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LAURA LEMAY'S WEB WORKSHOP: 3D GRAPHICS & VRML
(Imprint: Hayden)
Author: Laura Lemay,
Kelly Murdock, and
Justin Couch
Publication Date: Sep-96
ISBN: 1-57521-143-2

Introduction
Chapter 1: Building a 3D Enhanced Web Site
Chapter 2: Up and Running: First VRML Creation
Chapter 3: Adding Simple 3D Elements to
Your Web Page
Chapter 4: Creating and Embedding 3D Rendered
Images
Chapter 5: Creating and Embedding Simple 3D Animations
Chapter 6: Using Animation Plug-Ins in Your
Web Page
Chapter 7: Product Design on a Corporate
Intranet: Advanced Telescope Design Corporation
Chapter 8: Creating Advanced 3D Rendered Images
for Your Web Page
Chapter 9: Creating Advanced 3D Animations
for the Web
Chapter 10: Using Apple's QuickTime VR/A>
Chapter 11: Using Microsoft's ActiveVRML
Chapter 12: Creating a MYST-like Adventure
on the Web
Chapter 13: Exploring VRML Browsers and
Development Tools
Chapter 14: Starting with Models
Chapter 15: Sprucing Up Models withTextures
and Materials
Chapter 16: Adding a Dash of Reality
Chapter 17: The VRML Art Gallery: A VRML
World by Hand
Chapter 18: Tricks to Optimize Your VRML
Worlds for the Web
Chapter 19: Using Built-in Animation Techniques
Chapter 20: Interfacing VRML Worlds with
Scripts
Chapter 21: Using Java to Add Behaviors
to VRML
Chapter 22: Adding Interactivity: The Future
of VRML
Chapter 23: A 3D Gallery: An Advanced VRML
World
Appendix A: 3D Software Resource Guide
- Workstation-based, High-End 3D-Rendering, Modeling, and Animation Packages
- PC-based, High-End PC-Rendering, Modeling, and Animation Packages
- PC-based, Middle-End PC-Rendering, Modeling, and Animation Packages
- PC-based, Low-End PC-Rendering, Modeling, and Animation Packages
- Macintosh-based PC-Rendering, Modeling, and Animation Packages
- Special Function 3D Packages
Appendix B: VRML 2.0 Node Specifications
Appendix C: VRML Resource Guide
Appendix D: ActiveVRML Resources
Appendix E: HTML Quick Reference
Credits
Copyright © 1996 by Sams.net Publishing
FIRST EDITION
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced,
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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written
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every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book,
the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or
omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting
from the use of the information contained herein. For information,
address Sams.net Publishing, 201 W. 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN
46290.
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Dedication
To my dear wife, Angela, for everything.
|
-Kelly Murdock |
To Imagica, CYBERLady, Reflection, and Nemesis, friends from the heart of cyberspace.
|
-Justin Couch |
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the many software companies who were so gracious in
supporting this project. To my friends at Viewpoint, who remembered
me after all these years. To all my friends at Sams who showed
interest in this project, especially the Emerging Technologies
team, and to Richard for letting me have a chance to write.
To my family, especially Mom and Mike. I don't know if I am the
first to be published, but this book definitely has the prettiest
cover. Dad, we're still waiting for your first book. To Eric and
Thomas, the two cutest boys ever, be nice to one another.
Apart from the lack of sleep, I would like to thank the people
from Sams.net for letting an Aussie write a book for them. Living
on the right side of the globe makes life interesting when trying
to communicate ideas and thoughts to Kelly (my co-author) and
the editors. This has been a true adventure in using the Internet
for global communications.
Many contributed to the content. First, to Cindy Reed-thanks for
the cutest VRML pig around; keep hanging in there and you'll get
the hang of scripting one day. Gavin Bell, Rikk Carey, and Chris
Marrin, as well as the countless thousands on the VRML development
list-thanks for putting up with incessant questions on a specification
that wasn't finished. And thanks to my mate, Mark Webb, an Aussie
feeling very lost in the United States; he spends his time reading
the drafts and picking up those fine little corrections and clarifications.
The final acknowledgement must go to my friends from Terra Vista,
a real virtual community built in the spirit of cyberspace. Regardless
of ability or technical clout, they have pushed the electronic
frontiers further in the past four months than any other community
I have ever been involved in-real or virtual. Keep going and never
give up the dream.
"Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily
by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children
being taught mathematical concepts
. A graphic representation
of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in the human
system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace
of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights,
receding."
(William Gibson, Neuromancer, p. 103)
About the Author
Kelly Murdock has led many different lives before this
book, including as a missionary in Japan, a champion collegiate
hurdler and decathlete, and a professional engineer, but none
was as challenging as his current profession-being a husband and
father. When not with his family (or in front of his computer),
he can be found at Sams.net buried in his office, reading and
developing computer books.
Kelly contributed to Web Page Wizardry and has written
several articles on virtual reality. He graduated from Brigham
Young University with a degree in mechanical engineering and has
founded a multimedia production company named Tulip Multimedia
with his wife. In his spare time, he likes to attend concerts
and movies with his wife. He can be reached at kmurdock@sams.mcp.com.
