3D Browsing may look like a game, but don’t be fooled by appearance. Behind the scenes it is an HTML 5 website that brings together many of the latest programming techniques like partial page postbacks, iframes, canvas animation, touch controls, and css layers.
On traditional webpages, you click a link and the browser goes blank, the new page loads, then you see the results.
In 3D Browsing, as you walk towards a 3D Building it triggers the browser to go get more information – like clicking a link and opening a new webpage – the biggest difference is I keep the animation going continuously in the foreground as the information is then loaded and added to your current view all behind the scenes. To see it in action, go to https://3d.walktheweb.com. as you walk towards the 3D Building you will see all of the contents of the 3D Building load. Walking is done by mouse, keyboard, or touch screen and works on desktops, tablets, and smart devices as long as they support HTML 5 (which is most devices today).
If you back away from the 3D Building you will see the contents of the 3D Building disappear. This same thing happens to full 3D Buildings as you walk down the street.
Another feature in this demonstration is the ability to link to traditional web pages. For example, click on the billboard. Web pages can open in their own window or in an iframe in front of the 3D Browsing view. Then, try the video in the building – move around while it plays! I have already tested many other web objects like forms (text boxes, check boxes, file uploads, buttons, etc), scroll-bars, sound, and avatars with different chase camera views. I will make them available soon!
Finally, this web server is the first of its kind hosting 3D Building Websites, but it is designed to be hosted on other servers and interconnect 3D Buildings into 3D Communities all over the internet. So stay tuned… it is just the beginning of 3D Browsing.
Originally posted at: https://wp.walktheweb.com/2016/03/12/3d-browsing-not-a-game/