An Introduction to The CAVE Simulator controls

Starting the CCC

1.  The first thing you need to do is open a Unix shell window.
2.   Next, you need  to change your current directory to the directory where the CCC "lives".  For example, if the CCC lives in the directory path /usr/local/ccc32, you would type  (note that what you actually type is listed in red):
> cd /usr/local/ccc32  (press the enter key at the end of each line you type)

3.  To start the CCC, type:
> startCCC

You will get the following menu:

For now, the only thing you may want to change is the name which you want to be called.  We'll talk about the other boxes later.  Click the "Start the CCC" button.

Two windows will pop up:
the "Limbo Controls" window

and the simulatde CAVE window

 

Controlling your head

The easiest way to envision your position in the CAVE is to imagine yourself standing there.  The "red thing" you see in the middle of the CAVE window could be thought of as your hand holding a sword in front of you.  With that in mind, think where your head would be located.  The following controls will "move your head".

While pressing the:

NO key pressed

• pressing the left arrow key moves your head toward the left wall
• pressing the right arrow key moves your head toward the right wall
• pressing the up arrow key moves your head forward (away from you)
• pressing the down arrow key moves your head backwards (toward you)

• pressing the left arrow key moves your head toward the left wall
• pressing the right arrow key moves your head toward the right wall
• pressing the up arrow key moves your head up toward the ceiling
• pressing the down arrow key moves your head down toward the floor

• pressing the left arrow key rotates your head left (spins the room toward the left wall)
• pressing the right arrow key rotates your head right (spins the room toward the right wall
• pressing the up arrow key rotates your head up (spins the room toward the ceiling)
• pressing the down arrow key rotates your head down (spins the room toward the floor)

P key

• resets your head and wand to its original position

Controlling the wand

The wand is the "red thing" in the middle of the CAVE window.  You can think of it as your sword and guide.  You move the wand with a combination of mouse movements while simultaneously holding down selected keys.  Keep in mind that you are not moving in the CAVE environment, you are just repositioning your wand.

Start with your cursor pointing at your wand.  While pressing the:

CTRL key

• move mouse forward and your wand will move forward (away from you)
• move mouse backwards and your wand will move backwards (toward you)
• move mouse left and your wand moves toward the left wall
• move mouse right and your wand moves toward the right wall

• move mouse forward and your wand will move up toward the ceiling
• move mouse backwards and your wand will move down toward the floor
• move mouse left and your wand moves toward the left wall
• move mouse right and your wand moves toward the right wall

• move mouse forward and your wand will rotate up
• move mouse backwards and your wand will rotate down
• move mouse left and your wand will rotate left
• move mouse right and your wand will rotate right

• rotates the wand (notice there is no mouse movement for this one)

• resets the wand to its original position

Go ahead and try it!  Practice moving the wand around.

Different Views

To view the CAVE from the "inside" ... press 1

To view the CAVE from the "outside" ... press 2

Flying Around

Flying around in the CAVE environment sounds simple, and it is, although it is easy to get "turned around".  Start with you cursor pointing at your wand.  In order to fly, hold the space bar down and move the mouse forward.  The farther you move your mouse, the faster you fly.  NOTICE THAT FLYING FORWARD MEANS YOU FLY IN THE DIRECTION YOUR SWORD IS POINTING!  Likewise, if you want to fly in a different direction, move your mouse in that direction.  You will continue to fly until you either release the space bar or your mouse returns to its original position when you pressed the space bar.

NOTE: I f you release the space bar while the mouse is in motion, you will continue to fly around the CAVE on "autopilot".  In order to stop, press the space bar again.

TRY THIS:
Rotate your wand so that it points straight up in the air (ALT + move mouse forward).  Now fly forward (space bar + move mouse forward).  Notice you are flying straight up!  Stop flying, and you fall back to the "ground".  This is because you are affected by "gravity" in the CAVE environment.  When you stop flying, you fall.

If/when you get lost flying around, there is a way to return to the "beginning".  In the Limbo Controls window, click on teh "Participants" menu choice to drop down another menu.

Selecting the "Jump to World Center" menu choice will take you back to the position you where you began (NOTE: Your orientation may be a little different.  For instance, you may not be "squared up" and looking at the original back wall).

Loading a Model into the CAVE Environment

TRY THIS:
Using the Limbo Controls window, select the menu choice "Models".  In the drop down menu that appears, select the  "Load into World" menu choice.  this will give you a window in which you will be able to navigate through the directory structure and select the model you wish to load.

You should get something that looks like this:

Choose the models subdirectory by double clicking on the name.  Look for a file named cube.iv.  When you find it, double click on the name.  This will load a cube into the CAVE environment.
 

Removing a Model From the CAVE Environment

You should get something that looks like this:

Type in the name of the model you want to remove.  In this case, type cube.iv and click OK.

If all went correctly, your model was removed from the virtual world.  To exit from the CCC, go to the Limbo Controls window and select the menu choice "Participants".  From the drop down menu, choose "Exit from CCC".  This will end your CCC session.

Exit from the CCC now.