=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=None
|storemode=property
|title=Declarative 3D Use-Cases for Galleries and Marketplaces
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-869/Dec3D2012_05.pdf
|volume=Vol-869
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/www/ChiesaL12
}}
==Declarative 3D Use-Cases for Galleries and Marketplaces==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-869/Dec3D2012_05.pdf
Declarative 3D Use-Cases for galleries and marketplaces
Mario Chiesa Pino Lassandro
Istituto Superiore Mario Boella Synarea
via P.C. Boggio 61 c.so Tortona 17
10138 Torino (IT) 10153 Torino (IT)
chiesa@ismb.it lassandro@synarea.com
ABSTRACT requirements for all the image files used as static previews and
In this paper, we discuss possible Declarative 3D Use-Cases and thumbnails of the 3D object, that can define, as an example: the
Requirements. The origin of this position paper is a set of users’ color of the background, the position and orientation of the
requirements, wants and needs collected as the initial part of a object, different renderings, wireframes views, images for
research project. We focused our investigations on the analysis of standard textures, etc.
existing implementations of galleries/marketplaces of 3D objects. In the field of 3D modeling, there is no single standard for
Our project is currently in its initial phase, therefore we cannot go designing 3D models, but some actors such as galleries and
further in the analysis of derived technical requirements and in the marketplaces are interested in configuring a set of best practices to
description of the design phase. However, some of the technical make it easier to use these models in different specific customers
requirements can be directly available and understandable from contexts. We think that these best practices could be initially
the descriptions of the use cases, others can be topics for taken into account also as generic guidelines and a support for a
discussion for the workshop itself. standard open descriptor such as X3D, specifically to better
understand the requirements about interoperability (i.e. the use of
1. INTRODUCTION these models within different software platforms). At the same
A gallery-marketplace of 3D objects is a website where modelers time, we believe that many of these requirements and standards
and artists can upload their own products and artworks, to let can be heavily influenced by declarative 3D standards and formats
others know about them and eventually sell them to editors and implementations.
producers. One of the most famous stock 3D catalog is This position paper describes a set of use cases, defined following
TurboSquid [1]. this simple process: (1) starting from the analysis of TurboSquid
TurboSquid 3D models are typically used in advertising, and similar marketplaces use cases, (2) and applying declarative
architecture, broadcast, games, training, film, and on the web. The 3D features and opportunities in that context, (3) we translate
TurboSquid website acts as a web platform to allow the match of existing patterns and processes into a new hypothetical
a spontaneous offer and an explicit request of 3D objects. We marketplace that heavily implements declarative 3D.
believe this is a good example for a set of Use-Cases, with some This translation opens up a new design space for new functions
peculiar needs for in-page, accessible and DOM-connected 3D and innovative interactions between the gallery, its 3D objects and
objects rendering. its users/visitors.
TurboSquid has a huge set of requirements and standards to fulfill
to be able to upload 3D objects that can be validated by the 2. GALLERIES and MARKETPLACES
platform and allowed to be shown as a part of the marketplace’s Galleries and marketplaces similar to TurboSquid are different
collections. Currently, in Turbosquid, only about 1% of the 3D from typical web museum galleries as described in the Declarative
objects meet the requirements (that have been introduced about a 3D Community Group Wiki [2]. A gallery-marketplace of 3D
year ago), but this represents approximately 10% of the overall objects is often a collection of 3D objects that have a
sales. This means that there is an increasing request for 3D models correspondence in the ‘real’ world: they can represent existing art
that are compliant with a standard. pieces, monuments, buildings, or something no more existing but
These requirements and standards are related to several aspects: existed in the past.
(1) the format and intrinsic characteristics of the 3D files, (2) the Galleries and marketplaces focused on 3D virtual cultural heritage
have different requirements from those of web museum galleries,
and have also a greater extension of needs and constraints than
generic 3D object galleries: in brief, a set of typical processes and
patterns not only to browse and experience 3D objects in the
gallery, but also to upload 3D objects to the same gallery, and
Copyright © 2012 for the individual papers by the papers' different approaches for the content fruition.
authors. Copying permitted only for private and academic
Galleries and marketplaces can be described in terms of functional
purposes. This volume is published and copyrighted by its
blocks as a set of several basic functions: a web application front-
editors.
end and a back-end, with several modules: an import, validation
Dec3D2012 workshop at WWW2012, Lyon, France and preview module; an indexing module, an export and adaption
module; a search module; plus other building blocks, like a in a real-time context should also be performed on-the-fly during
storage module, external authoring tools and end–user the upload process, or in any case executed during the browsing
applications for content fruition (see Figure 1). and viewing activities, using the 3D rendering capabilities of
declarative 3D.
