IO WOW!

Ok, I admit it - I have been wrong about the presentations (and I don't mean the eye candy part). I have just watch the "WebGL performance and techniques" session by Gregg Tavares and I am absolutely speechless. 40000 objects at 40FPS? Just consider the amount of multiplications that JavaScript does not have to execute - more then a few million. I mean, I am working now for a few years for computer graphics now, and I thought I got some good ideas, but Google once again proved me unworthy. I definitely recommend all graphics fans the presentation - it's a 201 session, and even if you're a newcomer it pay's out watching it. 

I still got a few sessions to check out, so I will keep you posted. In the meanwhile, enjoy this on Thumbs up!

Now, this is not the only session involving WebGL and/or game development. Ray Cromwell and Philip Rogers also hosted a very interesting session on this topic using GWT and Java. Google extend the GWT library with a quite useful development frame - the ForPlay. Keep in mind that this is still an alpha build, but never the less it's worth to check it out. ForPlay includes a lot things ranging from optimized draw procedures to physics. 

The really cool thing about it is it's platform "independence" - ForPlay makes it easy to develop a game in Java and the export it to different platforms - desktop Java, web browser or Android. So basically, you make one game and you got it right away ready for 3 platforms (maybe Flash will be included later?). I believe that especially social game developers could find a nice starting point or advacement in this.

The last session that I recommend watching (in respect to WebGL) is Building game development tools by Lilli Thompson. This one is not about games or engines itself, but about the tools needed and/or used by game developers and designers. Punchline here is that a lot of those tools can be ported to the browser - no installation, no portability or offsite work issues - all thanks to WebGL. The ease of development is provided by GWT and Java (of course :)). Consider the power is such approach in respect to CAD software, image or video effects editors. Or the commercial aspect in "renting" specific services on a weekly or monthly basis, incorporated with the <audio> and <video> tags capabilities. Enjoy the video!