MetaVR News Volume I, Issue 2 September 1, 1997 http://www.metavr.com MetaVR can help you uncover the meaning of your virtual worlds (tm). In This Issue: 2.A -- Intel Invites MetaVR to Join OAAF 2.B -- MetaVR Demo Available From 3Dfx 2.C -- VRSG Displays Full 24X24KM Ft. Benning Site 2.D -- 4th WAVE Interviews MetaVR 2.E -- Natick Labs to Replace SGI Onyx with ChannelSurfer 2.F -- MetaVR Becomes Microsoft Beta Site 2.G -- IMAGE Society Image of the Month 2.H -- MetaVR Attends SIW Workshop *********************** 2.A -- Intel Invites MetaVR to Join OAAF Intel recently established the Open Arcade Architecture Forum (OAAF). The forum encourages development of hardware and software -- based on an open architecture PC platform -- for arcade systems, location-based entertainment and high-end visual entertainment for the home. A specification has been established by Intel as a reference platform for meeting certain performance criteria. MetaVR was invited to join OAAF as a founding member based on its application of the standard for the VisSim community . *********************** 2.B -- MetaVR Technology Demo Hosted on 3Dfx Web Site The MetaVR "Warthog Prevails" technology demonstration is being hosted on the 3Dfx Interactive Web site at . The demo shows the signature MetaVR A10's attacking a platoon of 2S6 anti- aircraft artillery that have found their way onto an unprotected airfield. Brian Bruning, 3Dfx Interactive Developer Relations Manager said, "Pretty cool stuff. I especially like the variable fog (clouds) and mip- mapping. It's been getting some great comments from our end users too." MetaVR is currently the only VisSim company hosted on the 3Dfx Web site with a demo that can be down-loaded. Images and a brief story-line from the free demo are available on the MetaVR Web site . *********************** 2.C -- VRSG Displays Entire 24X24 KM Ft. Benning Facility MetaVR and Natick RDEC recently demonstrated real-time visualization of the complete 24X24 KM Ft. Benning virtual training facility. The VRSG system is believed to be the first available production system with the capability to load and visualize the entire 24X24 KM Ft. Benning site with sufficient performance for training. The US government expended approximately $20 million developing the MOUT database into the most sophisticated virtual representation of a real-world training facility. Because of performance limitations of traditional terrain database formats, however, the full visualization potential of this database had not previously been realized. Until the advent of the MetaVR MetaDatabase format (MDB), low-cost 3D graphics hardware, and the VRSG system, only a 2X2 KM subset of MOUT had been available to the community on production visual systems. Two of the VRSG platforms were recently purchased for the Ft. Benning Land Warrior Testbed (LWTB). The LWTB site is the first site to use the full 24X24 KM in operational simulation experiments. James Morris at the Ft. Benning facility said, "We have never been able to see the entire database before on any of our systems until now". MetaVR will demonstrate the full Ft. Benning terrain database at this year's Simulation Interoperability Workshop (SIW) . *********************** 2.D 4th WAVE Interviews MetaVR #718.7 8/01/97 John Latta profiled MetaVR in the August 1st issue of the WAVE electronic newsletter. Asked about the long-range strategy of MetaVR's product line, company members discussed plans to replace high-end image generators with low-cost personal computer systems. As reflected in the article, MetaVR's product development is, and will continue to be, predicated on the ability to rapidly create and visualize terrain. 4th WAVE is a leader in state-of-the-art technology market analysis . *********************** 2.E -- Natick Labs to Replace SGI Onyx with ChannelSurfer The Natick Research, Development & Engineering Center (Natick RDEC) U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM) has purchased the MetaVR ChannelSurfer to replace an existing four processor RE2 Multi Channel Option (MCO) Silicon Graphics (SGI) Onyx . At a fraction of the cost of the SGI Onyx, this MetaVR ChannelSurfer configuration will provide multiple synchronized views of distributed simulation environments. MetaVR provides Natick RDEC with the reference and integration platform to develop high-fidelity representations of soldiers from the output of a full body scan device . A PC image generator quote calculator is available on the MetaVR Web site for users to interactively design, visualize, and price their VRSG systems similar to the one delivered to the Natick RDEC facility . Note: Netscape Communicator or Navigator is required to view the MetaVR ChannelSurfer quote calculator. *********************** 2.F -- Microsoft Adds MetaVR as a Beta Site Microsoft has recently added MetaVR to its list of Beta sites for DirectX 5 and 6, Windows 98 (Memphis), and Windows NT 5.0. This partnership allows MetaVR to develop for the latest Microsoft SDK and operating systems in advance of their public release. It also enables MetaVR to provide simulation-specific input into upcoming releases to support VisSim requirements on the PC . *********************** 2.G -- IMAGE Society Image of the Month The IMAGE Society chose an image produced by the MetaVR's VRSG technology as the image of the month for August . The image featured an M1 Abrams is inside the Ft. Benning McKenna Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) high-resolution terrain database designed for Military Operations in Built-up Areas (MOBA) on the PC-based MetaVR Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG). The scene was generated by the Quantum3D Obsidian 50:4440 3D graphics accelerator recommended by the Intel initiative on a Pentium II 300 MHz processor running Windows 95. The terrain database was converted from MultiGen OpenFlight to the MetaVR MDB format . *********************** 2.H -- MetaVR Attends SIW Workshop Be sure to drop by the MetaVR booth at the Simulation Interoperability Workshop (SIW) September 8-12 Holiday Inn, International Drive, Orlando, FL, USA . In the Dolphin Room, Booth #15 (same booth as in the spring workshop), MetaVR will demonstrate the VRSG 2.0 release, which supports Microsoft DirectX 5. Version 2.0 of Quick Immersion will be a highlight of the exhibit with new image draping support. A partnership providing support for the High Level Architecture (HLA) for the MetaVR product line will be announced. A native Dismounted Infantry (DI) animation model with rapid texture editing of soldier uniforms will be demonstrated. The very latest and most advanced PC-based 3D graphics accelerator hardware will be on display. MetaVR will repeat last year's give-away theme with a blind drawing of a copy of GLQuake, game controller, and graphics card . *********************** Previous issues of MetaVR News can be found at . This electronic newsletter may be redistributed without restriction in any format as long as the contents are unaltered. Copyright 1997, MetaVR, Inc. Please let us know if you do not want to receive future mailings by sending email to no_news@metavr.com. Requests for subscription to MetaVR News can be sent to news_request@metavr.com.