Re: 3d engine
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Hi Tone.
The only 3D engine I have actually used is Morfit.
I have looked at quite a few recently. My own belief, based simply on =
the demo's=20
supplied by the engine creators is.....
1. Genesis is the fastest. It is also open source and they have a good =
free usage license.
You can use it for full commercial purposes from memory but if you =
make changes to
the engine you must post your changes. API looks ugly though.
2. Crystal Space. I liked the look of it. Although I did not find it =
really fast (FPS on screen
seemed low but perhaps it was not using 3D hardware?) it was =
visually quite impressive.
3. Auran Jet. Many say this is the next big thing but I was unimpressed =
with the demo's
or the speed. The demo's are simplistic, or include a highly =
complex, single model. The
model which seems to have *lots* of poly's, looks nice but is =
totally at odds with good=20
game design. The single model on a huge expanse of green looks like =
lazy coding to me.
4. True Vision. I didn't look at this much, which probably means the =
demo's did not
impress.
5. Revolution 3D....didn't work under Win2K (why does everything related =
to VB cause me
pain under 2K?). I am going to try this one under W98, simply =
because the screen shots
looked so nice.
6. Morfit. Morfit is still my personal favourite. It is fast enough for =
my needs and it *easily* has
the best API of all the engines. It is very easy to use. The tools =
are OK (although a little
buggy). I have had a couple of thousand poly's on screen (333 =
Celeron - 3D card) under=20
Euphoria without doing any culling, although the engine does tend to =
alter frame rate plenty
under these circumstances. I believe a system of polygon / group =
disabling at distance to
reduce the poly count (easy functions in Morfit to do this) is =
required (using any engine...).
Also keeping high poly models only for close render and using low =
poly count versions of=20
models at distance is a good technique. To remove jerkiness it =
should be possible to get
the engine render duration (again easy) and modify turn and move =
increments.
On the topic of 3D builders, Morfit WB is OK for constructing the =
worlds, but you really need
a method of building your models. Most people seem to use (pirated!) =
versions of MAX. If, like
me you don't like using pirated software to make your software, then a =
great alternative is
AC3D. It doesn't export 3ds but it is possible to do the following to =
get your models into Morfit
AC3D -- > DXF
DXF -- > 3DS (using "Crossroads" convertor)
3DS -- > Morfit World (using Morfit's own 3DS -- > World =
convertor.....part of V4)
(** then do a poly reduction using Morfit World Builder **)
I have created a rather good Battleship Bismarck (if I do say so =
myself!) using this method.
I have plans for a naval war sim.=20
Hope all this helps and sorry for the rambling post.
Mark =20
____________________________________________________________
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi Tone.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The only 3D engine I have actually used =
is=20
Morfit.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have looked at quite a few recently. =
My own=20
belief, based simply on the demo's </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>supplied by the engine creators=20
is.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1. Genesis is the fastest. It is also =
open source=20
and they have a good free usage license.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> You can use it for =
full=20
commercial purposes from memory but if you make changes to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> the engine you must =
post your=20
changes. API looks ugly though.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2. Crystal Space. I liked the look of =
it. Although=20
I did not find it really fast (FPS on screen</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> seemed low but =
perhaps it was=20
not using 3D hardware?) it was visually quite =
impressive.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3. Auran Jet. Many say this is the next =
big thing=20
but I was unimpressed with the demo's</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> or the speed. =
The demo's=20
are simplistic, or include a highly complex, single model. =
The</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> model which seems =
to have=20
*lots* of poly's, looks nice but is totally at odds with good =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> game design. The =
single model on=20
a huge expanse of green looks like lazy coding to me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>4. </FONT> <FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>True=20
Vision. I didn't look at this much, which probably means the demo's did=20
not</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =
impress.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>5. Revolution 3D....didn't work under =
Win2K (why=20
does everything related to VB cause me</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> pain under 2K?). I =
am going to=20
try this one under W98, simply because the screen =
shots</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> looked so =
nice.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>6. Morfit. Morfit is still my personal =
favourite.=20
It is fast enough for my needs and it *easily* has</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> the best API of all =
the engines.=20
It is very easy to use. The tools are OK (although a little</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> buggy). I have had a =
couple of=20
thousand poly's on screen (333 Celeron - 3D card) under </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Euphoria without =
doing any=20
culling, although the engine does tend to alter frame rate =
plenty</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> under these =
circumstances. I=20
believe a system of polygon / group disabling at distance =
to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> reduce the poly =
count (easy=20
functions in Morfit to do this) is required (using any =
engine...).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Also keeping high =
poly models=20
only for close render and using low poly count versions of </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> models at distance =
is a good=20
technique. To remove jerkiness it should be possible to get</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> the engine render =
duration=20
(again easy) and modify turn and move increments.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On the topic of 3D builders, Morfit WB =
is OK for=20
constructing the worlds, but you really need</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>a method of building your models. Most =
people seem=20
to use (pirated!) versions of MAX. If, like</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>me you don't like using pirated =
software to make=20
your software, then a great alternative is</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>AC3D. It doesn't export 3ds but it is =
possible to=20
do the following to get your models into Morfit</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>AC3D -- > DXF</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DXF -- > 3DS =
(using=20
"Crossroads" convertor)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3DS -- > Morfit World =
(using Morfit's=20
own 3DS -- > World convertor.....part of V4)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(** then do a poly reduction using =
Morfit World=20
Builder **)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have created a rather good Battleship Bismarck (if I do say so=20
myself!) using this method.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have plans for a naval war sim. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hope all this helps and sorry for the rambling post.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mark </DIV>
T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less.
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose.
<A
HREF=3D"http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01">http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01</A></PRE>
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