There are a few true 3d options for content as well as others in the
pre-organised/pre-rendered vein. A few options very broadly...
You could go down the route of X3D/VRML which can provide you with live
interactive 3D and is also aiming to be a web 3D standard;
http://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/README.X3D-Edit.html
Useful to have access to a 3D app that will export models in the appropriate
formats. Requires being able to code reasonably well to achieve complex
results.
Your Browser will need a plug-in viewer capable of interpreting X3D (unless
your Browser has native support). One such viewer is
http://www.bitmanagement.de/download/playerdownload.en.html#BS_Contact_VRML/
X3D
Install the viewer and Google for x3d examples to check it out.
There are also other plug-in based 3D handling engines available as well. A
notable one is Shockwave 3D (content authored with Macromedia Director and
played by the Shockwave plug-in). Content is very easily authored with drag
and drop behaviours available for creating user controllable cameras etc.
Complex interactions will require scripting with Lingo (Director's inherent
language). It should be noted though that there doesn't appear to be
constant development on this technology.
To see it in action install the Shockwave plug from Macromedia and then
google for examples.
You can also use 3D through the Flash engine too and, if you don't
necessarily need high levels of interaction or want pre-rendered 3D (as
vectors) in Flash the Swift3D product is well worth looking at.
http://www.erain.com/products/
If you know your stuff with Action Script you could easily create an
interactive 3D or pseudo-3D experience with Flash.
I would be interested if any one else has experience of other web 3D
technologies myself.
As far as Blackboard goes uploading HTML with appropriate plug-in and
content embeds shouldn't really be a problem (with the obvious caveat that
all the machines you expect your content to run on will need the appropriate
viewing software installed). Bbd content items allow direct embed of Flash
and also QuickTime (which can be used to create pseudo-3D interactive
"Virtual Reality" movies). There are QuickTime VR authoring tools out there
for this kind of 3D work.
Hope that is potentially of some use.
Wayne Britcliffe
Digital Learning Resources Manager
e-Learning Development Team
Projects Office
Raymond Burton Library
University of York
York YO10 5DD
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harry Temmink
Sent: 08 February 2006 13:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Three d software to animate lesson material in Bb
Dear All
I currently use Bb to share lessons/ -material with a very large group of
students. I am trying to find software that will enable me to make the whole
experience more interesting on a sort of 'live' demo basis or to put it
another way, to make "flat-page" lesson material into a 3-D experience. Do
any of you have any experience with this and if so, is it Bb friendly? I am
not able to get into Bb software: our central computing people don't want
users anywhere near the "engine"! (Despite the fact that we teach the
stuff...)
Your help/ suggestions is much appreciated
Harry Temmink
CourseLeader BA Int'l Business with Languages
Westminster Business School
University of Westminster
Marylebone Road
London NW1 5LS
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