Re: Distributed Computing & VRML

Peter Hughes ([email protected])
Fri, 6 Oct 1995 07:02:18 -0700


> 3) Avatar-Avatar interaction. When an avatar enters a region its
description and behaviour is downloaded to the server which broadcasts
the data to all current clients and stores it for future clients. If
this is done as above the trigger information is sent to the other
client avatar object.

--------------------------------------

A certain level of peer-to-peer communication can be useful here. For
instance, in WorldsChat the "Chat" function is peer-to-peer. When entering
a world, an Avatar must inherit certain behaviors from the world (for
instance, if I am entering an ecosystem simulation, I might need to inherit
an "eat" behavior, or moving to a world with gravity, a gmass" parameter).
The world must also keep tabs on what behaviors are and are not allowed
(if my avatar brings a gun into your world, will it be allowed to modify
other avatars?). Are behaviors inherited from the world mutable or
immutable (can I bring an "antigravity" behavior into the world)?
There is also the question of free will- I can choose to eat, but I can't
choose whether or not to fall.

I encourage folks to look at my outline for a VRML extension called
MPh (short for metaphysics) which deals with some of these issues on a
language level, which can be found at:
http://www.cruz.com:80/~hughes/language/MPh.html

At an architectural level, some means of dynamic property inheritance
is needed.

Pete


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