^C^1PLANE 3-D ^CBy Bert Denaci ^CAdapted for the IBM PC by Joel Ellis Rea "What in the world?" you might have said when you opened your BIG BLUE DISK package. Not only was a special bonus disk included, there was also a pair of red and blue 3-D glasses, the kind you might have used to read 3-D comic books or watch those horrid black-and-white 3-D movies. "What could these be used for?" you wondered. Well, the mystery is over. Those 3-D glasses are for viewing PLANE 3-D's graphics. Put them on while you run PLANE 3-D and try not to think about looking silly. After you enter a few variables, the program draws a prop- driven airplane on the screen. If you have your glasses on, the airplane will appear three dimensional. The variables we mentioned let you see a number of different views of the airplane. PLANE 3-D first asks if you want to see an "orthogonal" view of the airplane, or a "perspective" view instead. What's the difference? An orthogonal drawing does not try to show depth. Lines that are parallel stay parallel in a orthogonal drawing and do not appear to merge as they recede to the horizon. As a result, 3-D effects are not possible with a orthogonal drawing. A perspective drawing, however, demonstrates an illusion of depth. Parallel lines seem to come together as they run toward the horizon. Only perspective views will yield 3-D effects. You may also change the yaw angle, pitch angle, and roll angle of the airplane. You can also determine the scale of the drawing as well as the "stereo separation" factor. The program suggests some trial values that produce a view of the airplane that has a good 3-D effect. But of course you should experiment on your own to determine other views that also produce good effects. DISK FILES THIS PROGRAM USES: ^FPLANE3D.EXE ^FBRUN20.EXE ^FRETURN.EXE