2.4 3D content fruition
The 3D content fruition can be improved, implementing some
interactions between the UI of the web page and the 3D
renderings. Visitors should be able to vary light conditions,
textures, viewpoints and check the variations on the 3D object
renderings directly on the web page. The same content should be
available through different platforms (desktop, mobiles, tablets,
etc.) with as close as possible results.
Today most 3D rendering systems in web applications follow a
(proprietary) browser-plugin approach. From our perspective,
those solutions have some drawbacks that a declarative approach
Figure 1 - Typical buiding blocks and workflows of a gallery- can overcome: (1) each plugin requires an installation process
marketplace website for 3D objects (with related security or compatibility issues) and (2) each
proprietary solution defines its own scene descriptor, event and
interaction models, needing further software layer to interface
itself with the web page (i.e. need to expose a JavaScript
2.1 Browsing 3D objects interface).
Browsing 3D objects in a gallery-marketplace can require more
criteria selection and more visualization options. Criteria can be, An X3DOM model can be useful to overcome these drawbacks,
besides those typically related to the cultural relationships that the delegating the rendering phase to the browser, allowing the
3D object has with the original (by artist, by date, by art support of multiple platforms without the need to develop
movement, by geographical origin, by size, by activity, etc), different ad-hoc plugins and also reaching a better integration
related to the intrinsic characteristics of the 3D object (by file with the web application: having a DOM model into the browser
dimension, by complexity of the geometry, by format and architecture that can manipulate 2D and 3D objects, opens a space
representation, by approximation method, etc.), or related to for new interactive rich media content application scenarios.
available visualizations and renderings (by surface, by textures, by
Furthermore, a declarative approach in the context of a 3D web
effects, etc.).
marketplace raises some issues that need to be evaluated more in
depth, such as protection of intellectual property, in order to
ensure the sustainability of the business model. In our research
2.2 Experiencing 3D objects project we will study some methodologies and technologies that
Filtered objects can be visualized inside a web page, allowing can be used in the following use cases (e.g. XML binary
multiple 3D object visualizations in different parts of the page at encryption, 3D watermarking, 3D model mesh degradation and so
the same time, each with different visualization options selected. on).
Rotations and translations of the same 3D object rendered
multiple times in the same page but with different visualization
options can be applied at the same time to all the visualizations. 3. USE CASES for galleries and marketplaces
From the previous set of typical processes and patterns, we can
derive a set of possible use cases. We define some typical users:
2.3 Uploading 3D objects David, Mark and Penny.
Such galleries and marketplaces require users to upload 3D David is a 3D artist, and uses the marketplace to show and sell his
objects to populate the database. The uploading process typically 3D creations. Mark is a 3D author, and uses the marketplace to
requires several steps, that can be implemented as a sort of wizard, browse and select several objects for enriching and populating his
through which the modeler/artist is assisted in the process, or as a 3D worlds. Penny is a museum curator and works on a virtual
multiple web page procedure. In fact, users need to upload more museum exhibition, collecting and organizing the 3D objects on
than one file, or a single package with all the files inside. Some her website.
files can ‘contain’ the 3D description of the object, others can be
different textures or images for the surface of the object, etc.
With TurboSquid, users have to provide also images and 3.1 Use Case UC-GM001: Uploading and
thumbnails showing the final results of the 3D object renderings
under certain standard conditions. 3D objects can be used in static previewing 3D objects
photorealistic context, such as creation of a brochure, or in a David gains the access to the marketplace website using his
interactive real-time environment such as a gaming or simulation username and password and starts the process to upload a new 3D
one. Therefore, in our perspective, besides a photorealistic object. In the first page he enters basic information about the new
rendering provided by the designer, a rendering of the 3D object
object, the copyright, the acceptance of rules and restrictions 3.4 Use Case UC-GM004: Selecting and full
about the uploading process.
