Blog For Google 3D Warehouse (March 2008)

At the beginning of every month 3Dwalkthroughs.com selects our favorite 3D model from Greg Rose's blog which highlights new 3D building models as they are added to Google's 3D Warehouse.

Our monthly selection is based on impressive: architecture, level of detail, level of realism etc.

For our third pick of 2008 we have chosen The Capitoline Hill, Capitoline Museums in Senatorial Palace, Rome. This month's selection is actually made up of a number of structures which are very interesting. The model was created by saikindi.

About Capitoline Hill
The Capitoline Hill, between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the most famous and highest of the seven hills of Rome. The Capitoline contains relatively few ancient ground-level ruins, as they are almost entirely covered up by Medieval palaces (now the Capitoline Museums) that surround a piazza. A significant portion of the architecture in this area was designed by Michelangelo. The hill was the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad, started by Rome's fifth king, Tarquin the Elder. The city legend starts with the recovery of a human skull (the word for head in Latin is caput) when foundation trenches were being dug for the Temple of Jupiter by Tarquin's order. The church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli is adjacent to the square, located near where the ancient arx, or citadel, a top the hill it once stood. The existing design of the Piazza del Campidoglio and the surrounding palazzos was created by famed Renaissance artist and architect Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1536 - 1546. In the middle stood the only equestrian bronze to have survived since Antiquity, that of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher emperor. A balustrade punctuated by sculptures atop the giant pilasters capped the composition, one of the most influential of Michelangelo's designs. The two massive ancient statues of Castor and Pollux which decorate the balustrades are not the same posed by Michelangelo, which now are in front of the Palazzo del Quirinale.

Sony's Upcoming 3D Virtual World...WOW!!!

3Dwalkthroughs.com has been doing a tremendous amount of research on the most cutting edge 3D virtual world platforms that already exist or are about to launch.

One of the most mind blowing 3D virtual world platforms, that will soon be launched, is Sony's Playstation Home. We just watched a demonstration video of this new 3D platform which was marked by extremely realistic graphics integrated into a very user friendly interface.

An interesting feature, and very smart business move by Sony, is Playstation Video games will actually unlock content that can be used in their 3D world.

Playstation Home can support HD Quality video which makes for an interesting place for people to socialize and discuss video content. The demonstration video also showed how dynamic advertising can be supported within the virtual world.

If the graphics and functionality are any indication of where 3D virtual worlds are heading, we are about to see the a technological revolution that will compare to the dot com days.

About Playstation Home
Home™ is a real-time 3D, networked community that serves as a meeting place for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) users from around the world, where they can interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share content and even build their own personal spaces. Home™ will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from the PS3™ system's Home Menu.

You can access the beta site here>>

New Home Sales Continue Its Skid

An article in today's NY Times highlights the continued decline in new home sales and prices. According to the article, sales of newly constructed homes dropped 2.8 percent from December, to an annual rate of 588,000. It was the third consecutive monthly decline. The median price of a new home sold in January fell to $216,000, down 15 percent from a year ago, according to the Commerce Department.

Source: NY Times

3Dwalkthroughs.com is experiencing an increased volume of new home builders and developers that are contacting us, looking for innovative ways to market the properties in their inventory. Only time will tell whether this increse in call volume will be short lived and how long the housing market will continue it's downward spiral.

As we have posted about in the past, 2 schools of thought have emerged as a result of the troubled housing industry. Those who understand the necessity of investing in innovative property marketing tools such as 3D Renderings, 3D Floor Plans and 3D Walkthroughs. Versus those who refuse to spend any marketing dollars until the market softens. Of course we hope the first school of thought makes up the majority.

The complete article from the NY Times can be found here>>

3DVO - 3D Product Modeling Company Expands Its Customer Base

A few months ago, 3Dwalkthroughs.com posted about 3DVO, a company that creates product models at a fraction of the current going market rate and turnaround time.

