3D Game Machine, by Virtually Unlimited SNC, is a C library for creating lightning-fast 3-D arcade games and interactive multimedia applications. 3DGM is different from other general-purpose rendering libraries, it is a turn-key system designed especially for games and provides a unique set of game-related features. It allows to easily create and manage large 3D worlds -- while rendering them extremely fast on all Macs.
It's loaded with features:
- easy-to-use high-level interface with only few function calls
- requires no prior 3D experience
- "virtual reality" 3-D worlds with full six degrees of freedom
- very fast rendering on 68k and PowerMacs
- low memory and disk requirements
- free-form texture mapping and mip-mapping
- flat-shading with material and light properties (emission, ambient, diffuse and specular)
- black and color fog simulation
- unlimited colored light sources (positional and directional)
- smart algorithms for managing very large 3-D worlds (suitable for flight-sims)
- solid collision detection
- parametric explosion and rebirth simulation
- fractal landscape generator
- special graphic modes for fast full-screen flicker-free animation
- full-screen display on any monitor size (even 21”!)
- dynamic hidden surface removal
- 3D data importing (3D MetaFile format, DXF and MiniCAD)
- convex, concave and reentrant polygons with unlimited vertices, and even holes
- shape and polygon picking
- fast multitrack sound playing (Pro version)
and much more...
It runs on all Macs:
Thought you needed a 16 Mb PowerPC to do 3D on a Mac? Think again! 3DGM is a general game development tool for the consumer market, it also runs on an entry-level color Macintosh -- even in low memory configurations -- and has been optimized for PowerMacs. It requires System 6.0.7 or later, 1 Mb of available RAM, and at least a 68020 processor. The Windows version is scheduled for early 1996. 3DGM libraries (68k integer, 68k+FPU, and native PowerPC) work with MetroWerks CodeWarrior C/C++, and Symantec ThinkC compilers.
It's very easy to use:
3DGM has a very simple high-level interface made of only 40 core function calls, so it's incredibly easy to learn (count about a day!). Furthermore, 3DGM’s tight error checking produces bug-free code in record time. The documentation takes less than a hundred pages, and comes with running code and tutorial examples. You can find documentation and source code examples on our Web and FTP sites.
• 3DGM v1.5 Professional: US$ 4500, 5 user license, includes most source code, a royalty-free license for 1 3DGM-based application and extended technical support (see 3DGM Pro documentation)
Note that these are special introductory prices, and are valid until January 1996 only.
• a freeware version with limited functionality will be distributed in December 1995. This version will not give the right to distribute applications using 3DGM, nor will it include technical support -- it is intended for evaluation purposes only.
• a freeware 3DGM Viewer will be available to view 3DMetaFile, DXF, MiniCAD, and 3DGM files in real-time will color shading, and will allow to save shapes to 3DGM's format. The source code of this modeler is available in the Pro version.
Want to know more?
To find more information about Virtually Unlimited or 3DGM (technical & ordering), you can save documentation from ChaosVR's "3DGM" menu. If you'd like to see other demos check our web page & FTP site, or contact us at:
Virtually Unlimited, SNC
24 Château-Banquet
CH-1202 Geneva/Switzerland
Internet: main@virtually.mcnet.ch
Compuserve: 100423,2721
Web: http://www.mcnet.ch/virtually
FTP: ftp.virtually.mcnet.ch/virtually
phone&fax: (+4122) 310-0806 (central European time)
