Reality Lab

3D computer graphics API

Reality Lab was a 3D computer graphics API created by RenderMorphics to provide a standardized interface for writing games. It was one of the main contenders in the realtime 3D middleware marketplace at the time, alongside Criterion Software's RenderWare and Argonaut Software's BRender.^[1]

Reality Lab was a scene graph API providing real-time rendering that would run with acceptable performance on graphics cards or the host computer's CPU.^[1]

Founded in 1992 by Servan Keondjian, Doug Rabson and Kate Seekings, RenderMorphics was purchased by Microsoft in February 1995^[2] and Reality Lab formed the basis for Direct3D.^[3] Microsoft's acquisition statement of RenderMorphics contained a description of Reality Lab:

"RenderMorphics' flagship product, Reality Lab(TM), provides high-performance 3-D graphics technology for a variety of personal computer-based games and multimedia applications. Reality Lab has been acclaimed by a wide range of developers, including Autodesk, Creative Labs, Kaleida Labs and Virgin Entertainment."^[4]

Architecturally Reality Lab was then separated into a low layer immediate mode API and layered upon it the original scene graph API which was afterwards called retained mode API.^[5] Direct3D shipped for the first time in the DirectX 2.0 SDK in June 1996.

References

^ ^a ^b "Reality Lab: fast 3D for games developers". NEXT Generation. February 1995. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
^ Qube Software - Servan Keondjian and Doug Rabson founded Qube after leaving Microsoft.
^ Crushed By Microsoft
^ DeMaria, Rusel (2019). "12. 3D Wars". GAME OF X V.2. CRC Press.
^ Ozer, Jan; Seltzer, Larry (December 5, 1995). "Using Windows 95's Direct SDK Access". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2022-08-28.

Drummond, Michael (November 2000). Renegades of the Empire: How Three Software Warriors Started a Revolution Behind the Walls of Fortress Microsoft. California: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-609-80745-3. Covers the early years of DirectX development within Microsoft, including the acquisition of RenderMorphics.

Game engines (list)

Proprietary

1980s	Filmation Freescape Gold Box SCUMM
1990s	3D GameStudio Clickteam Dark Engine GameMaker Genie Engine GoldSrc Jedi LithTech Mugen Pie in the Sky Reality Lab RenderWare RPG Maker Sim RPG Maker Unreal Engine Virtual Theatre Voxel Space Zero Zillions of Games
2000s	Anvil C4 Engine Chrome Engine CryEngine Crystal Tools Diesel Ego Essence Engine Euphoria Flare3D Frostbite Gamebryo GameSalad HeroEngine IW Leadwerks Marmalade MT Framework PhyreEngine Q RAGE Retro Engine SAGE Shark 3D Silent Storm engine Source Titan Unigine Unity Vicious Engine Vision Visual3D Game Engine
2010s	4A Engine Amazon Lumberyard Bitsquid Buildbox Construct Creation Engine Decima Defold Felgo Fox Engine id Tech 5 id Tech 6 Ignite Kynapse Luminous Engine Nvidia GameWorks Panta Rhei Pixel Game Maker MV RE Engine Snowdrop Stencyl Source 2 UbiArt Framework
2020s	id Tech 7

Free and
open-source

1970s	Z-machine
1990s	Adventure Game Studio Build Crystal Space Doom engine Game-Maker OHRRPGCE Quake engine Quake II engine Stratagus
2000s	Away3D Blender Game Engine Bork3D Game Engine Cocos2d Dim3 Game Editor GDevelop id Tech 3 id Tech 4 Irrlicht Engine jMonkeyEngine Lightweight Java Game Library Löve OGRE Open Wonderland Panda3D Papervision3D Plasma Platinum Arts Sandbox Pygame Ren'Py Scratch Solar2D Spring Engine Thousand Parsec Torque Vassal Engine Wintermute Engine
2010s	Delta3D Godot GPUOpen Horde3D libGDX Moai OpenFL ORX PlayCanvas Raylib Snap! Stencyl Stride
2020s	Open 3D Engine