3DXplorer V4.01.03 now available

A new release of 3DXplorer is available that adds Java 5 support in addition to Java 6.

Java 5 support has been available for some time, however, it required publishing your 3D space using a special pre-release version of the 3DXplorer online studio.

Now you simply use the default “LastRelease” in the Version pulldown menu on the Project Management web page as shown in the screen shot below.

3DXplorer Project Management Page - Choosing LastRelease Version

Most Macs and Linux systems require Java 5 support so this should provide a consistent experience on all supported platforms.

In general, there is nothing one should need to do to ensure their worlds support the latest version, unless one was explicitly creating 3D spaces in an older version and now wants to update them to the latest version.  In this case, you will need to update the applet HTML on the page where you have imbedded your 3D space. 

To do this, simply select LastRelease from the Version pulldown menu  on the Project Management page as shown in the image above, and then regenerate the HTML by clicking on the small HTML icon in the column labeled Applet code.  Then just update the old HTML by cutting and pasting the new HTML into the page on which your 3D space is imbedded.

The new release also adds support for keyframe animation imported via COLLADA, as well as providing a new feature in the online studio enabling rotation animation of 3D objects, such as a rotating banner or product in a showroom.

The new release also includes some code optimization and addresses some outstanding defects, so overall stability and performance should be enhanced as well.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

The Altadyn Team

3DXplorer Webinars: Using 3DXplorer – A Hands-On Technical Overview

Through the rest of September Altadyn is hosting a series of webinars on 3DXplorer covering both business and technical topics.

To learn more and register click here.
(http://www.3dxplorer.com/i.php?p=static/3DX_Webinars)

An overview of the technical-focused webinar is provided below:

Using 3DXplorer: A Hands-On Technical Overview

This Webinar will provide a hands-on technical overview of 3DXplorer.

Topics covered include creating 3D scenes using the online studio, adding and importing 3D objects and scenes, enabling avatars, as well as publishing and imbedding your scene in a Web site.

Agenda (Times shown are US Pacific Time):9:00 am Introduction
9:05 am How to create a world using the 3DX library
9:20 am Importing objects and scenes
9:30 am Enabling avatars and other scene attributes
9:40 am Q/A 

To learn more and register click here.
(http://www.3dxplorer.com/i.php?p=static/3DX_Webinars)

Space is limited so please return to reserve your spot.

3DXplorer Business-Focused Webinars: Leveraging Web 3.0 and 3DXplorer to Increase Your Web Design Business

Through the rest of September Altadyn is hosting a series of webinars on 3DXplorer covering both business and technical topics.

To learn more and register click here.
(http://www.3dxplorer.com/i.php?p=static/3DX_Webinars)

An overview of the business-focused webinar is provided below:

Leveraging Web 3.0 and 3DXplorer to Increase Your Web Design Business

This business-focused webinar will explore web3D and its relationship to Web 3.0, both what it is and why you should be interested. An exciting new concept, “Meet in 3D,” will also be discussed that envisions 3D web sites becoming a new standard navigation component, on par with the commonly-used links on the main navigation bar of web sites such as Home, Products, Company, Contact Us, etc., allowing businesses to add immersive 3D experiences for interacting with web visitors who until now have largely remained anonymous.

Key target customers and industries that can benefit from web 3D include:
 * Retailers/Malls
 * Home builders
 * Corporate Collaboration
 * Museums
 * Tourism/Chambers of Commerce
 * eLearning,including:
     – Schools
     – Tutoring
     – Libraries
     – Workplace training

Agenda (Times shown are US Pacific Time):

9:00 am Introduction
9:05 am What is “Meet in 3D” and how is it related to Web 3.0
9:10 am Business Opportunities and Target Markets
9:20 am 3DXplorer Promotional Bundles and Partner Opportunities
9:30 am Q/A

To learn more and register click here.
(http://www.3dxplorer.com/i.php?p=static/3DX_Webinars)

Meet in 3D: Where web3D Meets Web 3.0

On September 3 at the Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo Altadyn announced Meet in 3D, a new concept to standardize immersive and interactive 3D spaces and virtual worlds on corporate web sites. Meet in 3D is intended to establish a new standard navigation component, on par with the commonly-used links on the main navigation bar of web sites such as Home, Products, Company, Contact Us, and so on, allowing businesses to add immersive 3D virtual experiences for interacting with web visitors.

