

                README.TXT File
                README file for Real 3D V2 for Windows             
		Release notes for beta release 2.23.

                (C) Copyright Realsoft, 1993


Welcome to the fascinating world of Real 3D. This is the very first beta
release of the famous Real 3D for the Windows platform. In spite of that
the major parts of it have gone through massive preliminary testing and
a great number of astonishing animations have already been created with it 
even for commercial use. So congratulations for your purchase decision.
We truly belive you have made the right choice.

Some parts of the product have not been finished and many more will 
be implemented before the final version is released.
BY SENDING YOUR REGISTRATION CARD YOU WILL BECOME A REGISTERED BETA
TESTER AND WILL GET THE BETA UPDATES FOR FREE. You will also get many
other benefits, so register today.



Benefits of registering your copy of Real 3D
--------------------------------------------
As a registered Real 3D user you will get:

        * A special discount update offer for the production release
          of Real 3D V2 for Windows. The combined price of the beta release
          and the update is considerably less than that of the production
          version alone.
        * Access to Real 3D Customer Service
        * Direct notification of new versions and new products
        * Free program updates and support material through the BBS Service
        * Your ideas considered in the development of the program


Installing Real 3D V2 for Windows
---------------------------------
Real 3D needs services provided by Microsoft Win32S. Therefore you must
first install Win32S if not already installed. In order to run Win32S, you 
need Microsoft Windows 3.1 running in 386 Enhanced Mode with virtual memory 
setting set to use a swap file. Even if you have enough memory so that you 
do not need a swap file, Win32S does not work without one.

Installing Win32S

        1. Insert disk 1, containing installation files of Win32S in 
           drive A: or B:
        2. Chooce Run from the file menu of the Program Manager
        3. Type A:SETUP or B:SETUP
        4. Follow the instructions

Installing Real 3D

        1. Insert disk labeled 2 in drive A: or B:
        2. Chooce Run from the file menu of the Program Manager
        3. Type A:SETUP or B:SETUP
        4. Follow the instructions


Command line options
--------------------
The command line contains the names of the project files to be loaded 
and optionally the size for the Real 3D memory pool. This pool size
controls the maximum amount of memory Real 3D will use. If the pool size 
is not given, it defaults to 4 MB. The command line is entered in the 
program item properties. To change the command line, activate the Real 3D 
icon, choose Properties from the File menu of the Program Manager, then 
Enter the command line. If no project files are given in the command line, 
Real 3D reads a default project file 'startup.r3d' from the working 
directory (also defined in program item properties).

The syntax for giving the pool size is
        /M:n
where n is the size of the pool in bytes, eg. /M:4194304 defines a pool 
size of 4MB.


Programs in the beta release package
------------------------------------
REAL.EXE           --- Real 3D modeler / renderer
STDREAL.EXE        --- Stand Alone Rendering Engine (S.A.R.E.)
SHOWIMG.EXE        --- Image display utility
DXF2RPL.EXE        --- AutoCAD DXF to RPL converter
DCON.EXE           --- Animation builder
DPLAY.EXE	   --- Animation player

About the manual of the beta release
------------------------------------
This beta release is supplied with the same printed manual as the Amiga 
version of Real 3D. The production release of the Windows version will 
have a new manual.
There are some differences between the Windows and the Amiga versions, but 
we hope that the manual supplied will help you to use the program.

The terminology in the manual differs from the terminology of Windows.
For example, when the manual uses the term 'requester', a windows manual 
would use the term 'dialog box'. Similarly, an Amiga gadget is about the 
same as a windows control.


Reporting bugs
--------------

Please fill in the form below and fax to:
        Realsoft 
        +358 34 471 8533

or send it to us through BBS.

Please describe in detail the steps needed to produce the bug and how the 
bug affects the program. Also state whether the bug is repeatable or 
occurring randomly. If you are using some special hardware or software in
your system, don't forget to mention them.



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    B U G   R E P O R T	                              Date:    ___/___/1993    

    User: 
        Name: _____________________________________________________________
        Address: __________________________________________________________
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        Phone/fax:_________________________________________________________

    Program Serial Number:_________________________________________________

    Hardware:
        Computer model/CPU:___________________________________________
        Installed RAM:_____________
        Display card:______________________________________________________

    Software:
        Dos version:____________
        Display driver:____________________________________________________

    Description of the bug:
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Using the Dongle (hardware protection module)
---------------------------------------------
The dongle should be plugged to the LPT1 parallel port. The dongle has
markings to show which end will be connected to the computer. If the
dongle is not plugged properly, the program may start but will not
function properly.

Most printers can be connected to the computer through the dongle and
used when the Real 3D is not in use. If a printer is connected and the
program fails, please check that the power to the printer is on.
If turning the printer on does not correct the situation, the printer
must be disconnected from the dongle.


Using display cards
-------------------
This program is compatible with Microsoft Windows 3.1 in enhanced mode.
Thus all display cards that have a driver for Windows 3.1 should
function with Real 3D.


