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| New Infinity build up ... |
 advance-software |
Dear all,
An updated build of Infinity, our new 3D Internet browser is now available from :
http://advance-software.com/products
Graphics remain prototype for now.
Changes :
3dsmax 2010 exporter including support for inherited containers (x-ref alternative)
Bug fixes.
Best regards,
Steve.
read 4309 times
9/1/2008 6:49:00 AM (last edit: 6/25/2009 7:14:42 AM)
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| mattymoose |
YES! OH GOD YES!
I still think you have to include multi-user support, so each user has an avatar, and you can see/interact with whoever else is browsing the same website that you are looking at.
For example the Maxforums webpage would be depicted on a 2d plane or however Infinity handles 2d website, but gathered around that plane would be graphical representations of all the people who are currently viewing it.
Or even, for a particular thread, you'd have tiny versions of all the people who are looking at it, and then if you decide to read that thread your perspective would zoom in and all the other users would be the correct size.
read 4248 times
9/1/2008 11:57:31 AM (last edit: 9/1/2008 12:01:15 PM)
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| advance-software |
Steady, now.
Multi-user support is planned, but it's some way down the to-do list.
You can already interact with users of the same website via forums like this one.
Ok, its not as immediate as in-browser chat, or guestures or following each other around, or whatever, but, you can "share a common experience".
Interactive 3D message boards is something I've given some thought to.
This board (maxforums.org) is a perfect example.
You all post examples of your work, usually 3D, in 2D, as bitmaps.
Using Infinity, you can link to real-time 3D scenes containing your work.
You can seamlessly integrate the 3D object/scene being considered into the thread.
This can be done by placing a webpage containing the thread into the Infinity scene containing the work being considered, so the thread becomes part of the 'scene experience' and can be viewed and interacted with directly from within the scene.
read 4239 times
9/1/2008 12:10:52 PM (last edit: 9/1/2008 1:15:50 PM)
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| advance-software |
For example. click on the hyperlink below to see a WIP :
http://advance-software.com/examples/portal/sport
If you click on the link from an Infinity compatible browser, the browser will detect this is a 3D website zone and will load the zone content, enabling you to enter the scene and interact with this thread about this WIP from within the scene.
Users of older browsers are presented with a webpage with a screen shot and an explanation of what they need to do in order to enter the 3D site.
It all fits seamlessly, with no mumbo jumbo.
Screenshots will still be the way to go for high poly, photorealistic work, but for low poly content, being able to enter a scene and directly experience the content beats a screen shot most of the time.
read 4217 times
9/1/2008 12:34:00 PM (last edit: 9/4/2008 11:31:41 AM)
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| mattymoose |
That's not doing it for me - if you want to view a 3d object within Infinity you have to make the object, and then make an Infinity page that contains the object - that's an extra step that should be un-necessary.
How about a .OBJ viewer that can take a direct link to a .obj file, and drop the file directly into whatever page its linked to from?
The plugin could be represented by a "physical object" within the browser space, lets say a little stage that follows the user around, and when a link to a .obj file is clicked on, the .obj would be loaded into position on top of the stage.
On a more practical note, when making preview webpages, you should make them as simple as possible. So forget having a detailed sky texture and a ground plane with grass - if I were you I'd just have a black background with a generic grid representing height = 0. That way people are not distracted by how bad the graphics look and can hopefully focus on the functionality.
read 4180 times
9/1/2008 1:47:51 PM (last edit: 9/1/2008 1:53:22 PM)
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| Kajico |
ugh, why can't you just take 1 month of work to make the interface a little bit more presentable
i mean this goes back to what I said about the graphics not being there for the people's needs.
i mean all i see i just a bunch of billboards with websites on them. You should be pushing for a 3D enviornment with the main focus of them being the sites, and have clean crisp resolution.
the url text all stretched out like that just makes me cringe.
read 4163 times
9/1/2008 2:21:30 PM (last edit: 9/1/2008 2:21:30 PM)
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| loki |
remember what I said last time you posted concerning this image?
 megavillain.org
read 4150 times
9/1/2008 3:22:29 PM (last edit: 9/1/2008 3:22:29 PM)
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| advance-software |
> make the object, and then make an Infinity page that contains the object - that's an extra step that should be un-necessary.
