MONOLITH Compound 3D

Internally known as "WinRage" (Raycasting Algorithmic Graphical
Engine - Windows Version), the MONOLITH Compound 3D demo gives the
user the ability to move within our futuristic 3D environment.

MONOLITH's cross-platform "Rage" engine supports both bitmap and
polygon objects.  It will make use of WinG if it is available.

Future engine models will support texture mapped polygons, 
true light sourcing, and multiple shading options (including Gouraud
and Phong).

Hint: Use the Insert key to throw magic balls!

WinRage uses 32-bit code for the fastest execution under Windows.


"How 'bout a 3D engine with bitmaps AND polygons under Windows?"
"You guys can't do that."
"Yes we can."
"No you can't."

It was done.


Note: The program will not run properly if you are running Windows 3.1 and 
you do not have Win32s installed.  It will run flawlessly on all 32-bit
versions of Windows.

If you need Win32s, you can get it from MONOLITH's internet ftp site at
ftp.megamedia.com in /pub/windows/utils directory.  The filename is
W32S120.EXE (it's self-extracting).

Note: WinG is a Windows extension written by Microsoft that allows
faster graphical throughput to the screen.

If you don't have WinG, but would like a copy, you can get if from
MONOLITH's internet ftp site at ftp.megamedia.com in the
/pub/windows/utils directory.  The filename is WING10.ZIP.

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Quick overview of RAGE Tech Specs
=================================

The RAGE engine renders fully scaleable textured 3D worlds.
From herein, the term 'engine' will be used to describe RAGE.


Requirements:
-------------

  Hardware
  --------
	
    - 32-Bit platform capable of performing 64-bit dual register
      multiplies and divides.


  Software
  --------
	
    - Owner produced code to block-transfer a frame buffer to an
      output device (e.g. monitor)


Code Features:          
--------------

  - C++ object based code.

  - Encapsulated design.  

  - Cross Platform (implemented version is non-optimized, to
    achieve correct and optimal output, minimal platform dependent
    optimization will have to be done).       
	
  - Object movement and placing facilitated by easy to use API.

  - New object types can be created just by deriving from a base
    object class.

  - Incorporation of the engine will incur little development time.


Engine Features:
----------------
	
  - High speed rendering to any sized frame buffer! 
	
  - Wrap mapping to walls, ceiling and floors.
	
  - Region light sourcing.
	
  - Bitmap objects (static and animated).
		
  - Polygon mesh objects (currently flat shaded with global light
    source).

  - Walls of any angle and length.

  - Floors and ceiling of any height.

  - Solid, Transparent and backdrop rendering techniques for walls,
    floors and ceiling.

  - Objects affected by gravity.  


Utilities:
----------
	
  - WinMap, a map editor that runs under Microsoft Windows 3.1 with
    Win32s.

  - Build, a utility to place, position and orient objects, bitmaps
    and wall textures (also runs under Windows 3.1 with Win32s)
	
  - .DXF file converter (from 3D-Studio generated DXF's containing
    one POLYLINE entity).
	
  - .PCX converter to batch convert .PCX graphics files to the format
    used by the engine.

  - Resource management tools to merge files into one main resource
    file (propriety format).


  Note: All utilities were developed using Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
  Workstation. There are both NT and DOS versions available.


Coming Soon:
------------

  - Surface polygons on floors, ceiling and walls, allowing images
    to be 'pasted' onto the surface.

  - Vertex light sourcing, allowing Gouraud shading across textured
    surfaces.

  - Gouraud shading on polygon objects.
	
  - Texture mapping on polygon objects.

  - Gouraud or Phong specular light models combining real time texture
    mapping on polygon objects.


Implementation:
---------------

The RAGE engine is available in source code format. To use the engine,
the source files must be included in the current project. There is very
little code that needs to be written by an engineer in order to get a 
simple world up and running. The utilities supplied will build the
world, the engine will render that world. 

This technology is licensable.


More Information:
-----------------

For more detailed information about this and our other high performance
graphic engines, please contact us at:

MONOLITH Inc.
16541 Redmond Way, Suite 348	
Redmond, WA, 98052-4482
(206) 488-9119

email: monolith@megamedia.com
  ftp: ftp.megamedia.com
  www: http://www.megamedia.com