Stand Alone Renderer
--------------------
The stand alone renderer will accept the command line parameters
given in its program item properties. The amount of memory that
will be used by the stand alone renderer can be set by adding
a line like the following one in your autoexec.bat file:

    SET REALMEM=8000000

where 8000000 represents the maximum memory (in bytes) for the
stand alone renderer.
The stand alone renderer can be used for rendering any RPL scene or
animation. It accepts the following command line switches:
        -r        renders the RPL file following the switch
        -p        plays the animation rendering all the frames
        -l        loads the RPL file following the switch

The stand alone renderer will support many new features including
distributed rendering in the future.


The Visual Time Line Interface
------------------------------
The TimeLine window allows interactive editing of the object time lines,
i.e. the frames where the object is activated and deactivated can be
changed by dragging the object's time line. This provides the user with
a graphical interface to the animation system.

Using context sensitive help
----------------------------
In order to use context sensitive help for menu selections move
the mouse pointer over the menu item desired and press F1.
Help for key binding can be found from the Help menu.

The fractal landscape generator
-------------------------------
This release of Real 3D has a new fractal landscape generator.
The following replaces the manual entry for the fractal landscape
generator.

Create a mesh representing a fractal 'landscape'.
DIALOG: Fractal Landscape
DEFINE: rectangle.

    Controls of the Fractal Landscape dialog:

    Size
        This field defines the resolution of the landscape mesh.

    Depth
        This defines the relative depth of the landscape to be created.
        The higher the value, the higher the profile.

    Addition
        If checked, turns random additions on.

    Sigma
        Initial standard deviation of the random number generator.

    H
        Determines the fractal dimension of the landscape. D = 3 - H.

    Power
        Defines the shape. If the value is large, mountain peaks are
        sharp and valleys are flat.  If small, then mountain peaks
        are flat and valleys deep. The value of 1.0 gives a normal
        landscape, where neither peaks nor valleys are flattened.
        
    Seed
        Seed value for random number generator. Using identical seeds
        allows identical landscapes to be created.



Known bugs and features under development
-----------------------------------------
- A new high level interface to the animation system is under construction.
- Key framer is under development. Currently the only way to use
  key framing is to use morphing methods.
- Frame based interface has not yet been implemented throughout the
  animation system.
- JPEG support will be added.
- ShowImg utility sometimes does not use correct palette.
- Not all short cut keys work, for instance the short cuts that use Ctrl
  or Alt combinations do not work due to limitations imposed by Windows.
  The short cut system will be redesigned for the production version.
- The example projects of the tutorial are not all included in the beta 
  package. They will be available later through our BBS.
- On-line context sensitive help does not yet contain all topics.
- Select window sometimes behaves incorrectly. If you have more than 1000
  objects at any hierarchy level, only the first 1000 are shown. In order 
  to access remaining objects, use radio buttons or 'Name' to get rid of
  unnecessary ones.
- It is necessary to have at least one Select window open in order to
  have key short cuts to function.
- The palette dialog will be changed to a modeless window so that it
  can be left open.
- The tool icons will be fine tuned and speed optimized.
- The wire frame line type of light sources will be dashed line.
- When you render to a file, make sure that the base name of the file
  (given in the Render Settings dialog of the view window) plus the index
  are no more than 8 characters that is the maximum file name length under
  MS-DOS.
  E.g. If the index string (defined by the Format field of the Animation window)
  is '%04d.bmp' and file name is 'images\test', then the first frame
  will be rendered as 'images\test0001.bmp', which is a valid file name.
- When the parallel projection is selected for a view window, some
  primitives, e.g. cubes, are not fully visible while creating or modifying. 
- With some display drivers extremely zoomed in objects may cause Windows 
  to crash due to hardware clipping limitations.
- Modify/Freeform/Delete and Modify/Freeform/Insert might not work 
  correctly if more than one point or curve of the freeform object is selected.
- Meshes containing more than 65535 points crash the program.
- Ram animation converter and viewer (DCON and DPLAY) are at a very prelim-
  inary state. The file format will be changed in the future and the programs
  will gain more functionality. However, you can use them for rude preview
  purposes. In order to use them:
	1. render an animation by using 8-bit BMP format. Use 'Fixed rnd int'
	   dithering.
	2. start DCON and enter the name of the input files and target file.
	   Click Convert. When the conversion is ready, click Cancel.
	3. Start DPLAY and enter the name of the animation file.

  Command line syntax of DPLAY:
	DPLAY [/rn] [/f] [deltafile]
	/rn defines animation repeat count (eg. /r3 = repeat thrice)
	/f uses a faster animation play mehtod, but this does not work
	   for all animations (try and see what goes)

 NOTE: The current delta format is somewhat memory consuming, so we
	recommend using it for animations of small sizes only (ie. small
	windows and few frames).


All these bugs will be fixed in the near future. All registered users
will get free beta updates.
