Dateline: 6/28/00
Roomancer is a 3D Multiuser Chat System
Roomancer Browser is an 3D multiuser chat system with a difference. For starters there is no central server. All users are directly connected to a room server which runs on each persons system. A central directory of available "rooms" helps you find other rooms when you get started.
Romancer was created by a German company called Moove. It uses its own proprietary graphics software and isn't based on any of the standard file formats. The company has been around since mid-1997 and the software has gone through a number of revisions. The speed of the 3D browsing experience is quite fast.
The actual browsers contains a convincing way of switching between the 3D and 2D
The server that runs on your machine is called the Roomancer Doorkeeper. You can select or not, to register your space with the "Connection Server" the central keeper of available rooms. It's a nice way of controlling whether you want others to be able to find you.
There is a wide variety of "actors" their term for avatars, that you can use and each can be programmed to perform a variety of actions.
The roomancer browser is a modified version of Internet Explorer. It contains an extra graphic icon on the upper right to let you switch between web page and "room" browsing.
One user interface technique I particularly like is the ability to double click on the floor which causes your actor to walk to that spot. It's a terrific way of moving around. Of course the keyboard arrows also let you turn and walk where ever you like and holding down the shift key increase your speed substantially.