Warp Special Relativity Simulator FAQ

Er . . . I don't have many Frequently Asked Questions at the moment. Sorry!

1. Q. Is Warp really free?

A. Yes. Warp is really free. However, I do ask that you provide a link to this website if you use Warp in any non-personal capacity. If you're feeling really generous, then you might want to click on a few of the adverts to the left to send a few cents my way!


2. Q. Where can I find more objects for Warp?

A. Unfortunately, objects for Warp are not commonplace. However, it is possible to generate them using 3D Studio MAX. To do this you need to download and install a plugin to export to the ASC or 3DX format. You can find such a plugin here. Or you could try this shareware program.

When converting models, some important points to remember are:
• The 3DX export seems to work better than the ASC export. If your model doesn't work in one format, try the other.
• You can generally only export single objects. Warp does not support multiple objects and you will end up with a mess if you try.
• Try and keep the objects as simple as possible. The more complicated the object, the less likely Warp will be able to import it correctly.
• When exporting to ASC or 3DX you should be given an option to swap the X, Y and Z co-ordinates. If you find that Warp is importing the objects incorrectly, try playing with these settings and see if that corrects the problem.
• Objects with long, straight edges are unlikely to work very well in Warp. Warp applies the relativistic transformations to the vertices of the object. The problem with this method is that the lines between the vertices of the object remain straight. Therefore, it is better if long edges are broken up into a number of vertices before being used in Warp.

I no longer have a copy of 3D Studio, so am unable to create any more models. If you do find any good models out there, please let me know and I will post them on the site. Thanks.


3. Q. Could you improve Warp by making it do this or that?

A. Unfortunately, I am no longer developing Warp. However I would love to find someone who is interested in taking on the project. If you are at all interested, then please post a message in the forum.


4. Q. Can I get the source code for Warp?

A. The rather terrible source code has been released here. I was a novice programmer when I wrote Warp, so please keep that in mind when you wonder at why it works the way it does. If anyone makes any improvements, please let me know. :-)