wwp@yahoogroups.com:
Re: new vr software
clickheredesign 2005-Jan-27 01:20:00
Thanks Don!
Sorry the announcement wasn't cross-posted at the same time as the
qtvr list, but better late than never. Here it is below.
Michael Bradshaw
[ANN] CubicNavigator 1.0 available - a new way to look at VR
We are pleased to announce CubicNavigator - a browser for panoramic VR.
Where most browsers show web pages, CubicNavigator shows VR. It uses hardware
accelerated OpenGL for smooth, fluid display in a window or fullscreen.
You can use it to browse QuickTime VR movies, Java based panoramas, or even just freshly
stitched equirectangular or cylindrical images, from the web or from your hard drive.
Why use CubicNavigator instead of just viewing in Safari or Firefox?
Viewing panoramic VR embedded in web pages is great and there are many things the
author can do to create a compelling experience: surround the VR with information and
illustrations, have the window resize to fill the screen, provide links to related sites, etc.
However, the limitations of web page embedded VR are that the performance is limited to
the plugin or Java applet used. This means that when resized to fill the screen, QuickTime
VR movies become less fluid to move, and Java applets are by nature almost always kept
small because of performance reasons. Also, the browser interface is still always there to
some extent, meaning you are less fully immersed in the scene.
CubicNavigator offers the best of both worlds...
You can view the original web page with its QuickTime VR or Java content, then with a
simple click on the toolbar, open the same content in CubicNavigator's OpenGL-based VR
view, allowing the panorama to truly fill the screen while still remaining exceptionally fluid
due to the hardware acceleration available in modern graphics cards - call it "QuickTime
VR Extreme" if you like!
In addition, CubicNavigator provides iPhoto-like slideshows (with self-turning panoramas,
random browsing, music, the works), label overlays, 3D maps, searchable bookmarks for
cataloging your collection or bookmarking web pages with VR content, AppleScript
support, and recorded tours for captive kiosk uses.
It also offers complete customization of the VR display, including an additional fullscreen
mouse tracking option - "First Person Shooter" mode - that lets you move around
panoramas as quickly as a gamer might dart around a room in Quake or similar action
game.
More info, downloads and online videos of CubicNavigator in action are available from:
http://www.clickheredesign.com/cubicnavigator/