3D Professional Terminology Interpretation Summary

3D API (3D application interface)

Application Programming Interface (API) application interface, is a large collection of many programs. The 3D API allows programmers to design 3D software just call its API program, so that the API automatic and hardware driver communication, start 3D chip powerful 3D graphics processing function, thus greatly improve the design efficiency of the 3D program. Almost all of the 3D accelerator chips have their own dedicated 3D API, currently widely used 3D API has DirectX, OpenGL, Glide, Heidi and so on.

Direct 3D

The API developed by Microsoft in 1996, which is compatible with Windows 95, Windows NT, and Power Mac operating systems, can bypass the graphical display interface (GDI) to directly support the underlying operation of the API's various hardware, greatly increasing the speed of the game, And is now basically free of charge. Because to consider compatibility with all aspects, DirectX use more trouble, in the execution efficiency is also not the best, in the actual 3DS max in the application of the effect of general, there will be display errors, but always faster than with software acceleration.

OpenGL (Open Graphics interface)

is a standard application interface for complex 3D graphic design developed by the IRIS GL by SGI Company. The feature is that it can be ported between different platforms, and it can also work in parallel on the client/server system. Efficiency is far higher than direct 3D, so the 3D game developers are preferred to use the 3D API. However, this makes many fine 3D games only support 3DFX Company's Voodoo series 3D accelerator card when it is launched, while the other type of 3D accelerator card waits for its manufacturer to provide the game patch. Because the game with the 3D accelerator card provided by the OpenGL library is incomplete, so the 3DS Max will also occur in the display error, but more than direct 3D better!

Heidi

Also known as Quick Draw, is made by Autodesk Company specifications. It is a pure immediate mode interface, can directly control the graphics hardware; You can call the hardware acceleration of all the display cards. Currently, applications using the Heidi system include 3D Studio Max Animation program, Auto CAD and 3D studio viz Software. Autodesk companies develop whip acceleration drivers for these software separately, so the performance is very obvious!

Glide

is a dedicated 3D API developed by the 3dfx Company Voodoo series. It is the first PC game domain has been widely used in the program interface, its biggest feature is ease of use and stability. With the rise of D3D and OpenGL, has gradually lost its original status.

Powersgl

It is the program interface of NEC PowerVR series chip.

3D Features: Alpha blending (alpha blending)

Simply put, this is a technique for making 3D objects transparent. The 3D objects displayed on the screen have three sets of red, green, and blue values in each pixel. If the 3D environment allows pixels to have a set of alpha values, we would say that it has a alpha channel. The content of the alpha value is the transparency of the recording pixel. This allows each object to have a different degree of transparency. For example, Glass will have a high transparency, and a piece of wood may have no transparency. Alpha blends This function to handle two objects superimposed on the screen screen, and the alpha value is taken into consideration to make it appear close to the real object.