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This is nothing really new or novel. I remember seeing something like this being covered on tv like 5 years ago. In fact here are some examples.

http://vgtc.org/wpmu/3dui09/2009/03/17/egocentric-navigation-for-video-surveillance-in-3d-virtual-environments/
http://www.feelingsoftware.com/

Google Earth 3D models simply use COLLADA XML format. Sketch up just exports it for you in this way.

A lot of 3D modeling software supports export to COLLADA, which can be used in KML (google earth).

For Example:
Blender
3DS Max
Maya

etc...

Google Earth 3D models simply use COLLADA XML format. Sketch up just exports it for you in this way.

A lot of 3D modeling software supports export to COLLADA, which can be used in KML (google earth).

For Example:
Blender
3DS Max
Maya

etc...

Who, exactly, do they think is going to use this besides amateurs and little tools companies (like the ones linked to in the article) who cater to amateurs...?

Sony (PS3 SDK). Epic (Unreal Engine 3). Nvidia (FX Composer). AGEIA (physics).

XML provides more than just a way of serialising a tree into text - I've not looked into the details very far, but what I've seen is that COLLADA uses XML Schema for validation, URIs for references between different locations (e.g. defining a piece of geometry, then adding several instances of it into a scene definition - and then changing it into an external URI if you don't want everything in the same file, or if you want to point to binary data instead of more XML, and having the standard XML tools deal with that correctly), and you can stick custom bits of XML into certain extension points (which standard tools can't parse but can pass along unchanged for later tools). You could do all that without XML, but the designers decided it would be more successful if they did use it.

If your artists can export a model from 3ds Max, load it into FX Composer and tweak the shaders to make it look good, load it into a physics simulator to make sure it reacts sensibly, then have it converted into the optimised native format for whatever engine you're using - and if you're no longer constrained in choice of tools (maybe you want to change from Max to Maya, or support a modding community with Blender, or load assets from your last game into your new engine) because they all support the same standard format, and you don't have to write all the code yourself - then it seems like it can have a practical benefit. I'm sure it doesn't work perfectly in practice, and it's not going to give groundbreaking improvements to the game development process, but it appears to go a long way in the right direction and it looks like it's gaining some real support.

It does support skinning - I've actually just finished writing a converter from COLLADA into a custom format for a game (since COLLADA is not suited (nor designed) as a final format for distribution to users; it's for interchange between development tools where efficiency isn't so critical), and that handles skeletal animations using the standard features with no need for extensions. There are importers/exporters here for Max and Maya, here for Blender, elsewhere for others. It's also the native format for Google SketchUp / Google Earth models. The list here has Ogre and Unreal Engine as supporting it too, and it's a "Standard part of the PS3 toolchain" (source (PDF)) - so it is being used for real in games.

is Feeling Software http://www.feelingsoftware.com/. I'm using Collada on a daily basis, and the company makes some of the best Collada tools, importers and exporters and are used by many DCC users. They're either freeware or open-source and downloadble on their website, so heads up for any interested developer out there. They were also involved in the writing of that book and most of the color plates the author mentions are actually theirs.

Before I funded Feeling Software, I researched the market for several months. I also contacted hundreds of former colleagues, industry contacts, etc. I made sure I had enough cash in the bank to last at least 6 months. (It takes on average 2-3 months before I get paid by my clients, partly because currency exchanges from USD to CND means that checks are frozen for a month.) I read several books, e.g. "Getting started in Computer Consulting (Meyer)". I had nearly 10 years of commercial experience for highly reputable companies. I also did managed the R&D for a start-up for over a year. I knew about government subsidies, how to deal with investors, etc. Basically, I was prepared for the next step. It's been 8 months now and overall we've been quite successful. 4 employees (myself included), a dozen excellent clients, including regular ones. Cool projects. I'm still not making as much salary as I could if I worked full-time. But that's because we keep money to invest in the company. Overall the company is profitable and we're always ready to hire top talent when we see it. Note that unless you're pro at what you do, and therefore already able to keep a good and satisfying full-time job, you're not going to enjoy contract work more than regular work. Good luck. Christian Laforte 3D Graphics Expert http://www.feelingsoftware.com/