Voxel Space
{{Short description|Video game graphics engine}}
{{Infobox software
| logo =
| developer = NovaLogic, Kyle Freeman
| latest release version =
| latest release date = {{release date and age|1992}}
| platform =
| programming language =
| genre = 3D graphics engine
| license =
| website = {{url|http://www.novalogic.com}}
}}
Voxel Space was a voxel raster graphics rendering engine invented by NovaLogic developer and vice-president of technology, Kyle Freeman.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NovaLogic+Awarded+Patent+for+Unique+3-D+Graphics+Engine%3B+Voxel+Space...-a059539908|title=NovaLogic Awarded Patent for Unique 3-D Graphics Engine; Voxel Space 2 Becomes Game Publisher's Third Patented Invention. - Free Online Library|publisher=thefreelibrary.com|access-date=2015-08-13}}{{cite web|url=http://maverick.inria.fr/Publications/2009/CNLSE09/GigaVoxels_Siggraph09_Slides.pdf|date=17 August 2009|title= Beyond Triangles – GigaVoxels Effects in Video Games |access-date=2015-08-13}} The company was issued a patent for the technology in early 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/19/voxels-unite-in-graphic-glory-as-novalogic-is-issued-patent|title=Voxel's Unite in Graphic Glory as NovaLogic is Issued Patent - IGN|publisher=ign.com|access-date=2015-08-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/nova-logic-patented|title=Gamasutra - Nova Logic Patented|publisher=gamasutra.com|access-date=2015-08-13}}{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US6020893|title=patent US6020893A, System and method for realistic terrain simulation|publisher=patents.google.com}}
History
The original Voxel Space engine was patented in 1996, and first released in software in the 1992 release Comanche: Maximum Overkill. The engine was then revamped into Voxel Space 2 (which supports the use of polygons as well as voxels, and was used in Comanche 3 and Armored Fist 2),{{cite magazine |title=NG Alphas: NovaLogic |magazine=Next Generation|issue=20|publisher=Imagine Media |date=August 1996 |pages=62-63}} and later Voxel Space 32 and used in Armored Fist 3 and Delta Force 2.
Based on Kyle Freeman's experience with voxels in medical-imaging technologies used in CT scan{{Cite magazine
|last=Schuytema
|first=Paul
|date=July 1994
|title=The Wizard of Voxels
|department=Hex, Bugs & Rock 'N Roll
|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=120
|magazine=Computer Gaming World
|pages=140-144
}} and MRI scanners, similar technology was used in games such as Outcast. With the advance of computation power in modern computers there do exist browser-based versions of similar technology based on the Voxel Space terrain rendering used in Comanche.{{cite web|url=https://github.com/s-macke/VoxelSpace|title=Voxel Space in the game Comanche|publisher=GitHub|access-date=2017-09-24}}
The version of the engine used in the Comanche series utilized ray-tracing every pixel of the volumetric terrain data.{{cn|date=January 2019}}
Versions
- Voxel Space 3D:
- Voxel Space 2:
- Voxel Space 32: 32-bit rendering, 16 million color support, 360 degrees of transformation.{{cite web|url=http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?2994-NovaLogic-Awarded-Patent-For-Voxel-Space-Graphics-Engine|title=FlightSim.Com - NovaLogic Awarded Patent For Voxel Space Graphics Engine|publisher=flightsim.com|access-date=2015-08-13}}
List of games
The technology was used in a number of commercial game titles:{{cite web|url=http://www.novalogic.com/novaworld/legal.htm|title=NovaLogic: Legal Information|publisher=novalogic.com|access-date=2015-08-13}}
- Werewolf
- Comanche series
- Delta Force series
References
{{reflist}}
{{Video game engines}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voxel Space}}