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:
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
