MellaniuM: The Virtual Event Horizon Approaches

In this first blog I will try to explain the unique features of the MellaniuM concept of developing 3D environments using the UNREAL 2 platform. I do not expect to receive any withering criticism since it is likely this blog will be unread or ignored but I feel like I need to get something down on a blog.
I have in the past been thoroughly addicted to Everquest and WoW and about three years ago while still somewhat possessed by Pontefract my level 48 dwarf cleric I had a somewhat shocking experience with Mark Melaney. He had just finished his architecture degree at Ryerson University where he had imported his final year thesis into the UNREAL 2 platform. I was completely stunned by this feat and asked if he thought he could make a dimensionally accurate anode refining vessel. I am the market manager for RHI a company which sells, services and installs high temperature linings in the non-ferrous metals industry. So after some discussions with upper management in RHI we got a budget to proceed and he produced an excellent 3D rendering of the AUTOCAD files which are normally used to design and illustrate the lining concept. In the mean time my brother, Ken, did a rigorous survey of the Internet to divine if there were any similar, if not identical, virtual worlds being produced with the same degree of realism. He found nothing.
Together with Mark we pondered and debated that if you can do that…….

The Spitfire Vb WW2 fighter plane seemed to be an excellent choice to test Mark’s ability to produce a realistic complex textured model. This study was expected to be an environment with more emotional appeal and envelope pushing potential. He, we think, succeeded admirably and it is now a staple in a few of our environments as case examples of the potential for the MellaniuM concept.

After this project was completed we had more discussions along the line of “If you can do that………….”

In joint projects Ken and Mark collaborated to produce a series of environments with a conference area which includes a rather remarkable virtual mirror on one wall, an art gallery with the work of Johannes Vermeer and an Egyptian museum. In all the environments we had no hint of difficulty importing avatars from our disparate locations in the UK and Canada over the Unreal server network. We produced several YOUTUBE movies to celebrate the environments.

In addition during our early days of development we realized that we had to engineer a way to present our customized environments to a wider audience. After months of work and several futile attempts we developed TELE3DWORLD, leveraged through SKYPE to videostream live walkthroughs of our work. We can now provide for these demonstrations through my SKYPE contact at joe133952.




After recreating the “Whitecroft” residence we festooned the area around the house with a Corvette with an eye-popping polished finish, a Mustang and the Spitfire to showcase the lighting in the platform and a rather impressively detailed Kawasaki dirt bike. This we felt was a milestone but together we sang the chorus “ If we can do that…………”



The next step was to extend to a macro environment dimensioned in miles rather than yards ( I know I am 56 years old what do you expect?) and a suitable scenario was composed of a island 4 miles square with some relatively enormous models to prove the flexibility and scope of the concept. A pirate ship was modelled and imported to push the rendering complexity as much as possible. Soon after the WW2 battleship King George V and the Titanic were both modelled with our AUTOCAD pipelining methods.

So I implore you to imagine if MellaniuM can do that..........

I have contacted numerous interested individuals and presented these environments over TELE3DWORLD and have many scheduled presentations in the near future. In all of these presentations there has been, to date, no serious stumbling blocks indicated that this MellaniuM method will not be capable of producing extensive, realistic 3D environments for use in education , engineering or a plethora of artistic creations.