Live-3D

If your browser is already capable of Live-3D (VRML), click here

"Live-3D" is Netscape's name for VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language). In order to view VRML worlds, you must have an appropriate plug-in for your browser. There are quite a few of these around. If you've gotten one from Netscape, it's a Cosmo plug-in, and in my experience the Cosmo plug-ins produce erratic results. The best one for Netscape 4/IE 4 running Win9x is 3dns32h.exe, which is a Netscape plug-in but which, oddly, is not available from Netscape. You can get it at a number of other sites, several of which are listed below:

The file size is about 1.3 MByte. Once you have it, simply run the executable extraction file and follow the instructions on the screen. Then read the "details" section below.

 

 

USING THE VRML PAGES
Once you have the plug-in in place and you go to the VRML pages, you'll find a "control console" on your screen. The controls allow you to walk, spin, slide, etc.; the easiest way to learn them is to simply play with them, you can always return to the entrance by clicking on "View." To go up the stairs on the back side of the pyramid you must use "spin or "slide" (using "slide" is much easier. Right-clicking anywhere in the screen offers navigation control (among other things); you can prevent yourself from floating off into space and walking through walls using these.

The unique part of the VRML world presented here is based on the framing. The problem with VRML worlds is that they're very large, and even with a fast computer and a fast modem they're slow to render. Normally, if you click on a link within a VRML world, the world is replaced by the new document, and then must re-load when you go back to it. Alternatively, some pages may generate a new browser page, but if many of these are used computer resources may be strained.

This VRML world directs the linked documents to the top (narrow) frame. To view them, you then "pull down" the frame-divider manually until the VRML world is a narrow band at the bottom. Then, to return to the VRML world, you pull the frame divider back up. This is true for all links in the VRML world except for Kevin's VRML world (which replaces the pyramid), and the pictures available at the pyramid's apex (which generate new windows for display). One caution: do not pull the frame divider all the way down, or the VRML background color may be unpredictably changed (usually to red).

Go to the VRML world

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