MultiGen publishes OpenFlight scene description database specification, announces new extensions and growing support; Leader in realtime 3D authoring tools is joining with MAK Technologies to offer powerful framework for Internet multiuser realtime 3D applications.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nov. 7, 1995--MultiGen Inc., the leader in realtime 3D authoring software, today announced that it has put its popular OpenFlight scene description database specification into the public domain. The company also announced that it is working with MAK Mak Falstaffian figure; categorically maintains his innocence. [Br. Lit.: The Second Shepherds’ Play] See : Deceit Mak sheep stealer succeeds by waiting till the shepherds fall asleep. [Br. Lit. Technologies of Cambridge, MA, to supply extensions to the OpenFlight database standard, providing an open and available Internet framework for delivering multiuser Two or more users. realtime 3D applications. MultiGen also announced eleven new companies joining the movement to OpenFlight, including: Animetix, ELSA, Evans and Sutherland, Intergraph, Lightscape, LightSpeed, Lockheed Martin For the former company, see . Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading multinational aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. , NorControl, Oktal, OmniComp and Syndesis. MultiGen and MAK will release an OpenFlight API this February, which includes structures for linking to MAK's Distributed Interactive Simulation Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) is an open standard for conducting real-time platform-level wargaming across multiple host computers and is used worldwide especially by military organizations but also by other agencies such as those involved in space exploration and (DIS) network protocols. This will give the Internet community an open, multiuser realtime 3D environment previously available only to high-end visual simulation users. MultiGen will extend the API by Q3 '96 with new multimedia entities, plus support for Sun's Java scripting language A high-level programming, or command, language that is interpreted (translated on the fly) rather than compiled ahead of time. A scripting, or script, language may be a general-purpose programming language or it may be limited to specific functions used to augment the running of an . These developments represent a very significant step in accelerating the move to users running interactive, realtime 3D applications securely over the Internet. To date, no viable standard has emerged for multiuser realtime 3D applications on the World Wide Web. OpenFlight with DIS represents the most efficient and scalable data structure that is available and proven for video games See video game console. , location-based entertainment, CAD visualization and training simulation. OpenFlight enables developers to deliver highly realistic synthetic 3D environments that are user-controlled and run over networks, in full detail, in realtime. Major Users Support OpenFlight OpenFlight is the database of choice for corporations, government agencies and educational institutions developing realtime environments targeted for in-house or commercial products. These organizations range from software developers and systems vendors to defense customers and system integrators. Consumers see OpenFlight databases every day, from Aladdin's Magic Carpet magic carpet flew King Solomon and his court wherever he commanded the wind to take it. [Moslem Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 177] See : Magic ride at Disney World, to NAMCO's Magic Edge multiplayer simulators in Tokyo and Mountain View, CA, to the 3D walk-through of St. Peter's St. Peter's or similar terms may mean: Places
MultiGen has released the Friends of Flight list of current and new adopters using OpenFlight for commercial purposes. They include: o Content Developers -- Rare, Viewpoint, Xatrix, Zipper zipper Device for binding the edges of an opening, as on a garment or a bag. A zipper consists of two strips of material with metal or plastic teeth along the edges, and a sliding piece that interlocks the teeth when moved in one direction and separates them again when moved , Zombie A computer that has been covertly taken over in order to perform some nefarious task. It is estimated that millions of PCs around the world have been compromised and, under the control of a third party, routinely transmit messages unbeknownst to the user. ; o Institutions -- Beijing Institute, Samsung Institute of Technology, University of California The University of California has a combined student body of more than 191,000 students, over 1,340,000 living alumni, and a combined systemwide and campus endowment of just over $7.3 billion (8th largest in the United States). at Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , University of Central Florida, University of Iowa Not to be confused with Iowa State University. The first faculty offered instruction at the University in March 1855 to students in the Old Mechanics Building, situated where Seashore Hall is now. In September 1855, the student body numbered 124, of which, 41 were women. , University of Missouri, University of North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. ; o Software Vendors -- ABACO, Animetix, Clarus, Division, Gemini, Lightscape, LightSpeed, MAK, Paradigm, Sense8, Syndesis, Virtus; o Systems Vendors -- 3DFx, ELSA, Intergraph, Nintendo, OmniComp, Silicon Graphics; o System Integrators -- CAE (1) (Computer-Aided Engineering) Software that analyzes designs which have been created in the computer or that have been created elsewhere and entered into the computer. , Dharma dharma (där`mə). In Hinduism, dharma is the doctrine of the religious and moral rights and duties of each individual; it generally refers to religious duty, but may also mean social order, right conduct, or simply virtue. Systems, Evans and Sutherland, KCE KCE Konami Computer Entertainment KCE Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (Brussels, Belgium) KCE Kilogram of Coal Equivalent (energy intensity; also seen as KgCE) International, Lockheed Martin, Marconi, MediaLab, NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. , NorControl, Oktal, Thomson. The fast-growing acceptance of OpenFlight will lead to a new generation of high-powered 3D games. "Tools like MultiGen and MAK's VR-Link are critical to the development of the networked game titles of the future," said