Strata StudioPro is a 3D modeling an animation application.
New advanced modeling features in Strata StudioPro 1.5 are like a delightful candy coating on an already impressively versatile program, which retains its interface and core set of capabilities — and many of the same shortcomings.
Boolean modeling, the ability to use one object to subtract from or add to another object, is an important tool for creating complicated shapes. Strata's way of presenting Boolean modeling is straightforward. You select a pair of objects in a dialog box and choose one of three operations: Union, to weld the objects together; Subtraction, to carve out one object with the other; or intersection, to create a new object from just the intersection of the two objects.
One of the nice aspects of StudioPro's new Path Extrude extension is that you can specify different sizes for the beginning and ending shapes, perfect for creating a tubular shape that has one width at one end and a different width at the other, such as a saxophone. Unfortunately, the interface for creating an extrusion path is less than optimum: You need to switch among several dialog boxes and the modeling window.
Perhaps the most esoteric new addition, yet one with a lot of potential, is the Metaballs effect, which was introduced in Japanese 3-D modelers. Creating objects with the Metaballs effect is like having spheres of magnetic putty move into one another and melt to form new shapes. You can create wildly complicated organic shapes easily with this unique modeling method.You can also animate the Metaballs effect. But when compared to a fully realized Metaballs modeler, such as Palmsoft's MetaModeler (currently shipping in Japan), StudioPro is sorely lacking. For instance, you can't control the degree to which one ball pulls on another.
Other additions to StudioPro arethe Particle Morphing and True Morphing modules, which were previously available as add-ons. These extensions provide a reasonably workable set of morphing, twisting, tapering, and bending effects — with a slightly awkward interface.
Biedney, David & Nathan Moody. (June 1995). Strata StudioPro 1.5. MacUser. (pg. 49).