MetaVR New Software Release Announcement June 7, 2006 ======================================================================= MetaVR is offering a new release of its major products. We hope that this release information will help your organization plan a smooth software maintenance and upgrade strategy. This email describes the new features of MetaVR VRSG, WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler, and our upgrade and software maintenance policy. For more information about version 5 VRSG and WorldPerfect and version 2 Metadesic Compiler, please visit our web site at http://www.metavr.com. 1. What's New in VRSG Version 5 2. What's New in the Latest Release of Terrain Building Applications 3. What's Available With all Products 4. Product Availability 5. About Upgrades 6. Retroactive Upgrade of Previously Purchased Software 7. Continued Support for Existing Software 8. Availability of Earlier Software Versions 9. Terrain Database Version Support 10. Maintenance and Technical Support ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. What's New in VRSG Version 5 MetaVR VRSG Version 5 includes the following new features and enhancements: * Built-in support for dynamic 3D character entities. This feature is supplemented by a new library of over 125 unique character models and 25 weapon models. VRSG can handle thousands of active human characters with several hundreds being displayed in the immediate field-of-view. Note that for customers who currently use Boston Dynamics' Di-Guy with VRSG, version 5 will continue to support Di- Guy. You can use both MetaVR's new characters and Di-Guy characters together in VRSG. * Several new sky models representing a variety of time-of-day and weather conditions. * Normal-mapped, animated water with sky model reflection, which greatly enhances the realism of water-based simulations. * Dynamic shadows for ground entities and human characters. * Support for normal maps which greatly increases the visual quality of models. * Full MetaVR 3D content libraries of vehicles, cultural features, and aforementioned characters. For version 5 many new 3D models have been added to the 3D content libraries, including additional vehicles, human characters, weapons, animals, and cultural features (such as buildings, trees, signage, and street elements). * Inclusion of the following terrain databases: - Baghdad, Iraq with Green Zone - Ft. Wainwright urban training site - Ft. Lewis with Leschi Town MOUT site - Ft. Irwin (NTC) with Bicycle Lake and Tiefort City urban training site - Ft. Campbell with Cassidy MOUT site - Ft. Benning with McKenna MOUT site The following features, formerly add-on products, are now included with core VRSG: * First Person Simulator, which provides first-person control of your characters so you can view a networked scenario from their point of view. * VRSG Radar, which enables the simulation of a radar system to be built upon the VRSG rendering engine, using VRSG visual databases and moving models. * IRserver, which is distributed upon request with source code based on the Technology Service Corporation RealIR library. IRserver enables computer image generators (CIGs) to render a physics-based simulated infra-red (IR) real-time scene. The IRserver is an open-architecture, CIG-independent, network-based IR simulation that uses extensions to the DIS protocol to communicate with the image generators it services. The IRserver runs on a dedicated computer on the simulation network and can service multiple channels rendering IR scenes. Note: The international release of VRSG does not include IRserver, VRSG Radar, or support for the MUSE protocol. http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/vrsgnew5.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/vrsg-characteranimation.html http://www.metavr.com/products/3Dcontent/3dcontent-home.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/3DdatabasesSummary.html http://www.tsc.com/as/_3RTIRSS.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. What's New in the Latest Release of Terrain Building Applications MetaVR WorldPerfect Version 5 and Metadesic Compiler version 2 both include the following new features and enhancements: * New attribute file to customize compilation defaults - You can now create attribute files to customize processing of specific subsets of imagery or elevation source data, overriding WorldPerfect's or Metadesic Compiler's default settings on a per-directory basis. Customizable settings include resolution priority for overlapping data, empty pixel detection, RGB band order, and false coloring. * Support for more imagery formats - WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler now compile imagery in ERDAS Imagine (.img), Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (.doq), and Enhanced Compressed Wavelet (.ecw) image formats. Also WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler can now support 16-bit-per-band and 32-bit-per-band images. * Support for more elevation formats - WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler can now compile elevation data in ERDAS Imagine IMG and LAN, SDTS, and Arc/Info's binary grid and ASCII grid interchange formats. * Pan sharpening - During compilation, WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler now sharpen lower-resolution color imagery with intensity values from higher-resolution monochromic/ panchromatic imagery covering the same geographic area, creating a fused higher-resolution color image. * Improved blending between overlapping imagery and elevation - WorldPerfect and Metadesic Compiler have improved handling of blend regions between overlapping imagery and elevation of varying resolutions and sources, including irregular-shaped elevation files. As well, improvements have been made to the texture level-of-detail generation process, resulting in higher quality texture levels of detail. * Support for multiple source directories - During database compilation, WorldPerfect can now pull imagery and elevation source data from multiple directories