2 Replies Latest reply: Mar 2, 2011 10:28 AM by Andy Bay RSS

    AE 3D axis orientation is different from 3D programs?

    Andy Bay Community Member
    Andy Bay Mar 2, 2011 8:57 AM

      Here is something that has been bothering me forever:

       

      Is the AE x y z coordinate system aligned differently from 3D programs such as Blender or am I just stupid?

       

      In blender, the blue Z-arrow points up (vertically) in the front view. But in AE it's the green Y arrow that is pointing up.

       

      I really thought these were agreed upon standards (after all coordinate systems have existed way before any computer programs),  so it might be that I'm missing something here. Are the coordinate systems really different between AE and other 3D applications (like Blender)?

       

      Thank you!

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        • 1. Re: AE 3D axis orientation is different from 3D programs?
          Mylenium CommunityMVP
          Mylenium Mar 2, 2011 9:49 AM (in response to Andy Bay)

          Actually Blender is the odd one out here. Most other 3D animation programs use the Y is the world up axis. On the other hand, Z up is traditional in CAD since it is assumed that plans are drawn in the XY plane in the top down elevation. So in fact neither is wrong in the specific context. And image processing programs traditionally use XY with the origin in the top left corner because that is how CRT tubes work and how any image needed to be drawn in the dark ages of computer graphics, hence most image and video formats still use that today. And you are mistaken - there is no "standard" here, it's all tradition/ habitual use of these things....

           

          Mylenium

          • 2. Re: AE 3D axis orientation is different from 3D programs?
            Andy Bay Community Member
            Andy Bay Mar 2, 2011 10:28 AM (in response to Mylenium)

            Okay! Thanks for clearing that out Mylenium!