Telling a story in 3D community oriented worlds 

Neora (http://www.neora.com/ � ucl talk � Dec. 10th, 03

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�       Back to Leading Concepts - Case Study, Outcomes

 

o       Critics liked it: Haaretz - ENGLISH version, 14/10/03 - by Zippi Shochat, some pointed technical/conceptual problematics - YNET

o       Should be produced again soon, to check many more elements. No budget yet.

 

o       Real and virtual worlds inbound in each other

�         Parallel presence

�        Both audiences experience similar sensations � real audience claimed to be puzzled J

So is cyberspace, so is our life� as Barlow said: the only way to feel comfortable with that,

is to accept  confusion and ambiguity.

�        Actress seen at home on webcam object � should be streaming. We pre-recorded her voice

       If u cant broadcast it - fake it

�        Home avatars and their chat � seen on the projected screens � real audience loved it. Was political debates, etc�

�        Both vote (SMS/Mouse clicks), but home users have more votes � 20% used sms votes, more than expected

�        Outcome of choices was not clear to the voting audience � to fix in next production

�        Log files show that audience has character J � for example, those who chose to start from Love scene,

      usually chose white birds for the last scene

 

o       Low-tech approach � online/realtime

Cheap, accesibl    if it's too complex to achieve what you want - want something else!

   Client graphics is poor, considering�

                             

�         Bandwidth

2 ways to overcome bandwidth problems:

building blocks are preloaded

   sequencing is in realtime (like mod tracker files)

�         Open � creative commons license

in activeworlds - server / client - propriety protocol (new versions, subject to change).

the standard way to programatically interact with the world, is via the sdk.

using this sdk, ppls developed bots.

bot was originally an avatar program, later became management software to these 3D worlds.

activeworlds community goes through phase as was from html to cgi.

 

o       Story telling

�         Non linear narrative? Each performance is a bit different than the other

�         Interactive � Spectators are also actors (influenced by the audience) � democratic votes is not enough, should use better algorythms

�         Sound � better 3D sound management needed.

 

 

                                             Full list of Credits

 

case study - bot: changing the set between scenes.

activeworld - changing an object is as if deleting and building new one (new handle etc)

any change - sends all cliens  message - causes lags, result is catastrophe

- there's a client side management, to modify the world

- so instead of deleting objects and building new ones -

build them all, and used them on and off with visible or invisible commands.

Meaning - create triggers to be executed on the client side

- but, these client modifications happen only if the user is near

- so we made ceiling objects, on which each user will bump, and will cause the change.

 

� then of course we stumbled on polygon limits.

 

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