topical media & game development

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VRML

To realize our prototype we used VRML, which limits us to medium quality desktop VR. At this stage, VRML is a good option, since it is a relatively stable format with a reasonable programmatic model. In short, what VRML offers is

VRML


Although VRML allows for writing models (including geometry and appearance) using a plain text editor, many tools support export to VRML. As a consequence, often tools are used to create more complex models.

In addition, VRML allows for defining prototype abstractions, so reuse of models and behavior can be easily realized.

Defining dynamic behavior involves the routing of events that may come from a variety of built-in sensors (for example a TimeSensor for animations) to scripts or so-called interpolators, that allow for the manipulation of geometry and appearance parameters of the model.

In particular, the use of scripts or the External Authoring Interface (EAI), that allows for defining behavior in Java, is essential for realizing complex behavior.

Summarizing, VRML is a sufficiently rich declarative language for defining 3D scenes, with a relatively powerful programming model for realizing complex behavior. Some may think that VRML is dead. It isn't. The underlying model is endorsed in both the X3D and RM3D standards, simply since it has proven its worth.



(C) Æliens 04/09/2009

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