Justin Couch (justin@vlc.com.au)
works as a software engineer for ADI Ltd. When not working there,
he also runs The Virtual Light Company, a small VRML and Java
Web publishing company in Sydney, Australia. He is an active member
of both the VRML standards and Java-VRML mailing lists. Currently,
he's involved in research on using VRML to create seamless worlds
on the Internet. When not pushing the limits, he relaxes by playing
bassoon and clarinet and going gliding.
Justin can be found most days in the CyberGate community Point
World under the name Mithrandir or can be reached through the
Web at http://www.vlc.com.au/~justin.
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As you can see from the title, this book really has a split personality-the
first half is about 3D graphics and the second is about VRML.
However, these two topics are very closely related. VRML scenes
are 3D graphics, and 3D graphics are used in VRML scenes.
3D graphics on the Web are pervasive because they are graphics.
VRML on the Web is a hot new technology that enables real-time
3D. By covering both, you get a broader look at how to enhance
your site with many facets of 3D graphics, instead of just one.
In the past, we've all marveled at this technology from a distance.
We've seen it in movies, in arcades, and in some of the latest
research environments; now we're seeing it on our home PCs. The
power of current processors coupled with 3D acceleration cards
are making it possible to experience advanced 3D graphics everywhere,
especially on the Web.
To begin, we will introduce this unique series, 3D graphics on
the Web, and VRML 2.0. A lot is included, and there's a lot you
can get out of it.
The Web Workshop Series
Back in 1994, Laura Lemay wrote a little book that changed a lot
of people's lives-Teach Yourself
Web Publishing with HTML in a Week. It taught everyday
people how to present and publish their ideas on the Web. The
results have been revolutionary.
Laura's book was popular with many people because of its simple,
direct language and engaging, easy-to-understand examples. Laura
followed up her best-selling book with several enhanced editions
and another best-seller, Teach
Yourself Java in 21 Days. It was clear to the publisher
that Laura had developed a style people could relate to.
In the meantime, simple Web publishing with HTML has moved forward
on many different fronts. You can publish on the Web by using
one of many HTML editors, such as Microsoft's FrontPage and Netscape's
Navigator Gold; you can enhance your site with audio, video, ActiveX
controls, 3D VRML worlds, and specialized plug-ins, like Shockwave;
you can program on the Web with powerful languages like Java or
scripting languages, such as JavaScript and VBScript.
With all this happening, it became obvious that Laura would have
her hands full trying to instruct her readers in all these new
developments, so the Web Workshop series was born.
This series is directed toward readers who have mastered the basics
of HTML and are now ready to move to the next level of Web development-to
experiment with all the new technologies that are making the Web
interactive, easier to use, and exciting.
This particular book focuses on 3D graphics and VRML 2.0. It doesn't
assume you're familiar with either of these areas, but it guides
you through the details of creating 3D content for your Web pages
in that familiar, comfortable Laura Lemay style.
This book is a "do" book. The Workshop name means there
are no fluff chapters on historical background, marketing hype,
or conceptual discussions. Each chapter is full of hands-on examples
that teach you, step-by-step, how to use these technologies.
In addition to the examples, several chapters have real-life examples.
These workshops are found in the first two chapters of the book
and at the end of each part.
3D Graphics on the Web
3D graphics on the Web typically show up in two forms-images and
animations. As an HTML pro, you will have no trouble using either
in your Web pages, but creating them is where the challenge lies.
The first half of this book teaches, by example, how to create
these 3D images with 2D and 3D tools. It also covers creating
animations using the latest mid-range 3D tools. The workshops
show you how 3D graphics can enhance your site and keep people
coming back.
In covering 3D graphics, many different tools are used to create
3D content. By focusing on several tools, the book isn't a guide
to learning one package, but a broader look at the types of tools
you're likely to use. It also lets you see some unique functions
that aren't exclusive to each package. Here's a list of some of
the packages used in these examples:
- Caligari's trueSpace 2
- Ray Dream Studio
- Martin Hash's 3D Animation
- Adobe Photoshop
- Strata Studio Pro Blitz
- Fractal Design Painter
- Adobe Premiere
- Strata MediaPaint
- Apple's QuickTime VR
Chapter 1, "Building a 3D Enhanced
Web Site," is the fast track. It takes you through developing
a site enhanced by 3D graphics and shows you the possibilities
of what's covered in the rest of the chapters.
Chapter 3, "Adding Simple 3D Elements
to Your Web Page," shows you how traditional 2D tools, such
as image-editing programs and plug-in filters, can be used to
create 3D effects.
Chapter 4, "Creating and Embedding
3D Rendered Images," gets into the basics of 3D image creation.
It shows you how to build scenes by using models and how to apply
textures and materials; it also gives you a basic overview of
3D graphics technology through simple examples.
Chapter 5, "Creating and Embedding
Simple 3D Animations," introduces 3D animation and explains
how to generate animations by moving the camera and moving the
models.
Chapter 6, "Using Animation Plug-Ins
in Your Web Page," covers animation plug-ins that help you
display the 3D animations you've just created.
