Power Players Discuss VRML on the Web
On October 11, leading industry members met in New York City to discuss the shape of things to come for 3D, multimedia content on the Web.Hosted by ParaGraph International and Black Sun Interactive, VRML Power Friday II provided the VRML industry with presentations and discussions from corporations helping to shape the future of multimedia on the Web. Participants included representatives from Microsoft Corp., Apple Computers, Netscape Communications, Silicon Graphics, IBM, and Oz Interactive.
To lead things off, Bob Bejan, Executive Producer of the Microsoft Network (MSN), introduced the network's new look. The incentive behind the new look is to create an environment that's easy to navigate and has compelling content. Bejan said Microsoft is working with Paragraph to develop more VRML programming for MSN.
Carlos Montalvo, VP for the Interactive Media Group of Apple, next highlighted where Apple is going with VRML technology. Key to VRML development is Apple's QuickTime and QuickTime VR technology. Apple's goal is to create dynamic 3D content by incorporating 3D, analog, and virtual reality (VR) into multiple, cross-platform environments.
Integral to the technology is QuickDraw 3D, which will allow VRML developers to add three-dimensionality to 2D images.
Bill Rouady, 3D Content Manager for Netscape, showed how VRML is being incorporated into the Navigator Web browser. VRML is expanding the multimedia aspect of the Web, enabling developers to create not only entertaining, compelling sites, but educational and business-oriented applications as well.
Rouady demonstrated one such educational site that featured a 3D image of Earth. He showed how you could pan into one specific location--as he did with San Francisco--showing topographical details the closer you drew to the chosen location.
Using point audio technology, Rouady further showed how 3D content can be integrated with audio, making for a more compelling viewing experience. For example, using the New York City landscape as a model, the closer he zoomed into the city streets, the louder the street-like sounds became.
Franz Buchenberger, CEO/President for Black Sun, expanded further on the idea that 3D content can be used for more business applications. One situation he envisioned was a 3D world in which advertising representatives (or avatars) met with potential customers, demonstrating products or answering questions.
Three-dimensional communities, such as town halls or clubs could also be created, as Black Sun did with the Atlanta Braves in developing 3D Chop Chat.
Dr. Willy W. Chiu, Director of the IBM Digital Library, also expanded on the 3D business model for the Web by demonstrating the corporation's Digital Library, in which multimedia is used to enhance electronic commerce applications.
Both Skuli Mogensen, President of Oz Interactive, and Stepan Pachikov, CEO/Founder of Paragraph, took the audience through 3D worlds using customized avatars. The avatars were shown moving, dancing, and displaying emotions.
Important to all the participants' developments was VRML 2.0. SGI and Sun claim they are collaborating to develop a 3D Java API that will bridge Java with 3D VRML.
Thanks to companies such as these, the Web can open up to more compelling, complex vistas. Only time will tell how much further these vistas can expand.
