Open Standards for Real-Time 3D Communication

 Jahshaka v2.0 RC2 audio, video editing and effects system adds X3D import including shaders

Dec 30, 2005

Jahshaka is an open source audio, video editing and effects system that uses the OpenGL and OpenML APIs to provide real-time functionality. It provides animation with real time 2D/3D GPU effects, morphing, 3D model support, paint and design on moving video, a non-linear editor, node-based compositing, GPU accelerated keyer, and more. The new 2.0RC2 imports X3D files containing GLSL shaders giving a whole new level of creative possibilities.

 The Web ain’t just for 2D any more

Dec 26, 2005

Once upon a time, 3D for the Web promised to be as easy as building a Web page. Unfortunately, 3D—even simple 3D—is more complex than displaying scrolling text and pictures. Each VRML vendor implemented a different subset of the spec, and it never gained traction. And so 3D on the Web faded away. Or did it? It turns out that VRML lives on in its XML flavor, X3D, which has grown to encompass VRML’s siblings H-Anim (Humanoid Animation) and GeoVRML. Can 3D on the Web finally be used for more than virtual shopping malls? The latest installment of this mini-series on XML media shows that it can. This article focuses on a couple of uses that X3D is ready for now, and takes a look at where it might go in the future.

 Recreating the past in virtual X3D worlds is literally making history

Dec 21, 2005

Alias features a story about the RawKee open-source X3D authoring plug-in for Alias’ Maya 3D animation and visualization software. The story includes screenshots of Maya/RawKee exported X3D content displayed in MediaMachine’s Flux Viewer and discusses the use of Maya and X3D to create interactive, web-based 3D content, the origins of the RawKee plug-in, and the use of Maya/RawKee/X3D for video game development.

 BS exporter from Blender enables content creators to easily produce high-performance interactive X3D

Dec 20, 2005

The BS Exporter for Blender is a free export plug-in for the very popular popular Blender open-source 3D authoring package. Blender users can create realistic, high-performance interactive 3D scenes based on the international standard X3D format, and deployed via BS Contact VRML/X3D. This initial release includes support for real-time shadows, static radiosity lighting, dynamic particle effects, compression, multi-texturing, normal and environment maps, movie textures, animation and custom interaction scripting from within Blender itself.