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Virtual Universe Corporation
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Topic 433 Virtual Universe Corporation
visionary cyberculture zone 10:56 AM Aug 24, 1994
(at peg.UUCP)
From: <peg!visionary>
From: info@virtual.cuc.ab.ca
COMMERCIAL
*PRODUCT RELEASE*
THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE
IF YOU ARE DEVELOPING NETWORKED, REAL-TIME, INTERACTIVE
APPLICATIONS AND WANT YOUR PRODUCT TO REACH THE LARGEST
POSSIBILE USER BASE AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST,
THE *PARALLEL UNIVERSE* IS FOR YOU.
NOW THERE IS A WAY TO SERVICE THE END USER WITH REAL-TIME, TRUE
MULTI-USER APPLICATIONS IN THE HOME OR BUSINESS USING STANDARD
TELEPHONE LINES.
FEATURED IN BUSINESS WEEK MAGAZINE'S "DEVELOPMENTS TO WATCH" SECTION.
WHAT IS THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE ?
The Parallel Universe is a real-time, many-user Shared Virtual Reality
(SVR) server designed to be accessed using standard dial-up telephone lines.
Applications do not run on the server itself. Rather, a user's application
runs on their local computer and communicates with other users sharing the
same virtual space(s) through The Parallel Universe. Users working within a
common virtual space do so interactively. Changes made by one user are
reflected in real-time in the displays of users sharing the workspace.
Multiple applications and virtual spaces can operate concurrently on the
system, to a practical maximum of 100 users at once (in a full commercial
system with all operating with spatially-relative voice communications.
Development platforms are 10-user only.). The Parallel Universe accepts each
user's data stream via conventional high-speed modem, processes it using
proprietary algorithms to determine relevance to other users, and then
directs all or part of the data stream to those relevant users.
User relevance is fundamental to system operation as it allows the user
to have the illusion of having all information available from all other
users at all times without the expensive communications bandwidth
requirements normally associated with this type of data availability. The
Parallel Universe, in full system form, is enhanced by spatially-relative
audio teleconferencing. This allows users to communicate with each other,
speaking naturally while operating within the same workspace. The audio
teleconferencing features distance attenuation designed to emulate "real
world" behaviour, and stereo panning using a proprietary system called
"Steereo". The Parallel Universe has been designed to operate using a single
standard telephone line in order to access the widest possible user base.
This design allows developers to present real- time, fully interactive
applications to the end-user in the home and/or workplace.
WHY USE THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE?
IF YOU ARE A TELEPHONE COMPANY:
COST and MARKET PENETRATION.
The Parallel Universe can deliver real-time interactive services over low
bandwidth media so current potential users are not forced to purchase high
bandwidth service, such as ISDN, in order to access this type of service.
This broadens the user base dramatically and acclimatizes the user to these
types of applications. Once the users are accustomed to using these type of
services, they are more likely to accept the cost of increased bandwidth for
enhanced on-line services. One of the big obstacles in the way
commercialization of interactive services is the lack of "content" on the
real-time interactive networks. Content providers are demanding a large
customer base on the networks prior to committing resources while the
networks are insisting that they need content before they can get customer
base. The Parallel Universe breaks this impasse by allowing the telephone
companies an opportunity to provide a substantial user base to the content
providers and thereby facilitating the creation of content for the network.
IF YOU ARE DEVELOPING CONCURRENT ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS:
COST and COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
Each year greater than $750 million is spent in the U.S. alone for the
sole purpose of putting design engineers in the same room to collaborate on
the design phase of projects. To put people in the same room costs money in
the form of airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and lost time.
Currently, engineering companies are moving people carrying data rather than
moving only the data. The Parallel Universe allows engineers in many
different locations to "travel" to a common virtual "location" without the
expense associated with transport of the engineers themselves. This ability
is particularly useful in 3-dimensional design tasks. Furthermore, because
The Parallel Universe can use a standard telephone line to accomplish this,
costs are significantly reduced. Companies using The Parallel Universe will
enjoy a distinct competitive advantage.
IF YOU ARE A VIDEOGAME DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER:
MARKET PENETRATION AND EXTENDED SHELF LIFE.
There is currently a shift occurring toward networked, many-player
videogames as an alternative to stand-alone videogames. This shift is
partially the result of games developers desire to extend the "shelf life"
of their products but there is also a consensus amongst games developers
that the stand-alone videogame market may have reached its peak. Many of
these same games developers believe that networked many-player games are a
growth market with little competition. A typical videogame will have a shelf
life of only 6-8 months where the majority of product sales will occur.
