What features are in Unity 3D that make it "3D"?

[David D.]

I have read the forum posts and performed Google searches on this subject, but still do not understand why Unity 3D is called "3D". Are there 3D effects that I have not seen? Is there the potential for 3D effects with certain software?

[interzoneuk]

Its because its using compiz - so the desktop is rendered in OpenGL.

Yes there probably are plugins you haven't seen - check the package manager for additional packages and also install the compizsetting manager.

The cube and 3d windows plugin do give 3d effects

http://wiki.compiz.org

Compiz head tracking and the 3d glasses plugin (http://dev.compiz.org/~cyberorg/2007/11/01/introducing-the-real-3d-compiz/) give you a kind of 3d environment.

[kfsone]

Try pressing Alt + Shift + Up-Arrow

[3Miro]

Unity 3D uses OpenGL:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL

Not all functionality is enabled by default, since some of this can be quite demanding, but look at this:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/86977/how-to-correctly-enable-desktop-cube-in-unity-3d

Here is a demonstration on what it can do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RE1QrALF1s