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Dimension 3 Developer(s) Klink! Software Stable release 3 beta 14 / 2010 Operating system Mac OS X (creation and deployment); Microsoft Windows (deployment only)[1] Type Game engine License Freeware[2] Website Klink! Software Dim3, also known as Dimension 3, is a freeware open-source 3D game engine for Mac OS X created by Brian Barnes.[3] It has been chosen as a staff pick for OS X development software by Apple.[4] and featured as one of their "hot game building tools."[5] dim3 has an entry in DevMaster's 3D engines database.[6]
dim3 uses OpenGL for rendering, OpenAL for audio, JavaScript for scripting, XML for data and Simple DirectMedia Layer for resolution switching and input.
Components
dim3 includes three applications: Engine, Editor, and the Animator.
The Engine is the deployment application that runs games created in dim3. The games (or "projects") are cross-platform and only require the proper engine to run on the proper platform. The engine was made an runs on Mac OS X and also on Microsoft Windows and Linux (though the Linux port is outdated.)
The Editor is used to create Levels (video gaming) by importing various 3D models into it. The Editor is capable of per-pixel lighting, bump and specular mapping, real-time lighting and/or baked lighting, particles and other special effects, skeletal animation, and customization through javascript.
The Animator is used to add loop animations and effects to models used with dim3. The Animator is used to add bones, setup poses for the bones, and to combine those poses into animations. The Animator uses a skeletal animation system. This makes character movement simplistic yet very realistic. The Animator, nor the engine, is capable of performing rag-doll physics (the physics simulation capabilities are almost nothing).
A data folder, representing the game, contains all the maps, models, artwork, sounds, and scripts required to create a game in dim3. Each game is self-contained in up to 3 data folders, though only one is actually needed. A demonstration "game" is added to dim3, though it is not really a game in itself but shows most of the engine's capabilities.
References
- ^ Klink! Software. "OS Downloads". http://www.klinksoftware.com/.
- ^ Klink! Software. "License". http://www.klinksoftware.com/freelicense.html.
- ^ Satterthwaite, Mark (2004-09-24). "Dim3: The making of a game engine". InsideMacGames. http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=312. Retrieved 2007-11-06. "[Brian] has endeavored to make Dim3 as versatile and flexible as possible while still remaining true to his other fundamental principle: it has to be free to use."
- ^ Apple (2007-07-26). "dim3 Download". Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20071011203311/http://apple.com/downloads/macosx/development_tools/dim3.html. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
- ^ Cook, Brad (2007-07-26). "Game Building Tools". Inside Mac Games. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20071016121727/http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2005/08/gamebuildingtools/. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ DevMaster (2007-07-26). "dim3". DevMaster. http://www.devmaster.net/engines/engine_details.php?id=292. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
External links
- Dim3 website Official Web Site
- Dim3 forum Official Forum
- Google Code for dim3
- Dim3 Wikia
Categories:- Free game engines
- Mac OS X software
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