3DXplorer V4 Brings Cross-World Avatars

Altadyn announced today the release of 3DXplorer V4. The new version of the browser-based virtual world solution lets any of its worlds be "avatar enabled," meaning they can support multiple visitors with 3D avatars across any browser or hardware configuration interacting via text chat and limited Skype calling. The new system lets users design a universal avatar to work across any 3DXplorer world.  The new version also increases support for user-generated content, adding the ability to import COLLADA models on top of the existing support for 3Ds Max.  In January Altadyn released V3 as a free tool for creating browser-based environments. Now it has also included an API for creating 3D applications in the browser, including casual games, educational tools, and business collaboration solutions.

Comments

[Jason]

I have a brand new Macbook Air and can't load 3Dxplorer. It requires Java version 1.6 and the Macs come loaded with version 1.5. 3DXplorer doesn't provide any guidance except to say go to java.com to ugrade. Upgrading to Java 1.6 is a long and painful process that I'm not willing to invest in. These guys keep saying there's no need for additional software downloads but they're blowing smoke. Most computers do not have Java 1.6 loaded. Also, IMHO Java is not a sustainable long term platform for 3D Web apps.

[Jim]

I just purchased a new Dell computer and it was pre-loaded. 3DXplorer came up fine.

I guess long and painful means different things to different people. Clicking a link and waiting a few minutes to upgrade is pretty simple. How long did you wait to update iTunes?

I wonder if the opinion behind your last statement about Java as a long term web 3D platform had anything to do with not being willing to perform a simple upgrade. Do you work for one of their competitors or something?

[Simon Newstead]

Hi Jim, I tend to agree with Jason.

Having evaluated Java as a 3D platform before I can tell you the real life deployment challenges can be painful. When it works it works great (Meez is a great site which when Java works just comes up fine)

However sometimes it doesn't. Either Java isn't installed (forcing an unfriendly Sun installation process), or needs to be upgraded to support the function. Webstart doesn't work properly etc..

We built a prototype in Java and found out of 200 people in the real world who helped try it out, about half could successfully get it working (granted these were not IT folks, but normal web users)..

[Greg Milliken]

Hi, my name is Greg Milliken and I am the VP of Marketing for Altadyn, the developers of 3DXplorer.

We recently added support for Java 1.5 so Mac users should be able to visit 3DXplorer worlds without the need to upgrade to Java 1.6.

Try the following links to enter Java 1.5 compatible worlds, with any Mac, or PC running Windows or Linux, with Java 1.5:

http://www.3dxplorer.com/download_file/worlds/index_benaroyagrandlobby5.html

http://www.3dxplorer.com/download_file/worlds/index_benaentrywaygateslob5.html

http://www.3dxplorer.com/download_file/worlds/index_founders5.html

http://www.3dxplorer.com/download_file/worlds/index_picasso5.html

Note, if you want to design worlds with Java 1.5, use 3DXplorer V4.01.02 when using the 3DXplorer online studio. To use V4.01.02 in the 3DXplorer studio, choose this version explicitly from the pull down list provided in the studio. Any world created this way can be visited by all Java 1.5 users (Mac, PC, Linux) as well as Java 1.6 users. The avatar configurator does not yet support Java 1.5 but will do so very soon.

Jason and Simon…please give this a shot and let us know what you think.

[chris brannigan]

These are valid comments if like us you are working for corporate, education and military clients. Many will not have Java and then not the latest version. Then when you run content you receive a couple of security prompts for Applet downloads - again, for corporates and military these would have to be vetted.

So the whole - no download, no plugin message is not quite the full story.

That said, this is much better than SL or any other VW for locked down networks. It has alot of very good points and I am a fan. Just be careful not to oversell it to us as I dont want to look stupid when pushing it to a client.