[comp.graphics] 2.5D, intermediates between 2D & 3D graphical interaction

halpern@csri.toronto.edu (Charles Halpern) (07/27/90)

 
I'm interested in the middle ground between two and three dimensional
graphical interfaces.  I'm not so concerned with 2D "relief" presentations
(drop shadows, NeXT style buttons) but with systems that are somehow more
three dimensional without being fully three dimensional.  I'm dimly aware
of some video games that offer the illusion of being inside a maze, but
the maze only has orthogonal walls and navigation is limited to
90 degree turns, so it doesn't require much 3D math (if any).
 
Any opinions? analyses? suggestions? references? pointers?
 
Sorry for the vagueness, but if I knew exactly what I was looking for,
I wouldn't be looking.  Related systems that I do know about are: Smith's
ARK, Henderson and Card's Rooms, Krueger's early work, and early work at
the MIT Media Lab (what's the latest on these fronts?).

Charlie Halpern-Hamu				halpern@toronto.edu