Traveler

[Bruce Lehmann]

Digital Space is a corporation involved in Virtual Reality for industry and education. I had previously reviewed a Hubble Spacewalk
simulation earlier that they created. Another of their projects is a 3D chat environment called Traveler.

To quote the site: “DigitalSpace Traveler® is a unique experience on the Internet, supporting communities of users using their own voices to speak through 3D avatars which lip synch and blend sound together. Traveler creates the experience of a “cocktail party in Cyberspace” and permits up to 16 people in one virtual space to talk or even share music. Traveler users have created hundreds of spaces and millions of hours of interaction since Traveler was launched in 1996.”

I first ran across Traveler years ago when it was called ‘Onlive Traveler’. It is a 3D Virtual platform based on VRML1. I have used it on and off for years as I have played with the different platform out there and it still hold an attraction for me. It was way ahead of its time when I ran across and still has relevancy in this day and age.

In this era of sophisticated virtual worlds it may look a bit ‘Old School’ but it works well and is a small footprint on your processor. The worlds are created by individual and are quite good looking. You have the advantage of talking to others with voice in real-time instead of typing (you can type if you choose). There are communities like 3D Harbor and Tech Worlds where users create their own worlds and visit. Everyone I have personally run across is friendly and helpful. When I first explored the spaces I was happy to discover people, who were more than willing to help, give advice and even walk me through the different features. I personally know some of the creators there and they are very talented.

It is simple to install. It doesn’t depend on IE or Firefox and like Second Life and others (years later), has its own browser. You install it and then it will walk you through setting it up. You have a choice of avatars to pick from and a way to adjust them to make them more individual.

You then simply press the 'Lets go Traveling' button and go.

Alternative way to choose a Portal

The advantages (to me, at least) are obvious.

1. It doesn’t take a lot of processor power to run.
2. The mark-up language is VRML1, an easy to use and learn language if you wish to create your own worlds/objects which is still being utilized as VRML2 and X3D.
3. Friendly members
4. Not locked into a web browser.
5. Streaming voice chat.
6. Small worlds, more like gathering places. Kind of like Vivaty and IMVU, where you teleport to different ‘rooms’ or places rather than a huge sim like SL.

The disadvantages:

1. Not as rich and immersive as some of the new platforms.
2. VRML1. A now old version of VRML that is probably only really used there.
3. The avatars are basically heads and objects and not full articulated figures. I don’t really think of this as a disadvantage, but some might.
4. Small places, rather than a large expansive world.

All in all, it is a nice, pleasant community and I still go there from time to time. The are links on the Traveler site that will tell you who is in-world and where, people that are friendly and helpful, and a lot of places to visit and explore.

No, it is not Second Life or Entropia, but then, they are not Traveler either. And it has been around a lot longer. It is a free to download and use, so give it a try.