and drives. In the Metadesic Compiler, you can now specify imagery and elevation source data from multiple directories and drives in the Metadesic Compiler wizard. This feature was previously available only in the command-line Metadesic Compiler. In addition, MetaVR WorldPerfect Version 5 includes the following new features and enhancements: * Ability to export a WorldPerfect project to a Metadesic Compiler script file - WorldPerfect can now capture all the terrain settings and source data references of a project and write them to a .bat file which you can then execute to build Metadesic terrain tiles of the same geographic area. If you are a MetaVR Metadesic Compiler user, this feature enables you to easily migrate projects from WorldPerfect to use with the Metadesic Compiler. * WorldPerfect version 5 contains several usability improvements for creating base maps, specifying source data and their settings, and editing cut-and-fill features. For example, you can use the new Split Segment tool to refine existing linears and areals. Preview Imagery List (and Preview Elevation List) enables you to preview beforehand the list of files WorldPerfect will process, to ensure the database you create will use the imagery (or elevation) data you expect. * Other enhancements include more robust imagery and geometry compilation, including improved handling of DTED Level 2 and higher elevation data, and improved processing of imagery for huge databases that span multiple UTM zones. http://www.metavr.com/products/worldperfect/wpnew5.html http://www.metavr.com/products/metadesic/mds_v2new.html http://www.metavr.com/products/3Dcontent/3dcontent-home.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. What's Available With all Products Available with all 3D terrain visualization and generation products are MetaVR's full 3D content libraries of vehicles, cultural features, and new character library of humans, weapons, and animals. For this release many new models have been added to the pre-existing 3D content libraries, including additional vehicles, and enhanced cultural features libraries of over 700 unique 3D models of buildings, trees, signage, and urban street elements. Building models include some high-resolution MOUT buildings with interiors. Tree models include a set of 50 volumetric trees in four seasons. http://www.metavr.com/products/3Dcontent/3dcontent-home.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Product Availability A full license of VRSG version 5 includes: - DVD media with version 5 software and necessary drivers - Color-printed user's manuals - Aladdin USB security dongle for unlocking the license - The following MetaVR MDX-format terrain databases (version 5 compatible): - Baghdad, Iraq with Green Zone - Ft. Wainwright urban training site - Ft. Lewis with Leschi Town MOUT site - Ft. Irwin (NTC) with Bicycle Lake and Tiefort City urban training site - Ft. Campbell with Cassidy MOUT site - Ft. Benning with McKenna MOUT site An upgrade license of VRSG version 5 includes: - DVD media with version 5 software and necessary drivers - Color-printed user's manuals - MetaVR MDX-format terrain database of the Bicycle Lake area of the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. With the purchase of an upgrade version of VRSG, MetaVR provides free technical support and maintenance for the software for one (1) year from the date of delivery of the upgrade. An upgrade license for VRSG version 5 requires the purchase of a previous version of VRSG. Upgrading to version 5 from version 4 or version 3 requires use of the USB security dongle that was previously furnished with the VRSG software. Upgrading to VRSG version 5 from version 2 will require the use of the USB security dongle to be provided with the delivery of VRSG version 5. A full license of WorldPerfect version 5 includes: - DVD media with version 5 software and necessary drivers - Color-printed user's manuals - Aladdin USB security dongle for unlocking the license - Upgrade software of VRSG version 5 as detailed above (to use this VRSG software, you must already have a previous purchase of VRSG installed with its USB security dongle) - A licensed copy of a set of Marlin Studios textures CD-ROMs: "Virtual Trees & Foliage Clip Maps" "Seamless Textures 1- General Purpose Surfaces" "Seamless Textures 2- Rustic Exterior Surfaces" "Seamless Textures 5- Downtown Surfaces & Signs" "Seamless Textures 7- Great Textures of Europe" "Seamless Textures 10- Rooftop Materials" "Seamless Textures 11- Great Textures of the Orient" - MetaVR MDX format terrain database of the Bicycle Lake area of the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. An upgrade license of WorldPerfect version 5 includes: - DVD media with version 5 software and necessary drivers. - Color-printed user's manuals. - Upgrade software of VRSG version 5 as detailed above. (To use this VRSG software, you must already have a previous purchase of VRSG installed and its USB security dongle.) - Additional Marlin Studios textures CD-ROMs: "Seamless Textures 7- Great Textures of Europe" "Seamless Textures 10- Rooftop Materials" "Seamless Textures 11- Great Textures of the Orient" - MetaVR MDX format terrain database of the Bicycle Lake area of the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. With the purchase of an upgrade version of WorldPerfect, MetaVR provides free technical support and maintenance for the software for one (1) year from the date of delivery of the upgrade. An upgrade license for WorldPerfect version 5 requires the purchase of a previous version of WorldPerfect. Upgrading to version 5 from version 4 or version 3 requires use of the USB security dongle that was previously furnished with the WorldPerfect software. A full license of Metadesic Compiler version 2 includes: - DVD media with software and necessary drivers - Color-printed user's manuals - Aladdin USB security dongle for unlocking the license - LaCie 1.0TB hard drive containing the source information of North America 3D terrain database for rebuild - Upgrade