ON ZDNet:
Why can't Unix and Linux just get along?
Watch the Latest Show!
 |
 |
|||
 |
||||
As far as 3-D engines go, the Quake
engine was king in 1996. Striving to create an experience
that would out-Doom Doom, Carmack, with assistance from
Microsoft programmer Michael Abrash, added a z-axis
dimension, achieving a level of realism and speed never
before seen in a first-person action game.  With the new
technology, the player could now jump or aim up and down,
making it possible to sniper opponents from a great
height, or descend upon them in a commando style assault.
The Quake engine also overcame the obstacle 2-D character
models or "sprites," offering fully rotational
polygonal 3-D monsters instead. This combination of
realistic perspective and life-like 3-D dungeon-dwellers
created a hair-raising experience for the player who had
become completely absorbed in the reality of the Quake
universe. With the Quake engine, Carmack proved that he could provide the gears that could realize a vision. And by releasing the parts of the game's source code, he opened the door to let the gaming community fulfill their own visions in the form of customized maps, weaponry, and creatures.
|
||||
Take me to
related links
