The Sony Kate Page

[cbullard@HiWAAY.net (Len Bullard)]

Yes, what Stev0 has to say about the Sony
Kate Web page is true:  it is impoverished.
So are the rest of the Sony Entertainment
pages.  That may change shortly.  Sony
as Stev0 is probably aware has recently
introduced products for VRML which include
behaviors.  As part of an ongoing discussion
with one of the Sony engineers, I mentioned
that I was working on a Kate VRML world
(several, actually).  He mentions that
Sony Music is actively looking at VRML
developments and will have a look at
my work when I get it ready.  No one
has said they will use it of course, but
the notion is that they may soon begin
to develop these for their artists and
we can have some input to this.

As to progress on my work, yes
it is still being done.  No I have not
put the work out on the Web yet.
Three of the worlds look good and
work, but the fourth is a fairly complex
undertaking to create a mythical Homeground
Towers setting.  I've rebuilt this over a
dozen times trying to work out problems
with the target browser, adding features,
and getting it to work in an 8mb machine
with a 60mhz pentium.

It should be understood in advance by
those of you who think that VR is what
you see in Lawnmower Man, that VRML
is 3D graphics and right now, static
graphics (no intelligent behaviors).  So
anything done in this area is just a scratch
on what will be available.  Another point
to note is that such worlds are typically
not places to go for Information, per se,
such as stev0 rates the pages by, but
as places of play and fantasy.  In mine,
I include an HTML page that points to informative
sites using links e-mailed to me from
loveHounds (thanks Wieland, David, Stuart).  
Otherwise, one gets something
to play with centered around Kate.

VRML worlds are for fun.  More will be
done as the standard itself becomes
more capable.  I highly suggest for any
of you who want to try your hand, a recently
published book, "The VRML Sourcebook"
by Ames, Nadeau, and Moreland.  This
is available at Barnes and Nobles in the
US ($29.00).  It is a very good tutorial
and includes all of the advanced language
aspects (which is why I am rebuilding the
castle again).

cheers,
len