Powered by the Viewpoint Media Player, Adobe Atmosphere allows Web developers to create and surfers to explore 3D environments on the Web. Developers use the Atmosphere Builder to create 3D environments which can be hosted at any Web location, and surfers use the Atmosphere Browser to connect to and navigate the 3D worlds that are available. Both the Builder and the Browser are available now as free beta downloads.

Developers use the Atmosphere Builder tool to create 3D environments for users. The Builder provides a basic collection of 3D objects from which the developer can select in the creation of their worlds, with individual objects able to "snap" to one another and therefore be resized and moved as if they were a single object. In addition to the predefined collection, Atmosphere builder is able to import Viewpoint compatible files, meaning that objects created in external development platforms can be used in atmosphere worlds (provided the external software can export the Viewpoint format). Additional features of the Builder include the ability to specify a community server for user-to-user chat sessions within the 3D environment (Adobe provides such a community server free during the beta period), lighting controls, including the ability to specify that each object either "receives" or "emits" light, the ability to add texture to 3D objects by importing JPEG or GIF graphics, and the ability to control or manipulate 3D objects dynamically within the world via JavaScript commands.

The Atmosphere Browser allows surfers to navigate and interact with the 3D worlds created by developers. Each surfer is represented within the world by their avatar, which can be any shape or form the user chooses. When encountering others within the 3D world, users can communicate with them via a text based chat mechanism. Users move among different 3D Atmospheres via portals, which allow developers to link their environment directly to another world, possibly on an entirely different server. Individual objects within the Atmosphere can also be linked to other 2D Web pages or content in the standard fashion, allowing surfers to examine Web pages from within the world by clicking on the linked object.

Adobe Atmosphere is available now as a free beta download for Windows platforms; the Mac beta is expected in the summer. The final release is also expected in the late summer. Final pricing has not yet been announced.

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