A key element of the Meet in 3D is concept is its relationship to web3D which we see as a critical component of Web 3.0.

 

I think our CEO Darius Lahoutifard summed it up best as follows:

 

“We believe our Meet in 3D concept is a critical element of Web 3.0,” said Darius Lahoutifard, CEO of Altadyn. “Since the inception of the web, businesses have invested billions to identify and track largely anonymous visitors to their web sites. At first, with Web 1.0, communication was unidirectional, from companies to their web visitors. With Web 2.0 and the widespread acceptance of tools like blogs and social networks, individuals started expressing themselves, but not necessarily to corporations, so businesses still struggle to monetize web 2.0.  With Web 3.0 and technologies like 3DXplorer, individuals are motivated to enter informative and entertaining 3D web spaces with their avatars, enabling corporations to finally bridge this gap. They can now directly engage prospects and customers in a personal and interactive environment, in a manner similar to the way they do in everyday life when exploring a tradeshow, attending a seminar or walking into a store.”

 

An example of the Meet in 3D button integrated into a corporate website is available at Altadyn’s website at www.altadyn.com.  The Altadyn corporate 3D site is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm US Eastern time, so stop by and check it out.

 

3DXplorer Promotional Bundles
For a limited time, we’re also offering promotional bundles to allow businesses an easy and fast way to put a custom, branded 3D web page or virtual world on their company web site.  The bundles are designed to facilitate easy access by corporations to Web 3.0 3D technology, allowing them to quickly implement Meet in 3D on their own websites for customer engagement and collaboration, conferencing, eLearning, virtual visits for real estate and architecture, casual games and more. Built jointly with Altadyn’s Content Creation Partners, Avalonn, Cube3, and GoWeb3D, bundles come in three options: Bronze, Silver and Gold, and consist of the 3DXplorer platform deployed with a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, 3D content and customization services.

More details on Meet in 3D and the 3DXplorer promotional bundles are available at the Meet in 3D Overview page.  Here is also more detail on the promotional bundles, and you can check out the various 3D spaces available from our content partners at Avalonn, Cube3 and GoWeb3D at the Gallery page.  Here are a few snapshots to whet your appetite:

GoWeb3D Classroom

 

Cube3 Officepodz

 

Avalonn Office

 You can read the entire Meet in 3D press release here.

Get Together In the Web with GoWeb3D’s Low Cost, Super Easy Virtual Reality Websites

One of Altadyn’s content creation partners GoWeb3D recently made an exciting announcement offering a unique line of revolutionary virtual reality 3D websites built on 3DXplorer.

“Click, enter, and get together” on the web with GoWeb3D’s new and unique line of virtual reality 3D websites. Without any special download or plug-in, users will see and interact with each other, shop, work, and play together in GoWeb3D’s 3D offices, conference rooms, classrooms, exhibit halls, and retail spaces. By enabling “get togethers” inside otherwise ordinary websites at regular web addresses, GoWeb3D will save users money on gas and air travel, help save the environment, and provide more meaningful web experiences for users around the globe.

GoWeb3D is a joint venture founded by virtual worlds and web3D industry experts Dave Elchoness, CEO of VRWorkplace, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, USA and Rahul Dutta, CEO of Trimensions Metaverse Development, of Gurgaon, India.

“GoWeb3D is committed to offering transformative internet experiences at all price points.” says Dave Elchoness, CEO of VRWorkplace. “Not only will we design and integrate custom web3D interactive experiences into large retailers’ existing websites, but we will open new markets to small businesses now able to reach out globally with realistic storefronts and offices.”

Rahul Dutta, CEO of Trimensions, adds, “GoWeb3D’s approach removes all barriers to entry from a technology perspective. Our products using Altadyn’s 3Dxplorer toolset will be super easy to use and require absolutely no special download or plug-in.”

Some images of the worlds being offered by GoWeb3D are included below, and you can learn more about them at their site at www.GoWeb3D.com.

Conference Room

 

Auditorium

 

Lounge

Dave Greenfield who writes for ZDNet also blogged about the announcement.

