Release Note

version 1.1 November 1996

Dicrectory Structure

\Program Files\Sony\Community Place Browser Plug-in\ And
\Program Files\Netscape\Navigator\

\Program Files\Sony\Community Place Browser Plug-in\

• plug-in\doc
  Readme, manual, release note, and technical documents
• lib
  Library files for java and other components
• snapshot
  Window dump images in BMP file format are put in this directory
• tmp
  Temporary files created during the execution of the product go here
• world
  Several sample worlds including Circus Park 2 have been placed here.

\Program Files\Netscape\Navigator\

• Program
  Libraries for plugin.
• Program\Plugins
  Plugin files.

After installation is finished, the product is registered as a plug-in in the Netscape Navigator.

Sample Worlds

Analog Clock
There is an analog clock which tells the correct time. If you click the second hand, the clock itself starts to rotate. In addition, Netscape navigater displays a message for you.

Buggy
A dune buggy runs in a small course. If you click it, you can ride on it.

Origami
Click the white paper, it will transform itself into a plane through a series of classic origami moves.

TV
Click buttons of the television set. They work as you expect.

UFO
Click the UFO and it starts to go up. Clicking again, it starts to fly in random directions. Once again clicking it, the UFO goes down and stays there.

Cicurs Park 2 (Multi-user World)
Anyone can enter Circus Park 2 - its a free public world hosted by Sony. In it, you can see other users who are represented by Avatars . You can chat with other users by using the text chat window and you can express a little emotion with our action panel.

Becuase you and other users are in the same virtual world, events that you see in the world happens for other users as well. It's a shared world !

Click here to enter Circus Park 2. and enjoy a whole new experience in shared 3D on the Internet.

üª If you want to experience the multiuser worlds, you need to be connected to the Internet. After you connected to the Internet and you load a multiuser world in to Community Place, the browser automatically connects to the Community Place Bureau server on the Internet and you will be in the multiuser world.

Functional Specifications

• Link to a list of VRML 2.0 nodes that are supported in this release
• Link to a list of Sony enhanced nodes
• Link to a list of Sony enhanced Java API

Restrictions

1. VRML2.0 Support
   • SE-VRML and draft versions of VRML 2.0 are not supported. Files in these formats may cause malfunctioning of this product.
   • The JavaScript(VRML Script) language is not supported.
   • The following VRML2.0 nodes are not supported.
     • CylinderSensor
     • PixelTexture
     • PlaneSensor
     • SphereSensor
     • VisibilitySensor
   • If you use DEF/USE in a VRML 2.0 file, you can change the attributes of the DEFed node, however, the corresponding attributes of the USEed object do not change.
   • Although the VRML 2.0 specification says that you can have multiple nodes inside a PROTO definition, this release only allows a single node. A workaround is to use a Transform node and you can include arbitrary number of nodes.
   • You cannot parameterize SFNode and MFNode fields in the interface part in PROTO definition.
   • You cannot use a PROTO instance as a transformNode of SONY_SharedBindingNode.
   • Due to Netscape Navigator's security management, you cannot access files and network from your Java codes attached to VRML worlds.
2. Browser Functions
   • We don't support the navigation mode: 'NONE'.
   • TILT and ELEVATION functions do not work when you press Ctrl or Shift key while navigating.
   • The button dislpay may not change even though you press the shift or ctrl-shift keys during keyboard navigation.
   • When you push the HOME button , you will be returned to the home position, however, your view angle might be different.
   • The color may be different from other browsers when you see the same world.
   • Sometimes, if you release the mouse button while you go up and down by holding Ctrl-Shift and mouse dragging you may be 'transported' to a new location because the browser thinks you used the POI function.
   • In case the size of the contents is too large, nothing will be shown in the window.
   • You can set up SOCKS to connect to the Community Place Bureau server from inside the firewall. However, sometimes you cannot connect to Community Place Bureau WLS according to your network configuration.
   • Bookmark does not always work properly when more than one Community Place Browsers work at the same time on the same machine.
   • Avatar color will not be displayed correctly when you use two or more Community Place Browsers at the same time on the same machine.
   • Don't get too close to the TV monitor If you want to turn on the power-on switch in the TV room.
   • You will hear the click sound of the switch after the BGM starts in the TV room.
   • In the analog clock world, the clock starts to turn around when the 'hand cursor' appears and you try to navigate.
   • In multi-user worlds such as Circus 2, you cannot go back to the main world from the avatar selection room even if you click "OK" button. Please use Netscape Navigater's "Back" button.

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