Virtual worlds in your browser with meshes means a brave new world to explore online. Check it out now.
Nortel’s web.alive beta 1.0 was launched in January 2009 after being under development as Project Chainsaw. The web.alive platform consists of a web browser embedded UNREAL 2.5 gaming engine which NORTEL licensed from EPIC and the Diamondware VOIP spatial audio. The really neat thing with the UNREAL 2.5 engine rather than other platforms out there is the ability to be able to import very high polygon meshes that provide for more realistic modeling and environments.
MellaniuM has been developing these realistic virtual environments for architecture, archaeology, engineering and education for several years. By putting together the UNREAL web enabled client and the MellaniuM realistic virtual environments, a WEB 3D potentiality should be possible that is really easy to use for individuals intimidated by the online virtual dimension. To put it simply, with one click of a link you are in world with no requirement for personal information input or driver configuration.
Also since the Unreal engine is an MMO platform the data required for the 3D virtual environment is downloaded on the local machine and the Internet connection is only required to determine the position and movement of the avatars and VOIP data. No remote asset servers are utilized and the virtual spaces can now host hundreds of concurrent avatars. The data is hidden in cache and cannot be accessed by the user. (MMO games must be secured from hacking to prevent cheating and misuse of assets)
Above: A view looking North in the Tipontia Environment
Web.alive can accommodate environments measured in the range of 2-3 km2 as shown by the TIPONTIA environment developed as a joint effort with Carleton University, Ronald McDonald House and NORTEL. This space was developed for the CHEO (Childrens’ Hospitals of Eastern Ontario) for the rehabilitation of bed-ridden children who could now “Play, Talk, Share” together in the hospital. Go take a balloon ride now and give it a try at http://rmh.projectchainsaw.com
Meshes in your browser with over a million polygons
One of the key issues to consider however is the ease of creation of the content for this NORTEL web.alive platform. The Unreal Developers Kit is available now free from EPIC with lots of online tutorials for 3D creators and MellaniuM has already developed some techniques required to render any 3D file format compatible with the UNREAL platform. So all the terabytes of 3D models developed in AUTOCAD, 3D Studio Max and loads of other 3D modeling software packages can be changed into formats suitable for use into UNREAL 2.5 and subsequently NORTEL’s web.alive client.
NORTEL's web.alive beta 2.0 is now hosting a MellaniuM environment that contains models with well over one million polygons, supports anti-aliasing for improved immersive quality and can accomodate 300 concurrent avatars. With just one click you can be walking around this trial domed environment. It does seem like there is a growing consensus for virtual worlds to support the importation of meshes, which allows for development of truly realistic and architecturally accurate environments. The MellaniuM Infohub environment now available contains almost 2 million polygons and the Titanic model (especially when viewed with the anti-aliasing feature) can be examined by zooming using the mouse wheel in the finest of details. Check out the MellaniuM Dome at http://ec3v3.projectchainsaw.com/ Sorry to say it is only PC friendly but will run on IE, Firefox or Chrome. When your avatar appears on screen just keep W down to walk and please make sure to hit ESC and click on options to use anti-aliasing and full screen mode, it makes for a huge improvement in quality of experience.
As you may well imagine in the not-so-distant future MellaniuM is poised to add more domes containing various areas of interest to architects, engineers and museum curators with models of the most detailed nature. The potential to use unobtrusive icons exists which, when approached will deliver metadata of the modeled items delivering on the possibility to develop education and training of the highest quality.
MellaniuM Links
http://mellanium13.blogspot.com
http://mellanium.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcU1Cwlnu6I
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