Introduction

QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR), allows users to interactively explore and examine a set of realistic photos in a three-dimensinal virtual environment. You can use QTVR to add exciting new dimensions of interactivity and exploration to multimedia projects, Web pages, presentations,and other documents that you create.

• Panoramas - A 360 degrees or less image that is centered on a single point of observation. From this point, called a node, a viewer can look in almost any direction and zoom in or out from any particular point of view.

• Navigable Object Movies- Objects that can be viewed from different angles.

• Scenes - a collection of one or more panoramas (nodes) and/or object movies linked together via a set of hot spots. In mulit-node scenes, users can navigate from node to node to move about the scene. Navigable movies can be linked to panoramas via a scriptable application.

Planning

• Determine the appropriate QVTR format (object, panorama or scene).
• Determine best equipment to be used and that it is working properly.
• Storyboard any panoramas or scene.
• Do a preliminary walk through to be sure the lighting, environment and timing will produce a quality project.

Capturing Images

Equipment choices

• Digital camera- At this time the Quicktake is the supported platform. This is the easier and less expensive platform.
• 35 mm camera with a 15 mm wide angle preferred for higher quality QTVR. Needless to say, this is a more expensive and involved process.
• A video source (video camera, flex cam, or quick cam) is recommended for object movies.

Steps for capturing images for panorama movies using a digital camera.

• Set the camera on a tripod for stability and accuracy.
• Take shots at 22.5 degree angles. (the angle will vary depending on the camera.)

Steps for capturing images for an object movie using a video source.

• Set up a "Lazy-Susan" with degrees marked every 10 degrees.
• Use a video capturing software to grab video stills.
• Import stills into "MakeObject" tool

Creating Movies

Now is the time to assemble the pictures into a panorama or object movie. If you are into scripting, you can use QTVR MPW to stitch, dice and assemble the movies. If time is of essence, you may want to use a software package that has the scripting embedded, such as Nodster by Panimantion.

For object movies, you can download the "MakeObject" application from the Apple QTVR website listed

So you want to learn more...

Check out these references.

• QTVR specific equipment
• Apple QTVR information
• Sample QTVR movies
• Information about Nodster