Been to VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) Bird-Of-Feather party. The main performance was Bliss that was introduced in SIGGRAPH '97. By using this, the world's first trans-pacific demonstration was done.
Date: Sat., Sep. 20, 1997 19:30~23:30 JST(+0900)
Place: Cybernet Cafe (Harajuku FACE Building OZ City 6F)
About 19:30, there was almost a hundred people on the floor of Cybernet Cafe, and they were drinking and chatting at ease. When I was about to enter the circle, I happened to meet a friend of mine. Enjoyed talking each other and ate some snacks.
20:30, David Frerichs and Shinya Matsuoka from SGI, cosponsor of this event, started the presentation about their policy for VRML. Not only the contents of the PR, but CosmoPlayer 2.0 (inner release version), the VRML browser they used attracted the audience. When they were asked "Applause if you want the Mac version (of CosmoPlayer)!" many of them (including me ;) responded.
After 21:00, the demonstration over the pacific ocean finally started. At this time, VRML data and live audio which both sampled int real time from a performer at SGI in Mt.View, California, U.S.A were going to be distributed to Tokyo. And..., detailed story will be available in other articles, so I just enjoyed the character "Bliss" jumping, dancing, and talking (in a loose high-school girl's tone ;).
This was the first time ever for such a long distance data transfer
and the stuff seemed to be
so busy
to prepare the demo. Especially the stuff at the U.S.A side
had to wake up in pre-dawn time...
There were actually some sudden break of action and speech, because
the data came to Japan through the SGI's intranet was transferred to
ISDN line and then reached the Cafe. That could make me feel the distance
in which the data came from overseas, and also reminded me of
"Max Headroom." It was a little
funny but "cyber"-like experience.
(It was also cool that I saw the head of Bliss was going to be crunched
when the line between the U.S.A and Japan was cut down after the demo
session. :)
After the demo finished, Mark Pesce, one of VRML frontiers, answered questions from the audience through the system. He sometimes emphasized the importance of such newly introduced technology for telling the future of VRML.
About 21:30, the attendants were enjoying VRML worlds on the workstations set in the floor after the demo and the discussion period. I left the place because the time for the last train for me was approaching.
By implementing streaming function on VRML, which will take
more opportunities to be handled in a same dimension as other media. |
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Thanks to N. Sato and S. Nakagawa.