From: stgprao@xing.unocal.com (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: MEETING: world design methodologies (continuing discussion)
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1992 17:59:20 GMT
Message-ID: <1992Jul6.175920.12209@unocal.com>
Organization: Unocal Corporation


[ I came across the following announcement for a VR talk in Palo Alto.
  It addresses an important issue: world design methodologies.
  The abstract is interesting, even if one can't attend the talk. -RO ]

>From: David_Fork.PARC@XEROX.COM
>Subject: PARC Forum 7/9: *Spacemaking* Randal Walser, Autodesk
>Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1992 02:53:50 GMT


PARC Forum

Thursday, July 9, 1992
PARC Auditorium, 4:00 P.M.

SPACEMAKING
Randal Walser
Multimedia Department, Autodesk

In the past, computer-aided design was used mainly to model structures
constructed in the physical world.  With virtual reality (VR) a demand is
developing for three-dimensional structures never built in the physical 
world, but instead used and experienced in virtual worlds, as if they were 
real.   It is as though a boundless new space has suddenly become
available for human settlement and is currently practically empty.  That
is both the problem and the grand opportunity.

Today the focus in VR is on technology.  Vital as technology is, however,
it is not enough.  Technology only makes new worlds possible.
Building the worlds is a formidable challenge in its own right.   Indeed, 
the art and craft of spacemaking is as essential to the VR industry
as filmmaking is to the movie industry.

I will discuss qualities distinguishing cyberspace from other media, and
consider special problems and opportunities posed for the spacemaker.   I
will suggest an approach to design as a performing art.  In cyberspace,
there is no reason to sharply distinguish design from construction since
there are no physical constraints, and it is as easy to build something as to
plan to build it. Instead of improving design, it makes more sense to work  
out good ways to construct things directly.  Three-dimensional turtle 
geometry appears promising for an intrinsic (first-person) approach
to moving about and manipulating objects.  Following the turtle-geometric
approach, many construction tasks can be performed by "flying" objects (or
oneself) into position, and with just a few operations.  These seem simple
and powerful enough to be generally useful for navigation and construction
within any space, just as operations like cut, copy, and paste can be applied
uniformly across desktop applications.

Host: David Fork (Fork:PARC:Xerox).  Requests by Xerox employees for
videotape should be made to Susie Mulhern (Mulhern:PARC:Xerox).

Refreshments will be served at 3:45 P.M.
_______________________________________
This Forum is OPEN.  All may attend.
The PARC Auditorum is located at 3333 Coyote Hill Rd. in Palo Alto.