3D - User Guide

Navigating | Cursor Shapes | Popup Menu | Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigating
To move around in Cybertown 3D click in the 3D window and your cursor changes to a cross. Now you either hold down the left mouse button and drag in the desired direction or you may simply use the cursor keys (arrows) on your keyboard.

If you use the mouse note that the distance from the point where you started dragging determines the speed of movement.

With some navigation modes you can use temporary modes. These modes are activated by pressing an additional key. The temporary mode is then active as long as the additional key is pressed.

Walk
If you are in walk mode the cursor will show a cross with a ´W´ in it's lower right corner.

Press the left mouse button within the scene, then drag the mouse toward the top or bottom of the screen to move forward or backward. Drag the mouse toward the left or right to turn accordingly. The distance from the point where you started dragging determines the speed of movement.

Walking with the cursor keys:

Press the ´arrow up´ key to move forward, the ´arrow down´ key to move backward, the ´arrow left´ key to turn left or the ´arrow right´ key to turn right. The speed of movement will be constant.

Temporary modes:

  • Rotation - Press the ´R´ key to switch to temporary rotation mode. The Cursor will show an ´R´ in the upper left corner of the cross. When you release the ´R´ key you will return to walk mode.
  • Slide - Press the ´S´ key to switch to temporary slide mode. The cursor will show an ´S´ in the upper left corner of the cross. You return to walk mode by releasing the key.
  • Speed Up - By pressing the SHIFT key while navigating you will speed up your motion by a factor of five.

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Slide
If you are in slide mode the cursor will show a cross with an ´S´ in it's lower right corner. the mouse:

Press the left mouse button within the scene, then drag the mouse toward the top or bottom of the screen to move up or down. Drag the mouse toward the left or right to sidestep left or right. The distance from the point where you started dragging determines the speed of movement.

Sliding with the cursor keys:

Press the ´arrow up´ key to move up, the ´arrow down´ key to move down, the ´arrow left´ key to sidestep left or the ´arrow right´ key to sidestep right. The speed of movement will be constant.

Temporary modes:

  • Rotation - Press the ´R´ key to switch to temporary rotation mode. The Cursor will show an ´R´ in the upper left corner of the cross. When you release the ´R´ key you will return to slide mode.
  • Speed Up - By pressing the SHIFT key while navigating you will speed up your motion 5 times.

Rotate
Rotation mode is a way to move around an object. Rotate mode is convenient when you want to look at objects which make sense only upright like buildings or to change your position in a world quickly. Rotate mode rotates in meters per second; thus, if you are very far from the object, Rotate mode will seem incredibly slow.

In rotate mode the cursor will show a cross with an ´R´ in it's lower right corner.

Press the left mouse button within the scene to determine the rotation point. This point must be part of an object. Your view will turn towards this point until the point is in the center of your view. Drag the mouse toward the top or bottom of the screen to move toward or move away from the fixed point. Drag the mouse toward the left or right to sidestep left or right. By sidestepping left or right you are moving in a circle with the fixed point as the center.

Temporary modes:

  • Slide - Press the ´S´ key to switch to temporary slide mode. The cursor will show an ´S´ in the upper left corner of the cross. You return to rotate mode by releasing the key.
  • Speed Up - By pressing the SHIFT key while navigating you will speed up your motion by a factor of five.

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Examine
Examine mode is also a method of rotating around an object. You can examine the object you clicked on freely, even turn it upside down, but you always stay the same distance from the object. This is a good way to examine a single object. Examine mode rotates in angles per second and if you are very far from the object Examine mode will feel incredibly fast.

In examine mode the cursor will show a cross with an ´E´ in it's lower right corner. with the mouse:

Press the left mouse button within the scene to determine the rotation point. This point must be part of an object within the scene. Your view will turn towards this point until the point is in the center of your view. Drag the mouse toward the top or bottom of the screen to move up or down. Drag the mouse toward the left or right to sidestep left or right. The distance from the fixed point will be constant. You move in a circle with the fixed point as the center.

Temporary modes:

  • Press the ´R´ key to switch to temporary rotation mode. The Cursor will show an ´R´ in the upper left corner of the cross. When you release the ´R´ key you will return to examine mode.
  • Speed Up - By pressing the SHIFT key while navigating you will speed up your motion by a factor of five.

Fly
Navigation in fly mode works like the control stick in a plane. To climb you have to drag the mouse to you to sink, and away from you to rise. Note that you are not able to turn while standing still, but always have to turn flying curves dragging the mouse left or right.

In fly mode the cursor will show a cross with an ´F´ in it's lower right corner.

Temporary modes:

  • Speed Up - By pressing the SHIFT key while navigating you will speed up your motion by a factor of five.

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Here are some additional keys which allow you special navigation in all modes:

Jump To Object
By pressing the ´J´ key you prepare for a jump to an object. If you click on an object while pressing this key you will jump to this object.

Follow Object
To follow another avatar, for example, press down the ´Space Bar´ and then click on the object you want to follow. While in Follow mode your cursor will change, and every time the other object moves you move along as well. Note that you still can navigate, that is change your position, relative to the followed object. To discontinue 'follow' mode: hit 'End', select 'Restore' or any viewpoint from the menu or beam to another avatar.

