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Create animated 3D Earth with satelite
Title : Creating animated 3D Earth with satelite.
Software : Swift3D v3.0 and v4.0.
Level : Intermediate.
Author : Minopharma
In this tutorial, I will learn all swishers how to make an animated objects in Swift3D with one point of rotation using the pivot point method!
Pivot Points
When you insert an object into your Viewport, it will automatically have a corresponding pivot point that is represented by a small red, green and blue cross hair located directly at the center of the object. This is a visual representation of that object's pivot point. When you rotate the object, this location will be the point around which your object will spin.
To adjust the pivot point's location you need to first go to the Position page in the Properties Toolbar. The four buttons along the bottom of the Property Page allow you to designate your relocation strategy.
Move Pivot Only will let you move the pivot point without having the object move, but when you move the object, the pivot point moves with the object. This setting works well for adjusting the pivot point of an object after it has just been created, or when the object has already been positioned.
Move Object Only will let you move the object without having the pivot point move, but when you move the pivot point, the object will move with the pivot point. This setting is good when you have established a specific location in 3D space for your pivot point and then need to position your objects accordingly.
Move Together will only let you move the object and pivot point together, so you cannot adjust their locations relative to each other. With this option selected (default) you won't be able to adjust the object's pivot point, but once you adjust the location of the pivot point using one of the other settings, this will lock it in place.
Move Independently will allow you to move either the object or the pivot point separately. Although this setting gives you the most freedom in positioning, you probably will not want it enabled once you have your pivot point’s location established where you want it because it's too easy to change their position by accident.
So, in this tutorial we'll make this steps:
1.Creating 3D photorealistic (authentic) model of Earth ( using and manipulating with sphere object).
2.Texturing the sphere (Earth) with method of bitmap texturing.
3.Creating a satelite ( Moon) and its texturing with the same method (bitmap texturing).
4.Manipulating with pivot points (making a point of rotation of the satelite - Moon).
5.Animating two objects (Earth and Moon).
6.Rendering your animation with the Raster method (photorealistic rendering) and Exporting the animation like *.swf file.
Let's start!
Creating 3D photorealistic (authentic) model of Earth ( using and manipulating with sphere object)
1.Open Swift3D and set the width and height of your scene to 640x480 pixels.
2.Use Sphere tool (primitives) to create a sphere object (see picture below).
3.Select your sphere in the properties panel and set the Longitude and Latitude for the sphere to 64 ( You will make smooth ball).See pictures below.
4.In the properties panel, click on the Object and add name for your sphere.For example Earth (see picture below).
5.Now using the Scaling Mode tool, we'll resize the ball , with draging to the center of the ball!With this operation you'll get the result like in this picture.
6.Now, save your project!
Texturing the sphere (Earth) with method of bitmap texturing
In this step we'll add a texture to our ball.So, If we want to make a photorealistic 3D model of Earth, we'll need a 2D photorealistic picture of the Earth.
Lets's start with texturing!
1.If your ball is still selected ( if it is not, select your ball in the front viewport), do this.In the main menu go to Setup/Materials.The Gallery Setup window is appear.See the picture below.
2.In the Gallery Setup window, in the Categories section choose Bitmap and press the Add Material... button (see the picture above).The Edit Material window is appear.Add name for the new material (for example: Earth) and in the Color section/Pattern combo box choose Bitmap Image .The windows browser is appear.
Now locate your picture of the Earth and press Import button to import your Earth texture.
Now, change the color of the Ambient (double click on the ambient field) in the Finish sector of the Edit Material window and click the ok button ( see the picture below).
With this we'll back to the Gallery Setup window.Select your imported texture (named Earth) in the Materials Panel and click Close button(see this picture).
3.The new texture is added to the material panel ( see bitmap texture tab).
4.Now, get your texture and make drag and drop to the ball.You'll make something like this.
Creating a satelite ( Moon) and its texturing with the same method (bitmap texturing)
1.Create another sphere, add 64 value for Longitude and Latitude in The Sphere properties and add the name for this sphere ( for example Moon).
2.In the picture above, You'll see that your new sphere (Moon) is greater than your Earth.To corect this and make the Moon smaller than the Earth do this. Click on the new ball in the front viewport to select it and with the right arrow on your keyboard move this ball to the right.
3.Now, select your ball (Moon) in the Top viewport and with the Scaling Mode tool, resize the moon (make it smaller than your Earth).
4.Now, right click over the Front viewport to activate it and with the left arrow key on your keyboard , move your Moon to the left (press key about three times).
5.To add the texture of your moon, see the steps above for adding bitmap textures( the same method )!
Manipulating with pivot points (making a point of rotation of the satelite - Moon)
1.By default , the pivot point (point of rotation of any object (primitives) in Swift3D, is located in the center of the target object.So, in our case, the pivot point of the Earth must to be in the center of the Earth and the pivot point for the Moon must to be in the same location ( in the center of the Earth).
To make this, in the Front viewport, select your Moon object and in the Properties/Position click on the button Move Pivot Only.
2.Right click with your mouse over the Front viewport to activate it and with the left keyboard button move the moon pivot to the left ( to the same location of the Earth pivot point - in the center of the Earth).Press left key arrow about 6 times!
Animating two objects (Earth and Moon)
1.In the Front viewport, select the Earth and in the animation panel, choose Horizontal Left animation ( drag it to the earth and drop it).Do the same action for the Moon, but choose the Horizontal Right animation.
2.Now, in the main timeline panel press the play button and test your animation!
3.In the Properties panel, click Environment and change the background color to black (Double click on the Background Color field)!
Rendering your animation with the Raster method (photorealistic rendering) and Exporting the animation like *.swf file
1.Now, goto the Preview and Export Editor tab, click on the Raster button and make this settings like in the picture below!
2.Render your animation and export it by pressing the Export All Frames button!
3.That's all.Now test your animation and enjoy! 
Note:In Swift3D, in the animation control panel, change the fps( frames per second) value (3-5), to make the real speed of rotation! 
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