CompuServe Thread

Hi Gilbert, << These questions are just off the top of my head, more detailed will follow. If there are any experienced users, I would like to converse and maybe discuss actual work. >> Great questions and welcome to the forum. I'll forward your post to the CDK team. I'm sure one of them will jump in. 🙂 jonas[adesk]

…] As I understand this message, the references to "deck" below really refer to CDK spaces. > We are looking at various apps to create environments for a client. I am > interested in CDK because it's a PC app which is the delivery system of > choice for the client. The following outlines the basic for the deck, along > with observations to date.. comments are welcome. One possible source of confusion is the fact that the CDK is not an app but a toolkit and would require a C++ programmer to create the walkthrough app you describes. > The environment/ or deck would comprise a large number of objects, which > could be Viewpoint, or maybe digitized. The degree of accuracy would not > need to be what I have been told is two points out (Architectural accracy). > ie: an apple looks like an apple etc.. > > The viewer would walk through the deck, though they might not need to pick > up objects/move them. I gather this would reduce the need for high-level > accuracy? It would certainly make the programming job easier. > I would like the the ability to link decks so that if the participant walks > down a hall from one deek to another, the system will flush the first while > loading the next. Does CDK render only what is in the frame? Multiple CDK spaces can be created, destroyed and swapped between easily to achieve the desired effect. The CDK renders whatever is in the current space with minimal culling efforts although there is nothing to preclude more aggressive culling by application derived objects. > I would also like the ability to add zoom hooks, so that when depressed it > would teleport the viewer to another section. I gather from the lit I have > that hypertext is not very difficult to add. "Teleportation" as you described above is easy. If you're refering to some sort of actuall text handling, there is nothing in the CDK to support that, though again nothing to preclude a developer from adding it. > 1. Is there the ability to automate scripting/ create an icon based > medaphor? Clearly an application level issue. > 2. Information and suggestions on Renderware, SP3D, etc. Criterion has expressed interest in writing a driver for the CDK and we've supplied them with some assistance. You should contact them for information. We do ship a driver for the RenderMorphics Reality Library which has the same sorts of features and speeds. You would need to licence the RL library from them separately. We also ship our own fast software renderer and a HOOPS renderer and library in-the-box which may be sufficient for many applications and will provide at least a jumpstart for any development effort. > 3. 12-15fps now with phong shading? 20-25 fps w/ glint card.? > > The level of quality needed would be Gouraud, or phong 16bit with at least > 12fps min. The delivery system would likley be desk-top, maybe with a > Stereo Graphics 120 mhz shutter glass system. > > Would a dual Pentium offer advantages in pps rendering? Metrics for the RenderWare library and others should be gotten from the vendors. The CDK should not create a performance bottleneck when driving any of these renders. – Daniel Green daniel.green@autodesk.com

Hi Gilbert I'm not a current CDK user but have familarity with a wide range of VR type software. Your complexity and frame rates are probably beyond the capabilities of a CDK system without a signficant 3D rendering accelerator board (perhaps the new Fujitsu/Future Vision board?). The lack of interaction other than motion/zoom also reduces the need for a system of the sophistication of CDK. Hate to dis the locals, but I think some of the other packages might be better suited to your requirements. Do you still have my number? call or email me. jerry isdale