Beem Pages - VRML

About VRML:

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is a standard to define three dimensional shapes. VRML Specifications are available at the San Diego Supercomputing Center(SDSC). SDSC has an excellent VRML Information area. Silicon Graphics(SGI) also has a good VRML Information area. All my files are in VRML 1.0, but I'll get into VRML 2.0 when I get a chance.

Browsing VRML:

I am using VR Scout version 1.40 and/or Netsape Live3D as my (VRML 1.0) browser. I have also tried WorldView 0.8d, and Microsoft's ActiveX control for VRML, but I have had better luck with VR Scout and Live3D rendering everything correctly. The Browser Page at the SDSC VRML Repository lists most of the VRML browsers that are available out there.

If you need to set up a VRML browser, the MIME type is x-world/x-vrml. For some reason this is not clearly stated in the docmentation for some of the browsers. I've also noticed some of the browsers require a 256 color video mode to work (not 16-bit or 24-bit color).

Creating the VRML documents:

So far I am just using a ascii text editor to create the .wrl documents. I am also using CADKEY, and a QBasic program I wrote to aid in the process of figuring out 3d geometry/points. CADKEY is a professional computer aided design program that I use at work, but CADKEY Light might be available from CADKEY's Web Site for free. So far I have only created VRML 1.0 files, but I have started looking into VRML 2.0.

VRML Documents:

Here are some documents to view if you are set up with a browser.

Big Beem

Letters of my name made of beams.

Dodecahedron

A 12-sided dodecahedron that I created as my first working VRML document.

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