Today, 3DVO announced that 6 major retailers have signed up for their 3DVO Engage product modeling service. Retailers and manufacturers including Black Diamond, Moretz Sports, Ogio, Rocky Outdoor Gear, Skullcandy, and Spira are rolling out 3D product models to enhance the online buying experience for their customers and increase online sales.

Source: PRweb.com

We believe that a service such as 3DVO Engage is set to explode, especially if their 3D product models can be integrated into 3D virtual world platforms. With the amount of new 3D virtual platforms that are being launched almost daily, there will certainly be a great demand for 3D models of real life products.

About 3DVO
3DVO (www.3DVO.com) is an industry pioneer in three dimensional modeling services for online retailers. 3DVO Engage provides both small and large e-retailers with 3D models of their products that can be animated, rotated and viewed from 360 degrees. 3DVO was founded in 2006 to address the rapid increase in Internet shoppers and their demand for interactive purchasing experiences. 3DVO increases online sales and profitability for both manufacturers and e-retailers. The company is privately held and located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

IBM Launches 3D Virtual Healthcare Island

Foxbusiness.com has reported that IBM has launched a 3D Virtual Healtcare Island in Second Life. The 3D virtual island was created to illustrate the challenges facing today's healthcare industry and the role information technology will play in transforming global healthcare delivery to meet patient needs.

The IBM 3D Virtual Healthcare Island is designed with a futuristic atmosphere and provides visitors with an interactive demonstration of IBM's open-standards-based Health Information Exchange (HIE) architecture.

Patient avatars arrive and are welcomed at the Central Park and then visit a Central Information Hub, where IBM's view of the healthcare industry and the power of information technology to transform it are presented. An amphitheater on the Hub's second floor provides an area that can support virtual meetings, complete with a large video screen and accompanying slide presentation on IBM's HIE architecture and the positive impact that this technology can have in the transformation of the Healthcare Industry.

Source: Foxbusiness.com

The following areas are currently available on IBM's 3D Virtual Healthcare Island:
The Patient's Home, The Laboratory, The Clinic, The Pharmacy, The Hospital, The Emergency Room. Each area features a different simulation which helps to demonstrate IBM's strategic healthcare vision.

3Dwalkthroughs.com is currently working on developing our own 3D virtual platform specifically geared towards the health and fitness industry. We will certainly use IBM's 3D Virtual Healthcare Island as a role model while we move forward with the development of our own 3D platform.

3D Technology To Aid Pilots

A new 3D technology has been developed that can potentially save thousands of lives when flying in poor visibility conditions. According to an article on CBSnews.com, the new technology is called Synthetic Vision and creates a virtual 3D view of what pilots would see if the conditions were clear.

Developed by Honeywell and just approved for use in Gulfstream business jets, it's called "synthetic vision." The system gives pilots a computer-generated 3D view of what's in front of the plane - even in zero visibility.

Source: CBSnews.com

Flying blind, which is the common term for operating in poor visibility conditions, has been responsible for a large number of crashes and deaths of over 4,000 people.

Synthetic Vision is priced at around $300,000 and will hopefully soon be part of the standard equipment of all commercial airlines. The article also mentions that this new 3D technology will soon be integrated into military helicopters as well.

As the staff of 3Dwalkthroughs.com is often flying to different parts of the country, many times in bad weather, perhaps Synthetic Vision can help us breathe a little easier.

For a brief video of this new virtual technology click here>>

Creating 3D Assets From Afar

3Dwalkthroughs.com is often contacted by developers located in different parts of the world wondering if the fact that we are in different locations will be an issue when building our 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans.

The answer is absolutely not, provided the developer can deliver us reference pictures that clearly depict the furniture styles, finishing details, and overall interior design style they are going for. In addition, it is also helpful when we are provided with pictures of the areas/landmarks/community that surround the site where the property will be developed.

