VRML

Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a way of using ASCII file to represent objects in three-dimensional space. This standard is currently on its second revision (VRML 2.0). VRML 2.0 is an excellent standard worthy of support, the 1.0 is inferior to the 2.0 standard.

What are people doing with VRML?

Contrary to what you've read about the next big thing, there really is no enormously compelling reason to use VRML. However, once you've been exposed to the technology, you can see that there are some neat things you can do with it and that it does have its place.

One area where VRML is really useful is in allowing people to get familiar with an unfamiliar area. Soccer fans of the IPswitch soccer club can take a look at their stadium. This might be a pain to look at though. You'll probably have to save it to the C: drive and then unzip it and then load it into your viewer. The response is real slow but the idea is good.

Chemistry visualization is another area where real work is being done with VRML.

Of course, who am I kidding, the coolest thing done with VRML is the Star Wars Objects. Look and be amazed!

To really get started in VRML, you'll need a VRML browser. The best one out there is Cosmo Player by Cosmo Software (a Silicon Graphics Subsidiary). It operates as a plug-in for Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer. You can always get the latest version free from Cosmo.

Once you've gotten it, or if it's installed already, be sure to read the Cosmo Player Support Notes, especially the part about viewing objects and scenes.

Be sure to also check out SGI's VRML Gallery.

Learning Basic VRML

In my own (unbiased) opinion, the best VRML tutorial is the one that I wrote. It goes as fast as you like and it is the only interactive tutorial I've seen. It does require at least an 800x600 monitor. Pick one of these tutorials and work through it. I don't know if it'll work with IE 4.0 however. It won't work with earlier versions of IE. It works best with Netscape Communicator.

Dean Nevins' VRML Tutorial <http://www.cs.sbcc.cc.ca.us/comsc/tutorials/index.html#vrml>: This is tutorial that I wrote. It features extensive examples and the ability to modify the examples and try them interactively.
Virtual Reality Universe <http://www.vruniverse.com/>: Quite decent but it lacks interactivity. It does however, cover a lot of nifty VRML 2.0 stuff quickly.This site is more difficult to navigate since the author(s) went to a framed approach...
SiGGraph 96 Introduction to VRML Workshop (http://www.sdsc.edu/siggraph96vrml/course/toc.htm): This is the slides from an introductory presentation at the ACM's Special Interest Group, Graphics 1996 (SIGGraph 96) Conference. The slides are nice but the worlds are overly complex when illustrating points and there is very little explanatory information. It is short, sweet, and to the point.
VRML97 Specification, ISO/IEC DIS 14772 <http://www.vrml.org/Specifications/>: [OPTIONAL]This is the official specification for VRML 2.0. For a spec it's pretty readable but do one of the tutorials first.

Last Updated: March 2, 1998

Author: Dean Nevins <dn@picard.sbcc.cc.ca.us>