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This CD-ROM provides software, objects, images, and sounds from vendors that provide products related to VRML world buildering. Product listings are divided into the following major and minor categories:
The product tables below provide a brief summary of the products included on the CD-ROM. Each table includes four columns:
| Vendor | The name of the vendor who produces the product |
| Product | The name of the product |
| Platform(s) | The platform(s) for which the product is intended |
| Type | The type of product software or information |
The table below provides a key to the platform name abbreviations used in the product tables.
| Platform(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Any | Any platform, including Macintosh, PC, and UNIX computers; only applicable to object, texture, and sound libraries |
| DOS | Microsoft DOS on PC computers based upon the Intel 80486, Pentium, or PentiumPro processors |
| HP | Hewlett-Packard UNIX workstations |
| Mac68k | Apple Macintosh computers based upon the Motorola 68000-series processors, including Centris, Performa, and Quadra systems |
| PowerMac | Apple Macintosh computers based upon the Motorola PowerPC-series processors, including all PowerMac systems |
| SGI | Silicon Graphics UNIX workstations |
| Sun | Sun Microsystems UNIX workstations |
| Win3.1 | Microsoft Windows 3.1 on PC computers based upon the Intel 80486, Pentium, or PentiumPro processors |
| Win95 | Microsoft Windows 95 on PC computers based upon the Intel 80486, Pentium, or PentiumPro processors |
| WinNT | Microsoft Windows NT on PC computers based upon the Intel 80486, Pentium, or PentiumPro processors |
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Beta | A free pre-release version of an application where some of the functionality may be missing, or have bugs |
| Demo | An application where some of the functionality has been removed |
| Free | A free, fully-functional application |
| Sampler | A free set of sample objects, textures, or sounds for object-, texture-, or sound-library products |
| Shareware | A fully-functional application for which payment is requested after you've tried it |
| Try out | A fully-functional application with a usage expiration, often of 30 days or more |
A VRML Browser is an application that can display VRML worlds. VRML Browsers come in two types:
This CD-ROM includes several VRML browsers, including both plug-ins and helper applications. To use any of these VRML browsers, you will also need an uptodate HTML Web browser. You can obtain the latest versions of Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer from their respective Web sites:
| Caligari | Pioneer | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Try-out |
| Chaco Communications | Pueblo | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Try-out |
| Chaco Communications | VR Scout, Stand-alone | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Try-out |
| Chaco Communications | VR Scout, Netscape Navigator plug-in | Win95, WinNT | Try-out |
| Silicon Graphics | Cosmo Player | SGI, Win95, WinNT | Free Beta |
| Sony | Community Place Browser | Win95, WinNT | Free |
| Virtus | Voyager | Mac68k, PowerMac, Win95 | Free Beta |
| VREAM | WIRL | Win95 | Free |
A VRML Authoring Application provides an interactive, graphical environment in which you can build VRML worlds. Using such an application, you can select shapes from menus, place them in your world, then orient, scale, color, texture, and light them.
The use of a VRML authoring application reduces the need to learn the VRML syntax, but does not eliminate it. The more you know about the underlying VRML syntax, the better you are at understanding what can, and cannot be done in VRML, and how to build efficient and compact worlds. Knowing the VRML syntax also enables you to edit the output of a VRML authoring application and add or adjust features not fully supported by the authoring application.
| Caligari | Pioneer | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Try-out |
| Okino Computer Graphics | NuGraf Rendering System | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| Okino Computer Graphics | PolyTrans | DOS, SGI, Sun, Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| ParaGraph | Virtual Home Space Builder | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| Radiance | Ez3D | HP, SGI, Sun, Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| Silicon Graphics | Cosmo Worlds | SGI | Try-out |
| Virtus | 3-D Website Builder | Mac68k, PowerMac, Win3.1, Win95 | Demo |
There are literally hundreds of different file formats for the storage of 3D objects. 3D authoring applications and Internet object libraries typically support only a subset of these different file formats. This can create an awkward situation where a tool you are using saves its shapes in one format, but you need the shape in a different format.
A VRML File Format Converter is an application that converts between different object file formats, including VRML.
| Okino Computer Graphics | NuGraf Rendering System | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| Okino Computer Graphics | PolyTrans | DOS, SGI, Sun, Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
| Silicon Graphics | vrml1to2 | SGI, Win95, WinNT | Free Beta |
| Sony | vrml1to2 | Win95, WinNT | Free |
The ability to create realistic and efficient VRML shapes is a valuable skill. Several vendors provide master shape building services and maintain large, professional-quality object libraries. If there's a shape you need, and you don't want to build it yourself, you can purchase the shape from an object library, like shopping in a virtual furniture store. For special shape needs, these vendors can even create custom shapes for you.
| 3Name3D | CyberProps | Any | Sampler |
| 3RD Dimension Technologies | VRML Automobiles | Any | Sampler |
| 3RD Dimension Technologies | VRML Avatars | Any | Sampler |
| 3RD Dimension Technologies | VRML Products | Any | Sampler |
| Zygote Media Group | 3D Computer Models | Any | Sampler |
An Image Authoring Application provides tools with which you can paint an image, then manipulate it to create a complex texture for your VRML world. Most image authoring applications provide image filters that can process an image to brighten and darken it, adjust its colors, sharpen or blur the image, or dramatically alter it by swirling it, adding brush strokes, and more.
