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'VRML' ('Virtual Reality Modeling Language', pronounced ''vermal'' or by its initials, originally known as the Virtual Reality Markup Language) is a standard file format for representing 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vector graphics, designed particularly with the World Wide Web in mind.
VRML is a text file format where, e.g., vertices and edges for a 3D polygon can be specified along with the surface color, image-mapped textures, shininess, transparency, and so on. URLs can be associated with graphical components so that a web browser might fetch a web-page or a new VRML file from the Internet when the user clicks on the specific graphical component. Animations, sounds, lighting, and other aspects of the virtual world can interact with the user or may be triggered by external events such as timers. A special Script Node allows the addition of program code (e.g., written in Java or JavaScript (ECMAScript)) to a VRML file.
VRML files are commonly called "worlds" and have the .wrl extension (for example island.wrl). Although VRML worlds use a text format they may often be compressed using gzip so that they transfer over the internet more quickly. Many 3D modeling programs can save objects and scenes in VRML format.
#VRML V2.0 utf8
# Red cone
Shape {
appearance Appearance {
material Material {
diffuseColor 1 0 0
}
}
geometry Cone {
bottomRadius 0.75
height 1.6
}
}
The Web3D Consortium has been formed to further the collective development of the format.
The first version of VRML was specified in November 1994. This version was specified from, and very closely resembled, the API and file format of the Open Inventor software component, originally developed by SGI. The current and functionally complete version is VRML97 (ISO/IEC 14772-1:1997). VRML has now been superseded by X3D (ISO/IEC 19775-1)
The term VRML was coined by Dave Raggett in a paper submitted to The First International Conference on the World-Wide Web in 1994, and first discussed at the WWW94 VRML BOF established by Tim Berners-Lee, where Mark Pesce presented the Labyrinth demo he developed with Tony Parisi & Peter Kennard.
VRML reached the height of its popularity after the release of VRML2 in 1997, when it was used on some personal homepages and sites such as "CyberTown", which offered 3D chats. The format had been championed by SGI's Cosmo Software; when SGI restructured in 1998 the division was sold to Platinum Technologies, which was then taken over by Computer Associates, which did not develop or distribute the software. To fill the void a variety of proprietary Web 3D formats emerged over the next few years, including Microsoft Chrome and Adobe Atmosphere, neither of which is supported today. VRML's capabilities remained largely the same while realtime 3D graphics kept improving. The VRML Consortium changed its name to the Web3D Consortium, and began work on the successor to VRML – X3D.
While VRML still enjoys widespread use, particularly in education and research where an open specification is most valued, it has now been superseded by X3D. The MPEG-4 Interactive Profile (ISO/IEC 14496) was based on VRML (now on X3D), and X3D is largely backward-compatible with it. VRML is also still used as a file format for interchange of 3D models, particularly from CAD systems.
★ 3DML
★ Active Worlds
★ Flux (VRML and X3D)
★ List of vector graphics markup languages
★ OLE Automation
★ X3D
★ VRML Archives
★ VRML Annotated Reference
★ VRML ISO/IEC 14772 standard document
★ VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and X3D
★ Extensible 3D: XML Meets VRML
★ Web3D Consortium
★ VRML Plugin and Browser Detector Determines which VRML plugin is installed in your web browser
★ Review of VRML Plugins
★ Cortona VRML Client VRML plugin for Windows, Mac, and PocketPC
★ Octaga Player VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows and Linux
★ Flux Player VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows, source code available
★ BS Contact VRML/X3D plugin, also stereo, mobile, and Java applet versions
★ blaxxun Contact VRML plugin for Windows, also Java applet version
★ FreeWRL VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Linux and Mac OS X, source code included
★ OpenVRML VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, source code included
★ SwirlX3D VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows
★ VCollab VRML plugin (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Office) and standalone viewer for Windows
★ Xj3D Java based VRML/X3D toolkit and viewer
★ Cosmo Player Old VRML plugin for Windows, does not work in IE anymore due to a Windows security update, works in Firefox, Opera, Mozilla
★ Demotride Standalone VRML viewer for Windows
★ Orbisnap Standalone VRML viewer for Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac, and HP-UX
★ Deep View Standalone 3D file format viewer that imports VRML, shows a tree view of the scene graph