Assuming these pictures are available, we can create the 3D assets as accurate as if we were located in the same city. It is amazing to witness the reaction we get from foreign developers when we deliver the final assets of a project. They always cannot believe how accurate the final product is to the actual development, and how we are able to nail the overall feel of the local environment.

As fans of all different types of architecture, it is very interesting for us to work on projects in different parts of the world...keep the projects coming.

The Looking Glass - The Future of Home Shopping?

3Dwalkthroughs.com has recently become an avid reader of Yanko Design, which just happens to be one of the most popular blogs on Technorati.

About Yanko Design
Yanko Design and is a web magazine dedicated to introducing the best modern international design, covering from industrial design, concepts, technology, interior design, architecture, exhibition and fashion. It’s about the cutting edge and the classic, the new and the rediscovered. It’s all about the best.

Source: Yanko Design

In today's edition of the blog, a developing technology is described that has unbelievable potential. The technology dubbed "The Looking Glass" by Yanko Design is the creation of Tokyo designer Mac Funamizu.

Basically the "Looking Glass" is a tablet can be pointed at anything the eye can see and then pull any information about the area available on the internet. The technology would involve the integration of a number of available technologies such as a camera/scanner, GPS and the internet.

While we can think of thousands of valuable applications for this technology, think about the future possibilites of this type of device for real estate. You could be driving along and then come across a house you find interesting, then, simply frame the house with the Looking Glass and the pull up all the information about the property including property details, Floor Plans, 3D Walkthroughs, Virtual Tours, etc. Real estate sites such as Trulia and Realtor.com will probably go crazy once this technology hits the public markets. We will let you know when we hear any updates.

Realistic 3D Social Networking Coming Soon?

3Dwalkthroughs.com is in our final stages of preparing for the launch of 3Dvirtualvenues.com. As part of our preparation we are keeping our eyes out for new technologies that push the envelope with regards to the realism they achieve in 3D virtual environments.

We just recently came across an impressive new 3D platform, Nurien, that will begin a closed beta test in March 2008, with an official launch in Korea in the latter half of the year, followed by China toward the end of this year. Based on their sample on YouTube, Nurien, is certainly a company to watch.

“We wanted to create a social virtual world – sort of like a 3D MySpace – where users can create, collect, combine and share legacy media such as music, photos, video as well as 3D objects such as clothing, furniture, pets, cars and more, all in a beautiful 3D environment,” said Taehoon Kim, co-founder of Nurien Software. “We wanted to give users a powerful new vehicle for self-expression that breaks down real world limitations. We at Nurien believe that if people created homepages in the ‘90s to express themselves, and if they have migrated to blogging and using social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace today, then the next natural step will be to inhabit fun, virtual worlds with user-created avatars.”

Source: Gamingbits.com

One of the features that makes this technology so impresive is the natural movements of the avatars due to the assignment of unique physics values to body parts, hair and accessories like earrings, necklaces, bracelets, ties, gloves and skirts. Each component moves independently within the avatar environment, enabling characters to simulate realistic physical movements and take on lifelike personas.

We believe that once all the kinks of this technology are ironed out, it will be expanded from just a gaming application, to focus on real business to business applications. In addition, the adoption of 3D technology by corporate decision makers will continue to increase as the level of realism improves.

3Dwalkthroughs.com Awarded Project in the Rockaways

3Dwalkthroughs.com is excited to announce that it has been chosen to create the full branding solution for a new development project in Rockaway, New York.

The project will involve the creation of multiple 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans along with a fully branded website to will display these 3D assets.

The project is especially interesting to us because it takes place in one of the areas that we built our first virtual tour almost 6 years ago. The amount of development that has occured in the Rockaways since our first project in that area is amazing.

About The Rockaways
Located at the southernmost point in NYC, Rockaway is a beach community that offers many amenities that are not available elsewhere. Their long ocean beach and vast stretches of land make the community a decidedly "un-urban" environment. Called by some "New York's hidden jewel", it's a unique community well worth the visit.

