3D virtual environment for generating variable data images
Embodiments described herein are directed to generating a variable data image using a variable data image generator. The variable data image generator assigns a variable identifier to a specified location in a 3D scene to identify the specified location as being variable and populate the 3D scene with a component at the specified location based on the variable identifier and in response to a predefined populating rule. The predefined populating rule is applied based on an attribute of a recipient for which a static image of the 3D scene is to be generated. The component is selected and inserted at the specified location in accordance with the populating rule and with a perspective substantially matching a perspective of the specified location. The variable data generator outputs the static image of the 3D scene for the recipient, wherein the static image includes the component.
1. A method for generating a variable data image using a computing system having one or more computing devices configured to implement a variable data image generator, the method comprising:
designating a 3D modeling area in a virtual world;
assigning a variable identifier to a specified location in a 3D scene as implemented in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world to identify the specified location in the 3D scene as being variable;
populating the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world with at least one 3D model component at the specified location based on the variable identifier and in response to at least one predefined populating rule implemented using the variable data image generator, the at least one predefined populating rule being applied based on at least two attributes of a recipient for which a static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world is to be generated, the 3D model component being selected and inserted at the specified location in accordance with the at least one populating rule and with a perspective substantially matching a perspective of the specified location, wherein the attributes of the recipient include selectively at least two of the following: gender, age, education level, consumer interests, occupation, income, hobbies, marital status, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and information generated from marketing research;
dynamically inserting a camera position for generating the static image of the 3D scene based on the at least two attributes of the recipient selected from a database as determined by at least one predefined populating rule; and
generating the static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world for the recipient based on the inserted camera position, the static image including the at least one 3D model component.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to a specified location comprises assigning the variable identifier to a surface in the 3D scene on which the at least one component is to be disposed, the at least one 3D model component including a textural component.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to a specified location further comprises assigning the variable identifier to a point in the 3D scene for which the at least one 3D model component is to be inserted.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to the specified location comprises receiving an input from a user associated with at least an x-axis coordinate, a y-axis coordinate, and a z-axis coordinate within the 3D scene.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating a first set of 3D model components with the variable identifier, the first set of 3D model components including the at least one 3D model component; and
applying the populating rules to the at least two attributes to identify the at least one 3D model component.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D scene is rotatable and defined in three dimensions to permit different points of view from which the 3D scene can be captured.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the static image is defined from a single point of view having a fixed perspective.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said 3D modeling area is a 3D modeling area in the SECOND LIFE® software product.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the textural component includes selectively one of the following: a brick wall, grass, and sand.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the textural component comprises sand.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computing system including at least one computing device, wherein execution of the instructions implements a method for generating a variable data image comprising:
designating a 3D modeling area in a virtual world;
assigning a variable identifier to a specified location in a 3D scene as implemented in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world to identify the specified location in the 3D scene as being variable;
populating the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world with at least one 3D model component at the specified location based on the variable identifier and in response to at least one predefined populating rule implemented using the variable data image generator, the at least one predefined populating rule being applied based on at least two attributes of a recipient for which a static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world is to be generated, the 3D model component being selected and inserted at the specified location in accordance with the at least one populating rule and with a perspective substantially matching a perspective of the specified location, wherein the attributes of the recipient include selectively at least two of the following: gender, age, education level, consumer interests, occupation, income, hobbies, marital status, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and information generated from marketing research;
dynamically inserting a camera position for generating the static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world based on the at least two attributes of the recipient selected from a database as determined by at least one predefined populating rule; and
generating the static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world for the recipient based on the inserted camera position, the static image including the at least one 3D model component.
12. The medium of claim 11 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to a specified location comprises assigning the variable identifier to a surface in the 3D scene on which the at least one 3D model component is to be disposed, the at least one 3D model component including a textural component.
13. The medium of claim 11 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to a specified location further comprises assigning the variable identifier to a point in the 3D scene for which the at least one component is to be inserted, the at least one 3D model component including a 3D graphical model.
14. The medium of claim 11 , wherein assigning the variable identifier to the specified location comprises receiving an input from a user associated with at least an x-axis coordinate, a y-axis coordinate, and a z-axis coordinate within the 3D scene.
15. The medium of claim 11 , wherein execution of the instructions implements a method further comprising:
associating a first set of 3D model components with the variable identifier, the first set of 3D model components including the at least one 3D model component; and
applying the populating rules to the at least two attributes to identify the at least one 3D model component.
16. The medium of claim 11 , wherein the 3D scene is rotatable and defined in three dimensions to permit different points of view from which the 3D scene can be captured.
17. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the static image is defined from a single point of view having a fixed perspective.
18. The medium of claim 11 wherein said 3D modeling area is a 3D modeling area in the SECOND LIFE® software product.
19. A system for generating a variable data image comprising:
a computing system having one or more computing devices, the computing system configured to:
designate a 3D modeling area in a virtual world
assign a variable identifier to a specified location in a 3D scene as implemented in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world to identify the specified location in the 3D scene as being variable;
populate the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world with at least one 3D model component at the specified location based on the variable identifier and in response to at least one predefined populating rule implemented using the variable data image generator, the at least one predefined populating rule being applied based on at least two attributes of a recipient for which a static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world is to be generated, the 3D model component being selected and inserted at the specified location in accordance with the at least one populating rule and with a perspective substantially matching a perspective of the specified location, wherein the attributes of the recipient including selectively at least two of the following: gender, age, education level, consumer interests, occupation, income, hobbies, marital status, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and information generated from marketing research;
dynamically insert a camera position for generating the static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world based on at least two attributes of the recipient selected from a database as determined by at least one predefined populating rule; and
output the static image of the 3D scene in the 3D modeling area in the virtual world for the recipient based on the inserted camera position, the static image including the at least one 3D model.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the 3D scene is rotatable and defined in three dimensions to permit different points of view from which the 3D scene can be captured.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the static image is defined from a single point of view having a fixed perspective.
22. The system of claim 19 wherein said 3D modeling area is a 3D modeling area in the SECOND LIFE® software product.