The modern king of the entertainment industry, 3D games have usurped all other forms of media in terms of money-making — even the film industry. Just as an online viral video can spread like wildfire on YouTube, games with good press and a healthy dose of hype — say, for instance, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 — can see sales of over $1 billion in just a few months. Today, gamers demand a sophisticated level of presentation and technology in their games, and the industry has thus far been happy to oblige these high standards. In fact, so commonplace is the third dimension in entertainment that 3D free engines and games are even available for download on the Internet.
However, 3D games weren’t always so commonplace — games of the past were essentially 3D free, instead utilizing simple dot matrix pixel-based sprites to convey visuals. While these games were more simplistic, in terms of design, they were far less accommodating than today’s games, which are designed to be more inclusive to a broader audience.
How 3D Games Came To Be
Although the 3D movie has been around for a while, video games are a relatively young industry. Early arcade games of the 1980s attempted to simulate three dimensions using simplistic wireframe vector graphics. In the 90s, PC shooting games played from a first person perspective (FPS), like Doom, became popular by almost getting it right, creating the illusion of 3D free movement while only presenting a 2.5D perspective.
Nintendo, the company that lead the home console revolution in the 80s, also did much to usher in the new age, giving 3D free range to wow audiences with a string of revolutionary titles for their proprietary 64-bit system, the Nintendo 64.
How 3D Happens
Today, studios utilize advanced computer software for 3D games, namely Autodesk Maya and 3dsMax to generate 3-dimensional characters, like everyone’s favorite 3D girl, Lara Croft. This is done by using an artificial material referred to as a “polygon,” essentially a piece of geometry that can be manipulated in 3D free-space and enhanced to create complex 3-dimensional objects.
Fortunately, for those wanting to cut their teeth on cutting edge game technology but can’t afford the expensive price tag that goes with the tools used by pros, 3D free engines can be found on the net, so you can create your own 3D games!
