OpenGL Headline News
OpenGL API-based Croquet 3D collaborative visualization system SDK 1.0 Beta
Category: Developers • Permalink
Apr 27, 2006
The Croquet project is an effort to develop a new open source computer operating system built from the ground up to enable deep collaboration between teams of us. It enables this communication by acting as the equivalent of a broadband conferencing system built on top of a 3D user interface and a peer-to-peer network architecture. It uses an OpenGL API-based graphics engine and a semi-retained graphical engine pipeline with dynamically composeable objects,. Software developers can make direct calls to the OpenGL library making it possible to extend the rendering engine in virtually unlimited ways. The open source SDK 1.0 Beta allows experienced software developers to work with this first complete release of Croquet.
Xith3D scenegraph-based 3D programming API v.0.7 supports OpenGL Java JSR-231 bindings
Category: Developers • Permalink
Apr 27, 2006
Xith3D is scenegraph-based 3D programming API written in pure Java focused on game creation. The class node definitions of the scenegraph is virtually identical to the Java3D, although it is not intended to be an exact replacement. It is an Open-Source project with a reference implementation using the JOGL Java bindings for the OpenGL API. The new v0.7 switches to Java 1.5 syntax, enhances picking and includes the JSR-231 renderer.
Proposed final draft of JSR 231 Java Bindings for OpenGL
Category: Developers • Permalink
Apr 27, 2006
The proposed final draft of JSR 231 Java Bindings for OpenGL is available for download and review. The package contains Java bindings for all core OpenGL methods through version 2.0, inclusive, as well as most OpenGL extensions defined at the time of this specification. Early OpenGL extensions whose functionality was incorporated into core OpenGL by version 1.3, inclusive, are specifically excluded. Bindings for all core GLU APIs have been included with the exception of the GLU NURBS APIs.
Google release free OpenGL API-based SketchUp
Category: Applications • Permalink
Apr 27, 2006
Google has released a free version of the popular OpenGL-API based SketchUp 3D CAD program Google acquired last month. It is an easy-to-learn 3D modeling program that enables you to explore the world in 3D. Sketchup in combination with the new 3D Warehouse repository, is intended to be used to create new geo-referenced content for the OpenGL API-accelerated Google Earth, as well as non-location based 3D content, such as products or artwork. Once you’ve built models in Sketchup, you can place them in Google Earth, post them to the 3D Warehouse, or print hard copies. Expect the new triad of Google Earth, Google SketchUp and 3D Warehouse to quickly become the center of wide variety of public-participation projects and marketing campaigns.
Flexion OpenGL 2.0 API-based 3D graphics engine demo of omnidirectional variance shadow mapping
Category: Developers • Permalink
Apr 27, 2006
Variance Shadow Maps (VSM) is a new arbitrarily filterable soft-shadowing algorithm first introduced at I3D 2006. Flexion Engine, an OpenGL 2.0 API-based 3D graphics engine, offers a VSM demo for omnidirectional light sources using cube maps, namely Omnidirectional Variance Shadow Mapping (OVSM). It also shows Percentage-Closer Filtering (PCF) in order to compare quality and performance against the VSM.
X-Win32 PC X-server performance jump for OpenGL API-accelerated remote applications on Core Duo iMac
Category: Applications • Permalink
Apr 26, 2006
X-Win32 is a PC X server that lets you connect to multiple UNIX/Linux desktops at the same time and also run some X Windows applications in separate Xterm windows. V7.1 supports OpenGL API-based hardware acceleration and adds suppport for 55 additional OpenGL extensions. OpenGL API-based X Windows applications running on a remote Red Hat Linux server showed frame rate improvements of up to four times on a 2GHz Core Duo iMac using Boot Camp, compared to a Windows PC running with a 2GHz Pentium processor.
Next generation of ATI FireGL OpenGL 2.0 workstation graphics accelerators
Category: Processors • Permalink
Apr 25, 2006
ATi announced a complete top-to-bottom line of next generation FireGL workstation graphics accelerators for professional users. The new family of products range from an ultra high-end one gigabyte configuration to 128MB model, and are all based on ATI’s scalable, ultrathreaded architecture with Avivo video and display technology. The new line offers cross-platform support, including Windows Vista, and is optimized for applications based on OpenGL 2.0.
