不少人已经对业内最近热议的新兴网页技术标准HTML5有所了解，但对另一种行业新兴技术标准WebGL可能相对陌生。不过Facebook的编码员布鲁斯·罗杰斯（Bruce Rogers）日前通过博客表示，他很看好后者的发展前景。

据游戏邦了解，WebGL可在电脑、智能手机或平板电脑的图像处理器的其础上，通过网页浏览器运行3D画面。这对Facebook来说是件意义重大的事情，因为它意味着开发商可以在无需任何插件的情况下，将矢量型的《FarmVille》2D图像效果，转换为更复杂更引人入胜的游戏画面。

WebGL-logo

WebGL已经可运用于安装Chrome、火狐、Opera等最新测试版本浏览器的台式电脑，但微软的IE目前还不能支持这种技术。

罗杰斯目前正通过JSGameBench工具，对这种技术进行测试，他认为使用了WebGL的开发商可以看到游戏运行效果至少比以前好四倍，不过令人困惑的是，他现在仅使用WebGL渲染游戏界面，而不是开发3D内容。他表示，在他们的OS X测试机器上，Chrome 11所呈现的效果令人惊叹，页面可同时展示4000个以上的游戏界面。

不过游戏邦获悉，WebGL进入手机游戏领域尚需时日。目前虽然只有火狐移动测试版的浏览器可支持这种技术，但谷歌、Mozilla、苹果和Opera未来也会加入这一行列。

除此之外，WebGL还有可能对手机应用、应用商店及其运营模式产生影响，因为它支持3D游戏无需下载安装，就能在手机浏览器上运行。

欲了解详情的开发商，可以查阅罗杰斯的个人博客，或者参加GDC大会在3月1日举办的新兴技术回顾论坛，届时该会场将针对HTML5和WebGL进行讨论。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，转载请注明来源：游戏邦）

Facebook bigs up the impact of HTML5 and WebGL for the future of browser gaming

We’ve heard a lot recently about emerging web standard HMTL5 and how it could enable web games in browsers, but now Facebook coder Bruce Rogers has upped the ante with his talk of WebGL.

It’s another emerging industry standard, and one that will enable web browsers to run 3D graphics using your computer’s, smartphone’s or tablet’s graphics processor.

Obviously, that’s a big deal for Facebook as it means developers will be able to move from vector-style FarmVille 2D graphics to more complex and immersive games, without the need for any plug-ins.

Complex calculations

WebGL is already available for desktop computers using the latest beta versions of browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and Opera. Microsoft doesn’t yet support it within Internet Explorer for various political reasons.

Rogers has been running tests as part of the JSGameBench tool, and reckons developers should expect to see at least a four-fold performance increase using WebGL, although somewhat confusing at the moment he’s currently using it to render sprites not 3D content.

“Chrome 11 on our OS X test machine blew us away, as more than 4,000 sprites simply floods the page,” he says.

Make me portable

As for mobile gaming, WebGL remains a little further off.

At present, the only browser to support it is the Firefox Mobile Beta, but more will certainly come as Google, Mozilla, Apple and Opera are committed to supporting the technology.

And certainly, it will be interesting to see the impact on apps, app stores and business models as such technology rolls out, enabling 3D games to run in a mobile browser rather than being installed.

To find out more, check out Rogers’ excellent blogpost, or if you’re going to GDC, you can attend the Emerging Technologies Review on Tuesday 1 March at 3pm, which will discuss all things HTML5 and WebGL.（source:pocketgamer）