5_SrrTrains

Last update of this page: 2013-01-04
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The Do-It-Yourself-Virtual-Multiplayer-Model-Railroad

OK, there are many virtual model railroad programs available. Why to implement another one?

The difference is X3D/VRML (Extensible 3D, Virtual Reality Modeling Language – see Web3D Consortium). Usage of X3D/VRML would ensure compatibility and interchangeability of model railroad layouts, models such as wagons and locomotives, and of course avatars.

SrrTrains is an open concept, i.e. nearly anybody can contribute. Even companies having commercial interests can take part, since an LGPL is used (but not a GPL).

Note: We try to use open source tools as far as useful and possible, however, currently the concept depends on the commercial Web3D Browser BS Contact and on the commercial collaboration server BS Collaborate. Also the SRR Tools are closed source software.

The Basic Idea

• Multiplayer game – network game
• Build and publish your own layouts and modules
• Build and publish your own models
• Compatibility by X3D/VRML standard
• Fill gaps of standard by open source SRR Framework
• SrrTrains home page and blog

The following PDF introduction (2011-12-10) gives a rough introduction to the functionality provided by the SRR Framework.

A detailed description of the interfaces of the SRR Framework can be found in the Concepts’ Descriptions.

When will the SRR Framework be finished?

The SRR Framework will not be finished. The project was a quasi-scientific hobby project.

The project was stopped on 2011-11-11, before the “alpha”-release of the SRR Framework was finished – please refer to the Project Follow Up.

The SRR Framework is provided in several versions. All the versions of the software can be found at the download area:

1. (1) PRE-PRE-ALPHA: Early Experimental Do-it-yourself-virtual-multiplayer-model-railroad
   -> please click here to navigate to the “Demo 2012″ Page
2. (2) PRE-ALPHA: Experimental SMUOS*) for World Creators
   -> more elaborate than (1), but rail vehicles are missing
3. (3) PRE-ALPHA: Sketching Professional SMUOS*)
   -> just the raw sourceforge project (without SRR Tools), most elaborate version

*) You can find more information about SMUOS (Simple Multiuser Online Scenes) at the SMUOS Blog.

Used Tools

X3D-Edit: https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/
Blender: http://www.blender.org/, http://de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender, http://blendpolis.de/f/index.php
BS Contact (test version): http://bitmanagement.de/en/products/interactive-3d-clients/bs-contact
BS Collaborate (test version): http://bitmanagement.de/en/products/server/bs-collaborate
General information about BS Contact and BS Collaborate: http://www.bitmanagement.com/
Octaga Player: http://www.octagavs.com
Instant Player: http://www.instantreality.org/

Reading

• “X3D Extensible 3D Graphics for Web Authors”; Don Brutzman, Leonard Daly; Morgan Kaufmann
• 3D Network Workplace http://wbsp.arb.ltu.se/3DNetwork/
• the old concept paper (obsolete): base module, train manager module
• Entries in several fora:
  • http://www.blendpolis.de/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=24188
  • http://www.bahnforum.info/smf/index.php?topic=114043.0
  • http://vrmlserver.xooit.com/t440-Application-with-BS-Collaborate-Simulated-RailRoad-SRR.htm
  • http://closed.forumactif.com/t2712-dear-friends-of-srrtrains
  • http://www.seamless3d.com/thread.php?t=303
  • http://closed.forumactif.com/t2210-bs-collaborate

Events

• SrrTrains is being exposed during March/April 2012, at Mixed3D:
  Headline and Forum: http://closed.forumactif.com/t2210p171-bs-collaborate
  Contents: http://mixed3d.free.fr/spip/?cat=61