Userguide

The user interface to Meet3D/Java Edition


Getting Started

Click here to try some worlds

Entering the world and Interacting

  1. Click on a picture or link to start Meet3D.
  2. If you are prompted to log in, type in the "screen name" you would like to use in the world.
  3. Next choose an "avatar" (your digital persona in the 3D virtual world) from the visual selection and scroll down and click the "Enter" button to start up the Meet3D software and enter the world.
  4. If someone else is using the same name you chose, you will be given a new name. For example, if you chose the name "Susan" and someone is using the virtual world who has chosen that name already, you will be given the name "Susan1".

Moving around in the world

To move around in your avatar, click and hold down your mouse button within the 3D window, and then move your mouse in the direction you want to go. Or you can click once on the 3D world window, and then navigate using the arrows on your keyboard (tapping the arrow moves you to the right, the up arrow moves you forward, the down arrow, back and the left arrow to the left)
As in the real world, some objects in the world are solid and you may bump into them (especially walls). Simply back up and move in another direction.

Chatting in the world

To chat, type your message in the yellow "chat box" and press the "Enter" or "Return" key on your keyboard. This sends your words to everyone currently in the world. You will see your text appear in the Chat Log. If you want to type something very long, break it up into shorter sentences that fit in the chat box. If your message is longer than the chat box, don't worry, it will be scolled to the left as you type and all of it will still be sent. You can copy and paste text into or out of the chat box, so you can place web addresses and other useful text into your conversations. You cannot copy text out of the chat log, however.

To "whisper" privately to someone, click on his or her name in the People in Room list of users to the right. Then click on the "Talk" button to change it to "Whisper," and type your message in the chat box. Your message will be heard only by the person you have selected. From that point on you will only be whispering to the person you selected from the list.

To resume chatting to everyone, simply click on the "Whisper" button, changing it back to "Talk," and send or type your next message.

Choosing your point of view

You can choose to see yourself in the world as you move (third-person point of view) or to see the world through your own eyes, as in the real world (first-person point of view).

To see yourself from behind in the world, click on the "ShowMe" button.
To see through your own eyes, click the "HideMe" button.

You can still walk around, teleport between worlds or chat while "out of body".

Note: In a very crowded world, you may not be able to see your own avatar, even if you have clicked "ShowMe." This is to prevent the world from "painting" itself too slowly, as too many objects or avatars can slow down the world.

Teleporting from world to world

You can "teleport" (move instantly) from one 3D world to another by clicking on a doorway or oval shape, usually flashing. These are called a "teleporters". The new world will download and parse and then display. You can return to your original spot either by clicking on the flashing return teleporter in the world you just entered, or by pressing the "Back" arrow in the lower left corner of the Meet3D window.

Leaving the world

To leave the world completely, close your web browser window or go to another website. You will be logged out automatically and people will see a message that you have left.

You will sometimes see [messages in square brackets] in the chat area which are special announcements, such as when someone else enters or leaves the world you are in. If you see a message that someone has left, this means either they have teleported into another world, or they have signed off completely.

Participating in virtual events

To participate in a virtual event, simply enter the room designated for the event at the scheduled time and date and the chat host will field questions to the special event guest or give you directions on asking them yourself.

Scheduled chats, tradeshows and private meetings

Virtual trade shows are large-scale events that bring together a number of organizations and spectators in the 3d worlds. These take place in the conference center as announced. Scheduled chats on the other hand are held at a specific time in one of the buildings in the town square. In additions, groups may schedule their own meetings in smaller members-only chat rooms.

Bon voyage!

We hope you meet interesting people in your travels in world!

Have something to say to us about your experience in-world (kudos, problems, suggestions)? Please send us a note. We'd love to hear from you.

More Technical Help

Reconnecting after leaving the world running for a long time

If you leave your world running for a long time without chatting or moving, you may come back and your connection to others in the 3D world will be lost. You may seem to be connected as other people are visible in the world, but they will not be able to see your chat. If this seems to be the case for you, press refresh in your browser and re-enter the world.

Running on AOL or an Operating System than Windows?

The software or operating system on your computer can affect how the virtual world software runs. Please see the notes below for special instructions.

If you are using AOL to run the Internet

You must be running AOL 4.0 or above to be able to visit the virtual world. Once you start up the world using your AOL web browser, the java application will load. In some cases, AOL will load but not start up Java applications. You may see a message "Application loaded" but nothing happens, and in this case press the refresh button on your AOL browser button bar (the circular arrow button). This should then start the Meet3D application

If you are running Netscape or Internet Explorer on a Macintosh

Currently, the virtual worlds run only on Internet Explorer (4.0 or above) on the Macintosh. Netscape Communicator support will come in a future update. In IE, when the 3D world application is running, you may notice that minimizing your IE window to a "windowshade" or bringing up another window on top of your 3D application will cause the 3D world to go "white". You will see the chat buttons and other interface parts but no 3D scene. In this case simply press refresh in on your browser toolbar and reconnect to the world.

If you are using an early (3.0 or below) version of Netscape or Internet Explorer on either a Windows PC or a Macintosh

The 3D worlds may not run at all on browsers below version 4.0. We suggest you upgrade to later model browsers to experience the 3D worlds.

If you are running on Linux, Unix, or OS/2

Since Meet3D is a java application, it should run on Linux or any other operating system that supports a Java 1.1 virtual machine. However, we have not tested and cannot guarantee the application in these environments.

If you are behind a company firewall

The 3D worlds may not run reliably if you are behind a firewall or in a private network. The 3D worlds may load but you will not see any other users or be able to chat. In some instances you can get a java security message and have to shut down your browser. Contact your system administrator if you need to open ports to be able to run Meet3D behind your firewall. We operate on a range of ports, typically 8888 through 8899, and these must be open to allow the applet to connect to its server.

Glossary of Commonly Used Acronyms, Emoticons, Emoties

What are some commonly used acronyms in chat?

People often use abbreviations or acronyms in chat as a quicker way to communicate. In addition, it creates group affinity because they are esoteric to chatters. If you're new these terms, they may be tough to figure out. Here's a list of 20 common acronyms:

Acronyms

AFK -- Away From Keyboard
BAK -- Back At Keyboard
BBL -- Be Back Later
B/C -- Because
BRB -- Be Right Back
BTW -- By the Way
EOM -- End Of Message
G,D&R -- Grinning, Ducking & Rolling
GMTA -- Great Minds Think Alike
IMHO -- In My Humble Opinion
J/K or JK -- Just Kidding
LOL -- Laughing Out Loud
NT -- No Text
OIC -- Oh I see
ROFL -- Rolling On the Floor Laughing
ROFLMBO -- Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Butt Off
TTFN -- Ta Ta for Now!
TTYL -- Talk to You Later
WTG -- Way to Go!
YSR -- Yeah Sure Right

Here are some more from Bruce Damer's book appendix on common terms used in virtual worlds:

Emoticon Characters
;-) winking
:-) happy (smiling)
:-D very happy (laughing)
:-] silly grin
:-( sad
(:-( very unhappy
:-C shocked
:-O shocked even more
:-/ uncommitted
:-| no reaction or scowling
@>-->-- A rose, for you
:'-( Crying
:-} Wry
>:-( Grimacing



Click here to try some worlds


We would like to express thanks to the DigitalSpace Meet3D Team
and our developer community:



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