Overview

The ETC has experience in delivering its computer models on a wide range of high-, mid-, and low-end computer and video platforms. 3D models are generally created using MultiGen Creator on powerful graphics workstations running Windows. When appropriate, MultiGen files are exported to such rendering programs as Lightscape or 3D Studio Max. MultiGen models can run on the SGI Onyx platform for use in realtime applications. They can also be formatted to run on a PC with Windows, Linux, or the Mac o/s. Fly-throughs of the models are possible on many platforms from the Onyx to digital or Beta SP video format; or to MPEG. Models can be made available on the World Wide Web using software such as QuickTime and VRML. Many of our models have been used in TV documentaries.

Example

Real-time applications:

The models are created with real-time functionality in mind. “Real-time” means that users have complete freedom of movement through the virtual environment. They can, at will, move up, down, sideways, and they can also change their orientation. Real-time applications can be presented to groups in reality theaters such as the UCLA Visualization Portal, a room seating 40 people with a semi-spherical screen and triple, edge-blended projection. They can also be presented in a CAVE. Individual users can immerse themselves in virtual environments using head mounted displays.

Web Applications:

3D assets of all kinds have become common features of Web sites. Our models can be converted to such Internet-capable formats as QuickTime and VRML. See the movies below for QuickTime VR examples:

TV and Video applications:

Models can be renderred at very high resolution for use in animations in various video formats. They can also be used in a virtual set studio, where live actors are composited in real time with the virtual environment.

For an example of the latter, see below:

Click to view the movie