One of the main challenges the Rockaways have is the lack of easy access to Manhattan. We have heard rumors that a ferry is being planned to address this issue but we all know how long this type of things take to get approval.

We will be posting information about this new development as the assets are developed...stay tuned.

Toy Fair NYC 2008 - Is Everything Heading 3D and Virtual?

A friend of 3Dwalkthroughs.com debuted her Casey and Bella books and products at the Toyfair which began yesterday at the Javitz Center in NYC.

After walking around the exhibition hall, two things became very clear.
1) The Toy Fair would benefit from a 3D Virtual Trade Show platform to complement the real show.
2) Almost every new and existing product at the show has some sort of 3D virtual world technology integrated into the mix.

According to an article in CnnMoney internet plug-in toys make a physical toy virtual with a USB port that connects to a PC or a special pass code that comes with a toy and is typed in at a specific Web site.

Just to name a few, we witnessed vitual world technologu integrated into toys that could do the following: nurture pets, create fashion shows, race cars, and dress dolls.

Sourc: cnn.com

While toys may not exactly be our core competency, it was certainly interesting to see how big of a role 3D virtual world technology is playing in this multi-billion dollar industry. While some industries might adopt 3D virtual world technology sooner than others, we strongly believe it will be soon adopted, even by the industries that are "naysaying" it's real business applications today.

3D Cameras To Improve Usability of Virtual Worlds?

The founder of Lotus 1-2-3 and also the Chairman of Second Life, Mitch Kapor, spoke at a recent meeting focused on the future of 3D virtual worlds. During his talk he predicted that 3D cameras will play a big part in improving the usability of virtual worlds.

Mr. Kapor refers to the technology seen in Minority as what we can expect to see in the next year or so. In the very near future, he predicts that 3D cameras will be built into computers much like regular 2D cameras are today.

Basically, 3D cameras would allow the virtual world software to interpret how users are moving in the real-world and to translate that movement into the software. That could mean, then, that if the user raises his or her hand, so too does their avatar.

"So, if I look to the left in the real world, I just want my avatar to look to the left," Kapor said. "If I smile, I just want my avatar to smile. The cameras should be good enough to pick that up. I think we're going to see an amazing jump in the sense of presence."

Source: cnet.com

3Dwalkthroughs.com is just getting started creating a 3D virtual world/social networking platform that would be a perfect candidate for integrating the type of technology Mr. Kapor is predicting. We have seen a couple of other articles mentioning this type of technology in the past but have yet to see a good demonstration. If anyone has seen one, please let us know.

PowerUp - IBM Launches 3D Virtual Teaching Tool

It is no secret that IBM has future big plans for their 3D Virtual World technology. While this might not be the BIG announcement, today IBM launched a free multiplayer online game, PowerUp.

PowerUp's goal is to challenge teenagers to help save the planet "Helios" from ecological disaster. The game is part of IBM's TryScience initiative and will be launched at Engineer's Week 2008 opening on February 16 in Washington, D.C. The game, which can be played alone or together, features a planet in near ecological ruin where three exciting missions for solar, wind and water power must be solved before sandstorms, floods or SmogGobs thwart the rescue.

Along with the game, there will be classroom lesson plans associated with the energy transformation topics and an interactive module where kids can learn about 3D technologies to build virtual worlds. To ensure a safe environment, "avatars" will use phrase-based chats to interact in missions.

Source: CNNmoney.com

IBM hopes the use of this 3D virtual world technology will help to encourage kids to learn about engineering principles and energy conservation.

"Innovation is the key to competitiveness in today's globally integrated economy, but just when we need it to skyrocket, interest in math and science has been declining in the United States," said Stanley S. Litow, VP of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs and President of IBM International Foundation. "American competitiveness demands more interest in math and science by students. Virtual worlds and 3D are an unexplored resource in education. We asked our best researchers to incorporate the use of this technology into traditional educational curriculum."

