models that depict the human figure in three-dimensional form, mostly used to pose and animate the figures in a similar way as a mannequin...
product line, some versions of Shade also incorporate PoserFusion, a file hosting solution rather than a direct file import solution. This allows Shade to maintain Poser specific features within the Shade rendering environment; it is possible to later edit the original Poser file and then see the changes reflected in the hosting Shade scene.
Workflow
As mentioned, the file import and export support does allow for an extremely varied workflow. By original design, canned Character modeling was done in Poser, those pose files were imported into Shade which could create the scene for the imported character. Shade could then rig, animate, render and export as a movie for video editing/compositing. As the comic book software Manga StudioManga Studio
Manga Studio is a software application for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows used for the digital creation of comics. It has been developed since 2001 by the Japanese graphics software company Celsys. It was originally distributed in the West by e frontier; since 2007 it is distributed by Smith...
EX has been importing the Shade format directly for some time, it seems likely that Manga Studio
Manga Studio
Manga Studio is a software application for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows used for the digital creation of comics. It has been developed since 2001 by the Japanese graphics software company Celsys. It was originally distributed in the West by e frontier; since 2007 it is distributed by Smith...
EX was used for print advertisement.
Versions
Shade 9 was released on January 5, 2009. Shade 9 introduced Particle Physics, Collision DetectionCollision detection
Collision detection typically refers to the computational problem of detecting the intersection of two or more objects. While the topic is most often associated with its use in video games and other physical simulations, it also has applications in robotics...
, new Polygon Modeling Tools, Hair Salon, Parallax Bump Mapping, improvements to PoserFusion, previewing and HDRI import and export.
Shade 10 was released on February 14, 2010. Shade 10 included significant integration features with online game and MMO content, including native export of Avatar Reality
Avatar Reality
Avatar Reality is a Honolulu-based game studio founded by Henk B. Rogers and Kazuyuki Hashimoto in December 2006. Rogers with Alexy Pajitnov is known for creating Tetris and introducing it to the world and especially to US markets, and Kazuyuki is best known for developing the game Final Fantasy...
Blue Mars
Blue Mars (video game)
Blue Mars is a 3D massively multiplayer virtual world platform currently in open beta. It falls in the general category of social virtual worlds allowing user-created content....
, COLLADA
COLLADA
COLLADA is a COLLAborative Design Activity for establishing an interchange file format for interactive 3D applications. COLLADA is managed by the nonprofit technology consortium, the Khronos Group....
and Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
.
Shade 12 was released in March 2011. Shade 12 includes a redesigned interface based on user feedback, upgrades to boolean operations, volumetric materials and lights, strengthened modeling(addition of photo modeling, sketch modeling, mirror modeling tools, and cage modeling), animated normal mapping, displacement mapping, subsurface scattering, preview rendering, stereoscopic, unlimited maps per mesh, and unlimited rendering nodes in standard and pro versions.
External links
- Shade Product Page (English)
- E Frontier (Japanese)
- E Frontier (English)
- Mirye Software (English)
- Shade Documentation (English)
- Shade Facebook Page (English)