Genesis3d is a Wild Tangent product. Please visit the Genesis3d web site for more information.

Introduction

Genesis3d is a 3D rendering engine that target the independent game developer market. It comes in a package including a SDK (Software Development Kit) with binaries and source code (C/C++ platform), a set of tools described below, a demo software (GDemo) and a playable demo (Gtest), both with source code. The Genesis3d package is released under an "open source project" license. Please read the license included in the package. An active developer's community you can find on the Genesis3d web site supports the open source project.

The current version of this package is 1.1. No future version of this package is forecasted so far.
However, 3 other official projects are issued directly or indirectly from Gensis3D:
WildTangent Web Driver, Jet3D and the latest Destiny3D.
 
 

Description of the Genesis3d package

The Genesis3d SDK (Software Development Kit) contains the dll files that allow you to develop your own 3D application. It also includes the 3D rendering engine in a Visual C++ project form.
This VC++ project is made of the whole source code and libraries that Eclipse used to compile the engine. What does this mean for you? The ability to modify the Genesis3d engine to improve or customize it according to your needs (please, read the included license about engine modifications).
Source code location: ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Source.
Binaries location: ..\Genesis3d.

Actor Studio (AStudio.exe) is a tool that allows you to convert the actors you created with 3DStudio Max (v2.5 or 3.0) or other 3D modeling software in the Genesis3d actor file format (.act). You also can include motions, skins and materials.
Source code location: ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Tools\mkactor.
Binaries location: ..\Genesis3d.

Actor Viewer (ActView.exe) allows you to visualize the Genesis3d actors and to play their animations.
Source code location: ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Tools\ActView.
Binaries location: ..\Genesis3d.

Texture Packer (tpack.exe) allows you to edit a Texture Library (.TXL files; the default texture library is located in "..\Genesis3d\Levels\gedit.txl"). You can also drag and drop new BMP textures inside Texture Packer in order to add your own textures and create your own TXL texture libraries.
Source code location: ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Tools\TPack.
Binaries location: ..\Genesis3d,
                            ..\Genesis3d\Levels (for TXL files)

World Editor (gedit.exe) is the world builder editor. It allows you to create the virtual 3D world your application will load. You will build the 3D world geometry, set the lights, actors, models, program their different motions... etc.
Source code location: ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Tools\Fusion2,
                                   ..\Genesis3d\Open Source\Tools\TPack.
Binaries location: ..\Genesis3d.
 
 

How do I go from Genesis3d to my 3D Game?

You will need to create actors, textures, 3D worlds, music and to program the "logic".
To build actors, you will need a 3D modeling software. The most obvious solution is 3DStudio Max 2.5 or 3.0 because Genesis3d have some 3DS Max/Genesis3d file converters. The second reason is because 3DS Max is one of the best 3D modeling/animation software on the market (this is my
opinion). A cheaper solution is to visit Klaus Zerbe's web site. There, you will find his TrueSpace/Genesis3d file converter and a free TrueSpace1.04 version modeling software. You can also use other 3D modeling software like MilkShape3D or Animation Master.

To create your textures, I would recommend using PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro. They have to be 8bit (256 colors) bmp format with a resolution of 32x32, 64x64, 128x128 or 256x256 pixels.

You will use GEdit to build your maps or levels. GEdit is generating BSPs map. BSP's are mainly use to create indoor maps. It doesn't include terrain generation for outdoor scene, but when you will be experienced enough, you will find some "tricks" to build areas that looks like outdoor scenes.
However, you can use some tools like GenSurf to create terrain for Genesis3D or, if you are a C++ guru, have a look at GenScape, a C++ implementation of terrain for Genesis3D.

Then, you will need a programming API to develop the program itself. Even if a few "wrappers" using other platforms exist out there, I recommend you to use Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 or later (notice that the earlier versions of VC++ will not work properly with Genesis3d). Wrappers are available for Borland C++Builder and an ActiveX implementation of Genesis3D allows you to use it in Visual Basic for example.

GTest is an example project that covers most of the aspects of Genesis3d programming. This project is located in ..\Genesis3d\src. You will find also a few examples, smaller and maybe better for beginners, like ProjectX or ProjectZ in the Genesis3d forum.