★ The xVRML Project and Carina Viewer An alternative with VRML97 and X3D import
★ !VRML a VRML Browser for Risc OS
★ Mozilla plugins for Windows, Linux and other OS
★ White_Dune Open source graphical VRML97/X3DV editor
★ Chisel Free VRML optimization tool, Java-based so it runs anywhere
★ Flux Studio Free Web3D authoring tool
★ VRMLpad VRML Editor
★ VizUp Free VRML polygon reducer
★ VRML to X3D Translator
★ VRML97 and X3D Converter software to merge VRML97 visualizations into one file and convert VRML to X3D
★ VRML Editor an almost free VRML Editor given good reviews by PC Magazine
★ WireFusion Web3D authoring tool for Windows, Mac and Linux. Includes a VRML viewer with Java API
★ Flux Player Free Web 3D (XML/VRML) browser plug-in for Windows, Open Source
★ FreeWRL VRML and X3D browser for Linux, Unix and OS X
★ Xj3D Java based VRML/X3D Toolkit and VRML/X3D Browser
★ OpenVRML a cross-platform VRML library
★ CyberX3D C++ and Java libraries for VRML
★ OpenSG a scene graph API supporting VRML97
★ Coin3D SDK software component supporting VRML97
★ Wings 3D 3D modeling software with static VRML97 export
★ Blender 3D modeling, animation, rendering software with static VRML97 and VRML 1.0 export
★ White_Dune VRML graphical editor, animationtool and simple (NURBS)modeller
★ HoloDraw Reads X Y Z data files and generates VRML
★ Art of Illusion 3D modeller with static VRML97 export
★ SharpContruct 3D modeller with static VRML97 export
★ Antiprism Command line tools to create and manipulate polyhedral 3D models with static VRML97 export
★ BRL-CAD
★ ABNet2 provides 3D multi-user collaboration and chat for VRML and X3D
★ VRMLWorld.net provides 3D multi-user collaboration and chat for VRML and X3D
★ Chat3D Server
★ Siggraph97 SGI VRML Course (mirrored from now defunct SGI site)
★ web3d.about.com (1997-2002 weekly VRML & Web3D articles mirrored from now defunct About.com site)
★ comp.lang.vrml Newsgroup
★ VRML Email List
★ Broken link - The X3D Experience an X3D/vrml showcase website - site registration expired on 07/21/2007 and is pending renewal or deletion.
★ VRInternal VRML/X3D showcase website
★ Grafman's VR World CGI-based VRML generation and Java/EAI examples
★ Sample VRML code, and VRML-writing code, including Cyberspace's First Mobius Strip (circa 1995)
★ FVRML function-based extension of VRML
★ LSKC VRML Team a school VRML Team led by Mr. Yip Chee Yan in Hong Kong
Format
VRML is a text file format where, e.g., vertices and edges for a 3D polygon can be specified along with the surface color, image-mapped textures, shininess, transparency, and so on. URLs can be associated with graphical components so that a web browser might fetch a web-page or a new VRML file from the Internet when the user clicks on the specific graphical component. Animations, sounds, lighting, and other aspects of the virtual world can interact with the user or may be triggered by external events such as timers. A special Script Node allows the addition of program code (e.g., written in Java or JavaScript (ECMAScript)) to a VRML file.
VRML files are commonly called "worlds" and have the .wrl extension (for example island.wrl). Although VRML worlds use a text format they may often be compressed using gzip so that they transfer over the internet more quickly. Many 3D modeling programs can save objects and scenes in VRML format.
#VRML V2.0 utf8
# Red cone
Shape {
appearance Appearance {
material Material {
diffuseColor 1 0 0
}
}
geometry Cone {
bottomRadius 0.75
height 1.6
}
}
Standardization
The Web3D Consortium has been formed to further the collective development of the format.
The first version of VRML was specified in November 1994. This version was specified from, and very closely resembled, the API and file format of the Open Inventor software component, originally developed by SGI. The current and functionally complete version is VRML97 (ISO/IEC 14772-1:1997). VRML has now been superseded by X3D (ISO/IEC 19775-1)
Emergence, popularity, and decline
The term VRML was coined by Dave Raggett in a paper submitted to The First International Conference on the World-Wide Web in 1994, and first discussed at the WWW94 VRML BOF established by Tim Berners-Lee, where Mark Pesce presented the Labyrinth demo he developed with Tony Parisi & Peter Kennard.
VRML reached the height of its popularity after the release of VRML2 in 1997, when it was used on some personal homepages and sites such as "CyberTown", which offered 3D chats. The format had been championed by SGI's Cosmo Software; when SGI restructured in 1998 the division was sold to Platinum Technologies, which was then taken over by Computer Associates, which did not develop or distribute the software. To fill the void a variety of proprietary Web 3D formats emerged over the next few years, including Microsoft Chrome and Adobe Atmosphere, neither of which is supported today. VRML's capabilities remained largely the same while realtime 3D graphics kept improving. The VRML Consortium changed its name to the Web3D Consortium, and began work on the successor to VRML – X3D.
