From: johnson@natasha.ics.hawaii.edu Subject: 3-D rendering software pointers needed. Date: Thu, 08 Aug 91 14:49:29 -1000 I am interested in developing a three dimensional interface to a software system I am currently implementing, and would like to ask the readers of this newsgroup for pointers to useful software or articles. My system is a "computer supported cooperative *learning* environment", (as opposed to CSCW :-), tailored to supporting literature review/analysis and project proposal development in graduate level computer science seminars. What is relevent to my query is that the students will cooperatively, and frequently simultaneously, be building a structure that looks like a hypertext network distributed across a set of planes (or dimensions). (Recall the 3-D chess game that Spock and Kirk occasionally play, and you'll have a rough idea of the structure I have in mind.) So, what I would like is a 3-D graphical toolkit that runs on Sparc Stations/Unix/X11R4 that: (1) supports Unix sockets for communication with the process running my software system. (2) can be programmatically instructed via the socket mechanism to render in 3-D this multi-dimensional hypertext structure. This rendering must be in real time and require only the horsepower of a Sparc II or thereabouts. It could be in color, but a black and white 3-D representation would be an acceptable alternative. My software could take responsibility for determing the size and relationship between the different planes, and the positioning of each node or link on them. It would be great if the user could reposition the nodes or links on the planes, and have these new positions sent back to my process. (3) builds in navigational mechanisms to allow the user to "fly" over, under, and around the 3-D rendering of my multi-dimensional hypertext structure. (4) allows the user to select a particular node or link and sends that selection back to my process. If you know of any system that sounds potentially useful to me in this process, please reply to me by e-mail. Thanks very much. Philip - ------------------------------------------------------------ Philip Johnson johnson@uhics.ics.hawaii.edu Assistant Professor Department of Information and Computer Sciences University of Hawaii at Manoa 2565 The Mall (808) 956-3489 Honolulu, HI 96822 Fax: (808) 956-3548