3Dwalkthroughs.com believes IBM is the company to watch closely as the barometer for future capabilities of 3D world technology. With the amount of money and manpower IBM can put towards research and development they are sure to be one of the leading pioneers in this upcoming industry.

Well Done Traditional Marketing Materials Bring 3D Renderings to Life

3Dwalkthroughs.com is currently developing 3D Renderings for a client that is made up of one of the leading development and leading marketing companies in New York City. As part of the project we have been sitting in on the marketing meetings which have been compromised of vendors with different specialties.

Today's meeting was interesting as it involved a review of some updates we made to the 3D renderings along with a review of the brochure design that would be used to market the property.

Before the meeting began I had the opportunity to chat briefly with the creative designer responsible for the new brochure. She showed me some of her previous projects and I was blown away. Each piece was like a coffee table book and not only efectively sold the property but also the community where the project was situated.

With the price of most new NYC condominiums easily exceeding the 1 Million dollar range, it is very important for the marketing materials to do their job from the first second the are viewed. During the meeting we discussed the overall feel that we were trying to achieve with the marketing materials. A few tweaks in terms of color and layout and I think the brochure is going to be a home run.

It is amazing how a well done brochure can compound the effectiveness of 3D Renderings and really make them come to life. If you are looking for a great creative mind that specializes in real estate marketing contact Lauren Schwartz at squarefeetdesign.com.

3D Virtual Art Fetching Real Dollars

A couple of days ago there was an interesting article in MarketWatch.com about artists that are making real money for artwork that was created online and then sold for big money.

Apparently the artwork is being created online and then it is transferred to canvas to be sold at very steep prices ($10,000 each). Interestingly, Second Life, has held art auctions to sell real world paintings, while "real world" galleries have sold artworks based on online creations.

A couple of upcoming events will further define this digital form of artwork as an industry that is here to stay.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City is staging an exhibition beginning this month entitled "Design and the Elastic Mind." It will include all sorts of representations of modernity and the future based on innovation. MOMA says the art derives from "designers' ability to grasp momentous changes in technology, science and social mores."

ZERO1, a digital arts festival, will host its second event in San Jose in June and other stagings are held the world over from Berlin to Beijing. Art News notes that The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and New York's Museum of Contemporary Art are building collections.

Source: marketwatch.com

3Dwalkthroughs.com believes that a lot of the new artwork that is created is going to be a result of photo applications such as Flickr and Microsoft's Photosynth. We have posted about Photosynth in the past and it is worth checking out the Microsoft website to learn more about this cool technology.

Our Interactive Services Partner Launches Life-Cise - Fitness For Survivors

3Dwalkthroughs.com is proud to announce that our interactive services partner Launchsight Solutions has launched Life-Cise - Fitness For Survivors.

Created by Julie Rooney, Life-Cise is a great resource for exercise information geared towards cancer patients. Julie has some interesting plans for her site in the near future including a possible integration of a 3D virtual training center.

About Julie
Julie Goodale, certified Personal Trainer, American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM); certified Cancer Exercise Specialist, Cancer Exercise Training Institute

I am a New York musician. At age 37, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a mastectomy and reconstruction. Because of the high number of positive lymph nodes I had chemo, radiation, and then more chemo.

In the beginning of my cancer experience I exercised because it’s something I enjoy, and I needed as much enjoyment as I could get. I had a fierce determination to return to all the activities I love, including playing music, climbing mountains, skiing, and windsurfing. What I discovered was that exercising actually improved how I felt and helped me manage the side effects of my treatment.

When finished with treatment, I started training hard to return to climbing and the other activities I enjoy. Just one year after finishing treatment, I climbed Mt. Rainier, 14,410’ to raise funds for breast cancer research. I followed that with trekking through the Himalayas, and two years later summiting Cerro Aconcagua, at 22,841’ the highest peak in the Western hemisphere.

