CompuServe Messages

Whoops… My earlier post about QuickTime VR was based on some wrong information that I had read in MacWeek several months ago. It turns out that it WON'T be free. Here's the real info: "APPLE DEBUTS QUICKTIME VR– Apple unveiled its QuickTime VR developer's tool last week at the MILIA multimedia fair in Cannes, France. Version 1.0 is expected to ship in March at a licensing fee of $2,000 per seat. Royalties for developers using the QuickTime VR application for commercial use are between $.40 and $.80 per unit. The authoring tool and application allow for the creation of virtual reality environments using 360 degree photographic technology. The process allows for inexpensive VR programming, although up and down views are limited by the technology. A variety of companies have already licensed QTVR for future applications, including Broderbund, Seismic Entertainment and Xiphias." It's still pretty cool, but pricey. I've got a friend-of-a-friend who may be able to loan me his beta copy, so I'll let you know how well it integrates with 3ds. I imagine that the combination could produce some great Myst-style interfaces.