Integrate Review—3Dconnexion SpaceTraveler

3Dconnexion's SpaceTraveler is an odd sort of addition to a producer's desktop suite. It's somewhat like a mouse, but not really; it's trackball-like but very different. So what exactly is it? It's mainly a device for navigating 3D space in software that supports it. It performs different tasks when teamed up with programs like Word, Photoshop, and Internet Explorer.

My experience with SpaceTraveler got off to rocky start. I actually almost flung the unit into space on a few occasions. Plugging it in is pretty straightforward; it's USB and upon plug-in my PC saw the new device (a Human Interface Device according to my Device Manager…yikes). I installed the drivers from the included CD. The drivers will work with over 100 supported programs. I chose to test it with Discreet 3ds Max 6 (see review, p. 116) as well as Photoshop and Word.

For some reason the drivers could not see the device no matter what I tried. I switched USB ports, installed and uninstalled the drivers, rebooted, everything, to no avail. Very frustrating. Tech support response was fast and courteous. But after a very nice 20-minute chat with a support programmer, he was left scratching his head. So was I.

3DxWare is the standalone software for programming your SpaceTraveler to work with most programs. Drag and drop commands onto the buttons to lock in commands. In the background is 3ds Max 6 with its dedicated SpaceTraveler interface.

I almost had to pass on doing the review, but at the last minute I peered over to my laptop and decided to give it a try. 3ds Max 6 was activated on my main production machine, so I would have to run it in demo mode on the laptop. This was not a problem. I moved the SpaceTraveler over to my Sony Vaio laptop and installed the drivers, and the unit worked like a charm. At press time I still don't have a solution for my main rig, which is a little disconcerting; however, I was able to spend lots of time using this funky mouse with my laptop.

And how cool it is! SpaceTraveler's little ring of blue light lit up and I began to push and pivot the main navigation knob. The SpaceTraveler is not intended as a mouse replacement. It is designed to work with a mouse, SpaceTraveler under one hand and mouse under the other. The unit works with many programs. They're all listed on the company website (www.3dconnexion.com) along with information about the features that work with each program.

The first stops for me were Word and Photoshop, which allowed me to zoom and pan quite effortlessly. With Word I could scroll by pushing the unit up or down. The coolest function was zooming in and out by pushing and pulling. I opened up the SpaceTraveler control panel (the included 3DxWare standalone software) and was impressed by the many screens of options and preferences for customizing it to work with different programs. There are many ways to program the unit.

The ring of blue light is actually eight programmable buttons. The buttons are small and take a hard push to activate. They might be a little tough to operate for those with larger hands, but it is certainly handy to have this many programmable buttons on a navigational unit.

The 3Dconnexion SpaceTraveler is intended for simultaneous use with a mouse. For 3D programs, it's designed to facilitate tactile navigation of 3D space.

Working in 3ds Max 6 with the SpaceTraveler was an eye-opening experience, one that was unique for me even after using 3D programs for years and years. Inside Max is a separate panel for setting up the SpaceTraveler, with options for the unit to control and move either the scene, focal point, or object. There are options for setting panning, rolling, and zooming.

Also important are two sliders that adjust the sensitivity of the unit as it's used in Max. The SpaceTraveler is more advanced than a trackball or mouse in that it works via velocity. This means a hard push or a soft tap will affect your 3D space in very different ways. When I started using it with 3ds Max, I was wildly overshooting every move. A push or twist on the SpaceTraveler caused my 3D object to spin out of view. Careful slider adjustment within the program as well as learning the feel of the SpaceTraveler got things under control. After continued use, I found it invaluable for 3D work. Now I want to buy one!

If you plan to use the SpaceTraveler as a general-purpose mouse accoutrement for scrolling and zooming, the slick novelty might wear off after a while. Really, you could do much the same with a mouse wheel and/or a keyboard scroll wheel. However, 3D professionals are the real target market for this remarkable device. Once it's activated in your 3D program and the SpaceTraveler is working in tandem with your mouse/keyboard, you suddenly have an unprecedented amount of control. In a very direct way the unit spins and moves objects in true 3D space, so that you can almost feel the objects on screen.

I am frustrated that I could not get the SpaceTraveler to work on my main machine, but I await tech support with the hope that they will have a solution. Vibrated collision detection might be a neat improvement for a future version, but for now this is about as close as you'll get to physically manipulating and “feeling” your 3D objects. SpaceTraveler is a neat toy for tech types, but a solid must-have for 3D animation professionals.

Frank McMahon is a media artist specializing in directing, editing, animation, and graphic design. He can be reached via his media company at
www.fmstudio.com
or via Portland Media Artists at
www.mediaartist.com.

Company: 3Dconnexion
Los Gatos, Calif.; (408) 376-2500
www.3dconnexion.com

Product: SpaceTraveler

Assets: Eight programmable buttons; works with about 100 software programs; pressure-sensitive velocity control.

Caveats: This reviewer encountered unexplained installation problems.

Demographic: 3D animation professionals.

Price: $599

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