I feel so strongly about the benefits of exercise during all phases of treatment and beyond that I got certified as a Personal Trainer and Cancer Exercise Specialist. While I still work as a musician, I am now also dedicated to helping others stay fit and stay strong.

Not To Be Outdone By Mets, Yanks Will Have New Stadium in 2009 - 3D Renderings Available

3Dwalkthroughs.com has posted numerous times about the new home of the NY Mets, Citi Field. We have done so because we are Met fans and for the past few years the new stadium has been the only thing to be excited about.

As New York City fans we guess it is about time we give a little attention to the other team in New York that will have a new stadium in 2009...maybe you've heard of them.

The new $800 million Yankee Stadium is one of the premier building projects to take place in the Bronx in more than 50 years. The new Yankee Stadium will open in 2009, replacing the third-oldest stadium in the Major Leagues. Yankee Stadium has held up for 84 years, surpassed only by Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

"This new stadium will present new comforts, new features and be state-of-the-art in every way," Yankees president Randy Levine said. "It will be the most spectacular fan-friendly stadium ever built."

Source: NY Yankees Website

The Facts About The New Yankee Stadium
Capacity: 53,000 Fans
Style: Open Air
Surface: Natural Grass
Opening: April 2009
Dimensions: Same As Current Yankee Stadium
Architect: HOK Sport
Location: Parallel from Current Yankee Stadium, 161st & 164th Streets

For 3D renderings of the New Stadium click here>>>

WA Condominiums - Something New For West Harlem

Curbed.com recently posted a story about the WA condominium project, located at 2201 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd at 130th Street in West Harlem. This project is noteworthy as it brings a new look to this area of the Manhattan and begins development in what some say is the last residential neighborhood left to be redeveloped on the island of Manhattan.

The WA Condominums is the result of a partnership between Trevor Whittingham and David Atkinson. They say they are the first "men of Harlem" to own and develop a full-service condo building in the area. The building, now under construction, will have a gym, rooftop pool and running track, and delivery service from local stores like Citarella and Fairway.

We are particularly interested in this project as the architect of the project, The Spector Group, is a good friend of 3Dwalkthroughs.com. The Spector Group is a full service design firm with an award-winning portfolio of completed works which span from the United States to Europe.

For some pretty cool 3D renderings of the project and to get more details about the Wa Condominiums you can visit their website here>>>The project is set to be completed in the summer of 2008.

Citi Field Update - A 3D Walkthrough Is Available

It is amazing to see how fast the new home of the NY Mets is progressing. It seems like only yesterday plans were unveiled for the new stadium, and now the frame work of the stadium is about 80% completed.

According the NY Mets website more than 70% of the stadium concrete plank has been installed and the brick façade is well on its way to totally enclosing the administration building.

On Thursday it was announced that Billy Joel will make "The Last Play at Shea" in a final concert at Shea Stadium on July 16.

The concert will take place the night after baseball's All-Star game at Yankee Stadium.

Citi Field is scheduled to be open for the 2009 season. A detailed construction update can be found on the NY Mets website which contains photos of the progress at the constuction site.

Click Here >> for a 3D Walkthrough and video presentation of the new Citi Field.

3Dwalkthroughs.com just started saving our pennies to be able to afford the Billy Joel concert which is sure to be a big (and expensive) event.

3D Virtual Worlds Get Unified Body?

3Dwalkthroughs.com is very excited to be nearing the launch of 3Dvirtualvenues.com. As we continue to research other 3D virtual world platforms, it is amazing to see the sheer number of 3D virtual worlds that already exist.

There are reported to be more than 100 3D virtual worlds in the "metaverse", with many more on the way. Many compare this time period to when the internet first started getting popular and the many opportunities to make real money started to become clear.

We recently picked up a press release about a new association which is attempting to unify all the 3D virtual worlds in a single forum. The Association of Virtual Worlds will try and bring all the pioneers in the virtual world space together to address issues that affect this next evolution of the Internet," says Edita Kaye, founder of the Association of Virtual Worlds and editor in chief of iVinnie.com the number one virtual worlds news network.

