3D RAD DOCUMENTATION - Resources to help you learn how to
make 3d games quickly! Free 3D game making made easy!

SAMPLE PROJECTS, TUTORIALS, ARTICLES	SOURCE DEMO PROJECT To open a project, launch 3D Rad, press [Ctrl]+[O]
GETTING STARTED
3D Rad overview | editor functions | hotkey list	-
Your first interactive project: tutorial	SimpleProject
Getting help on specific object's usage: video tutorial	-
NO modeling required! Making interactive projects with any 3d model from the Google 3D Warehouse: recommended technique	-
Understanding event-objects. Custom game logic without coding: article	-
Compiling projects to stand-alone executables or applets embedded into a web-page at your website	-
IMPORTING, USING CUSTOM 3D MODELS
The official tutorial about importing, rendering and enabling physics for your own 3d models.	-
WORKING WITH ANIMATED 3D MODELS (SKINMESH OBJECT)
SkinMesh object overview: video	-
Interactive/AI characters from your animated models: video tutorial	-
Walking character, using various controls configurations.	CharacterDemo CharacterNoMouseDemo CharacterJoystickDemo
Adjusting walking character speed	CharacterVariableSpeedDemo
Animation blending. Switching between different animation sequences (e.g. from walking to sitting down) smoothly	AnimationControls SkinMeshOneLoopDemo SkinMeshDemo
Frame-by-frame animation. 3D animation as a sequence of different static models	SkinMeshFrameAnimationDemo
Making a walking character (or a spaceship or anything else) follow a pre-defined path	SkinMeshPathDemo
Making animated characters carry objects, lights, particle emitters (e.g. torches) and trail sources	SkinMeshBoneDemo SkinMeshBoneLightDemo SkinMeshBoneParticlesDemo SkinMeshBoneTrailDemo
Controlling individual bones of animated characters, while the pre-defined animation plays	SkinMeshBoneControlDemo
Making fists, kicks of an animated character interact with the environment (per-bone collision detection, physics)	SkinMeshBoneRigidBodyDemo SkinMeshBoneControlRigidBodyDemo
CAMERAS, VIEW MODES
1St person, 3rd person and fixed view modes: article	-
Switchable view modes, simple demo project	SwitchableViews
Controlling camera orientation with the mouse	ControllingCameraOrientationWithMouse
Controlling camera zoom with the mouse wheel	ControllingCameraZoomWithMouseWheel
Making the camera follow a pre-defined path	CameraPath
Implementing split-screen games	SplitScreen
RENDERING, VISUAL EFFECTS
Simulating water with dynamic environment mapping, camera filters (post-processing) and other tricks	WaterDemo UnderwaterDemo UnderwaterCameraFilter
Imposters! Populating your scene with hundreds of thousands of polygons and multiple particle effects and lots of rigid-bodies with minimal performance loss, implementing explosion forces, creating/destroying volume triggers run-time and more!	SkinMeshImposters RigidBodyImposters SpriteImposters ParticleImposters GForceImposters EOLImpostersDemo EOCImpostersDemo
Imposters without scripting!	ImposterObjectDemo ImposterMeshMapDemo ImposterObjectRBDemo
Determining if an imposter is visible	SkinMeshImpostersVisible
Implementing virtual monitors and similar (rendering camera ouput to texture)	CameraTextureDemo
Managing Level Of Detail (LOD) for the SkinMesh object	LOD_demo
Lens flare effects with occlusion test!	LensFlareDemo
Rendering glass	GlassDemo
Bloom effect	BloomDemo
Explosions, shock waves	ExplosionParticlesDonut ExplosionParticles
Implementing a flashlight effect	FlashlightDemo
Adding trails to any moving object: video	-
Drawing 3d lines by using ready to use script functions	ImposterLines
Dynamically stretching a SkinMesh from one object to another	SkinmeshStretch
Setting up natural environments: video	-
Animated clouds and snow: example	-
2D GRAPHICS, GUI, HUD
GUIs without coding!	GUIWindowDemo
Implementing generic game menus, the basics	BasicGameMenu
Letting the user click & select with mouse buttons (icons, sprites) on a menu or 3d objects in a scene	ClickableButton MouseOverSkinMesh MouseOverSprite
Letting the user input some text	InputText
Playing short video clips (cutscenes etc) with the Sprite object	SpriteAnimation
Rotary-dial based speedometer, simple demo project	Speedometer
Heading indicator, simple demo project	HeadingIndicator HeadingIndicatorCam1StPerson
Scrolling text horizontally, vertically	TextScrollingH TextScrollingV
Animating sprites by using scripts	SpriteScriptAnimation
Saving screenshots from your scripts	ScreenshotDemo
PHYSICS
Implementing a marbles track with Google SketchUp: video	-
Achieving collapsible structures by linking objects with breakable joints	JointFixedDemo
Implementing rag-dolls: resources	-
Implementing skinned rag-dolls: resources	-
Working with joints and springs, simple example	JointDemo SkinmeshStretchTrueSpring
Setting initial velocity and spin	InitialVelocityDemo
Making things get blown away by wind	WindDemo
Making a wheeled vehicle sail with an airfoil and some wind: notes	LandSailorDemo
Implementing paddles and similar objects that interact with the environment but aren't affected by it	PaddleDemo
