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Multi-user
(shared, collaborative) VR is a 3D computer generated environment
on the Internet where participants (represented as "avatars")
can meet each other, walk around together and communicate using
text, gesture, voice or pre-programmed "emotions" (e.g. "happy"
or "sad"). A Virtual Community on the Web (for instance, Active
Worlds' Web site alone has around 500 different VR worlds) can
be accessed using a medium powered PC with a modem connection.
In this instance it is expected that the participants in the system
will have access to reasonably fast ethernet or ISDN connections.
The VNet
multi-user VR system allows many users to be logged into a VRML
environment at the same time. Once inside the environment they
can interact with each other through the VNet Java chat applet,
move freely around and interact with the VRML environment. Avatars
represent participants within a VRML space. Logging into the VNet
server allows the user to choose an Avatar file. This is a simple
VRML file that has the same characteristics as the VRML environment,
but is positioned at the camera viewpoint and travels with the
camera around the environment. An Avatar is simultaneously downloaded
by all the other participants to their browser window allowing
them to see each other. File size is important as VNet does not
check avatar file size, too large a file interferes with the smooth
running of the environment.
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