Buzz
Over the past year, you might have come across a revolutionary technology that allows users to manipulate 3-D images online. While several Web sites have adopted this software, it has primarily remained a niche market due to the absence of widespread 3-D viewer programs.
In collaboration with Intel, Macromedia, NxView, and others, aim to expand the reach of this technology to a broader audience using the latest versions of the Shockwave player and the Shockwave creation tool Director.
So, what does all this mean? In this issue of Mytour, we'll dive into the details of Shockwave 3-D technology and its workings. We'll also explore various applications of this cutting-edge technology and take a look at some impressive 3-D images.
The Latest in Shockwave Technology
The same object viewed from two distinct angles.If you're a frequent Internet user, you've likely come across Shockwave, a graphics format designed for animation and interactive presentations. Shockwave files are produced using a software called Director, which was initially designed for CD-ROM applications. It's favored by webmasters as it allows for the creation of detailed Web content that can be delivered quickly over the Internet. Check out the Mytour Animation Tour for some fantastic examples of this format's capabilities.
A standard 2-D animation created with Shockwave
Earlier versions of Shockwave and Director only allowed the creation of 2-D animations. These two-dimensional animations come in two types:
- Frame animation is similar to traditional cartoons where you observe movement through a series of 2-D still images shown in sequence. The viewpoint is determined by the creator of the animation.
- Vector animation involves 2-D shapes (such as circles, squares, and lines) that move relative to one another. Based on geometric principles, vector animation enables artists to craft intricate films with very small file sizes.
Visit How Web Animation Works to explore earlier versions of Shockwave and its counterpart, Flash.
The latest version of Director integrates Intel's Internet 3-D technology developed by Intel Architecture Labs. This software allows web artists to produce interactive 3-D animations and display them online. The updated Shockwave player enables most Internet users, including those with dial-up connections, to view these detailed animations.
With Shockwave 3-D technology, users can download and interact with 3-D models themselves – becoming the director and adjusting the camera view. There are two ways to approach this:
- You can download a 3-D object and rotate it in front of the camera to examine it from various angles.
- You can download a 3-D environment and move the camera through it, much like in a first-person video game. The program places you in a virtual 3-D world, where you control the "camera" by navigating the environment. You can direct the camera to move left, right, forward, or backward through the space.
Based on your input, the computer generates a new frame of the scene from your updated, slightly altered viewpoint.
The same object viewed from two different viewpoints.This process is quite intricate: 3-D software must process the user's input, interpret it, and decide how to redraw the image to create the illusion of movement. While a computer or game console can manage this relatively easily, it becomes much more complex when transmitting this data over the Internet. Moreover, most standard web browsers aren't equipped to handle 3-D models, meaning that not everyone can access 3-D content. Macromedia's latest Shockwave player addresses both issues, making it possible for most Internet users to access 3-D files without difficulty. In the next section, we'll explore how the format and player accomplish this task.
Applications of Shockwave Technology
A 3-D model used to showcase a product on an e-commerce websiteIntegrating 3-D into Shockwave unlocks a whole new world of Web content. One of the most notable uses is Web-based 3-D gaming. For nearly a decade, first-person adventure games and other titles set in fully realized 3-D environments have dominated the PC and console gaming markets. The new Shockwave features now allow these kinds of games to be played directly over the Web.
Although Web-based 3-D gaming is receiving a lot of attention, it is just one area where the new technology shines. 3-D capabilities are perhaps even more impactful in e-commerce. Online retailers can provide a much clearer representation of products if customers can view them as 3-D images. With 3-D models, online shopping becomes more similar to shopping in a physical store, as customers can rotate items to examine them from every angle.
Customers can also personalize 3-D models to meet their specific preferences. One of the most practical applications is for clothing. When an online shopper inputs their measurements, the 3-D software can generate a model of their body, which can then be "dressed" in 3-D representations of clothes. This creates a virtual version of an in-store fitting room.
This level of user interaction is also incredibly useful for educational websites like Mytour. A 3-D model of an engine that can be rotated and interacted with provides a much more thorough understanding of how the mechanisms work than a 2-D representation – it's almost like physically handling and inspecting the engine.
For instance, if you're curious about how a paintball gun operates, a 3-D model can be extremely helpful. You can see exactly how the components fit together and fire. Click here to view a 3-D model. If you want to dive deeper into paintball guns after seeing the model, refer to How Paintball Works for more information.
