Virtual Reality Studio

All types of games can use the 3D universe created here. It's not quite virtual reality, but it's about as good as you're gonna get on the trusty old ST!

3D CONSTRUCTION KIT IS ONE OF THE BEST 16-BIT UTILITIES to appear - ever! Whether you're just interested in using it as a 3D art package or whether you want to create games to rival Incentive's own, you'll find it to be an ideal tool, with the combination of drop-down menus and short-cut icons taking the drudgery out of object creation.

3D Construction Kit is, quite simply, an absolutely incredible piece of software. It's not something you can dive into at first sitting (so shoot-'em-up fans beware), but, then again, it's not at all complicated once you've sussed it out. And, as the ads say, the only limit really is your imagination (and, ahem, the memory of our humble little chum! But even that's not a real problem because it's available, quite unbelievably, on 48K mode). Of course, it's not technically a game, but since you can use it to create them I'm call it a Megagame anyway.

The 3D Construction Kit is probably the most user-friendly game design ever produced on the Amiga. Anyone interested in 3D adventure games and a spark of imagination should check it out immediately, since it is just the thing to allow them to put everything they ever wanted from the genre into their own game. One point, though, now that the Kit is available programmers are going to have to work that little bit harder to some pretty nifty coding and designing to come up with new and challenging games. Otherwise people will start to say, “Oh yeah, but I could have done that with 3D Construction Kit!”

Upon loading 3D Construction Kit for the first time, you may find the vast array of icons fairly overwhelming. However, after spending half an hour experimenting, you'll soon begin to realise that each is logically laid out and well backed up by the range of pull-down menus. The video which is supplied with the package will help to an extent, but don't expect to be taught how to write a game. To create a full game you'll have to master the integral programming language. This may put a number of people off, but it's the only way to create something different, and actually isn't all that difficult. Once you master the language, the possibilities are endless and, therefore, 3D Construction Kit is highly recommended.

If you're fed up with playing other people's games this could be the answer. It's not for the faint-hearted (or the faint-walleted) but it achieves what it sets out to do very well.