3DXplorer Puts Government Networking in 3D.

FCVW goes live with 3DXplorer.

We are delighted to announce that the Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds (FCVW), a group sponsored by the National Defense University (NDU)‘s Information Resources Management College (IRMC) who subscribed to 3DXplorer services during Q4/2008, went live with 3DXplorer Meet-in-3D application last Friday. To enter the FCVW’s virtual lobby click here.

The Consortium has also set up a conference room for organizing webinars, using 3DXplorer Online Meeting application.  Participation to conferences is on invitation.
The FCVW’s membership includes government staff (federal, state & local, and international), various 3D vendors and academics interested in the development and use of Virtual Worlds in government.
By using 3DXplorer’s Browser-based plug-in-less technology, FCVW contributes to an increased usage of Virtual Worlds and 3D spaces by the Federal government, thanks to higher accessibility and easier deployment.

To read more about FCVW’s experience with 3DXplorer, go to FCVW’s home page, or here.

New Release, 3DXplorer V4.04 is live !

3DXplorer 4.04 includes a lot of new and appreciated features usually reserved for major releases, including important enhancements and optimization of the 3D engine itself.
We have categorized the enhancement by applications:

1) For 3DXplorer platform (affecting all applications):

• Total load time reduced by half or one third in most situations
• Impression of loading time divided by 4 or 5 thanks to progressive loading technique (visualize the space being built while you wait)
• Customizable loading page for all paid customers
• Your avatar login information is saved for a faster login
• Interconnected 3D spaces, no more require login. This is helpful when you are already logged into a space and click a door to enter another 3DXplorer space.

2) Online Meeting Application

• New “Planning” button enables Online Meeting users to manage each room individually. Users can set up a new meeting, define date, start/end hours, setup the time zone, include voice system information used for the meeting, define a moderator, and a password.

• The result is a URL which will only be valid for the meeting time. This URL is different than the room’s general URL which maybe or not password protected and enables permanent access to the room, if used. Content of a typical invitation e-mail is prepared: the user just needs to copy/paste it into an email and send it out.
• Planned meetings: They can be viewed and modified as necessary.
• Meetings history: Meetings history is recorded in the account including the date/time and the list of the avatars who attended, together with the avatars

3) New features for Meet-in-3D Application

• New Analytics module enables MI3D administrator, analyze the traffic of their 3D web space through avatars . The reporting includes statistics on:

a) numbers of avatars daily,

b) which avatars came more often,

c) how long stayed,

d) how many times visited, and more.

• “Bell emails”: Any 3DXplorer space administrator can enter one or several bell emails for each space. Each time someone (a visitor avatar) enters that space, those e-mails recipients will receive a bell ringing e-mail saying: “ding-dong…someone entered”.

And of course, to use the new release 4.04 you have to download….what ? you said download? Nooooooo!
To use the new release you don’t need to do anything….just click on any world and use it….remember “plug-in-less”? Browser-based? no client software?…. 🙂 Enjoy it!

How to create animated objects in 3DXplorer?

There are several ways to setup auto run animated objects in 3DXplorer.
You can create the animation outside 3DXplorer, with your favorite modelling and animation tool (3DS Max, Maya, etc…), export in COLLADA and import the COLLADA file into 3DXplorer. The 3DXplorer COLLADA importer DOES support animations.
You have also some animation features available from inside the 3DXplorer Studio. For instance if you want to have an object turn around its central axis, here’s the way to do it:
EDIT ELEMENT /
Under Action Handlers, ADD ACTION then Action Name = Init, Procedure = Animate Rotation
You have to select the right rotation axis. For a typical rotation around the vertical axis you would say Z=(1,0) as Z is the vertical axis.

Enjoy animated objects!

How to create slide shows in 3DXplorer ?

You can setup a slide show on any 3DXplorer screen or picture. This way visitors will see a succession of slides or images on that screen. To do so It’s easy : Prepare a folder with jpg files called « slide1.jpg », « slide2.jpg »… If your slides are in MS-Powerpoint then output the slides in JPEG format and make sure the naming convention, as explained above is respected.

Create a folder for a more convenient upload, in your online 3DX account: My account/Project Management/Manage Folders/ . This operation is not mandatory but helps you organize your project data better.

Open your scene with 3DX studio and Change any image with the first one slide1.jpg after uploading all the images into your online folder. EDIT MATERIAL / ….

As far as image files are called this way, the system recognizes they are slides and will animate them.

Let us know if you need support for this feature by droping an e-mail at technical-support[AT]3DXplorer[DOT]com