Adobe Systems on Wednesday will introduce its 3-D authoring tool, Adobe Atmosphere, for building multimedia-based interactive
environments for the Web and PDF files.
With Atmosphere, Web designers and digital document creators in applications such as arts, e-commerce, entertainment, and
education can deliver realistic, interactive environments that enable users to navigate and interact with the environment
and its contents. Users also can collaborate in real time.
An example of an Atmosphere application would be a ticket-selling system in which the vendor could build realistic replicas
of venues for patrons to check out the view of the stage from specific states, Adobe said. Architects and designers, meanwhile,
can build prototypes or publish existing designs developed in CAD application to the Web. Publishers can create interactive
PDF eBooks.
The product provides a deep, immersive experience delivered on a Web page, said Bahman Dara, senior product manager for Web3D/Atmosphere
at Adobe. He provided a demonstration of the product with scenes such as a concert venue. "Everything you see is a physical
space designed in atmosphere," Dara said.
Radiosity lighting techniques in Atmosphere enable accurate painting of scenes with soft shadows and reflected light.
Developers can import 3-D objects, featuring animations from industry-standard 3-D tools such as Discreet 3DStudio Max. Users
also can select from a library of included objects and JavaScripts to enhance designs and add animation and interactivity
to an environment.
Atmosphere for Windows XP will be available via download from Adobe.com on Nov. 19 for $399. The family of Atmosphere products
features Player, which is a Web browser plug-in; Player for Adobe Acrobat Reader; and Collaboration Server, for real-time
collaboration.