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next contents![]() Shout3D 1.0 - User Guide
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Authoring 3D for Shout3DShout3D files can be converted from any standard VRML file. You can author in 3D Studio Max, CosmoWorlds, any tool with a VRML exporter. If the file contains no Script nodes or PROTOS, the file can be read directly into Shout3D. This document contains four sections with some specialized tips:
VRML GotchasDifferences between Shout3D and VRML: For a detailed description of how Shout3D relates to VRML97, read the Relationship to VRML97 document from the Shout3D specification. The most important differences are listed below: Ignored Nodes: Nodes that are not supported in Shout3D will be ignored. For example, geometries such as Box, Sphere, Cylinder, and Cone will not show up in scenes converted to s3d. It they must be viewed, convert them to IndexedFaceSet nodes before writing out the VRML file. For a complete description of which nodes are ignored, see the Removals:Nodes section in the Relationship to VRML97 document. Modulation of textures by emissiveColor, diffuseColor, and transparency: Textured objects will be modified by all fields of the Material node, unlike in VRML 97. In VRML97, then only time a Material modifies a textured object is when the texture is a luminance texture (in which case, the diffuseColor behaves as described below). In all other cases, VRML ignores the Materal fields. Shout3D behaves as follows, with behavior that is different but far more flexible and powerful:
If you want your scene to look like a VRML scene, then make sure your textured objects have transparency of 0, emissiveColor of (0,0,0) and diffuseColor of (1,1,1). Authoring for AOL UsersAOL has a feature that can break Shout3D browsers. The problem is that AOL will automatically compress all image files into a format that Java can not read or understand. Users of AOL can turn this off, by following the instructions at http://webmaster.info.aol.com,but that does not safeguard the Shout3D author against AOL users who have not turned off this feature. The workaround for this is to "fool" AOL into thinking that the images are not in fact images. To do this, you need to rename all of your image files to end with a phony extension. For example, change all myFile.jpg to myFile.xxx and then AOL will leave it alone. If you do this, make sure to change all references to the image as well. This means that your VRML file's Texture node should have an url field that specifies myFile.xxx, not myFile.jpg If you author this way, the Shout3DWizard will still successfully publish your content without harming the file extensions. Authoring lineWidth and pointSizelineWidth, pointSize, and Authoring Hints for these two fields: Shout3d supports two new fields, the lineWidth for IndexedLineSet, and the pointSize for PointSet. These are new fields of the IndexedLineSet and PointSet that are not supported by VRML. So Shout3D also supports authoring hints for controlling the lineWidth and pointSize. These allow you to encode values for the two new fields into the DEF name of the IndexedLineSet or PointSet node.
Considerations for 3D Studio Max usersWhen authoring for Shout3D in 3D Studio Max, the following practices will help for better output:
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