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Webkit's WebGL Arrives, Poised to Revolutionize Browser-based Gaming

Posted 09/14/09 at 08:04:58 PM  by Ryan Whitwam

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A big WebGL patch has recently been released, bringing us a step closer to 3D gaming in the browser. WebGL is a project attempting to bring a few new features to HTML5 allowing JavaScript binding to OpenGL ES 2.0. When complete, this could mean fairly complex 3D games running in a WebKit browser with no plugins required.

It may even be possible to see support for WebGL in native WebKit browsers in as little as 6 months. Safari and Chrome are probably on the forefront of this technology, as they are based on WebKit. Firefox, while based on the Gecko engine, has an extension capable of displaying a WebGL 3D canvas. As for Internet Explorer, don’t hold your breath. Microsoft still has yet to implement HTML5, let alone upcoming technologies.

wgl

 

COMMENTS:3
TAGS: gaming, Software, standards, 3D gaming, OpenGL, Internet Explorer, Browsers, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, webkit, html5
COMMENTS
avatarSoo...

Submitted by 1337Goose on Mon, 09/14/2009 - 7:29pm

 If I'm interpreting this correctly, this will provide Javascript with an interface to browser based GL. That's actually pretty cool.

Google is probably backing this more than anybody else. Personally, I think this would be useful for web applications more than web games. If the implementation is identical across all platforms, writing web apps like Gmail or the highly anticipated Google Wave would be a lot simpler and more streamlined.

Unfortunately, I don't see this technology gaining enough market penetration to gain any sort of preference with developers in the near future. Only on Webkit based browsers? The vast majority of people will probably not upgrade or switch browsers (especially the IE6 types).

Finally, what does this mean for Adobe and Flash. Those guys have been pushing 3D support in their flash player for a while now. 

Any thoughts? 

~Goose

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avatarHopefully HTML5 by itself

Submitted by Ryan Whitwam on Mon, 09/14/2009 - 7:37pm

Hopefully HTML5 by itself can help take Flash off its pedestal. If this technology does prove useful, it could be a big boost to Chrome as you indicated. I just hope for more standards compliance in general.

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avatarAmen Brotha...

Submitted by 1337Goose on Mon, 09/14/2009 - 7:44pm

Yeah, I know what you mean. Flash applets embedded in pages always feel pokey. HTML5 does a good job, and it tends to feel a little more natural than flash. However, it seems that every browser vendor has their own interpretations of the W3C's standards publications.

In short, I second your hope for better standards compliance... In fact, I up the ante to a prayer for better standards compliance. Anybody who has ever done any web design knows why.

Thanks for the response by the way, that's a Follow on twitter! 

~Goose

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