Google runs Quake in a browser using HTML5

[*LTD*]

http://www.neowin.net/news/google-runs-quake-in-a-browser-using-html5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyfu4OwjUEI&feature=player_embedded

Google runs Quake in a browser using HTML5
By Brad Sams

In the near future, HTML5 compliance will become standard across many web pages. Up until now, many have wondered if HTML5 truly has the power to knock Adobe’s Flash off of its perch; Google has shown us that it does.

In an interesting twist, Google has shown off how HTML5 can run the first person shooter, Quake, in a browser. The reason this is an interesting twist is because Google announced that Chrome would come bundled with Flash.

According to TechCrunch, Google “started with the existing Jake2 Java port of the Quake II engine, then used the Google Web Toolkit (along with WebGL, WebSockets, and a lot of refactoring) to cross-compile it into Javascript. You can see the results in the video above — we were honestly a bit surprised when we saw it pushing over 30 frames per second on our laptops (your mileage may vary)! “.

You can try out the port by visiting the Google code page. As of right now, the only supported browsers are Safari and Chrome, but expect IE 9 and others to be compliant in the near future.

So are we good with giving Flash the big finger now?

Welcome to the future, folks.

 

[Rhalliwell1]

Bye bye Flash! Thank God for that. Never liked it.

 

[Hellhammer]

Interesting! I really hope HTML5 becoming more popular soon so that the Flash can be dumped!

 

[Winni]

Google “started with the existing Jake2 Java port of the Quake II engine, then used the Google Web Toolkit (along with WebGL, WebSockets, and a lot of refactoring) to cross-compile it into Javascript.

In case the author of that pamphlet and others haven't noticed it yet, but HTML5 is NOT Javascript, and Javascript is NOT HTML5. They're different languages. And while Javascript can be embedded in HTML, it is, just like Flash's ActionScript, an implementation of the Ecmascript language.

So where is the "victory" of HTML5 here? This thing actually is a showcase for Javascript and the browser's Javascript capabilities.

 

[LethalWolfe]

In an interesting twist, Google has shown off how HTML5 can run the first person shooter, Quake, in a browser. The reason this is an interesting twist is because Google announced that Chrome would come bundled with Flash.

Not sure what's interesting about a browser supporting multiple standards.


Lethal

 

[*LTD*]

Not sure what's interesting about a browser supporting multiple standards.


Lethal

What's "interesting" is that in the span of only a couple of months, everyone has HTML5 on the mind. As much as you attempt to downplay the significance of this, it has had a substantial effect on the industry already, and highlights just how much clout Apple has (in terms of the iPad in particular.)

Browsers also support Silverlight. But you don't see YouTube, CBS, Vimeo, and a bunch of other big names falling all over each other announcing Silverlight support. In fact, MS has barely promoted Silverlight. Silverlight isn't even really in the equation now. It's between Flash and HTML5.

 

[LethalWolfe]

What's "interesting" is that in the span of only a couple of months, everyone has HTML5 on the mind. As much as you attempt to downplay the significance of this, it has had a substantial effect on the industry already, and highlights just how much clout Apple has (in terms of the iPad in particular.)

Browsers also support Silverlight. But you don't see YouTube, CBS, Vimeo, and a bunch of other big names falling all over each other announcing Silverlight support. In fact, MS has barely promoted Silverlight. Silverlight isn't even really in the equation now. It's between Flash and HTML5.

What does that have to do w/Google supporting both HTML5 and Flash being a "twist"? Easy there tiger, I'm not downplaying HTML5 I'm questioning what makes this an "interesting twist". Did I miss Google announcing they were at war w/HTML5 and spouting their undying devotion to Flash come hell or high water? Is the author making a legit point that Google doing this demo is some kind of coup for HTML5 or is the author just being sensationalistic? I fail to see the intrigue of a browser that supports multiple standards.


Lethal

 

[plinden]

In case the author of that pamphlet and others haven't noticed it yet, but HTML5 is NOT Javascript, and Javascript is NOT HTML5. They're different languages. And while Javascript can be embedded in HTML, it is, just like Flash's ActionScript, an implementation of the Ecmascript language.

So where is the "victory" of HTML5 here? This thing actually is a showcase for Javascript and the browser's Javascript capabilities.

It's not just javascript.

If you watch the video, it tells you it's using WebGL, HTML5 canvas, HTML5 audio and HTML5 local storage. None of that can be done on a browser that doesn't support HTML5 standards.

 

[Stella]

Bye bye Flash! Thank God for that. Never liked it.

Problem is:
* HTML5 doesn't contain the functionality that Flash does.
* Flash works with all popular browsers and platforms ( excluding, of course, iPhone / Touch etc ) , HTML5 doesn't.

Its still vastly easier to create a cross platform Flash application than HTML5.

HTML5 will never catch up to the functionality of Flash, because Flash development ( evolution ) will always be faster than HTML.

Flash has still a long life - no matter what Stevie boy says.

Nevertheless, Google have pulled off an impressive feat - Quake2 under HMTL5. Last month, Google did the world another favour, dumped support for IE6.

 

[jeznav]

WebGL=GPU accelerated

I just checked out the source code http://code.google.com/p/quake2-gwt-port/ and I'm really impressed how they managed this. This is actually a Java based OpenGL game and using GWT(Google Web Toolkit) which compiles it to Javascript code. HTML5 is used to load assets and create the 3D canvas.

So after booting this up I get around 60-120FPS. Its not taxing the CPU that much since its calling the GPU directly.

I there is over 1MB of pre-processed Javascript code. Its readable, but its so dense and compact and unmaintainable, it looked like I was reading the matrix code.

I guess developers would have to follow a workflow as: Java coding->(GWT) preprocess, optimize and compile = Javascript + HTML5 for assets.

Overall, this is really cool. Now someone just needs to create an intuitive authoring and runtime environment.