PhantomDirect Details

Phantom Direct

General Info

With industry's push towards greater multimedia use in, not just games, but every type of application, Visual Basic programmers need a way to gain hardware level access to 3D graphics cards and audio boards.

DirectX, Microsoft's multimedia hardware access layer and emulation software allows C++ programmers direct access to all multimedia hardware. But what about the more than 3 million VB programmers?

Enter, PhantomDirect.

PhantomDirect, DirectX Toolkit for Visual Basic, allows Visual Basic programmers to code dynamic 2D & 3D applications using the speed of Microsoft's DirectX technology.

PhantomDirect has now been updated! - Now even more options are at your disposal as you turn phantom ideas into Visual reality!

PhantomDirect Features Include:

Direct3D - Direct3D grants VB programmers a whole new world of opportunities, literally! Whether your interests are the creation of Virtual Worlds and flight simulation, or perhaps more business oriented, the visual representation of parts from SQL Database, PhantomDirect's 3D support is for you.

DirectDraw - DirectDraw gives VB programmers fast bitmap manipulation. Using PhantomDirect, bitmaps can be displayed without the delay associated with traditional Windows graphics. Create scrolling images without that annoying flicker or "tearing" by having changes paint during screen refresh.

DirectSound - DirectSound will let you easily add sound to your VB applications. Need to play more than one wave file at a time? PhantomDirect will let us do it, as well as allowing for the Volume, Balance (Panning), and Frequency to be changed on the fly!

NEW!! - PhantomDirect 3D Application Wizard - The PhantomDirect 3D Application Wizard turns PhantomDirect 3D development into a simple drag-and-drop exercise.

Features In Development:
We have so much in development, we're having trouble keeping up! Watch this space for details!

PhantomDirect comes with many sample applications written in Visual Basic 5.0. You can use samples as starting points for your own applications or as guides to familiarize yourself with DirectX programming using PhantomDirect.

Business Solutions

DirectX, formerly Game SDK, was originally designed solely for game programmers. We at Phantom Reality feel that it is the business programmer as well as the game programmer that can benefit from fast multimedia applications. Applications that are developed with the short coding time common in the Visual Basic environment.

Here are only a few of the limitless uses of PhantomDirect.

Parts Catalog

Using PhantomDirect, a dynamic parts catalog could be created. Using a SQL database you could create a table of meshes (the 3D representation of the part specified) and a table of textures (the image that is placed on the 3D object) and have parts displayed with, for example, different types of metal. The same approach could also be applied to home/office furnishings (changes to coverings) or interior design (changes to wallpapers).

Medical Example

Using PhantomDirect, a simulation of joint movements for Chiropractic or Orthopedic professions can be created. Taking readily available meshes, a programmer could create a simulated injury that could be viewed at any angle so that both doctor and patient could better understand the condition.

Engineering Example

Using PhantomDirect and converted AutoCAD drawings, any number of dynamic simulations can be created. For example, to show the meshing of gears or the mobility of a robotic arm. Taking a tour of an office complex before it is even constructed. Or even the aerodynamics of a simple paper airplane.

All of these examples use only a fraction of PhantomDirect's capabilities.

Game Developer Solutions

No game developer needs to be informed about the importance of multimedia, the big question being SPEED. How fast is it going to run under Visual Basic?

"It's Fast!"

Ask anyone who has helped us beta-test PhantomDirect and that will be their answer. But don't take their word--or ours for that matter, take PhantomDirect for a test drive. We're positive you'll be impressed.

And if SPEED is really important to you, lets talk about real speed, the speed at which a project is completed. Visual Basic is the choice for business programmers because of the short development cycle. You can get your game ideas to completed products before they're obsolete!

Whether your a veteran game programmer who needs a fast way to prototype your latest game, or weekend game developer with a "can't miss" game idea, PhantomDirect can help make it happen.