The Interactive 3D Web
By Andrea L. Ames
It may seem like the 3D computer graphics discipline has been around forever. Before the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), however, most 3D graphics tools were the domain of experts—computer scientists, scientific visualization professionals, specially trained CAD/CAM system operators, and a rare 3D artist or technical illustrator. Why? In the past, the computer processing requirements were enormous, and the computers capable of rapid, efficient 3D graphics calculations were rare and costly. The amount of data necessary to fully describe a detailed, 3D object was huge. Much has changed since those days, and VRML's approachable language makes it one of the most exciting and quickly evolving Web technologies, with the potential to change the landscape of cyberspace and the ways in which we communicate within it.
In the coming months, I'll focus on the 3D, interactive Web—particularly VRML and related technologies. For the most part, I'll provide examples showing you how to best exploit the power of VRML. I'll also keep you up to date on the latest interactive, 3D Web happenings and give you a peek into what the hottest 3D graphics and VR companies are doing with VRML and related technologies.
Finally, I'll review books, tools, and other resources to help you wade through the myriad of information available on this burgeoning technology. But let's start at the beginning.
VRML Timeline
VRML began as a grass-roots effort to define a 3D standard for the Web.
