Reality Lab
3D computer graphics API From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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