Video Compositing— Despite the magical scene, there’s the unpleasant reality of this room. You cast nervous glances at both doors. Then over at massive bookcase—the only place from which Farnsworth could not possibly have come. Yet he did. Yesterday’s scare returns. It shows on your face. Christopher gestures at you to relax. “This is great,” you concede, “but we’d better go. There’s nothing to print. Let’s get out of here.” “Another minute.” He holds down the mouse and drags it across the pad. As expected, the scene rotates in the same direction. He rotates the panorama 360 degrees, sometimes pushing the mouse forward and backward, which tilts the scene upward or downward, revealing more of the ceiling or the floor. He holds down keys to zoom the manor scene in and out. At times a different cursor appears, and with a single click, the panorama makes a graceful glide, as if a person had walked in that direction. In the background, servants can often be seen going about their duties, occasionally pausing to look your way. “I’ve seen this kind of interface before,” Christopher marvels, “but I’ve never seen people walking about in a scene. Way to go Uncle Artie!” (from Chapter 13)

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Surround Sound Audio— You sit down in front of the computer and are immediately drawn into this incredible recreation. The high definition picture is like watching a moving photograph—seamless, with colors and a picture so sharp that the writing on pub items tacked on the wall is clear. The environment is enriched by sound and visual effects—the glug, glug, glug of the keg dispensing beer is clever; the slight wobble in navigation after you’ve “had a few,” cleverer still. Now, traversing the pub seating area, you notice a gradual increase in volume as you approach the large speakers mounted on the stage. The karaoke machine actually works. Then you catch a familiar refrain. Bruce is singing “Something to Believe,” the song he performed for the first time the other night. (from Chapter 15)