Chapter 1. Building Great Web3D

Not long after the introduction of HTML, 3D for the web was launched. Web3D was a natural extension of existing technologies. Already, the first 3D games such as Doom were being launched and computer-generated imagery was being used for special effects in movies. Microsoft's DirectX game interface (originally known as Game Developers Kit) was launched and a number of 3D modeling programs such as Caligari trueSpace, 3D Studio, and Wavefront were made available to artists. In addition, programming languages such as Java and JavaScript enable web programming and Internet applications. Existing tools were also being migrated to the Web such as Macromedia's Director through the Shockwave plugin. The Web quickly went beyond just text and static images as multimedia streamed through RealAudio and RealVideo. The first modems grew from 14.4 to 28.8 and then to 56.6 kb/s. Storage increased from 1 MB floppy discs to 700 MB CD-ROMs. Memory disk prices dropped significantly, supporting the move from text to imagery. All this was driven by consumers.

A graphical revolution was taking place. The command-line operating system was finally giving way to a graphical user interface. Toy Story, the first animated feature film premiered, showed that 3D was a story-telling medium with engaging characters. Moreover, there was a small group of committed, talented people with visions of an interactive Web3D, combined with enthusiasm and dreams of virtual reality. So much was in place for Web3D's growth: fast technology, 3D modeling tools for creation, and talented people with vision. The first specification, Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), was also born, although it served as a prototype to the soon-replaced update, VRML 2.0. Web3D was a small representative of the dot-com boom. A mix of startups and technology giants entered the arena with varied engineering approaches. Some opted for their own technology such as Pulse 3D and Activeworlds, which is still active as its name says. Others relied on their own VRML browsers and plugins such as Sony, Microsoft, and Silicon Graphics.

With time, however, the Web could no longer just be about fun, irrelevant stuff such as live video cameras focused on fish tanks. It had to become economically viable, and thus, the more frivolous applications gave way to search engines, online banking, and e-commerce. Among them were Yahoo!, Amazon, and America Online. The early pioneers of Web3D and VRML were ahead of their time and deserve acknowledgement for their great work. Their efforts were not futile, but Web3D's day would come another time. The public needed the familiar medium of text, photos, and streaming audio and video. Interactive 3D was finding its early adopters elsewhere—gamers—people who embraced new technology for fun.