While VRML still enjoys widespread use, particularly in education and research where an open specification is most valued, it has now been superseded by X3D. The MPEG-4 Interactive Profile (ISO/IEC 14496) was based on VRML (now on X3D), and X3D is largely backward-compatible with it. VRML is also still used as a file format for interchange of 3D models, particularly from CAD systems.
See also
★ 3DML
★ Active Worlds
★ Flux (VRML and X3D)
★ List of vector graphics markup languages
★ OLE Automation
★ X3D
External links
Documentation
★ VRML Archives
★ VRML Annotated Reference
★ VRML ISO/IEC 14772 standard document
★ VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and X3D
★ Extensible 3D: XML Meets VRML
★ Web3D Consortium
Plugins and Viewers
★ VRML Plugin and Browser Detector Determines which VRML plugin is installed in your web browser
★ Review of VRML Plugins
★ Cortona VRML Client VRML plugin for Windows, Mac, and PocketPC
★ Octaga Player VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows and Linux
★ Flux Player VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows, source code available
★ BS Contact VRML/X3D plugin, also stereo, mobile, and Java applet versions
★ blaxxun Contact VRML plugin for Windows, also Java applet version
★ FreeWRL VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Linux and Mac OS X, source code included
★ OpenVRML VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, source code included
★ SwirlX3D VRML/X3D plugin and standalone viewer for Windows
★ VCollab VRML plugin (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Office) and standalone viewer for Windows
★ Xj3D Java based VRML/X3D toolkit and viewer
★ Cosmo Player Old VRML plugin for Windows, does not work in IE anymore due to a Windows security update, works in Firefox, Opera, Mozilla
★ Demotride Standalone VRML viewer for Windows
★ Orbisnap Standalone VRML viewer for Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac, and HP-UX
★ Deep View Standalone 3D file format viewer that imports VRML, shows a tree view of the scene graph
★ The xVRML Project and Carina Viewer An alternative with VRML97 and X3D import
★ !VRML a VRML Browser for Risc OS
★ Mozilla plugins for Windows, Linux and other OS
Tools
★ White_Dune Open source graphical VRML97/X3DV editor
★ Chisel Free VRML optimization tool, Java-based so it runs anywhere
★ Flux Studio Free Web3D authoring tool
★ VRMLpad VRML Editor
★ VizUp Free VRML polygon reducer
★ VRML to X3D Translator
★ VRML97 and X3D Converter software to merge VRML97 visualizations into one file and convert VRML to X3D
★ VRML Editor an almost free VRML Editor given good reviews by PC Magazine
★ WireFusion Web3D authoring tool for Windows, Mac and Linux. Includes a VRML viewer with Java API
Open Source Implementations
★ Flux Player Free Web 3D (XML/VRML) browser plug-in for Windows, Open Source
★ FreeWRL VRML and X3D browser for Linux, Unix and OS X
★ Xj3D Java based VRML/X3D Toolkit and VRML/X3D Browser
★ OpenVRML a cross-platform VRML library
★ CyberX3D C++ and Java libraries for VRML
★ OpenSG a scene graph API supporting VRML97
★ Coin3D SDK software component supporting VRML97
Open Source Programs that Export VRML
★ Wings 3D 3D modeling software with static VRML97 export
★ Blender 3D modeling, animation, rendering software with static VRML97 and VRML 1.0 export
★ White_Dune VRML graphical editor, animationtool and simple (NURBS)modeller
★ HoloDraw Reads X Y Z data files and generates VRML
★ Art of Illusion 3D modeller with static VRML97 export
★ SharpContruct 3D modeller with static VRML97 export
★ Antiprism Command line tools to create and manipulate polyhedral 3D models with static VRML97 export
★ BRL-CAD
Virtual World Servers that support VRML
★ ABNet2 provides 3D multi-user collaboration and chat for VRML and X3D
★ VRMLWorld.net provides 3D multi-user collaboration and chat for VRML and X3D
★ Chat3D Server
Examples and Community
★ Siggraph97 SGI VRML Course (mirrored from now defunct SGI site)
★ web3d.about.com (1997-2002 weekly VRML & Web3D articles mirrored from now defunct About.com site)
★ comp.lang.vrml Newsgroup
★ VRML Email List
★ Broken link - The X3D Experience an X3D/vrml showcase website - site registration expired on 07/21/2007 and is pending renewal or deletion.
★ VRInternal VRML/X3D showcase website
★ Grafman's VR World CGI-based VRML generation and Java/EAI examples
★ Sample VRML code, and VRML-writing code, including Cyberspace's First Mobius Strip (circa 1995)
★ FVRML function-based extension of VRML
★ LSKC VRML Team a school VRML Team led by Mr. Yip Chee Yan in Hong Kong
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