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Because to the enormous amount of rumors which have recently been spread about Warp3D and because most
of them did not contain a grain of truth, the authors of Warp3D have decided to provide a quick introduction to
the project. The work is still in progress, there will be no further information and we will not answer any questions
until a later point in time.
Project "Warp3D"
The 'Warp3D' (W3D) project is a piece of software that allows applications access to 3D hardware. The software
comes with a driver package (similar to the Picasso96 graphics driver
software) that allows access to any 3D hardware that is available. Warp3D provides a well-defined interface between
the application and the driver, implemented as a shared library. This enables every application that uses the Warp3D-API
to operate on any kind of 3D hardware for which a driver is available, including 3D hardware that will only become
available in the
future.
We intend to support every 3D hardware for the AMIGA which means that drivers will be developed as soon as information
on the respective hardware becomes available.
Warp3D will work on both CyberGFX and Picasso96 systems and will be available for 68K- as well as PPC-applications.
The PPC version will also be a shared library and can be used by WarpUp applications.
We wish to stress that W3D is not an OpenGL implementation (like some rumors suggested). However, Warp3D will allow
OpenGL implementations to benefit from the 3D hardware acceleration
Currently the OpenGL-compatible 3D graphics library 'StormMESA' is being adapted to Warp3D and will finally bring
hardware-accelerated OpenGL to the AMIGA. The StormMESA
implementations (GL, GLU and GLUT) will be provided in the form of shared libraries.
The combination of PPC, 3D hardware, OpenGL and a 3D driver package will enable the AMIGA to reach a performance
in three-dimensional graphics applications that is currently
reserved for PCs and game consoles.
Planned release: November 1998.
Warp3D will be freely available under the single condition that Warp3D must not be utilized by software
that was created illegally by unauthorized persons. "Piracy is theft"
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© 1998 HAAGE & PARTNER Computer -