pptXTREME SoftShadow works by first outputting the selected objects to a bitmapped image.  That image is loaded into memory, processed with the appropriate settings and re-inserted into PowerPoint, then the animation settings of the original are transfered to the new object.  

 

The resulting object is a picture regardless of what object type was selected.  The original object is saved behind the scenes, so that you may revert and edit any text or other information that was lost in the conversion.

 

It is important to set your DPI settings correctly in order for pptXTREME to know what resolution to make the resulting bitmapped image.