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Welcome to the Parallel World Labs Wiki

If you feel as we do - that the virtual world is overrun with complex tools, a gazillion lines of proprietary code and frustrating make-it-our-way wizards that force you into someone else’s “image” then we need you! Come create with us in the Parallel World. We exist to build a better world – do a better job sharing ideas, expressing our identity and combining our vision to shine a bright light of inspiration on those around us. We know the power of creative expression, we see it changing the world around us and yet the most powerful tool ever invented for human expression is being hijacked for the most banal commercial purposes. We are change makers – here to empower creative expression in on-line worlds and we will accomplish this together through open source tools.

Parallel World Labs is looking to you in supporting the technically and the creatively challenged of the world.

Help us build a better Parallel World for everyone.

So what does PWL have that I might be interested in?

Parallel World Labs has a number of unique/compelling Open Source software tools/systems that are not just a dime-a-dozen out there in the world. The main tools of interest are likely to be our Rich Media MMO platform (PwlMMO), and our Collaborative Real-time 3d Client tools.

What does this Wiki cover?

This Wiki focuses initially upon support for the tools and systems that PWL is putting under Open Source. Further goals will be supported as users demonstrate particular areas of interest. To discuss the evolution of these ideas and systems, please use the PWL Forums. For those interested we have details of the current and past projects and the history/origins of Parallel World Labs.

Where do things stand at this time?

We have a LOT to do!! Please be patient with us. It takes a lot of time and work to convert all the internal propietary tools and knowledge to a shared Open Source form. We are setting up the full web and source environment right now! Of course the first usable 'packages' and 'documentation' are the next steps. Every day we get further. Keep your eyes open for all the new changes happening daily!

How can you contribute?

Firstly, we are happy you are even considering reading the answer to that question! We have a need for all types of people interested in improving our Parallel World through Open Source activities. It may be skills in programming, creating content (textures, sounds, images, models), helping find/report/test bugs, improve documentation, or just find/report/edit the News page with other Parallel World happenings. Feel free to contact Rodney if you are seriously interested.

What's New?

Apr 27, 07

• We have just completed a very interesting Workshop in Norway at the Kosmorama International Film Festival related to a Norwegian Virutal Rock & Pop Experience!
• Almost all core code conversion is now done and testing is underway. This will allow a first formal source code release very soon!

Apr 10, 07

• Code conversion is continuing, but unfortunately a little slower (not much) than we would like to try and clean up a few ugly bits (like finally converting the ODBC code to its own library!). We should have things starting to appear this week but it won't be fully useful until the documentation matches it (which we are trying to do but documentation is an endless pit and will evolve a little more slowly).

Mar 28, 07

• Code conversion to VS2005 Express will take about 2 weeks by the look of things. It is not just fixing up some tighter C++/STL stuff, but the Express IDE does not provide some ATL functions/etc. we used in the code so we will need to work around them.
• The so-far good news is I have an alpha conversion of the client-side done under VS2005 Express AND running (sofar) just fine under Vista! Lots of testing to come which will reveal the serious issues but a good start despite some Vista-ish issues.

Mar 26, 07

• Initial documentation is up for creating content for the Binary/Torque version of the PWL MMO Tools.
• Code cleanup is well underway (yay!) now - ironing out name changes (from Immersion -> PWL) and code environment changed (from Visual Studio .NET 2003 to the free Visual Studio 2005 Express - gcc possibly in future!).
• Still trying to make decisions on License terms so code release will still be a week or two - :(

Mar 13, 07

• Tag Cloud is now active in the Left Sidebar (learn more about it's technical details here).
• Most Immersion Cinema shows now have pages!
• Rich Media File Format Specifications page added for building suitable MMO Content.

EXAMPLES FROM PROJECTS