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Dim3

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dimension 3
Developer(s)Klink! Software
Stable release
v24 / July 2, 2014
Operating systemMac OS X;Microsoft Windows;iOS;Linux(requires compilation)[1]
TypeGame engine
LicenseMIT[2]
WebsiteKlink! Software

Dim3,also known asDimension 3,is a free andopen-source3Dgame enginecreated by Brian Barnes.[3]It has been chosen as a staff pick for OS X development software byApple.[4]and featured as one of their "hot game building tools."[5]dim3 has an entry in DevMaster's 3D engines database.[6]

dim3 usesOpenGLfor rendering,JavaScriptfor scripting,XMLfor data andSimple DirectMedia Layerfor resolution switching, input, and sound.

Components

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dim3 includes four applications: Engine, Editor, Animator, and Setup.

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 runs onMac OS X,Microsoft Windows,iOS,and can be compiled onLinux.All versions can play network games with each other.

The Editor is used to create levels 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 askeletal animationsystem. This makes character movement simplistic yet very realistic.

Setup is a utility that is used to change all other settings in the project, for example, the HUD, network, or particle settings.

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. All non-editor data is in standard formats:PNG,WAV,andmp3.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

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  1. ^Klink! Software."OS Downloads".
  2. ^"Google Code".
  3. ^Satterthwaite, Mark (2004-09-24)."Dim3: The making of a game engine".InsideMacGames.Retrieved2007-11-06.[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.
  4. ^Apple (2007-07-26)."dim3 Download".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-11.Retrieved2007-07-26.
  5. ^Cook, Brad (2007-07-26)."Game Building Tools".Inside Mac Games.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-16.Retrieved2007-11-08.
  6. ^DevMaster (2007-07-26)."dim3".DevMaster.Retrieved2007-11-08.
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