The successor to the Pure2 Engine, now featuring a hardware-accelerated DirectX rendering pipeline. Developed by Pinker and Chris starting in late 1997, Pure3 was designed as a high-performance foundation for commercial-grade 3D action titles.

While the primary commercial game project it supported was ultimately cancelled, the engine development pushed the boundaries of early hardware-accelerated graphics on Windows and remains an independent achievement of its time.

Technical Architecture

  • Occlusion System: A segment-based environment and portal-occlusion system inspired by the game Descent. The world was composed of interconnected 3D cubes/segments, allowing for efficient rendering of complex indoor environments.
  • Legacy Path: Early versions (pre-1998) included a custom HSL/HSV colormodel and a software renderer, which were later removed in favor of a pure DirectX hardware-accelerated pipeline.
  • Language: C++ (Microsoft Visual Studio), featuring mission-critical inner loops optimized with x86 inline assembler.
  • Min. Requirements: Pentium 133 (optional MMX), 16 MB RAM, 1 MB Video RAM, Windows 95, DirectX.
  • API: DirectX 5.0/6.0.

Graphics Features

  • Advanced Shading: Implementation of Phong shading and “Glass-Phong” (specular highlights on transparent surfaces).
  • Environment Mapping: Real-time reflections and chrome effects.
  • Effects: Lensflares, environment mapping, and fake bump mapping.
  • Transparency: Alpha-blended textures for glass and energy effects.

Simulation & Game Logic

  • Collision: Real-time swept-sphere collision detection.
  • AI: State-based monster AI for pathfinding and combat.
  • Player Physics: Comprehensive movement set including walking, rolling, and swimming.
  • Camera: Dynamic auto-tracking camera system with configurable damping and look-at parameters.

Particle System

  • Rolling Smoke: Animated smoke trails for projectiles and movement.
  • Explosions: Multi-stage particle-based explosion effects.
  • Light Fountains: Complex particle emitters for environmental effects.

Screenshots

Particles Torus Fire Effects Lensflare Water Effects