One of the greatest advantages of 3-D in these applications is the increased level of user interaction. Instead of just watching a pre-determined movie, you can choose what you want to explore. This shift is akin to the difference between watching TV and engaging in a video game.
For more examples of Shockwave models, visit the following links:
- NxView's 3-D gallery
- Intel's 3-D gallery
Making 3-D Content Accessible
A basic 3-D model uses fewer polygons. For example, this hand is made up of just 862 polygons.
Mytour.comIn the previous section, we explored how Shockwave's new player represents a fresh format for creating and viewing interactive 3-D content online. While the concept of sharing 3-D content over the Web isn't new, technological challenges have hindered its widespread use. Two main issues contribute to this:
- 3-D "movement" takes considerable time to transfer over low-bandwidth connections.
- Each time you want to view 3-D content from another site, you often have to download a new plug-in.
The latest Shockwave player tackles these challenges, potentially making 3-D content a significant part of the Web. Since most Web users already have the Shockwave player installed, they would only need to download the latest update to enable 3-D features. Macromedia has teamed up with several Web companies to promote its technology. Macromedia has enjoyed success with Shockwave and Flash because they are compatible with all major browsers and are easy to install and update. Intel, NxView, and other companies joined forces with Macromedia due to the company’s strong reputation for distributing its player technology.
The new format is specifically optimized to function well even on slower bandwidth connections, such as those with speeds as low as 28.8 kilobytes per second (KBps). It achieves this in a couple of ways.
When you watch 2-D animation online, the website sends each frame one at a time to your computer, meaning each element of the animation must be transmitted separately. With Shockwave 3-D, the site only sends the full image once. After that, when you wish to move the image, only the essential data to adjust the movement is sent, instructing your computer on how to modify the outer wire frame, and your computer takes care of filling in the rest, including the polygons and textures.
Modern personal computers, built in the last five years, are equipped with processors capable of managing the complex 3-D environments seen in advanced video games, making them perfectly suited for this task. By utilizing the client machine's power (your PC), far less data needs to be transferred from the server (the hosting computer of the website). The major download only happens when the initial image is loaded. Afterward, only small mathematical adjustments are sent, which don’t consume much bandwidth.
What about the large initial download? Shockwave's updated player resolves this issue with something called adaptive 3-D geometry. This involves a set of complex algorithms that automatically scale a 3-D model to match your specific Internet connection. If your connection is slower, the website sends a simpler image with fewer polygons and textures, whereas with a faster connection, you receive a more detailed image.
To create a more intricate model, you must add more polygons. For instance, this hand is composed of 3,444 polygons.
Mytour.comWith these technologies in place, you should be able to access 3-D content no matter your Internet connection speed. But how does someone create Shockwave 3-D content? In the next section, we’ll explore how to produce a Shockwave 3-D animation and see how webmasters can integrate 3-D content into their websites.
Creating New 3-D Content
We had the chance to talk with Miriam Geller, Macromedia’s senior product manager for Director and the Shockwave player. According to Miriam, creating a 3-D object involves using three essential tools:
To make the 3-D object, you first work with a standard 3-D modeling software, like 3D Studio Max or Maya. These programs allow you to design the wireframe of the object and determine which polygons will cover it (for further details, check out How 3D Graphics Work). Afterward, you export the file in the new .W3D format from the modeling tool.
Once you have the .W3D file, you import it into a Macromedia tool called Director Shockwave Studio. This software assists you in preparing the 3-D object for distribution online. You can, for instance:
- Use techniques such as multi-resolution meshes or subdivision surfaces to reduce the bandwidth or processing power required by the 3-D object on the user's device.
- Integrate user-interactivity features, like making parts of the 3-D object move in response to user input.
- Enhance the object with special effects like fog or rain.
- Export the finished file as a standard .DCR file from Director Shockwave Studio and upload it to your Web server.
The user then downloads and opens the .DCR file through their browser with the Shockwave player (version 8.5 or newer). [For instance, check out this sample .DCR file, which showcases a 3D model of a paintball gun.] Although this process may seem complex, it's relatively simple for someone experienced with 3-D modeling in tools like 3D Studio Max, as it’s just a natural extension of that skill set.
