Design Issues for a 3 D Interface to TechnoSphere

TechnoSphere (www.technosphere.org.uk) is an Internet-based artificial life simulator allowing people to create their own creatures, and receive communications from them as they grow, evolve, and die in a virtual 3D environment. Some of the users have indicated an interest in having a realtime 3D interface to this world, in addition to the current asynchronous email messaging system and existing 2D interface tools, and this is being currently investigated. This paper addresses two classes of problem that have been identified in the consideration of a 3D interface: technical feasibility and user based issues.