>IMHO, hardware is irrelevant. Well, not totally -- but nearly totally,
>if for no other reason than machines like the Atari Jaguar are available
>right now for aprox. $250 with 5 processors. And the "Project Reality"
>machine SGI and Nintendo are developing (based on the 64 bit MIPS R4XXX
>chipset) will probably push the envelope even farther. Given the strength
>of these machines, I see no reason why a person who wants to build a
>"garage VRML" browser cartridge couldn't do so.
What's more, software based real-time 3D rendering has come a long way in the last couple of years and there is a software product "RenderWare" available now that provides 90,000 lit textured polygon/sec on a Pentium/60, without 3D hardware acceleration (about 1/2 this on a 486/66). This product is also available for other platforms. So usable performance is really not a major concern these days.
While I feel RenderWare can play a significant role in VRML, because it is a very fast, cross platform full 3D rendering engine, I hesitate to bombard you all with marketing speel.
If there is further interest in RenderWare I'd be pleased to provide detailed information, or you can email me direct.
Mike King
VP Marketing
Criterion Software Ltd.,
20, Alan Turing Road,
Guildford,
Surrey, GU2 5YF,
UK.
Voice: +44-483-448802,
Fax: +44-483-448811.
Email: mking@criterion.canon.co.uk (Mike King)
RenderWare- interactive 3D for the masses.