"MORE THOUGHTS -
blaxxun3D and Shout3D"
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Since Paul's email was published it has been pointed out that blaxxun3D does offer both Walk and Examine mode type navigation in a pair of Java classes available on their site. You can find lots more nitty-gritty details on blaxxun3D authoring in their Guide.
Similarly Shout3D offers the ability to control Shout3D embedded worlds via JavaScript. You have to download the Shout3D evaluation kit (for free) and those files contain complete documentation on their techniques.
Both blaxxun3D and Shout3D offer methods to set and get the values of Node field in the scene.
In addition to JavaScript both systems allow integration with Java. Shout3D allows the creation of new Nodes Classes which can be derived from the "Node" class. This, with all the plusses and minuses, allows programmers to create their own Nodes. blaxxun3D allows users to dynamically add or remove Nodes via the X3D Java API. blaxxun3D's functionality can also be extended via Java and examples are documented on the Web site.
Both blaxxun3D and Shout3D are amazing first attempts at implementing X3D. As X3D becomes more well defined I would expect to see both as viable implementations of great value to content creators. Shout3D has produced more complicated sites which use Shout3D. In particular the 3D Fashion Show hosted at Excite Extreme last Christmas demonstrates lots of capabilities in a compelling application. Don't interpret this to mean that blaxxun is slacking off! Check out their application showcase (click on the products/blaxxun3D link) that demonstrates the types of worlds being created by third parties using blaxxun3D.
The standards and consensus building processes of the Web3D Consortium are quite simply maddening. However if
two small companies like blaxxun and shout interactive can put together such compelling implementations of X3D there
clearly is hope. I'll expect to see more implementations and hope that agreements on "core" functionality get implemented
reliably. Don't forget to stay tuned for more X3D news coming from the Web3D 2000 workshop in two short weeks!
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