Microsoft opens 3D Movie Maker code

by

Microsoft is making the code for 3D Movie Maker open source, a version compatible with modern PCs is expected soon.

Managing our software’s code, whatever it is, is complex. Licensing and other intellectual property protections sometimes make all of this very difficult. Unless you decide to make it open source. Today it is an emblematic software, 3D filmmakerwho is entitled to it. and The reason is quite unusual.

Microsoft makes 3D Movie Maker code open source

If it were enough to ask for the source code of a piece of software, it would be known. But if you don’t try, you certainly don’t have anything. The tweetos @Foone simply asked Microsoft to open source the code of 3D Movie Maker, software that is now 27 years old, so that new building blocks could be added. Microsoft doesn’t own the BRender engine the program runs on, which could have been a problem, but the owner of the rights to that engine said he’d be happy to do so if he could find a copy. Luckily, someone had a copy of the engine, and Microsoft was able to open source all the code.

A version compatible with modern PCs should soon see the light of day

Released in 1995, 3D Movie Maker allowed users to easily create movies by placing cartoon characters and other objects in pre-rendered environments. According to PCGamer, Foone wants to make the software compatible with modern PCs and add features, including sharing created videos. “I’m hoping to have the modernized base version next month or in a few months, depending on what issues I’m running into.”

The original source code for the project is now available on GitHub under the MIT license. As RockPaperShotgun points out, the program’s BRender engine was also used for games like Carmageddon 1 & 2. In other words, opening this code could also lead to fan-made improved versions of these games.

Leave a Comment