The Association of Virtual Words will act as a global trade association for this rapidly growing industry and a resource for those wishing to experiment and explore virtual worlds for work or play. The Association's agenda includes: virtual worlds for real work, online games, virtual worlds as social networks, connecting clients and users, intellectual property and other legal issues, financial systems, taxation, regulation, safety, marketing and branding, new technologies and interoperability.

Source: emediawire.com

The Association of Virtual Worlds definitely sounds like a good idea, however, it is always a difficult task to bring people together under the best of circumstances...forget about when they are competitors.

Microsoft Acquires 3D Modeling Company

In an effort to improve the 3D component of their Virtual Earth project, Microsoft has announced its acquisition of 3D modeling company Caligari Corp.

Their biggest competition in this arena is Google Earth which seems to have quite a lead on Microsoft. Google Earth is the world’s most widely used cloud-based mapping software.

Surely Google is not sitting back waiting for Microsoft to unveil a product that would be an improvement over their product. It will be interesting to see Googles response to combat the threat posed by Microsoft.

3Dwalkthroughs.com believes the competition between these two giants will leads to advances in 3D technology that is beyond our wildest dreams. When you think of all the brain power that is being devoted to both Google Earth and Virtual Earth, the possibilities are scary.

We have also been hearing rumors coming out of Microsoft that they will soon be launching their own virtual world. We wonder if the improved 3D modeling capabilities resulting from Microsoft's acquisition of Caligari Corp will help to improve the graphics that can be supported by virtual world platforms. We certainly hope so...only time will tell.

3D Renderings, 3D Walkthroughs and 3D Floor Plans - A Developers Best Friend

3Dwalkthroughs.com prides ourself as being an extension of the sales and marketing teams of our clients. Once we are contracted by a client it is not uncommon for us to be invited to attend all of the sales and marketing meetings pertaining to the project.

While the most obvious use of 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans is for sales and marketing purposes, these tools are also extremely valuable for giving presentations. Whether the presentation is to potential investors, community boards or even other partners, there are no better ways of showing, in fine detail, what the finished product will look like before it is built.

In addition to getting approvals or raising money for a project, 3D assets can also help to prevent a lot of wasted time and money by allowing all interested parties to make changes before it is too late.

All our 3D assets can be delivered in very large high resolution formats which can be shown on a plasma TV in a sales office or printed to a banner as large as a building.

Let's create an interconnected worldwide 3D virtual fitness center!

3Dwalkthroughs.com is putting out our feelers to find people interested in getting involved with a project that could potentially improve the health and fitness of people around the world.

Without getting into too much detail, the project involves creating a 3D Virtual Venue completely devoted to health and fitness. It will be a place where people can go to share ideas, meet with health professionals, participate in live exercise classes, attend health and fitness seminars, learn exercise techniques from different parts of the world, etc.

With over 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, I believe that the marriage of health and fitness and 3D virtual worlds is going to play a big part in the future of how people will get and stay in shape.

Some of the most common excuses people give for not going to the gym is they do not have the time, they do not know how to exercise properly, they cannot afford a gym, they do not want to go to a meat market, they are embarassed, blah blah blah blah.

Almost every excuse that I ever heard could be overcome by a 3D virtual health and fitness center.

If you find this idea intriguing and want to get involved with a company that has the resources to make it happen, please contact us. You can get in touch with us right from our homepage.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sony Nearing The Launch Of Their Own 3D Virtual World "Home"

Sony has announced that they will be launching their own 3D Virtual World in the spring of 2008. Their new 3D virtual world platform will be called “Home” and will be integrated in Playstation 3. "Home" is said to be a cross between private chat rooms, MySpace, YouTube and online gaming,” explained Ron Festejo, creative director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Source: localtechwire.com

The goal of "Home" is to provide gamers with a compelling and interactive world where they can connect with others online to play games and socialize.