software of VRSG version 5 as detailed above (to use this VRSG software, you must already have a previous purchase of VRSG installed and its USB security dongle) An upgrade license of Metadesic Compiler version 2 includes: - DVD media with version 5 software and necessary drivers - Color-printed user's manuals - Upgrade software of VRSG version 5 as detailed above (to use this VRSG software, you must already have a previous purchase of VRSG installed and its USB security dongle) With the purchase of an upgrade version of Metadesic Compiler, MetaVR provides free technical support and maintenance for the software for one (1) year from the date of delivery of the upgrade. An upgrade license for Metadesic version 2 requires the purchase of a previous version of Metadesic Compiler. Upgrading to version 2 from version 1 requires use of the USB security dongle that was previously furnished with the Metadesic Compiler software. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. About Upgrades MetaVR's product maintenance plan now covers 1 year of technical support and upgrades for a fee of $1,500 per product. All software releases for a specific software application (such as version 5.1, 5.2, and so on) are available at no additional cost as downloads from our FTP site during your active maintenance period. You will not be able to run software releases issued after the expiration of your maintenance period until you renew the maintenance for your software license. http://www.metavr.com/aboutus/productpricing.html Information regarding development of customer-requested features to the product is located on our web site, at: http://www.metavr.com/aboutus/customerfeatures.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Retroactive Upgrade of Previously Purchased Software VRSG and WorldPerfect software purchased after January 1, 2006 may be automatically upgraded at no cost. You will receive email regarding the software upgrade process and email of shipment notification. All VRSG version 4.5 software retroactive upgrades will be shipped in Q3 2006. You will be required to obtain from MetaVR a new dongle ID unlock password for this upgrade. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Continued Support for Existing Software MetaVR will continue to provide technical support and resolve MetaVR software anomalies for existing users of version 4 software through the warranty period of your license agreement. In some cases, you will not be required to upgrade to version 5 software to continue to receive support. Please contact support@metavr.com for more information regarding your specific license agreement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Availability of Earlier Software Versions With the release of MetaVR version 5 products, we will no longer sell or ship earlier versions of the software. This means that version 3 and version 4 of VRSG and WorldPerfect will no longer be available after the formal release date of 1 July 2006. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Terrain Database Version Support All terrain databases created with either version 5 or version 4 of WorldPerfect can be rendered with any VRSG version 5 or version 4 software license. Terrain databases distributed by MetaVR require rendering by the latest version of VRSG. Currently all terrain databases require VRSG version 5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Maintenance and Technical Support MetaVR provides free maintenance and technical support for its software products for one (1) year from the date of delivery. Maintenance and technical support includes: - Email response from MetaVR to reports of problems encountered in a software product. - Email and telephone assistance from MetaVR about product installation and use. - Access to software updates intended to fix reported errors, and point releases of the version of the software product for which you have a license. - Product updates, upgrades, and enhancements to the software that MetaVR generally releases to its customers during the maintenance and support period. MetaVR provides all maintenance and technical support remotely during its normal business hours. When you contact MetaVR for technical support, you might be required to transmit an authentication code prior to receiving support. If you request to have MetaVR provide support or maintenance at your site or outside normal business hours, you will be responsible for all reasonable expenses incurred by MetaVR. Contact us for information about current per-hour rates of such services. Following the one-year maintenance and technical support period, you can renew maintenance and support services from MetaVR by remitting the amount due stated on your quotation or purchase order or by purchasing the annual maintenance and support found on our order form. For details and limitations, see MetaVR's end-user license agreement. With the purchase of an upgrade version of a software product, MetaVR provides free technical support and maintenance for the software for one (1) year from the date of delivery of the upgrade. http://www.metavr.com/aboutus/policies.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This electronic announcement may be redistributed without restriction in any format as long as the contents are unaltered. Copyright 2006, MetaVR, Inc. MetaVR, Inc. 80 Somerset Road Brookline, MA 02445 USA This MetaVR announcement is comprised of over 14,000 e-mail addresses collected from company correspondence and public forums comprised of those who have interest in visual simulation. To subscribe to MetaVR News, send email to news_request@metavr.com. To unsubscribe from MetaVR News, send email to no_news@metavr.com. This announcement is in full compliance with the enrolled (final) text of bill S.877, which became law on January 1, 2004, and which allows the sender to transmit unsolicited commercial electronic mail so long as the message contains an opt-out mechanism, a functioning return email address, and the legitimate physical address of the mailer.