Chapter 7, "Real-Life Examples: Product
Design on a Corporate Intranet: Advanced Telescope Design Corporation,"
is the real-life example for this part of the book. It illustrates
using 3D enhanced graphics over an intranet to explain the latest
product designs.
Chapter 8, "Creating Advanced 3D Rendered
Images for Your Web Page," gets into advanced issues of creating
3D images for the Web, including complex modeling and rendering
issues.
Chapter 9, "Creating Advanced 3D Animations
for the Web," offers many advanced techniques of 3D animation
creation, including character animation.
Chapter 10, "Using Apple's QuickTime
VR," delves into a new technology for the Web developed by
Apple-QuickTime VR. This chapter explains what it is and gives
some examples of it.
Chapter 11,"Using Microsoft's ActiveVRML,"
previews Microsoft's ActiveVRML technology. Uniquely different
from VRML, ActiveVRML offers some similarities to VRML and some
not-so-similar options.
Chapter 12, "Real-Life Examples:
Creating a MYST-like Adventure on the Web," is the real-life
example for the third part of the book. You'll see how to create
an adventure game with 3D graphics played over the Web.
VRML 2.0 on the Web
VRML is a new technology that's similar to HTML in many ways,
but the end results are very different. VRML files are created
by writing text files that define 3D worlds. These worlds can
then be loaded into your favorite browser by using a VRML browser
or a VRML plug-in. Within a VRML browser, you can move around
these worlds in three dimensions, and the view updates in real-time.
Imagine going inside the 3D images you create in the first part
of the book and flying around the objects-that's what VRML can
do.
VRML 2.0 offers more than just worlds you can roam about. With
the 2.0 version, you can add behaviors to your objects that make
them move and react to the world around them. This capability
and many other improvements make VRML 2.0 a technology you really
should learn to use in your Web sites. This book explains how
it's done.
Although you'll be using a simple text editor to create most of
the VRML worlds in the book, several VRML tools are presented,
also:
- Caligari's Pioneer Pro
- Paragraph's Home Space Builder
- Netscape's Live3D
- Microsoft's ActiveVRML
- SGI's CosmoPlayer
- Sony's CyberPassage
- OnLive's Traveler
- BlackSun's CyberGate
Note |
At the time this book was going to press, Sony was in the process of changing the name CyberPassage to Community Place. Check the Sony site at vsl.sony.co.jsp for updates.
|
Chapter 2, "Up and Running: First
VRML Creation," is a quick-start example using VRML; it extends
Chapter 1 by adding a VRML showroom.
Chapter 13, "Exploring VRML Browsers
and Development Tools," explores the VRML browsers you need
to view VRML files. It also takes a look at several development
tools that help you create VRML worlds easily.
Chapter 14, "Starting with Models,"
introduces how models are defined in the VRML world. Using basic
shapes and models, you can start to lay out your VRML world.
Chapter 15, "Sprucing Up Models with
Textures and Materials," teaches you how to enhance and manipulate
your models by using textures and materials.
Chapter 16, "Adding a Dash of Reality,"
adds lights and viewpoints to your VRML world.
Chapter 17, "Real-Life Examples:
The VRML Art Gallery: A VRML World by Hand," is a real-life
example of a VRML world in action. The example creates an art
gallery that's worth visiting.
Chapter 18, "Tricks to Optimize Your
VRML Worlds for the Web," offers tricks to help you reduce
the file sizes of your worlds and optimize them for the Web.
Chapter 19, "Using Built-in Animation
Techniques," gives you your first look at animating objects
within your world.
Chapter 20, "Interfacing VRML Worlds
with Scripts," introduces you to scripting interaction with
JavaScript.
Chapter 21, "Using Java to Add Behaviors
to VRML," shows you how you can use Java to program specialized
behaviors into your world's objects.
Chapter 22, "Adding Interactivity:
The Future of VRML," explains where VRML is headed and covers
some of the 3D chat environments that are beginning to appear.
Chapter 23, "Real-Life Examples:
A 3D Gallery: An Advanced VRML World," concludes the book
with a final VRML workshop. This real-life example extends the
art gallery by using all these advanced techniques.
Get Ready
The book is designed to present example after example of good
ideas to enhance your Web pages, so it doesn't need to be read
in order. If you're anxious to get into the VRML stuff, then jump
straight to Chapter 13.
Every chapter ends with Workshop Wrap-up, Next Steps, and Q&A
sections. The Next Steps section is designed to offer you information
on where you might like to go to next.
Get Set
A valuable resource that shouldn't be overlooked is the CD-ROM
that comes with the book. We've put a lot of effort into finding
many resources that will help you as you read the book. Many of
the software packages covered in the book have a demo version
available on the CD-ROM. These demo versions let you play around
with the program to see whether it fits your needs before you
buy it.
The CD-ROM also has a friendly HTML interface with all the book
examples and an extensive resource guide with plenty of links.
Go!
We really hope you get a lot out of this book. 3D graphics can
be a lot of fun; by using them, you can create some compelling
Web sites. So without further hand-waving, read on! Good luck-and
when you succeed, we'd love to hear about it.
--Kelly Murdock kmurdock@sams.mcp.com
--Justin Couch justin@vlc.com.au