Sony has plans to integrate many of their other products into "Home" such as video game and movie downloads, as well as music and TV programming. In addition, "Home" will give users the ability to customize their avatars and apartments which will all be managed through the PS3 interface.

3Dwalkthroughs.com is looking forward to seeing Sony's new 3D virtual world platform as we believe it will demonstrate the next level of graphics that virtual worlds can offer. As Sony gets closer to their launch we imagine we will be hearing much more about what "Home" has to offer.

As a side note, congratulations to the NY Giants for one of the best Super Bowl upsets of all times.

The February "This Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With 3D" post

One of the most delicate questions we ask when interviewing a potential new employee at 3Dwalkthroughs.com is "Who is Your Favorite Football Team?". If the answer is anything other than the NY Giants, the skillset requirements raise by about 10%.

With that being said, today is Super Bowl Sunday. NY Giants vs. New England Patriots.

Based on the first few games of the season, one would never have guessed that the Giants would be playing in todays big game. Plagued with injuries to many of their star players, and an early confidence problem of their quarterback, the Giants have beat impossible odds to make it to the finals of the bigggest game in sports.

Regardless of the outcome of today's game the Giants coaching staff has done a great job at adjusting their game plan to meet and beat some very tough teams in the playoffs.

If the Giants were to upset the undefeated New England Patriots today, it could be compared to some of the biggest upsets in sports history. New England is going for the first ever 17-0 season and the NY Giants are the only thing standing in their way.

Our prediction...lets just say we have already started cutting up paper for the ticker tape parade. GO GIANTS!!!

Blog For Google 3D Warehouse (February 2008)

At the beginning of every month 3Dwalkthroughs.com selects our favorite 3D model from Greg Rose's blog which highlights new 3D building models as they are added to Google's 3D Warehouse.

Our monthly selection is based on impressive: architecture, level of detail, level of realism etc.

For our second pick of 2008 we have chosen the US Airways Center. This is not to be confused with the University of Phoenix Stadium where the Giants are going to win the Super Bowl tomorrow...we hope!

About US Airways Center
Formerly known as the America West Arena, the US Airways Center is a sports and entertainment facility located in Phoenix, Arizona. With the intent of replacing the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, construction for the new Arena began in 1988 and was inaugurated in 1993. The Arena is home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, the AFL’s Arizona Rattlers, and the ECHL’s Phoenix Roadrunners.

Franchisecircle.com to Launch 3D Virtual Trade Show

As we have mentioned a few times over the past weeks, 3Dwalkthroughs.com is getting close to launching 3Dvirtualvenues.com. 3Dvirtualvenues.com will build custom designed 3D virtual venues for "real world" business to business applications.

We will be announcing all the available features in a few weeks but here is a preview of some of the features: All 3D Virtual Venues offer real time, avatar to avatar interaction via VOIP, text messaging and even existing conference call platforms. From picking up and viewing the most intimate details of a 3D object to viewing a movie, opening interactive flyers or holding a large seminar, 3D Virtual Venues allows you to interact with your audience as if you were standing in the same room.

With our the launch of 3Dvirtualvenues.com coming close, it is encouraging to hear that other companies are also using 3D virtual tradeshows to complement their real world business strategies.

FranchiseCircle.com, a social network for franchising launched in 2006, announced today plans to develop a 3D virtual tradeshow on the Second Life.

The company plans to launch the first tradeshow April 14, 2008, and maintain this community by building out virtual re-creations of entire franchise locations on its' own virtual island in Second Life, Franchise Island. Services offered to franchisors will be the creation and placement of their own 'franchised' locations on other users' property on Second Life. Access to the Island will be limited to an invite only basis initially. Integration with physical franchising tradeshows such as the International Franchise Expo and the International Franchise Tradeshow is also being planned.

Source: prweb.com