CVE | Tools and Demos| Java Tools | XML Experiments

CVE

CVE (the CRG Virtual Environment) is a multi-user virtual reality platform developed by Nottingham University. The homepage for the software can be found here. Once you have downloaded and installed CVE you will want to connect to a virtual world. Use the web-based command wizard to help you initalise and connect CVE.
  • Download CVE from Nottingham University. [offline]
  • CVE version 14 information page.
  • Extended Java interface for Windows NT 4.0 version. [ zip ]
  • Click here for the web-based command wizard for CVE.

Useful Tools and Demonstrators

AC3D AC3D - A 3D object editor created by Andy Coleburne of Lancaster Univeristy. The AC3D file fomat is semi-supported by CVE, a conversion tool is provided to convert .ac files to .dgl files, the native file format for CVE.
RAVec - A vectorisation application created by Rob Aspin. Availble only for X Windows, it can convert 2D plans to 3D objects. A Java version, based on the orignial software is now available. It was used in the creation of this 3D model building. The Java version of the vectoriser can convert JPEG or GIF files to AC3D or VRML97 structures.
  Ruskin Library VRML Model - This is an interactive, single user 3D model of the new Ruskin Library at Lancaster University. You will need a VRML97 plugin for your web browser to walk around and interact with this building, which contains information and digitised books of John Ruskin.
  Web-based multi-authoring of virtual worlds. Log into the web-based 3D multi-authoring system to explore several VRML97 worlds. This demonstrator investigates differnent visualisation techniques for modifying a virtual world. The site makes makes use of cascading style sheets, dynamic HTML and VRML97 so you will require a VRML97 plugin and a forth generation web browser.

Java Tools for CVE

  • Session Wizard: A Java based assistant to launch CVE and connect to remote VR worlds.
  • World Editor: A simple text editor augmented by CVE specific features.

Experiments in XML

In an effort to move 3D file formats away from a proprietary or non-standard format, the possibility of expressing a CVE world in an XML format has been investigated. The benifits of converting to such a system are clear (the next generation VRML langauge is specified using XML), making parsing and validating a file simpler. It also allows files adhering to the standard to be viewed and edited using XML tools. The presentation of a 3D world description need not be in 3D. For users with hardware that cannot handle complex 3D graphics, they still have the chance to become involved by participating using different representations of the virtual environement.

Here is a standard CVE world description file (those ending in .cve) expressed using the CVE file format, and here is the same file expressed using XML.