G3D Innovation Engine
Website:
http://g3d.sourceforge.net/
Developer:
Morgan McGuire
Launched:
Not specified
Status:
Active
Supported Platforms:
Windows, Linux
Languages Written In:
C/C++
Languages Supported:
C/C++
Graphics APIs:
OpenGL, DirectX, Software Renderer
Rating:
(1 review)
- Overview
- User Reviews
G3D is a commercial-grade 3D Engine available as Open Source (BSD License). It is used in games, tech demos, research papers, military simulators, and university courses. It can support real-time rendering, off-line rendering, back-end game server management of 3D worlds, and use of graphics hardware for general purpose computing.
- Screenshots
- Videos
Supported Features
General
- Object-Oriented Design G3D provides a set of routines and structures so common that they are needed in almost every graphics program. It makes low-level libraries like OpenGL and sockets easier to use without limiting functionality or performance. G3D gives you a rock-solid, highly optimized base from which to build your application.
- Fixed-function
Render-to-Texture
Environment Mapping
Lens Flares
Billboarding
Particle System
Sky
Water
Fire
Explosion
Fog
Mirror
The rendering contains both fixed function and pixel shader 2.0 pipelines. The PS2.0 pipeline contains parallax mapping, bloom, specular mapping, reflections, correct transparency, soft shadows, and other rendering effects.
Lighting
- Volumetric
Shadows
- Shadow Mapping
- Projected planar
- Shadow Volume
Texturing
- Basic
- Bumpmapping
Shaders
- Vertex
- Pixel
Meshes
- Mesh Loading
Scene Management
- BSP
- LOD
Animation
- Keyframe Animation Support for Quake II animated models
Terrain
- Rendering
Physics
- Collision Detection
Networking
- Client-Server
Artificial Intelligence
- Scripted
Licensing
| License Name | Price in $US | Source Code Included? | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSD | Free | Yes | View Details |
| G3D is made possible through donations funding from the user community, | |||
Great graphics engine
It is a very good cross platform graphics engine.
The best aspect about G3D is that it is quick and easy to compile without any bugs. Unfortunately, there is little documentation, at least currently. However, the developers provided a lot of help. I am using G3D instead of other engines because it doesn't take away control of the underlying rendering in OpenGL (or Direct3D). Instead, it provides classes and functions that assist you in such things as rotations, loading models, etc. that you wouldn't want to waste time writing yourself.
If you want to do other game engine functions, such as GUI or physics, than you will have to download utility libraries. G3D does provide cross platform networking though. Whether you want one game engine that provides everything, or want to mix and match libraries demends on your personal choice.
Having tried many other game and graphics engines, I strongly recommend G3D.
Last edited Aug 18, 2012 at 20:27