Enforce Navigation
By pressing the CTRL key you can enforce navigation in all situations.

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Cursor Shapes
There are several different cursor shapes which illustrate in which mode you're in when your mouse cursor is over the 3D window.
Standard Cursor (arrow) The 3D window does not have the focus. All keyboard input goes to an application which has the focus. Click the 3D window to get the focus.
Cross with ´W´ Walk mode.
  • additional ´R´
temporary Rotate mode.
  • additional ´S´
temporary Slide mode.
  • additional ´R´ and ´S´
temporary Rotate - Slide mode.
Cross with ´S´ Slide mode
  • additional ´R´
temporary Rotate - Slide mode
Cross with ´R´ Rotate mode.
  • additional ´S´
temporary Rotate - Slide mode
Cross with ´E´ Examine mode.
  • Additional ´R´
temporary Rotate mode.
Cross with ´F´ Fly mode.
Additional circle around the Cross indicates a touch sensor under the cursor for all modes
Hand indicates an anchor under the cursor
Target cursor Jump to mode
Follow Cursor Follow mode

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Popup Menu
The Popup-menu can be activated by pressing and holding the right mouse button in the blaxxun CC3D window.
  •  Viewpoints Submenu

    • Next Viewpoint - Move to next viewpoint
    • Prev Viewpoint - Move to previous viewpoint
    • Viewpoint Tour - Animate trough all Viewpoints
    • Reset - Go to entry Viewpoint
    • Viewpoint List - A list of all available viewpoints in the scene
  • Graphics Submenu

    • Headlight - Toggle to illuminate scene with an additional light from the viewers position
    • Wireframe - Display wireframe model
    • Vertices - Display vertices model
    • Flat - Display objects using faceted shading
    • Smooth - Display objects using smooth shading
    • Textured - Enable/Disable texture display
    • Smooth Texture - For D3D RGB or Hardware drivers, enable or disable smooth texture filtering
    • Dither - Enable color dithering to improve the rendering appearance, disable for speed
  • Movement Submenu

    • Walk - Drag the mouse toward the top or the bottom of the screen to move forward or backward, drag toward the left or right to turn left or right.
    • Slide - Drag the mouse to move up down left or right within a plane which is perpendicular to your viewing direction.
    • Rotate - Press the left mouse button to select a rotation point within the scene. Then drag the mouse toward the top or bottom to move forward or back, drag toward the left or right to rotate around the fixed point.
    • Examine - Press the left mouse button to select a rotation point within the scene. Then drag the mouse left right up or down to rotate the object.
    • Fly - Press the left mouse button to start flying. Drag the mouse toward the top or bottom to rise or sink, drag toward the left or right to turn.
    • Straighten Up - Sets your view upright and straight ahead
    • Restore - Returns to the entry viewpoint
    • Zoom Out - Get a view of the entire world.
    • Collision Test - Switch on or off the test to prevent collision with objects.
    • Reset - Adjust viewpoint to view the whole scene
  • Speed Submenu

    • Very Slow - move with 10% of your default speed
    • Slow - move with 50% of your default speed
    • Medium - move with your default speed
    • Fast - move with 200% of your default speed
    • Very Fast - move with 1000% of your default speed
  • Settings Submenu

    • Sound - if enabled sounds will be loaded and played, if disabled sound processing will be stopped.
    • Preferences - Change preferences and save the startup defaults.
  • Help Submenu

    • Manual - Displays the manual in a new browser window.
    • Visit blaxxun - Visit blaxxun interactive WWW Site.
    • World Info - Displays information about the current World.
    • About - Displays the current version, press "Check Version" for online version check
    • Ramp Emulation - Select Direct 3D Ramp Software Driver, usually the fastest rendering
    • RGB Emulation - Select Direct 3D RGB Software Driver, slower but better quality
    • HAL - Select Direct 3D Hardware Driver, if Direct 3D Hardware installed.

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Keyboard Shortcuts
The keyboard focus can be set for the 3D window by clicking in that window with the mouse. If the window does not have the focus the cursor over the window is the standard cursor (arrow) otherwise the cursor shape is the navigation cursor of the current mode.

Page-Up Jump to next Viewpoint
Page-Down Jump to previous Viewpoint
Cursor(arrow)-Keys Navigation behavior depends on current navigation mode
C Toggle "Collision detection"
G Toggle "Stay on Ground"
J Navigation mode "Jump to Object"
SPACE Navigation mode "Follow Object"
CTRL Enforces Navigation
CTRL+SHIFT+W Navigation mode "Walk"
CTRL+SHIFT+S Navigation mode "Slide"
CTRL+SHIFT+R Navigation mode "Rotate"
CTRL+SHIFT+E Navigation mode "Examine"
CTRL+SHIFT+F Navigation mode "Fly"
CTRL+SHIFT+U Straighten Up
SHIFT-F9 Opens Preferences Dialog
ESC Stop camera animation or Follow Object or reset to entry viewpoint
END Stop camera animation or Follow Object
SHIFT Speed up
BACKSPACE Go back to the last position (Undo last navigation)

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