Re: [x3d-public] IBM and Linden Labs working on open standards

[Alan Hudson <giles@yumetech.com>]

Eric wrote:
> Old rant:
>
> X3D has to fulfil it’s promises when it comes to VR (not 3D, but VR), a lot
> is done, a lot is to be done. 
>
> Considering that environment, terrain and GIS Data are defining the ground (
> ! ) for any application (Metaverse or VW or military app or even social appz
> or anything you may think about that’s not web spinning shoes or university
> spinning teapots …).
>
> The one that gets the ground wins the battle (Google has the ground as data
> and technology, LL sells ground, Forterra has the technology …).
>
> In reality, be it virtual or real, the one who gets the ground, gets the
> souls and the ransom.

We've had a lot of success recently creating different globes in the X3D 
Earth group.  I'm really liking the approach of bringing that world 
building capability to a much larger audience.  As you say, right now 
its a very select group that can build a worlds worth of terrain.  But 
man is it cool to do.  I've now decided that World of Warcraft gets to 
cheat, they don't have to deal with real terrain imagery!

If your goal is a fantasy VR world, the techniques are pretty 
straightfoward.  The imagery based ones are getting easier from public 
sources(seattle has .6 meter), but its huge, about 30 gigs a city.

But each day it gets easier.  Soon there will be a suite of open source 
tools available that make it easier for everyone to create nice terrain 
from freely available government imagery.
--
Alan Hudson

President Yumetech, Inc.                               www.yumetech.com
President Web3D Consortium                             www.web3d.org
206 340 8900

Open Source CAN be free, as in "free puppy"
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