Phoenix 3D is an early 3D modeling program. It provides a palette of tools for creating objects and another for adjusting their position in 3D space. Rendering provides wireframe, hidden line, and shaded options, as well as combinations of these. Phoenix 3D can change its orthographic projections, and offers and interesting Explode Model command, which separates objects into pieces.
The first thing that you notice about Phoenix 3D is its $39.95 price tag. For the cost of a game, how good can this program be?
The answer is not too bad, even though Phoenix 3D is not a professional level CAD package by any standards. It is an easy-to-use graphics program that combines the best features of programs like Easy3D and Mac3D, with some additional capabilities that you wouldn't expect in a program of this price.
A variety of drawing tools produce basic three-dimensional shapes, such as cubes, spheres, polygons, pyramids, plus some two-dimensional primitives (with the glaring omission of lines). These shapes are pliable, and can be reshaped along any vertice, much like Mac3D. Click a button, and the Tool Palette slides away to reveal a View Palette that allows lighting and viewing vantage point to be specified.
There's a substantial selection of rendering modes: wireframe, hidden line removed, translucent (hidden lines appear as dotted lines), standard shading (facet lighting) and smooth shading. Using smooth shading with complex objects can take a while, but the program informs users of this fact before beginning the rendering, giving them the option to cancel the procedure.
Two light sources (referred to as Sun and Moon) can be activated for the various shaded view modes, and both of these can be moved around in space. Those lights' intensities, as well as the ambient light, can be fine tuned. A unique feature allows the lights to be locked on the model, allowing it to be moved in space without disturbing the lighting effects.
The documentation is quite compiete with full explanations of all the program's functions plus information regarding file formats (for programmers). An accompanying program lets you convert Phoenix 3D files into text files, to conserve storage space.
Phoenix 3D (Level One) does things that a program in its price category simply shouldn t. And at this price, it's more fun than a lot of Mac games.
Biedny, David. (October 1986). Phoenix 3D. MacUser. (pg. 38).
B. Keith McGreggor
Applications
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phoenix3d_dsk.sit
Emulating this? It could probably run under: 
Mini vMac
