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EinsteinExplorer.HLP
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OS/2 Help File
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1997-08-13
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6KB
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ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Help for Einstein Explorer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Einstein Explorer simulates the visual effects that occur when travelling at
relativistic speeds. At these speeds moving objects appear distorted due to
light having a finite invariant speed. There are two contributing factors to
this visual effect:
1. The Lorentz Transformation
This is the transformation between different inertial frames. It is a
linear transformation in 4-dimensional space-time. In 3-dimensional space
it causes a parameterised (speed dependent) scaling and translation. The
result is that moving objects appear contracted along their direction of
travel.
2. The Eye
The second effect is a consequence of the eye occupying a point in space.
What we see at any instance in time is light rays that have arrived at
our eye at the same time. The important thing to realise is that this
does not imply that the rays left at the same time. Light has to leave
earlier from points that are further away from the line of sight. For a
moving object, different times correspond to different positions. The
final image we see is thus a composite of images of the object in
different positions.
Adding perspective completes the effect.
You can press F1 for help at any time during the program.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Control Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The control menu provides options for transforming the current scene.
Translation
Rotation
Time
Speed
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Translation Control ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Using the translation control you can adjust the position of the viewpoint. All
movement is done relative to a grand co-ordinate system.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.1. X Increment Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the x-axis in the positive direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.2. X Decrement Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the x-axis in the negative direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.3. Y Increment Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the y-axis in the positive direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4. Y Decrement Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the y-axis in the negative direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.5. Z Increment Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the z-axis in the positive direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.6. Z Decrement Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to move the viewpoint along the z-axis in the negative direction.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.7. Scale Check Box ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Tick to scale all translation movements by a factor of 10. Useful for rapid
navigation of the scene.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Rotation Control ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Using the rotation control you can adjust the angle of the viewpoint. The x,y,z
slider bars change the component values of the axis vector about which the
rotation is applied. All movement is done relative to the local co-ordinate
system.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.1. Angle Circular Slider Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Select the angle of rotation.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.2. X Slider Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Drag the bar to set the x-component of the rotation axis vector.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.3. Y Slider Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Drag the bar to set the y-component of the rotation axis vector.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.4. Z Slider Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Drag the bar to set the z-component of the rotation axis vector.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Time Control ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The time control allows you to step the current time forwards or backwards.
This can be used to animate the scene by selecting the increment button and
then holding down the return key.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1. Time Increment Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to increase the current time.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.2. Time Decrement Button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Click to decrease the current time.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. Speed Control ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The speed control allows you to select the speed of the travelling objects in
the scene.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.1. Speed Slider Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Drag the bar to set the speed. The speed increase towards the right (zero at
the left end).
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Options Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
There are several options available for improving the graphics.
Fog
Detail
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Fog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Fog provides a depth-cueing effect, generating a more realistic image.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Detail ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The detail sub-menu allows you to choose the performance/quality trade-off for
the graphics. The default is medium which provides reasonable rendering at most
speeds. Choose a low setting to improve the display rate when navigating the
scene.