******** KANSAS ******** a Blowfish enhanced VRML multi-user world. Developed for use with Black Sun's CyberHub Client Software & Netscape's Live3D plug-in for Navigator 3.0. Produced for Imagine Publishing and the Net magazine by Seven Raven, Inc. http://www.7raven.com November 21st, 1996 Copyright (c) 1996, Seven Raven, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Copyright(c) 1996, Imagine Publishing Quick Start: This program requires Netscape Navigator 3.0 for Microsoft Windows 95. Two installation programs must be executed to start up Kansas. hc102341.exe installs Black Sun's CyberHub Client. kansas.exe installs Seven Raven's Blowfish Resource Manager. The files will, by default, install to a folder named 7raven. After installation, two icons (BLOWFISH and Enter Kansas) will be placed on the Windows 95 desktop. Start BLOWFISH by double clicking on the BLOWFISH icon. This launches a monitor window which runs minimized. Next, by clicking on the Enter Kansas, Netscape Navigator will start up and take you to the entry point for Kansas. From this web page, clicking on the Enter graphic loads the CyberHub client and Live 3D. You should see a Netscape Navigator window divided by three distinct frames. "The World frame, in the center to the upper right, takes most of the space in the browser window. Here is displayed a 3D scene in which people appear as "Avatars." Using the intuitive controls explained below, you navigate through this world discovering its attributes and interacting with others. The Main Controls frame, on the upper left, displays the controls for the CyberHub Client functions. Clicking on the icons nvoke the various different Work frames, as well as a variety of linked HTML (such as this help file). The Work frame appears on the bottom right and center of the browser window and displays context appropriate information depending on the most recently invoked Main Control. This frame itself may be divided depending on the aspect of CyberHub Client being controlled. E.g., When the "ME" AVATAR control is choosen, an avatar gallery appears in the lower right and one's currently chosen avatar in the center bottom. Likewise, when the chat controls are invoked, a CHAT LOG will appear with a text entry field for entering chat on the very bottom." - (Black Sun's CyberHub Client Introduction.) For more information on the CyberHub Client, please refer to: http://www.blacksun.com/products/chc-help/index.html Contents: Background Requirements Installation BlackSun's CyberHub Client Registration Chosing an Avatar Movement In the World Communication Getting Your-Own Pad BACKGROUND VRML is a quickly evolving standard for defining three dimensional space on the Internet. It enables files to be place on a server, accessed by a VRML browser or Plugin such as Live 3D, and interpreted as a navigable environment. The "worlds," as the 3D models are called, can contain multiple objects such as sounds, images, patterns, and links like on a HTML page. For the latest information on VRML, please refer to: http://vrml.sgi.com The trade off to being on the cutting edge is unreliability. Please explore the world with some patience. If this is your first foray into VRML, realize that things are constantly improving. A powerful multimedia computer is necessary to take advantage of Kansas. (Pentium, 16RAM, SVGA, 28.8+ Internet Link, 2x+ CD-ROM) Netscape Navigator 3.0 with the Live-3D plugin is necessary, along with the installation files: hc102341.exe and kansas.exe INSTALLATION Netscape Navigator and the Live 3D VRML Plug-in must be installed prior to installing CyberHub Client and Kansas. Run hc102341.exe first, this will install the CyberHub client. Please check out the readme.txt file included by Black Sun in the C:\blacksun\CyberHub Client folder. (if CyberHub Client was installed to the default directory) Next run kansas.exe. This will install Blowfish and place two icons on the Windows 95 desktop. To load Kansas, first start BLOWFISH by double clicking on the BLOWFISH icon. This launches a monitor window which runs minimized. Next, by clicking on the Enter Kansas, Netscape Navigator will start up and take you to the entry point for Kansas. From this web page, clicking on the Enter graphic loads the CyberHub client and Live 3D. You should see a Netscape Navigator window divided by three distinct frames When Netscape reads a VRML file Live 3D is automatically activated. If that VRML file is running on a CyberHub Server, the CyberHub Client is started and a "frame"-type interface is loaded. On the Left most frame, icons representing several of the CyberHub's functions are visible. The Human Head Icon and the small number next to it represents the users currently in the world. Double-clicking on "people," will call up a list of current users. The Cards icon, ist of "name cards" traded with other users met in the world (see communication below). CHOOSING AN AVATAR A default avatar is chosen for you. If you wish to change avatars, click on the "me" graphic on the Black Sun Main Controls Frame. NAVIGATION WITHIN THE WORLD Navigation within the world takes some time to get used to. Generally one moves about on the ground by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the pointer in the direction you wish. Clicking on the right mouse button will bring up a menu to change Live 3D settings. Clicking and holding the right mouse button down, and then moving the mouse will spin the world on a defined axis. VRML worlds take some time to orient yourself with. Sometimes minor movement will send you flying off into space, outside of the defined "world." If you get lost like this, click on the right button and choose the first viewpoint option, Live 3D will animate a return to the point where you entered the room from. Objects within the VRML world can be links to files, Web pages, other images, etc. Double clicking on these links will take you out of the "world," anytime you return to a room, the whole room must be re-loaded. This is an unfortunate drag. COMMUNICATION There are two ways to communicate to other users in the world: cybercard exchange and chat. Cybercards are virtual business cards, customized to say what you want them to say. They are an easy way to keep track of the people you meet in Kanzaz. The chat functions in a separate window in real time as various people in the room "speak" by typing into the text line. A private one-to-one chat is also available. CyberHub is a trademark of Black Sun Interactive. CyberHub, CyberLife, Copyright(c) 1996, BlackSun Interactive Navigator and Live3D are trademarks of Netscape Communications. Windows 95 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Java and other Java-based names are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.