previewing 3D objects
After, he proceeds with the selection of several files on his hard After a comparison with other three objects, Mark selects a 3D
disk that need to be uploaded onto the marketplace servers. Then, object to buy and download for his own 3D world. This requires
David starts the upload process and waits until the server returns few more passages: at least a confirmation page where to check
him a confirmation page. The server stores the original 3D object once more time all the characteristics and features of the object,
and also transforms it into X3D format. with all the available details. This passage typically can require
bigger and more detailed preview renderings, with more
David can see in the confirmation page a preview of the 3D object
visualization and rendering variables and options available. Mark
uploaded, with different renderings. Preview renderings are done
is also interested in knowing how the object (before buying it)
following settings and information entered before. This phase can
will behave and perform differently on several platforms and
be more or less interactive, allowing David to change settings,
browsers.
files, information about the kind and the nature of the 3D object,
so to call and invoke the right rendering functions. Other settings
can be adjusted in real time (e.g. using sliders or radio buttons to
choose or define parameters for rendering solutions or effects). 3.5 Use Case UC-GM005: Selecting/changing
Once David is satisfied with his choices and settings, he can parts of 3D objects
confirm the upload of the 3D object and wait for next validations Some 3D objects can have several parts to be bought as alternate
from the server. Such validations can be performed in almost real options or as add-ons. Mark can therefore select these options
time or be postponed later (due to 3D model and/or validation with the mouse and immediately see the effect of such selections
complexity and time consumption). The results of such further in the in-page 3D rendering previews. As an example, a car can
validations can be checked directly by David on the proper web have different wheels; Mark can choose to buy a specific set or
page (e.g. a ‘My uploads’ in the David’s profile section of the more than one. In another example, different textures can be
website) or sent by email to David, with proper rendering inside priced differently, and Mark can choose if he wishes to spend
the email client itself. more for a very important object, or to choose the cheapest option
available.
3.2 Use Case UC-GM002: Searching and
browsing 3D objects 3.6 Use Case UC-GM006: Setting up a 3D
Mark can search for special 3D objects to complete his own objects gallery
storytelling and his 3D virtual scenario. The search can be a Penny is organizing her own web gallery of art pieces for the
multi-faceted one, with live results on a specific section of the current exhibition. Her aim is to organize objects, their sequence
web page. As a reminder, specific search settings can be used to on the web page and through web pages, to add description,
render a ‘dummy object’ to represent the set of 3D selected comments, and other additional reference or features to allow
options (e.g. only tri-, only quad-, formats, etc.). This ‘dummy exhibition visitors to have a rich experience. She is able to define
object’ works like a visual reminder for Mark, who can easily if an object should be viewed and rendered alone on the page, or
understood which filters and criteria are active in his current together with other art pieces; if objects should appear as
search, just looking at it (as an additional or alternative way of ‘floating’ on the web page or ‘embedded’ into standard or custom
providing that information, usually given through multiple sets of ‘virtual 3D exhibition rooms’. Penny can organize and manage
checkboxes). galleries, sub-galleries, groups of objects; apply specific settings
to them or to single objects; see immediately in-page the effects of
her choices.
3.3 Use Case UC-GM003: Comparing 3D
objects
Mark selects some of the results of his search and asks the 4. CONCLUSIONS
marketplace to compare their previews in a special page. He can We described here in brief six different use cases to explain and
change and select some rendering options and see how those highlight the importance of Declarative 3D in the case of web
variations have effects on the selected 3D objects, on a side-by- galleries and marketplaces. For us the most important aspects are:
side comparison. Furthermore, he can select a previously • the ability to enrich the interactivity on the web page
uploaded 3D world to be used as the virtual world where to render between the visitor and the 3D objects and between the
and compare the selected 3D objects. In other terms, he is no 3D object and other elements of the same web page;
more comparing them as ‘floating’ objects within a web page,
with a standard, fixed background, with few clues about how they • the opportunity to exploit and embed 3D effects and
will render, behave and perform in a specific scenario. Actually he typical scene compositions in the web page;
can be able to check all those aspects, evaluating and comparing
• the opportunity to support different platforms
them as parts of a bigger 3D world.
delegating the renderer task to browsers.
A further refinement of these use cases should be preparatory for
the definition of associated and derived requirements.
5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 6. REFERENCES
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support to this work by [1] Turbosquid.
the regional project “Innovating Content”, a collaborative http://www.turbosquid.com/
research project partially funded by Regione Piemonte and [2] Declarative 3D Community Group Wiki.
FinPiemonte through the instrument of the “Polo della creatività http://www.w3.org/community/declarative3d/wiki/Use_Case
digitale e della multimedialità”. s_and_Requirements