Welcome to the WIRL Interactive VR Browser. WIRL is the world's first true virtual realilty browser for the Web. WIRL brings you the future of virtual reality on the Web NOW! The Web will truly never be the same again!
WIRL works as a plug-in for Netscape Navigator, so that you can experience interactive virtual reality seamlessly within your Netscape window.
About this Document
This document will provide you with the most up to date information about the WIRL Interactive VR Browser, along with instructions for installing and using WIRL. More information will be added to this document with each new release of WIRL, so keep watching this space for the latest hot information.
File Formats Supported by WIRL
WIRL supports standard 3D Files in the VRML 1.0 format (file extension .WRL), and also supports fully interactive virtual reality worlds in VREAM's Virtual Reality World format (file extension .VRW).
In addition, the WIRL Browser allows standard 3D VRML Files to be given true virtual reality capabilities by creating a Virtual Reality Extensions file (file extension .VRE) that contains VREAM's scripting language commands.
Authoring Capabilities
WIRL provides the user with a variety of authoring capabilities that can be used to create new 3D virtual reality worlds, and update existing virtual worlds. These authoring tools are on the popup menu which is displayed when the right mouse button is clicked.
Advanced Features
WIRL contains many advanced features which allow true virtual reality to be experienced across the World Wide Web. Some of these advanced features include:
Full Object Interactivity (Pick up objects, throw them around in 3D Space)
Object Dynamics (Objects can move, rotate, resize, etc.)
Custom Object Behaviors and Logic definable as VREAMScript Extensions
Automatic Object and Viewer Paths
Full texturing
Texture Animation (For Playing Videos within the virtual World)
Play sound files from within a virtual world
Launch External Applications from within a virtual world
Authoring Capabilities (Alter content of world while within the Browser)
Supports GZip compression
...And there are many more awesome things to come!!
System Requirements
You will need at least the following system configuration to run the WIRL Interactive VR Browser:
Hardware Requirements
IBM Compatible PC with at least a 486DX 33Mhz CPU (But a Pentium is much nicer)
(Note: If you have a 486SX, you will need a math coprocessor)
256 Color Display (But worlds look even better if you use 64K colors)
8 MB RAM
Mouse
Software Requirements
Windows 95 or Windows NT
Netscape Navigator Version 2.0 Beta 4 or higher
Experiencing Virtual Worlds Within WIRL
WIRL provides two modes in which to experience virtual worlds, Viewer Navigation mode and Object Manipulation mode. The desired mode may be selected by clicking the Left Mouse Button within the WIRL Control Panel on the Viewer Navigation Button (contains an image of a person running), or the Object Manipulation Button (contains an image of a hand).
Within each mode, the user may interact with the world by clicking on the arrow buttons within the WIRL Control Panel, or by clicking the mouse buttons directly within the virtual world area. The various ways to interact with the virtual worlds are detailed below:
Viewer Navigation Mode
Control Panel Button Controls
VREAM WIRL Logo Display About WIRL Message
Moving Person Button Viewer Navigation Mode
Hand Button Switch to Object Manipulation Mode
First Button with Direction Arrows Viewer Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Second Button with Direction Arrows Viewer Move up/down and Move left/right
Third Button with Direction Arrows Viewer Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
Reset Button Reset the Viewer to Original Position
Camera Button Set a new Viewer Position
Mouse Button Controls
Mouse Left Click on an Object with a URL Jump to the URL Site
Mouse Left Click on an Object with Logic Execute the Logic associated with the Object
Ctrl + Mouse Left Click on an Object Automatically Move to the Object
Mouse Right Click Display the WIRL Authoring Menu
Mouse Left Drag Viewer Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Ctrl + Mouse Left Drag Viewer Move up/down and Move left/right
Shift + Mouse Left Drag Viewer Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
Mouse Right Drag on an Object Object Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Ctrl + Mouse Right Drag Object Move up/down and Move left/right
Shift + Mouse Right Drag Object Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
Object Manipulation Mode
Control Panel Button Controls
VREAM WIRL Logo Display About WIRL Message
Moving Person Button Viewer Navigation Mode
Hand Button Switch to Object Manipulation Mode
First Button with Direction Arrows Object Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Second Button with Direction Arrows Object Move up/down and Move left/right
Third Button with Direction Arrows Object Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
Reset Button Reset the Viewer to Original Position
Camera Button Set a new Viewer Position
Mouse Button Controls
Mouse Right Click Display the WIRL Authoring Menu
Mouse Left Drag on an Object Object Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Ctrl + Mouse Left Drag Object Move up/down and Move left/right
Shift + Mouse Left Drag Object Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
Mouse Right Drag on an Object Object Move forward/backward and Yaw left/right
Ctrl + Mouse Right Drag Object Move up/down and Move left/right
Shift + Mouse Right Drag Object Pitch up/down and Roll left/right
VRML Support
This Version of WIRL has support for most of the VRML 1.0 specification, but there are still a few items that are not yet supported. The following VRML nodes are not yet supported , but will be soon:
Asciitext
IndexedLineSet
PointSet
LOD
OrthographicCamera
Lights
Texture2Transform
Revision History
Version Date Modifications
Alpha 5b 1-23-96 All textures except png can be wrapped onto the background now.
Fixed Zoom Button problem while loading WWWInlines. Can now use Zoom Buttons to navigate while Inlines are loading.
Netscape Version Checking during Installation added.
Alpha 6 2-2-96 Added custom VRML camera views to the Viewer Position menu item.
Added standard Windows Online Help, accessed through the Help menu item.
Implemented Weight on Object Physical Properties Sheet. Weight affects how far an object can be thrown.
Worlds can now download .wav sound files from the web.
WIRL will now render the highest resolution model for the LOD node.
Implemented File Version Control for VREAMScript vrw files. You will now be warned if a file was made with a later version of WIRL than you are currently using. You will be asked to download the latest version but may continue loading the file with your current version of WIRL. The VRC_WIRL_VERSION,S command defines the version of WIRL used to create the VREAMScript file.
Fixed various palette and screen focus problems. WIRL window no longer grabs focus from other Netscape windows.
Implemented Registry Values to save options between WIRL instances. Saved values are Tool Tips, WWWInlines, Load Textures, and Hyperlinks Active.
Eliminated message window which notified the user that a sound file could not be played.
Beta 1 2-24-96 Extended VRML 1.0 support implemented. ASCII Text nodes
supported.
Fixed problem loading multiple gzipped inline files.
Fixed problem loading VREAM extension files into VRML Worlds.
Note: If you resize the screen by dragging the lower Netscape bar down, Netscape does not resize the plug-in window. Hence WIRL will not resize. Resizing with the right Netscape bar or the diagonal resize control will resize the WIRL window.
