World Construction Set 4.5

World Construction Set is exactly what it is says it is.  It is software that let's you create worlds, using your own imagination or true to life worlds. This is not one of your normal 3D terrain building applications.  It is quite complex in what it can do, but, although it completes extremely complex tasks, it is fairly easy to use.  

World Construction Set comes with a large manual (and this one is not a doorstop).  The manual is invaluable in getting you the knowledge you need to use the software with step by step instructions from beginning to end you will learn most of what World Construction Set can do.  Another valuable source for information is right on the Questar Productions site.  Other users contribute the knowledge they have gained from using the software.  These things give this software package a great start.  I never felt lost from beginning to end.  The manual is not limited to text as most manuals are.  It includes screenshots of what you are actually doing so you can compare to be sure you are in the right place.  Below are some screenshots of what it looks like inside the World Construction Set interface and some of the options available to you.  If you are new to this type of software don't let the data menu scare you.  As mentioned the manual really explains how these options come into play and what they are for by guiding you through the process with tutorials. 

Below is a screen shot of the Camera View and the Camera View Control.  You have many options for viewing and previewing the camera view.  You can view in wire frame, wire frame with solid polygons, Black and white shadowed preview, shaded preview with coloring based on elevation, and EcoShade which renders your image in camera view close to what you would see in the finished product.

Below is a shaded preview with coloring based on elevation.  You can also see the moon depicted here as the lined oval.  You have the option to choose the day of the year and the time of day for your render, sunrises and sunsets. 

Below is the EcoShade render of the above.  

The map view helps to show you where you are working on a particular terrain map along with different options for viewing.  

Before you even get started with the first tutorial the World Construction Set manual helps you to set up your work area suggesting settings for the type of system and preferences you have.  Once that's over it's on to learning how to use the software.

"Some" key features of World Construction Set include:

• WCS is multi-platform including Intel NT/95, DEC Alpha NT, PowerMac, and Amiga - (I used this software on a P166 with 128MB RAM, Win98 and was pleased with it's performance)

• Import, render, and apply effects to DXF, Onyx Tree Pro, 3D Studio, LightWave  and other objects

• Lake effects can be applied as many as you want wherever you want

• Streams and Rivers can be created and attached to any Vector. (One of the neat things about this is if you put your stream or river on a steep slope Slope-based parameters allow streams to go from calm to raging)

• EcoSystem Effects (allow you to create your own "landscaping".

• Scene import and export in WCS supports motion paths, lighting, and fog and can import 3D Studio and LightWave scenes.

• Multilayered clouds for a more realistic look.  You can animate these layers and the clouds can cast shadows on the terrain.

• Waves and breakers can be animated under your control to get just the right effect.

• Reflections really add to the reality of an image or animation and WCS really has a handle on this.

• Unlimited terrain rendering

• Animated image objects

• Image sequencing and dissolves

• Foliage effects (use what's there or create your own)

• Shadow effects

• Exclusive Terraffectors(tm) allow you to change the shape of the terrain by drawing a Vector and applying a terraffector.  Things like roads, building sites, mountains and more are possible.

• Project Wizard is a nice utility that allows you to set up your project with just a couple of mouse clicks.

• OpenGL support if you have the hardware or software support needed.  (This is outlined in the manual when setting up your system preferences and elsewhere in the manual)

• Data Import - import DEM, Vector and point data easily and quickly

• Path creation - (This was fun and almost too easy)  You can create "sketch" a path for your camera, target, and more by simply drawing the line.  And you can pick from some camera presets to tell the camera how to follow that path, as an airplane, a bird, an ant, and more.

• Date and time options allow you to set up your render with just the right lighting and effects

• Smooth and fractal rendering  

• Plus much more.....

I don't think that there is anything that Questar Productions left out when they created this software. It does everything and more.

There is also a large page on the Questar Productions site that tells you where to get maps and other utilities, and software that can be used with WCS.

If you think you're done with still images, World Construction Set offers more.  You can create movies with the software.  I don't mean little animations, I mean some really impressive movies and Questar Productions has received many honors for leading the industry in this type of software.  Visit Questar Productions and check out their gallery.  You can't help but be impressed with what this software is capable of.

World Construction Set is a wonderful software application that can give you the real world solution you need.

I can't stress it enough.  Take some time, not a minute, some serious time and visit the Questar Productions site to see more of what this software has to offer.  Particularly interesting to me was the gallery.  Take the time to look at some of the movies created with World Construction Set.  I was absolutely amazed by what this software can do.

World Construction Set is Professional Quality Software that even a novice can use. When you are finished with all the tutorials in the manual, you will have the tools necessary to begin some awesome animation and still images.   

Questar Productions

Estimated Street Price
$940.00 (US) Average Selling Price

Windows System Requirements
Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0
32MB Free RAM
32MB Free HD space for installation
256 or True Color display

Macintosh System Requirements
Mac OS 8.0 or higher
40MB Free RAM min
32MB Free HD space for installation
256 or True Color display

Amiga
68040 machine with math processor
Workbench 2.0 or higher
16MB RAM min
Amiga AGA or CyberGraphx display 256 colors or true color

Copyright Vikki Olds, All Rights Reserved