ExitReality on NUS Library catalogue

ExitReality is like any 3d world, you create an avatar, you walk around and chat with other avatars etc. There is one interesting twist , it automatically converts each webpage into a 3D world. Links appear, pictures are framed etc. As a result your avatar runs around a lot like the old classic Sci-fiction movie Tron. In this video, this 3d world seen here is automatically created from NUS catalogue search result page (ENCORE)

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• encore
• 3d
• nuslibraries

[ramblinglibrarian]

I'm not convinced about the approach of converting 2D text to 3D representations. Seems it's a cumbersome way of providing the same 2D info. However, I like how the 3D environment in your video allows a potential library user to find their way in the library, as if they were in the physical library AND "shop" and select items as well. I think that's where the potential lies.

[Aarontaycheehsien]

Well you basically described SecondLife. ExitReality is interesting in that you could create such 3d worlds on the fly with very little work.

You might be right that 3d representation of catalogue results might not be most efficient way to represent information.

I suspect it would have to be specially formatted html to get the best out of this though.

I was thinking of Librarians meeting groups of patrons on this online space, then running around, pointing and comments on entries..

[allie701]

An interesting exercise but as in all things, you want to choose the medium that fits the activity. Efficiency rather than complexity serves the library patron better. As you continue to experiment, I'm sure you'll find what is best served by a 3-D rendering.

[ramblinglibrarian]

Personally, 3D works if I need to view an object in more than one angle/ dimension. If it's just text, I'd think 2D is enough. More than that would be overkilll and wouldn't result in any significant benefit.

We'd have to think of ways where 3D environments can be utilised such that the overall user experience is significantly better than a 2D service model. I'm not sure what this is yet.