Cube3 Partners with Altadyn on Meet in 3D

Founded in 1990 under the leadership of Larry Rosenthal, Cube Productions Inc. was a founding element of what has been known to become “Silicon Alley” in New York City. Now situated in California, Larry continues to design, direct, and consult on digital projects now mainly focused on entertainment and the Internet.

Larry’s work experience has focused on being a producer, designer and director for both television and digital media. He has worked for over 15 years creating the look and ideas of worlds, products, and environments for clients ranging from entertainment companies like SONY, Paramount, AOL, MTV and CBS to more corporate companies like Proctor and Gamble and Sara Lee Corp.

Larry has extensive experience and credits in science fiction, genre design, game development and web3D, including “STARBASE C3.com,” the first 3D FLASH/VRML/E-commerce-immersive science fiction site building a community of Sci-Fi fans online via AOL and the web.

He has written on 3d design and technologies for many trade magazines, has frequent speaking roles at industry trade shows, and the documentation of past projects of his has appeared in magazines such as WIRED, NEWMEDIA, Macweek, MSNBC, and multiple books published by the Coriolis group on 3D design and New Media.

During the last few years, Larry has been working with clients both public and private to deliver the next generation of virtual worlds and web3D game-like immersive content and entertainment. With the popularity of Second Life and the new generation of virtual worlds, Cube3 has been working with technology companies like Verizon and Swisscom, and media agencies such as Mediacom and others to create unique VR world experiences and projects.

Some images of the virtual worlds being offered by Cube3 are provide below. 

Cube3 Officepodz

 

Cube3 Officepodz

You can visit Cube3 at www.cube3.com.

New Avalonn Web site – This Is Cool!

Avalonn, one of Altadyn’s content creation partners working with us on the Meet in 3D initiative and associated 3DXplorer promotional bundles, is run by the extremely creative team of architects and 3D designers Valéry Dubois and Marie-Odile Teixeira.

The Avalonn web site can be visited at www.avalonn.fr and is divided into two sections, a 2D and 3D section.

When you click on the 3D site you enter a surreal 3D globe made up of floating fragments in what appears to be the black vacuum of space. 

Avalonn 3D Web Site

As you approach the world you notice that there is a plane on which you can walk with an ultra-modern bar and chairs in the center.  Around the edges are billboards showing images of various Avalonn 3D worlds that are hyperlinked to the worlds themselves.

Avalonn 3D Web Site

The various worlds offered by Avalon are also very creative and unique.  An image of the surf world is below, you can enter it via the hyperlink in the Avalon 3D site.

Avalonn Surf World

This world just feels cool to me, check it out and let us and Valery and Marie know what you think.

Altadyn and the Virtual Worlds Conference & Expo

Well we’re back from the second annual Virtual Worlds Conference & Expo held in sunny Southern California at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 3-4. According to the folks at Virtual Worlds Management, the show organizers, it was attended by over 1,300 people, up from the 1,100 who attended last year’s event in San Jose.

Altadyn Booth at VWE

We met a lot of interesting companies and individuals at the show and came away excited about the opportunities for truly open and widely-accessible web3D. A key theme that kept coming up at the show, and the area that it appears much of the industry is focused on, is browser-based web3D, versus proprietary, client-based technologies or virtual worlds. Numerous times people stopped by our booth after a presentation, panel discussion or visiting another booth and asked about 3d in the browser. For instance, here is a blog post by “Dusan Writer” where the following is noted from one panel discussion: “…plug-ins or downloads mean you’re dead, a science project.”

Altadyn Booth at VWE

3DXplorer is still unique as the only truly plug-in-less, browser-based web3D platform, so we left with an even stronger conviction that we’re on the path that will bring web3D mainstream.

I also took note of a comment by Reuben Steiger of Millions of Us: “[There is] No way to do true 3D with Flash.” That’s why we chose Java. You can see the presentation here and the comment is on slide 13.

Here’s a quick video walkthrough of the show floor; sorry itis a little jerky. You first see our booth at 1:47 in the video and then another brief shot at 1:56.

Also, while at the show we announced Meet in 3D, a new concept that envisions immersive 3D becoming a standard component of web sites.  See the next post for more info.