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What is the "Game
Creation System"? |
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(Text
taken from a Pie in the Sky advertisement)
The
Pie 3D GCS is an integrated software package for non-programmers.
With
this program, the user can create a 3D action game which is
comparable
to DOOM, Wolfenstein 3D, Half-Life, Quake and more.
It is a set of software tools that allows you to create your own 3D action games with NO PROGRAMMING! It costs
$69.95. It includes a 3D world editor, a painting program for creating artwork, and
brand new 32bit Windows 95/98 3D game engine which uses Microsoft's Direct X/Direct 3D technology for super-hot graphics. But the best thing about the GCS is
that you can sell your games and keep all the $$$; You don't have to pay any
royalties or fees beyond the original purchase price.
'Pie in the Sky Software' has tried to retain a Windows-like (tm)
simplicity of the graphical user interface to minimize manual reading for
the user. Their goal was that the user should be able to build their first
level within minutes of installation.
So what does the GCS look and feel like? Basically when you
start it up, it looks much like a typical paint program. There is the standard
line of pull-down menus across the top of the screen, and a stack of tool
icons on the left side.
Click on the person icon to plop down enemies, or click on
the wall icon to add new walls, etc. When you want to pop into virtual
reality and walk around in your creation, simply click on the 'Test World'
icon. A minute or so later, you will be wandering about in your new 3D
world!
Of course you haven't yet created a finished product ready
for selling to your peers yet. To make your complete 3D game will take
some time. But the great thing about the GCS is that you won't have to
spend your valuable time learning how to program, or learning how to do
3D mathematics. 'Pie in the Sky' has done all of that part for you.
This leaves you the responsibility for the creative aspects
of game creation. You can dig right into the most rewarding part of product
development, and that is game design. Will you make a dungeon or a park?
How about a western town or a shopping mall? Any of these are possible.
You can use their included artwork to start right away, or get your own
images from public domain sources, or go wild with your hand scanner.
The Pie 3D GCS is an incredible and unique product. Not only
will you have fun creating your own 3D games, but you actually will be
able to sell your final product and earn some money back!
The Pie 3D Game Creation System consists of:
1.) Layout editor
2.) Paint program
3.) Smooth Scrolling 3D game
engine
4.) Optional use of MD2 objects, enemies and weapons
The layout editor is a mouse-driven program that handles almost
all aspects of creating your games. You work on one game level at a time
from the top view. You have a toolbar of icons to do the most common functions
like copying, rotating, placing walls, etc. In addition, there are standard
pull-down menus across the top of the screen.
From the layout editor, you can click on 'test level' to drop
into the 3D world to test your
layout and game play. Or you can design animation's, go into the
paint program, or browse your artwork libraries.
The second major part of the Pie 3D Game Creation System is
very important. Included with the GCS is a full featured image tool which
has been evolved over the years to be the ideal software for
creating or retouching images for 3D texture mapped games. The GCS PAINT
tool has a myriad of features that are just right for 3D purposes. You'll
find that when you start creating your virtual environments that image
resolutions, contrast, and pixel-blending are very important. GCS PAINT
contains these features in a very easy to use mouse driven interface.
GCS PAINT is easy to use for making low resolution bit maps
used in 3D texture mapped games such as the games created by the GCS. The
GCS can import 256 color images in .GIF, .PCX, and .BMP format.
So now you have heard about the world builder and the image
tools. What else is included with the Pie 3D GCS? The most valuable part
of the GCS has got to be the 3D game engine. A game engine is the software
that runs when the user is playing the 3D game. When you are running down
a corridor, blasting a mutant creature to death with a shotgun, the 3D
engine is doing a huge variety of complicated tasks. Each pixel on the
screen has to be read from some stored image and placed in exactly the
right spot on the screen. A typical screen has 20,000 to 64,000 pixels
on it, which is a lot of 3D calculations!
But that is only part of what a 3D engine does. It also must
decide which parts of the virtual world are visible, which are hidden behind
other walls or objects. It must make sure that the player and the enemies
can't walk through walls. It must keep track of all the gunshots or other
weapons activity, checking 3D aim, and if any objects are blocking the
path between weapon and target. It must control all the moving objects
in the game, from the burning torch to the sliding doors, up to the enemy
characters with their AI routines.
The Pie 3D Game Creation System includes a sophisticated 3D
engine which does all those tasks and more. But the truly amazing thing
is that when you buy the Pie 3D GCS, you have the right to distribute this
3D game engine WITH YOUR PRODUCT! That means that you don't have
to require that your customers buy our 3D engine before they can play your
game.
The software which will send to your customers will include
a special version of the game engine that will only work with your game.
The GCS takes care of creating the final product in a directory on your
hard drive.
The 100 page bound manual includes both a quick start for
those that hate manuals, and in-depth chapters for those who really want
to delve into the GCS's workings. With our new large-page format and easy
to read type, you won't get eyestrain, either!
3D Engine Features
* 256 color VGA or 24bit .BMP Texture mapped graphics
* 4 channel digitally mixed high quality
(17000 kHz) sound. Uses .WAV files.
* Texture mapped floor and ceiling
* Custom Lighting system for fading into the
distance, creating fog and lighting effects
* Walls at non-90 degree angles
* Tall/short walls possible
* Outdoor scenarios easily done
* Jumping: User can jump over obstacles
or up onto top of things.
* Walls with cutouts ( I.E. windows
)
* Walls with outer shapes ( like maybe
a bamboo fence with uneven top )
* Objects like trees which have shape
and look the same from any view angle
* Extremely flexible animated objects
that can respond to the player
* Lots of features for building complicated
traps or plot lines
* Raised platforms like cargo boxes
that the user can jump on
* Doors that slide open/closed and
optionally require keys for entry
* Customizable artwork for almost every
part of your game and game screen.
* Inventory system, and a variety of
standard inventory objects (can make your own)
* Each enemy can be given unique parameters:
gun power/alertness/damage/orders.
* Mouse/ Joystick support.
* Engine allows variable resolution
for your artwork.
* Elevators!
* Doors with thickness!
* Doors which go up and down!
* Head bob motion while moving!
* Multiple enemy types per level.
* Sound support for any sound card, Midi and CD music!
* 360 degree scrolling horizon backgrounds
Price: $69.96 + $4.00 S&H
Save up to $22 when you purchse the GCS!
More Info!
Click here
for some terrific screen shots!
Req: Win95/98, Pentium (160+ Recommended), CD-ROM, DirectX 6+, Mouse, Sound Blaster Compatable and 4 MB minimum 3D Video Accelerator Required.
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