[ Requirements & Installation ] [ Conceptual Overview ] [ The Part Editor ] [ The Geometry Editor ] [ Importing 3ds models ] [ Examples ] [ OpenGL Subsystem ] [ Inside the Part Editor ] [ Input Device Details ] [ Inside CoolPool ] [ Inside Lunar Lander ] [ Deploying Applications ] [ Resources and Links ]

Introduction to ST3D
What You Should Know
Installation
Known limitations
Support
Acknowledgements

 
Introduction to ST3D

ST3D is a toolkit for creating 3D applications such as games, simulations and model editors using Dolphin Smalltalk.

ST3D Features and Requirements
 

What You Should Know Before Attempting To Use ST3D

This guide assumes that the reader has a working knowledge of Dolphin Smalltalk. Click here for more information on Smalltalk and Dolphin Smalltalk in particular.
 

Installation

ST3D consists of approximately two hundred classes organized into the following Dolphin packages:

  • CC base image extensions – Method extensions to the Dolphin Smalltalk base image classes and various utility classes.
     
  • CC OpenGL Support – Wrappers for the OpenGL DLLs (Opengl32.dll and Openglu32.dll) and other OpenGL entities.
     
  • CC Scene Graph – The ST3D scene graph implementation.
     
  • CC Scene Graph Rendering - Classes responsible for rendering scene graph components.
     
  • CC 3D Editors – Classes used in the implementation of the ST3D Part and Geometry editors.
     
  • CC DirectSound Support – Wrappers and supporting classes for DirectSound interfaces and Windows MCI services.
     
  • CC DirectInput Support – Wrappers and supporting classes for DirectInput interfaces.
     
  • CC External Content Support - Classes used in the import of geometry and image data.
     
  • CC Dynamic - Classes used in the animation of scene graph nodes.


ST3D sample applications are contained in the following packages:

  • CC ST3D Examples – Simple applications that demonstrate basic ST3D concepts.
     
  • CC Pool – A 3D game of pool.
     
  • CC Lander – A lunar lander simulation.
     

ST3D does not modify any base system code. In some instances, however, base system classes are extended (i.e., methods added). To reduce the chance of conflict with future code from Object Arts or other vendors, these extensions are prefixed with the letters "cc". Similarly, the names of all classes defined by ST3D are prefixed with the letters "Cc".
 

Installation steps:

  1. Before proceeding, be sure to backup your current Smalltalk image (e.g., default.img and default.chg files).
     
  2. The ST3D folder (created when unzipping the self-extracting zip file) should be located somewhere within the "My Documents" folder hierarchy.  Move it to this location if it is not already there.
     
  3. Copy or move the file ccutils.dll, located in the ST3D folder, into the Dolphin Smalltalk 4.0 folder in "Program files".
     
  4. Start Dolphin Smalltalk. Open the Dolphin Package Browser and install package "CC 3D Editors.pac" located in folder "ST3D\Packages".
     
  5. At the end of the installation process, you will be asked if you wish to proceed with the default initialization of OpenGL. Answer "Yes". OpenGL initialization should take only a few seconds to complete. During OpenGL initialization, a test is performed to determine if hardware accelerated rendering is supported by the system’s display adapter and driver. If hardware accelerated rendering is available, a message box will appear asking you to confirm the use of the hardware accelerated format (Respond "Yes" to this prompt). If the test is inconclusive, you will be presented with a list of available display formats. If possible, select a format that provides hardware acceleration, double buffering: true, and 16 bpp.
     
  6. It is recommended that you install the example applications contained in package "CC ST3D Examples.pac" as well as the CoolPool and Lander demo games, contained in "CC Pool.pac" and "CC Lander.pac", respectively.
     
  7. At this point, installation is complete. If all went well, you should be able to open the Part Editor using menu item "Tools->ST3D->Part Editor". A new folder labeled "ST3D" should also be present in the Dolphin System Folder.

 

Known limitations and hints
  • Currently, it is necessary to close all OpenGL windows (e.g., Part Editor) before saving the image.
  • If the Dolphin "Panic" option is invoked to close all windows, be sure to run "CcRenderingContext reset" afterwards.
  • ST3D related scripts are available via "Tools->ST3D->ST3D Workspace".
  • It is generally a good idea to disable Windows’ "Show windows contents while dragging" (located in "Display Properties" on the "Effects" page of Windows 98). With this option enabled, OpenGL windows will be painted repeatedly as they are resized.
  • Setting the keyboard property "repeat rate" (See control panel->Keyboard) to "fast" (or near "fast") will result in faster camera movement within the ST3D Part and Geometry editors.
  • Make sure that that "Colors" on the "Settings" page in "Display Properties" is set to at least 16 bit color (a.k.a., "True color").
  • If it appears that OpenGL is no longer rendering display listed items, close all OpenGL windows and evaluate "CcRenderingContext reset".

 

Support

Support for ST3D is available via e-mail at support@creative-computing-inc.com.

Up-to-date information on ST3D can be found at www.creative-computing-inc.com.

 

Acknowledgements

I’d like to express my thanks to the following people for the invaluable assistance and feedback they provided during the development of ST3D.

Ian Bartholomew, Andy Bower, Oli Bye, Rodney Dowery, Tom Evans, Steve Harris, Luke Hayes, Matthew Hayes, Jon Hylands, Paul Martz, Blair McGlashan, Bill Schwab, Mikael Svane, Andrew Vesper, Eric Winger