A Movie Authoring Application provides tools that enable you to digitally edit movies, such as for use in a MovieTexture node in your VRML world. You can cut and paste entire movie segments, rearrange them, and control transition effects between them. Using movie image filters, you can process movie segments in the same way you can manipulate individual images in an image authoring application.
| Equilibrium | DeBabelizer | Mac68k, PowerMac | Demo |
| Fractal Design | Painter | Mac68k, PowerMac, Win3.1, Win95 | Demo |
| Positron Publishing | MeshPaint | PowerMac, Win95, WinNT | Demo |
There are hundreds of different image file formats, seemingly at least one for every image authoring and manipulation application on the market. While VRML supports three of the most common image file formats (JPEG, GIF, and PNG), awkward situations still arise when you find exactly the texture image you need on the Web, but it isn't in one of VRML's supported image file formats.
An Image File Format Converter is an application that converts between different image file formats, including those supported by VRML. Applications, such as Equilibrium's DeBabelizer, specialize in image file format conversion. Other applications, such as Adobe PhotoShop and Macromedia Xres, are primarily image authoring applications, but they provide such robust image file format conversion features that they are frequently used for image file format conversion as well.
| Equilibrium | DeBabelizer | Mac68k, PowerMac | Demo |
You can use any image as a texture in a VRML world. Getting images to wrap seamlessly and look realistic can take time. Several vendors provide master texture image creation services and maintain large, professional-quality seamlessly wrapping texture image libraries. If there's a texture image you need, and you don't have time to create it yourself, you can purchase the texture image from a texture image library.
To help you get started with texture mapping your worlds, most of the VRML authoring applications come with a set of sample texture images. This is an important added value that we have highlighted by listing those texture libraries below, along with information on professional texture image libraries.
| Artbeats | Exteriors | Any | Sampler |
| Artbeats | Seamless Textures | Any | Sampler |
| Artbeats | WebTools | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Sampler |
| Caligari | Pioneer Textures | Any | Sampler |
| Okino Computer Graphics | NuGraf Rendering System Textures | Any | Sampler |
| ParaGraph | Virtual Home Space Builder Textures | Any | Sampler |
| Radiance | Ez3D Textures | Any | Sampler |
| VRML 2.0 Sourcebook | Example Textures | Any | Free |
| Virtus | 3-D Website Builder Textures | Any | Sampler |
| VREAM | WIRL Textures | Any | Sampler |
A Sound Authoring Application provides an interactive, graphical environment in which you can create and edit sounds. Using such an application, you can record sounds using your computer's microphone or line input. Once recorded, you can view the waveform for a sound, then cut and paste portions of the sound to craft a sound to your liking. Using sound filtering features, you can process your sound to change its volume, alter its pitch, and add digital effects such as distortion or reverb.
| Chris Craig | GoldWave | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Shareware |
| FMJ-Software | Awave | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Shareware |
| Syntrillium Software | CoolEdit | Win3.1, Win95 | Shareware |
As with shapes and texture images, there are hundreds of different digital sound file formats. Fortunately, there are only a half-dozen or so in common use. VRML supports the WAV file format, which is one of the most widely used sound file formats. Nevertheless, there are times when you a sound you want to use in your world is not in the WAV file format. A Sound File Format Converter is an application that provides support for a wide range of sound file formats and can assist you in converting your sound to VRML's WAV file format.
| Chris Craig | GoldWave | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Shareware |
| FMJ-Software | Awave | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Shareware |
| Syntrillium Software | CoolEdit | Win3.1, Win95 | Shareware |
Creating your own sounds for your worlds is both fun, and time-consuming. Several vendors provide master sound creation services and maintain libraries of professionally recorded and edited sounds. If there's a sound you need, and you don't have time to create it yourself, you can purchase the sound from a sound library.
To help you get started with adding sounds to your worlds, some of the VRML authoring applications come with a set of sample sounds. This is an important added value that we have highlighted by listing those sound libraries below, along with information on professional sound libraries.
| Artbeats | WebTools | Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Sampler |
| Caligari | Pioneer Sounds | Any | Sampler |
| VRML 2.0 Sourcebook | Example Sounds | Any | Free |
Once you've created your VRML world, you may wish to integrate it into your Web site or add multi-user support. Below are a few miscellaneous products that can help you do this, and more.
| Adobe Systems | Acrobat Reader | Mac68k, PowerMac, Win3.1, Win95, WinNT | Free |
| Silicon Graphics | Cosmo Create | SGI | Try-out |
| Sony | Community Place Bureau | Win95, WinNT | Free Beta |