DeepMatrix 3D multi-user system
Introduction
“DeepMatrix is an open-source Java server/client 3D multi-user system capable of both chat and shared events working in conjunction with VRML/X3D browsers. Users appear as avatars in a shared 3D scene. [...] The latest version of DeepMatrix is composed of a Java server and Java standalone-client application. It uses the latest Sun Java Runtime Environment and is designed to work with standalone VRML/X3D viewers that have Java EAI or External SAI capability.” (deepmatrix.org)
Presently, DeepMatrix works with the free Instant Player client.
DeepMatrix was originally developed by a team led by Gerhard Reitmayr from the now-defunct Geometrek.com site in the late nineties. This project in turn was based on the VNet EAI applet by Steven White and Jeff Sonstein.
The new version seems to work better and has additional features. Active project when last checked in Sept. 2010 - Daniel K. Schneider
Short how to
Prerequisites
- (1) Java 1.6 or higher (as of Aug. 2010)
- (2) Install the very latest Instant Reality X3D/VRML player
- Windows (msi installer): Take it from the FTP archive.
- Other systems: Find your version in the FTP archive. Be careful to select the player and very right version, e.g. File InstantReality-Ubuntu-10.04-x86-2.0.0.20206.deb File for a typical 32-bit 10.04 LTS - the Lucid Lynx - install of April 2010.
Do not install the "official" public version you can find on the Deep MatrixIP9 web site.
Windows Vista / 7
(for version 1.03, downloaded sept. 8 2010)
- (1) Install the prerequisites (above)
- (2) Download and install the DeepMatrix MU server from deepmatrix.org
- Dezip the archive to c:\DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03
- If not, you will have to fix the file paths in several bat files. See the next step
- (3 - optional) Fix the path in the bat files if needed.
- Replace "DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03" by "soft\deepmatrix" in all the bat files
- (4) Copy missing files or fix the path
- From the \client_application folder, copy root.wrl Screen.x3dv to \Win_Local_Client
- (5) Use
- open the DeepMatrixIP9/server_application folder, double click the DeepMatrixIP9Server.bat file
and give the server time to finish starting up.
- open the DeepMatrixIP9-v1_01/client_application/Win_Local_Client folder and double click the DeepMatrixIP9_MU_Local_Client.bat file
If everything goes well, the server will listen on port 7744.
Ubuntu
(for version 1.03, Aug 2010)
Unsuccesful so far - some classes are missing
- Download the whole package
- (2) Read the documentation (Remark
- As of sept. 8 the documentation button in the homepage was broken ...)
- (3) Unzip the archive into a folder that is precisely /opt/DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03/ and change permissions for the the shell scripts. Remark
- Using such fixed path is a bit strange, probably the developer is used to Windows.
sudo mkdir /opt/DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03 cd /opt/DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03 chmod a+x server_application/Linux_DeepMatrixIP9Server.sh chmod a+x client_application/Linux_Client/*.sh
- (4) Start the server (otherwise you also can use a public server somewhere else ...)
/opt/DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03/server_application/Linux_DeepMatrixIP9Server.sh &
You should see something like:
........ MatrixD listening on /127.0.0.1:7744 9/8/10 5:10:28 PM main : MatrixD listening on /127.0.0.1:7744
- (5) Run the client
/opt/DeepMatrixIP9-v1_03/client_application/Linux_Client/Local_Linux_Client.sh
Links
- Deepmatrix.org
- Research using (old) Deepmatrix
- Ott, David (1999). Collaboration dans un environnement virtuel 3D : influence de la distance à l'objet référencé et du 'view awareness' sur la résolution d'une tâche de 'grounding'., Master thesis, TECFA. University of Geneva. (in french)
- Articles of historical interest
- DeepMatrix: An Open Technology Based Virtual Environment System (G. Reitmayr, S. Carroll, A. Reitemeyer, M. G. Wagner) by Karine Delhom, 1988 (in french)