Monday 27 July 2009

3D full screen game using O3D

I just ran across this cute little 3D game on the internet:

http://blog.largeanimal.com/demo/

Remember to click the full-screen button in the bottom left, for a full experience. You will need the O3D plugin which will be included in Google Chrome, soon.

The game seems to be entirely made using JavaScript. If you want to see how it looks using Google Chrome app mode, in Windows, create a Windows shortcut like this:

"C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --app=http://blog.largeanimal.com/demo/

The game does not adapt to the window size and still shows some HTML stuff when not in full-screen mode, and it's also a bit slow to load compared to what we can expect in the future, but even in its current state, it makes it awfully old-fashioned to run setup programs or to use MSI files.

8 comments:

Taqyon said...

:) I must still disagree with you Lars, I prefer a once-off local install than an entire download every time.

I see a new platform with new problems and new learning curves, new security issues, logistical issues.

MSI installs works. Win32 works. Give me .net if you have to.

I vote for improving the current platform rather than dumping the last 10 years again.

Windows should move to storing profiles on-line, optional on-line storage and so on. This will have all the advantages of "cloud computing" without the risk and grief.

Lars D said...

I absolutely agree with you, that there is a cost when adopting a new platform. However, I see no benefit with MSI etc., and deployment is a major problem for many customers - in other words, the new technology solves a problem and generates other problems.

Taqyon said...

Maybe it's because I see the cost of a new platform as too high and the current platform as working fine (using sms, online distribution or other means for distributing and installing MSI packages etc).

The current development spectrum in Windows is splintering up so much, already, do we need a new promise of improvements though initial headaches are a guarantee?

For example, I'm currently developing a corporate application costing print jobs and pabx calls. Bending Chromium to cater for such an app will force it to forfeit all it's benefits.

Every now and then I enjoy a new game on my PC. There's a universe of work and libraries for developing on the Win32 platform. Do we honestly need another level of complexity? If it's all on the cloud, I'll have to download the entire 6GB game every time I feel like having a 10 minute blast. The off-line version of ChromeOS defeats the purpose, then you still need to go on-line to get updates.

Sorry, I'm just frustrated by the confusion and dev camps that's already out there.

Lars D said...

I agree with most of what you say, but deployment is a very important part of application development. Integration with printers, PABX, other IT systems etc. favor a server-side solution, but client-side development is much more cost effective. One day, when all this confusion about dev platforms is over, we will have the cost efficiency of client-side development with the deployment abilities of the server-side.

The Chrome system seems very competitive to me. It is basically a sandboxing system that could run mono (.net), java, javascript, native code (C/C++), python and many other kinds of client-side runtimes, as long as they're Open Source. Being Open-Source itself, Chrome can run anywhere, so anything developed for Chrome, using one of these runtimes, can run almost anywhere.

However, I consider HTML to be a very slow and costly way to develop GUIs. Also, Google's offline web apps have proven to me, that offline apps are definitely still part of the future, so what we need is some kind of Delphi-like development tool, which communicates with the server-backend using some kinds of protocols or systems like Google Gears. Borland Midas was actually a kind of system like that, but not designed for the technology of today, of course.

Who would create such a tool? Well, Microsoft would not be interested, that's for sure, because it basically reduces the need for Windows. Sun/Oracle, IBM etc. are too slow to make it happen, imo., but Borland/CodeGear actually did things like that before, and also has the motivation to be in the business of creating the coolest development tools out there.

What would it be like? Well, if mono can become part of the standard Chromium package, Delphi Prism is awfully close. Compiling for other VMs like the JavaScript engine could also be an option - I guess it would be quite manageable to make Delphi Prism compile for that, too. Compiling native code would exclude the client CPU types that are not compiled for, but deliver really great speed. The big question is: Can Delphi be made independent of the Windows API and still keep something similar to VCL around? Will TrollTech create a Qt version suitable for Chrome apps? Will we see a small startup that creates cool technology that can help this move forward?

Taqyon said...

I see your point. I'll be all over it if Delphi supports it.

MS is allergic to open source, so Delphi might have a chance.

Assuming the same platform would run on Mobiles, the future looks promising.

I just need to put my fears to rest that Google doesn't have dominant control over it !

Hugh said...

Someone seriously needs to port PyGame over to Native Client and add support for this plugin.

O3D and Native Client are going to place browser gaming in the same spot as regular PC gaming and console gaming.

It's exciting (I'm curious to know what will become of consoles once this truly takes off).

Lars D said...

I'm convinced that consoles/settop boxes will take over a lot of the stuff we use computing for, maybe in cooperation with mobile phones. For games, they provide a much better commercial platform than PCs.

Josh Young said...

I think moving off of a platform that benefits one company and to the internet platform is the best move because it doesn't require a particular platform! Why must everybody have to use Microsoft products huh? Why can't we have some choices in this world? Move to open standards and build on the internet platform of the future so that we can have some choices for a change!! The day I am not dependent on Microsoft's control is the day I feel like the USA is a free country, at least for a little while!