Mark Long, co-founder of game developer Zombie Studios. "As games become larger and more complex, Zombie will need such tools to develop the massively networked titles we want to create." "MultiGen is the only proven realtime 3D vendor with an industry open and neutral position," said John Latta, president of industry analyst firm 4th Wave in Alexandria, VA. "As game development, CAD visualization and the emerging Web-based markets add realtime 3D content and applications, this powerful and extensible 3D database framework will become the de facto standard Hardware or software that is widely used, but not endorsed by a standards organization. Contrast with de jure standard. de facto standard - A widespread consensus on a particular product or protocol which has not been ratified by any official standards body, such as ISO, in virtually every authoring and playback environment developed and sold." Future OpenFlight Developments In February, MultiGen will release the OpenFlight API (version 1). This API will include libraries to access and extend all the data structures in the OpenFlight specification, including the multiuser network database structures that support the MAK DIS protocols. In addition, MultiGen is planning a major enhancement release of the OpenFlight API (version 2) by Q3 '96. This release will include specific support for the following: o More Multimedia -- New 3D animation and video frameworks will be added to complement the 3D graphics and 3D audio entities currently supported. o Scripted Objects -- Via languages like Java, OpenFlight objects will be able to attach embedded scripts to describe behaviors and provide security. -0-
Realtime 3D Authoring and Delivery Environments
Author Deliver
Application Layer MultiGen & 3rd Party MAK & 3rd Party Extensions Layer OpenFlight API, Java Scripts, VR-Link API Database Layer OpenFlight Data DIS Data
Rendering Layer OpenGL, Rendermorphics, Renderware, 3DR,
BRender, Heidi, QuickDraw 3D
Operating System UNIX, Windows NT, Windows 95, MacOS, Nintendo,
Sony, Sega, 3DO
Network Layer LANs, Internet, ISDN, Cable, Telephone -0- OpenFlight: The Visual Simulation Standard MultiGen Inc. developed OpenFlight over the past ten years as the interchange database structure for MultiGen's realtime 3D authoring software. OpenFlight was designed to incorporate all of the important visual database constructs needed for realtime simulation, where 30 frames per second playback is a requirement. Today, there are thousands of OpenFlight databases in existence and thousands more being created each year. OpenFlight is a de facto standard for the visual simulation market and is increasing its visibility in emerging realtime markets. "OpenFlight is to 3D scenes what PostScript is to 2D pages," said Dennis Yeo, chairman and founder of MultiGen. "OpenFlight is more than a set of file formats to describe the visual and auditory elements of a rich realtime 3D scene. It also describes the structure and linkages that define what, how, when and if objects should be rendered for realtime, providing intelligent trade-offs for all performance levels of APIs and engines, from simulators, workstations and PCs, to game consoles, interactive TVs and the World Wide Web. At the urging of our customers and partners, and with a database so powerful, we felt it was time to put this work into the public domain." "OpenFlight has naturally evolved to be the de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. 3D database standard in the visual simulation market, without a runner-up in sight," said Warren Katz, co-founder and COO of MAK Technologies. "In conjunction with new protocol features in our VR-Link DIS networking toolkit, we can now directly map networked entity behaviors to components of OpenFlight models, as well as exchange new visual components between networked entities--both transparently and in realtime." OpenFlight Availability Anyone interested in becoming an OpenFlight adopter should contact MultiGen at 408/261-4100 or griegel@multigen.com, to register at no charge as a Friend of Flight. MultiGen will publish the company names and products from new adopters on a regular basis and promote OpenFlight users on the MultiGen Web site as part of its efforts to help market commercial products using the standard. MultiGen is releasing the current version of the OpenFlight specification this month on both the new MultiGen TakeFlight and Silicon Graphics WebForce sites on the World Wide Web. The specification is also available on the SGI (SGI, Sunnyvale, CA, www.sgi.com) A manufacturer of workstations and servers, founded in 1982 by Jim Clark. The company was founded as Silicon Graphics, Inc., but changed to its acronym in 1999. Performer 2.0 CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). that is distributed to all SGI Onyx system users. A more detailed Q&A on the OpenFlight Scene Description Database is available by contacting MultiGen or Schwartz Communications, Inc. -0- MAK Technologies Inc., founded in 1990, is the leading supplier of networking software for realtime simulations and virtual reality applications. Its core product, VR-Link , implements the Department of Defense's Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) network protocol and is being used by leading simulation companies and government organizations worldwide. Dial-a-Tank , MAK's vehicle simulation toolkit, enables users to rapidly create low-cost DIS simulators for military, civilian and entertainment applications. MAK Technologies is based in Cambridge, MA. MultiGen Inc., founded in 1986, is the leading supplier of 3D authoring software for realtime visual simulation, entertainment and CAD visualization applications. Its products, including MultiGen II Pro, MultiGen II, GameGen II and SmartScene are used to create 3D objects and scenes used in realtime applications for non-immersive and immersive environments. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the company markets its products worldwide directly and through partnerships with leading computing and realtime simulation companies and a network of distributors. OpenFlight and SmartScene are trademarks or registered trademarks of MultiGen Inc. All other product or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. CONTACT: MultiGen Inc. Rick Bess or Ginny Riegel, 408/261-4100 or Schwartz Communications Inc. Dave Close or Hallie Loring, 617/431-0770 |
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