Sharing Attractions on the Net with VPark

In this paper we present the Virtual Park (or VPARK) system. This includes a Networked Virtual Environment (NVE) System, called W-VLNET (Windows Virtual Life Network) and an Attraction Building System, able to create and modify attractions used in the NVE System. Both systems have been developed in the Windows NT Operating System (OS). The paper details the techniques for communication, scene management, facial and body animation, and general user interaction modules. The use of VRML97 and MPEG-4 SHNC is overviewed to stress the compatibility of the system with other similar Virtual Reality systems. The software provides realistic virtual actors as well as sets of applicable high-level actions in real-time. Related issues on obtaining actor models and animating them in real-time are presented. The creation process of an attraction incorporates assembling animation units through a timeline. Using this software, users are then able to introduce their own scenario-based applications into a shared virtual environment.