After this time the revenue stream decreases dramatically. This happens
because most people that are going to purchase a videogame do so within 6-8
months of its release. Typical stand-alone videogames provide few incentives
for users to keep playing after having mastered the game and, as they move
on to other games, their word-of-mouth advertising shifts from "old" product
to "new" product. Word-of-mouth advertising is the prevalent reason why
people buy particular videogames. The main problem is that the user gets
bored by the game after he or she has mastered it; mastery of a game is
usually a function of memorizing the pre-programmed play of the game. In
network play the user never truly masters the game because the actions of
other users are not predictable and therefore not memorizable. Each session
of a networked many-player game is different than the one before so the user
does not easily get bored.
This extends the shelf life of the product in two ways:
1. The initial users continue their play and word-of-mouth advertising; and
2. New users are required to purchase the game in order to become part of the
networked experience.
Recognition of the advantages (i.e. increased shelf life) of networked
many-player games has created a need amongst the games developers for a
development platform upon which to develop these networked games. Until now
there have been no commonly available network development platforms and
games developers have been forced to use non-economical networking schemes,
such as high bandwidth ethernet, to provide networked play. Since virtually
no-one has ethernet bandwidth in their home, the market has been severely
limited for these products.
The Parallel Universe development platform addresses this bandwidth
problem and allows games developers to develop products for the networked,
many-user, in-home game market *NOW*.
IF YOU ARE A VIRTUAL REALITY DEVELOPER:
COST and MARKET PENETRATION
Get your application into the home NOW. With the availability of
real-time 3D renderers such as Renderware and RealityLab, VR in the home can
now be a reality. With The Parallel Universe you can network these VR
generators in the home and have access to a larger market. And you don't
have to wait for fiber or ISDN! The Parallel Universe gets into the home now
at a price that the users have said they will pay.
The Parallel Universe is available now as a software only development
platform, complete with PC API, that is ideal for companies wishing to
capitalize on the increasing demand for true real-time many-player games and
concurrent CAD-type applications using PC's as the user node. The Parallel
Universe development software is expandable to a full voice-enabled
commercial system. Customers are advised that voice-capable systems require
custom hardware and are built when ordered. Pricing is quoted at time of
order.
FEATURES
1. Data Filtering
This function substantially reduces network traffic by separating motion
packets (motion packets are the ones primarily responsible for network
saturation) from other types of packets and only sending the motion packets
where they are actually needed by a user at any specific point in time.
2. Internal Object and User Database
The server keeps lists of all "objects" and "users" within any number of
"universes". Objects may be points, vertices, animations, colours, textures,
or user defined. The server holds the current "state" of each universe for
updating users as they log on.
3. PC Application Programmers Interface
The PC is a large potential market due to the large installed base. Most
applications that run on a PC can be ported to The Parallel Universe. A
Silicon Graphics API is planned.
4. Low Latency
Typical system lags are less than 100 ms with system updates at 25hz.
5. Low/High Bandwidth Capability
If real-time interactive, multi-user applications are to reach users in
their homes, studies have shown that they must be at a very low cost. This
requirement rules out the expense of high bandwidth communications. Since
The Parallel Universe can use either low or high bandwidth, developers can
get their applications into the home or business without having to wait for
high bandwidth installation.
6. Spatially-relative Voice
Why bother with a second telephone line or separate teleconferencing service
to speak to other users in a multi-user session? The Parallel Universe
features fully integrated multi-source voice communications enhanced with
distance attenuation and left-right cuing. This is possibly the most
advanced voice conferencing bridge available today.
7. Commercialization Path
The Parallel Universe allows developers to create applications using a low
cost development platform that is the same underlying software as the
commercial systems use. This means that developers with market ready
applications do not need to wait for further development of The Parallel
Universe to commercialize their products. Full system R&D is already
complete! If an application is ready for commercialization, so is The
Parallel Universe. Royalty rates are low and vary dependant upon
application.
PLATFORM REQUIREMENTS
SUN SPARC running SUNOS 4.1.3 with up to 10 serial ports with 9600bps or
faster modems to act as the central server. 80386-or-better-based PCs act
as application platforms.
PRICING
Pricing ranges from US$ 3,500 for a 10 user, software-only, development
platform up to US$ 250,000. for a full 100-user commercial system. Many
intermediate custom configurations are available. Customers will have a 30
day, full refund trial period on entry level software platforms. Royalty
rates on commercial systems are dependant on the application. Please contact
the Company for details.
Virtual Universe Corporation is a public company trading on The Alberta
Stock Exchange (symbol VRX).
Virtual Universe Corporation
Suite 510, 700-4th. Ave. SW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2P 3J4
Voice: (403) 261-5652
Fax: (403) 237-0005
Internet: info@virtual.cuc.ca.ab