My name is Mieke van der Poll. I am a woman. Already from the moment (home)computers became popular in the past century, I keep myself busy with making games on them, like 3D mazes, 3D labyrinths and 3D worlds in general. Very unusual for a woman during those days!

I started with simple games in Basic, but after a couple of years I found a program in England in a computer magazine, called "The 3D Construction Kit". In that time (beginning of the nineties) this was the first program with which one was able to make 3D worlds and games. I applied as a member of the official "3DConstruction Kit User Group" and have been a member for about 6 years. We have been exchanging many experiences by means of a two-monthly Newsletter, played and play-tested selfmade games of one another and, once the World Wide Web became available, we had our own Website with a 3D Magazine online: "The Third Dimension".

One can find more information about this program at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_Construction_Kit_II.

In course of time computers became more and more advanced and faster, but our 3D program did not grow with them, mainly because the designers went commercial. There was little else for us to do than quitting. At that moment there was barely any payable 3D developing software available for the amateur.

So I went looking on the Internet for other 3D possibilities and found the Website of the Carnegie Mellon University, where I discovered their 3D animation program called "Alice". This program was developed by students from this University who wanted to train themselves in using 3D possibilities on the computer, a.o. animations but also virtual reality worlds whereby 3D attributes like glasses and helmets could be used. The program can be downloaded for free. Their website can be visited at http://www.alice.org. I made some very nice animations and developed at a certain moment also games in this program.

After a few years a new 3D development was announced in the form of a program called "3D Gamestudio". It was meant for everyone and came in four editions both for amateurs and professionals. A trial version can be downloaded from their website: http://www.3DGamestudio.com.

I made some maze games and virtual 3D photo galleries in 3DGamestudio, even made a whole holiday ressort in it, where I can virtually drive by car and visit some attractive environments. Lately I am developing 3D virtually walkable labyrinths in it.