Beginning of the end

Just over a month till major deadlines and so much to do. Lets start at the beginning… My main work, of course is the © 3D Virtual Tour. Check this…, Redefining the way in which we see online Virtual Tours. Instead of the standard QuickTime VR’s, I’ve taken it to the next level, where the user can freely explore the environment. In the past, and current present, QuickTime Tours present an Interactive Panoramic of a room or area, the user is limited to only controlling the rotation of the camera and has a handy zoom function, which can result in blurred imagery. Using as much detail as possible, I am creating the environment for the user to explore, totally in 3D. Bournemouth University is my challenge, creating the campus, and adding interactive elements, which would create the perfect tour guide/information resource for students, visitors, and students of the future. The user will be able to explore freely, being able to find their own way around the Uni, if they are unsure as to where a certain room or lecture theatre is located on campus, they will be able to search, and upon viewing the results, have the choice to jump straight to the room in the environment, plot a point on the 3D map to find their own way there, or navigate a route on the system, in a satellite navigation type of way. Users will be able to click on rooms to access popup information referring to which classes take place, or who’s office it is, or whether there is a timetable which can be accessed. This system will be available to view soon at http://www.butour.co.uk. Being 3D, I have considered the fact that file sizes would be very much larger than your standard QuickTime VR. This is no problem…. Mainly because, Internet speeds nowadays are at least 1Mbps, with a further 8mbps soon to become standard in the UK. 63% of the population in the UK have Broadband (Office of National Statistics – Feb 2006), the percentage still grows on a monthly basis. People wanting to visit or study at the Uni are almost guaranteed to already have Broadband, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Here are a few renders to get things started