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Map-free, zero coding path finding: article	PathFinderDemo
Classic path finding, A-Star algorithm: resources	-
Character A.I., target chasing: plug-in	-
GENERIC GAME DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES
Remapping default keyboard controls, enabling gamepads/joysticks/steering-wheels: article	-
Creating multi-level projects: article	-
Path object editor, creating complex paths directly on terrain: resources	-
Goal arrow, to help the player reach a location: plug-in	-
Formatted timer, minutes, seconds and milliseconds in 00:00:000 format: plug-in	-
Updating score on collisions	ScoreDemo
Triggering events when two objects are no longer in contact	NoContactSensor
Intercepting EventOnInput keys from a script	InputKeyScript
Activating force-feedback devices on collisions	ForceFeedbackOnContact
Managing game stats (lives, health etc) without using a script	CounterObjectTest
Translating, rotating, scaling objects run-time	TransformDemo
Showing/hiding objects and/or animation sets run-time	SwitchObjectDemo SwitchAnimSetDemo
Additional resources from the community	-
WEAPONS
A basis for scan-based weapons (for bullets, lasers etc)	ScannerDemo EventOnObjectIdDemo
Shooting projectiles from a moving vehicle	ProjectileDemo
Shooting projectiles from an animated character hand	SkinMeshBoneProjectilesDemo
Hiding projectiles when they hit a target.	ProjectileHideOnContact
Hiding/showing specific objects when projectiles are shot or expire.	ProjectileObjectInternalParams
Attaching particle and trail emitters to projectiles.	ProjctileParticles ProjctileParticleTrail
Targeting system: plug-in	-
FPS GAMES
View-locked 3d props, like a carried gun in a FPS game	ViewLockedSkinmesh
Making a door open/close when a character approaches/leaves: discussion	DoorDemo
DRIVING SIMULATION, RACING GAMES
Realistic driving simulation in a box: article	CarSimulation PCarDemo PCarScriptedDemo
Using your own car models with Car Physics Layouts: video tutorial	-
Setting up a racing game: video tutorial	-
Adding A.I. cars to your projects: video tutorial | video	-
AI racing demo. Race against car-physics layouts controlled by the CarAI object	SUVRace
AI cars targeting other objects	CarAITarget CarAITargetFleeSwitch
Wheeled vehicles stability tips: article	WheeledVehicle
Preventing wheels from drifting when the vehicle is still on a sloping terrain	WheeledVehicleScripted
Speedometer/tachometer (HUD): plug-in	-
Hand-brake simulation for the Car object: plug-in	-
Not-rolling wheel props (like exposed sports car brakes) and replacements (like snowmobile-like skis): plug-in	-
Implementing dust from car wheels	WheelDustDemo
Setting up a rear-view mirror	RearViewMirror
Road system, snapping road pieces together: video tutorial	-
FLIGHT SIMULATION
Flight simulation: video	AircraftDemo
Arcadish flight gameplay	AircraftDemo_autobalance
Detecting Above Ground Level	AircraftAGL
Starting a level with an aircraft already in flight	AircraftVelocityDemo
Simulating an helicopter: resources	-
Adding wind to your flight simulation	WindAircraftDemo
BOAT SIMULATION
Creating realistic boats with the Buoy object.	BoatDemo
RTS GAMES
Implementing a C&C Unit: resources	-
SPACE GAMES
Solar system resources: video	SolarSystem
MULTIPLAYER GAMES
Creating multiplayer games: article	NetBallArenaMenu NetBallArenaServer NetBallArenaClient
Sending textual strings from the server to remotely connected client PCs	NetworkStringClient NetworkStringServer
Updating your 3d world with data from a remote server	WebDownloadDemo
SOUND EFFECTS
Attaching 3d sound emitters to moving objects: video tutorial	-
IN-GAME ADVERTISEMENT
Clickable advertisement units in your games that lead to user-defined URLs: article	ClickableAdUnit
SCRIPTING
Get started with the introductory mini tutorials.	-
Function usage examples. Please see the Script object help file for details. NOTE: these projects are in the Script_Functions_Usage_Examples subfolder.	i3DLocationToScreen iDLLCall iFileStringReadWriteTest iFloatTendTo oPrint iObjectLocationSet iObjectPicked iObjectScan iStringFind iStringMid iSpherePicked iSphereSegmentIntersect iScreenRay iStringReplace iStringStr iStringUCase iStringVal
Writing your own render shaders for the SkinMesh object and post-process shaders for the CamChase object: tutorial.	ShaderDemo PostProcessShader PostProcessStacked
PUBLICATIONS
Entry Level 3D Race Car Game Creation using 3D RAD by HobbyPress, available as printed booklet and e-book	-
Entry Level 3D Action Shooter Game Creation using 3DRAD by HobbyPress, available as printed booklet and e-book	-
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A comprehensive list of user-created tools, documentation pages, tutorials and resources: index	-

Object help files are installed on your computer along with the software.
For your convenience they are also below. Click an icon to open the document.

I hope these resources helped you learn how to make 3d games quickly! Free 3D game making made easy!