The environment is optional. You can just export the object, then throw up a link if you want to display it hanging in empty space, with no environment. Your call. I would imagine most developers will create a standard backdrop environment that they'll use to showcase works in progress, containing a sky box, some kind of ground, and a webpage displaying a message board thread to enable interactive discussion.
>How about a .OBJ viewer that can take a direct link to a .obj file, and drop the file directly into whatever page its linked to from?
XSG is more suitable than OBJ as its been custom designed to fit the needs of a 3D browser.
In the end, the process is the same, you take your work, and export it to one or more geometry files + textures, videos, sound, etc, then upload.
> a little stage that follows the user around, and when a link to a .obj file is clicked on, the .obj would be loaded into position on top of the stage.
You want a stage to follow the user around ? I'm not sure I understand. However. if you want to click on a hyperlink on a staging area, and have it cause another piece of geometry to appear, rather than the geometry being there by default, sure, we can do that.
> On a more practical note, when making preview webpages, you should make them as simple as possible. So forget having a detailed sky texture and a ground plane with grass - if I were you I'd just have a black background with a generic grid representing height = 0. That way people are not distracted by how bad the graphics look and can hopefully focus on the functionality.
Sure, however, this is a WIP that needs upgrading because of how bad it looks.
Look beyond our graphics, at the potential.
We have no in house artist at the moment, so you're stuck with me.
I suck at artwork, but I can just about get max to do what I want in order to demonstrate capability.
When funding permits, or when we agree terms with members of the forum in exchange for stock, we can upgrade our artwork.
read 4102 times
9/2/2008 3:37:12 AM (last edit: 9/4/2008 8:17:34 AM)
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| Nik Clark |
I hope you provide comprehensive exporters from all major packages.
read 4095 times
9/2/2008 3:42:18 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:42:18 AM)
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| advance-software |
> why can't you just take 1 month of work to make the interface a little bit more presentable
I don't have the right skill set. Please see above.
> the graphics not being there for the people's needs.
Yet.
> all i see i just a bunch of billboards with websites on them. You should be pushing for a 3D enviornment with the main focus of them being the sites, and have clean crisp resolution.
Agreed.
> the url text all stretched out like that just makes me cringe.
Some people I've show it to like it big and chunky, but the UIs are completely customisable, so anyone wanting to implement a UI with a smaller address bar / alternative address bar font / size is welcome to do so.
read 4092 times
9/2/2008 3:44:08 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:44:08 AM)
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| Nik Clark |
.. and personally, I'd rather just see it as a plugin for my browser. I have serious doubt if I'd ever use it otherwise.
read 4089 times
9/2/2008 3:45:16 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:45:16 AM)
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| advance-software |
> I hope you provide comprehensive exporters from all major packages.
3dsmax v 6 -> 2010 for now. (currently 32 bit only)
+ an experimental Quake 3 map convertor.
Maya & SoftImage planned, but not there yet.
The file format is open and pretty self explanitory so others can write format convertors & import/exporters for other packages at their convenience.
read 4088 times
9/2/2008 3:45:48 AM (last edit: 6/25/2009 7:09:51 AM)
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| advance-software |
> .. and personally, I'd rather just see it as a plugin for my browser. I have serious doubt if I'd ever use it otherwise.
Intergration with other browsers is not there yet. In order for navigation / bookmarking to function correctly, the browser needs to understand a series of 3D scenes is being navigated (please see earlier threads for discussion of this point)
read 4086 times
9/2/2008 3:47:39 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:47:39 AM)
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| advance-software |
> remember what I said last time you posted concerning this image?
Loki - I could sit around in Max all day and come up with something a little better, but it will still suck. I'm not an artist or a graphic designer, I'm a programmer.
I think it best that I continue to refine the functionality. We'll upgrade the graphics as & when we have the capability.
If you prefer to wait until this has been done before evaluating our software, that's your call.
read 4081 times
9/2/2008 3:50:01 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:51:07 AM)
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| Nik Clark |
>>others can write format convertors & import/exporters for other packages at their convenience.
Well, if you want to make it easier for people to accept this, you will take this step yourself. This is another hurdle, and considering this is a fringe product at the moment, you should be trying to get people on board with as little hassle as possible. I don't want to write my own exporter just to use your product.
I wish you luck though. I know all my comments seem negative, I am merely pointing out my point of view, and not just being a nay-sayer.
read 4075 times
9/2/2008 3:52:21 AM (last edit: 9/2/2008 3:52:21 AM)
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