Introduction and Basic Usage of the Vizard Virtual‑Reality Development Platform

Vizard is a virtual‑reality development platform that has been evolving for ten years; it is built on C/C++ and a high‑performance OpenGL‑based graphics engine, and when Python is used it automatically compiles scripts to a byte‑code abstraction layer (LAXMI) that drives the rendering core.

Vizard basics – loading avatars, objects and background

avatar = viz.addAvatar('xxx.cfg', pos=(0,0,0), euler=(0,0,0))
viz.add('xxx.osgb', pos=(0,0,0), euler=(0,0,0))
viz.addChild('xxx.obj', pos=(-4,0,7.5))

Random pigeon walk

pigeon = viz.addAvatar('pigeon.cfg', pos=(2,0,5))
random_walk = vizact.walkTo(pos=[vizact.randfloat(1.5,2.5),0,vizact.randfloat(4.5,5.5)])
random_animation = vizact.method.state(vizact.choice([1,3], vizact.RANDOM))
random_wait = vizact.waittime(vizact.randfloat(2.0,8.0))
pigeon_idle = vizact.sequence(random_walk, random_animation, random_wait, viz.FOREVER)
pigeon.runAction(pigeon_idle)

Dialogue between two characters

def PersonTalk():
    female = viz.addAvatar('vcc_female.cfg', pos=(1,0,8), euler=(-90,0,0))
    male   = viz.addAvatar('vcc_male2.cfg',  pos=(0,0,8), euler=(90,0,0))
    female.state(14)
    male.state(4)

Keyboard‑controlled character movement

def roleMove():
    m1 = viz.Matrix.euler(0,0,0)
    dm = viz.getFrameElapsed() * speed
    temp = avatar.getEuler()[0] * math.pi/180
    if viz.key.isDown('w'):
        m1.preTrans([dm*math.sin(temp),0,dm*math.cos(temp)])
        avatar.state(2)
    elif viz.key.isDown('s'):
        m1.preTrans([-dm*math.sin(temp),0,-dm*math.cos(temp)])
        avatar.state(2)
    elif viz.key.isDown('a'):
        m1.preTrans([-dm*0.3*math.cos(temp),0,dm*0.3*math.sin(temp)])
        avatar.state(12)
    elif viz.key.isDown('d'):
        m1.preTrans([dm*0.3*math.cos(temp),0,-dm*0.3*math.sin(temp)])
        avatar.state(13)
    else:
        avatar.state(1)
    avatar.setPosition(m1.getPosition(), viz.REL_PARENT)

Mouse movement capture

def onMouseMove(e):
    global mp_x, mp_y
    mp_x = e.dx
    mp_y = e.dy

viz.callback(viz.MOUSE_MOVE_EVENT, onMouseMove)

The final demo combines a clock that shows the system time, two animated talking figures, a third‑person roaming camera, random‑walking pigeons, decorative objects such as a vase, and sky and grass backgrounds; all interactions are driven by keyboard (W/A/S/D for movement, mouse for rotation and pitch) and mouse callbacks.