Tag Archives: html5

3D on the Web is Dead, Long Live 3D on the Web

Apart from the everywhere solution that is UNITY, and the not so well known solution that is Flash in 3D, 3D models on the web appears dead. At least VRML is. Single-player, lack of browser standardisation, no killer app. Actually it is more of a zombie, still there, but not in wide usage because what can you do with it?

Well that has changed, the below are not VRML but its grandchildren, html5 and webgl and JavaScript. I was a little apprehensive about replacements for VRML, it needs to be quicker, pref no plugin required, but that is no deal-breaker now, multiplayer, quicker, with some rendering and scripting features of commercial game engines, for architectural visualisation etc.

Enter two contenders:

1 Playcanvas
demo http://apps.playcanvas.com/playcanvas/scifi/latest
features http://playcanvas.com/#features

  • 3D HTML5 Game Engine. Create games that run plugin-free in any modern browser. Hardware-accelerated using WebGL.
  • Cloud-based tools. Running right in your browser, nothing to download and install. Get started in seconds.
  • Designed for teams. Real-time collaboration. Work with your team-mates see their changes as they happen.
  • Game Developer Community. Join the PlayCanvas community and get help making your game.
  • Publish and Share. Publish your game to PlayCanvas, share it with the world.

2 BananaBread
“BananaBread is a 3D first person shooter that runs on the web. It takes the Cube 2: Sauerbraten engine, which is written in C++ and OpenGL, and compiles it using Emscripten into JavaScript and WebGL so that it can run in modern browsers using standards-based web APIs and without the need for plugins.”

https://developer.cdn.mozilla.net/media/uploads/demos/a/z/azakai/3baf4ad7e600cbda06ec46efec5ec3b8/bananabread_1373485124_demo_package/list.html
You can download the source//assets
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/demos/detail/bananabread

Thanks to netmagazine for the heads up:
URL: http://www.netmagazine.com/features/top-10-html5-games-2012

HTML5 and touch screens

I will be giving a talk on Monday on playful touchscreen interfaces and although built in Flash, Li Wang’s touch screen taoist games may now also work in html 5, and across PC, touch screen PC and mobile touch screens! Great progress seems to have been made.

Some reference links for further exploring

  1. sketchpad online drawing app http://mudcu.be/sketchpad/
  2. tutorial http://www.html5rocks.com/en/mobile/cross-device/
  3. msdn and touchscreen http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/hh563503.aspx
  4. with flash http://www.2morodocs.com/2010/05/think-outside-the-computer-touchscreens-html5-flash/
  5. html 5 game examples http://html5games.com/category/iphoneipadmobile/
  6. html 5 drawing on an ipad http://tenderlovingcode.com/blog/web-apps/html5-canvas-drawing-on-ipad/