Web Integration - Video
by Prairie Games · 12/26/2007 (1:17 pm) · 18 comments
I've been working on web integration for the client. This will be used for presentation, commerce (possibly including microtransactions), and community building (integrated community site/forums). It will also be useful during development for in game bug reporting, etc.
The basis of the web technology is Gecko and llmozlib from Linden Labs which is being developed for Second Life. It is really great stuff and also cross platform.
The button and slider on the GUI are actually TGB controls on top of a TGEA scene. We're now able to mix TGB/TGEA and web content seamlessly. The web technology also gives us Javascript on the client and other nice stuff like handling multiple resolution GUI layout, style sheets, Flash playback, etc.
Here's a video showing some of the integration.
Check out the video: http://www.prairiegames.com/mojo_webstuff.wmv
-Josh Engebretson
President
Prairie Games, Inc
The basis of the web technology is Gecko and llmozlib from Linden Labs which is being developed for Second Life. It is really great stuff and also cross platform.
The button and slider on the GUI are actually TGB controls on top of a TGEA scene. We're now able to mix TGB/TGEA and web content seamlessly. The web technology also gives us Javascript on the client and other nice stuff like handling multiple resolution GUI layout, style sheets, Flash playback, etc.
Here's a video showing some of the integration.
Check out the video: http://www.prairiegames.com/mojo_webstuff.wmv
-Josh Engebretson
President
Prairie Games, Inc
#2
For non-fullscreen web content, focus is handled pretty much the same way you do in any GUI environment, including Torque's.
You can also render web content to less than fullscreen windows, attach it to TGEA/TGB GUI windows, use texture masks to render to arbitrary 2D shapes, render web content on 3d objects, etc.
12/26/2007 (2:11 pm)
It is easy to switch between keyboard/mouse focus. In this instance with fullscreen web content, keyboard focus is taken/released based on visibility and whether the user activates the content. Though, events are passed through to the TSControl so you can run around too :)For non-fullscreen web content, focus is handled pretty much the same way you do in any GUI environment, including Torque's.
You can also render web content to less than fullscreen windows, attach it to TGEA/TGB GUI windows, use texture masks to render to arbitrary 2D shapes, render web content on 3d objects, etc.
#3
12/26/2007 (2:17 pm)
How? Is that an instance of IE or Firefox or something else? If it is IE you limit your target to Windows. Not a big deal since most run Windows, but.... 
#4
12/26/2007 (2:49 pm)
@Frank, he says in the main text of the entry that's it's based on Gecko (i.e., Firefox/Mozilla renderer). 
#5
12/26/2007 (4:31 pm)
Awesome job Josh! 
#6
12/26/2007 (5:20 pm)
Way rad Josh, and what a way to illustrate the point!
#7
12/26/2007 (7:04 pm)
@Ross, DOH! I totally missed that. Thanks
#9
Its whacky, but it just might work!
I like the idea of doing a "storefront" based on gecko but in game. It has the advantage of being compltely secure still, but doesnt break context. Fantastic thinking really.
I'm still not sure how OGRE comes into it. Other than for rendering the trees and whatnot. How you got all that linked together with TGEA/TGB is just amazing :)
12/27/2007 (4:43 am)
Just the thought of integrating all that stuff makes my brain bleed.Its whacky, but it just might work!
I like the idea of doing a "storefront" based on gecko but in game. It has the advantage of being compltely secure still, but doesnt break context. Fantastic thinking really.
I'm still not sure how OGRE comes into it. Other than for rendering the trees and whatnot. How you got all that linked together with TGEA/TGB is just amazing :)
#10
12/27/2007 (7:59 am)
Is this something that will be made a resource or is it proprietary and something you are going to keep to your self? Not that I can blame you it is very cool. Just would be really cool to see a resource that explains it.
#11
12/27/2007 (11:38 am)
And that's multiplatform using the same code, right? 
#13
12/28/2007 (5:42 pm)
The question is when ubrowser stuff will be fixed up to support vc8 and vc9, since last i checked there was only vc7 support which isn't necessarily feasible... unless its just a matter of recompiling everything
#14
01/09/2008 (11:42 am)
Wow, Great Job. Id like to see this as a resource also, or content pack, etc.
#15
02/22/2008 (2:14 pm)
Very nice work here. I'm wondering...how does this differ from the TGB Browser resource?
#16
03/19/2009 (10:29 am)
Has anything more come of this, anything released out into the wild or available to buy as a resource?
#17
03/19/2009 (10:32 am)
nope I think they guy actually works for GG now so to my knowledge this project has ceased. 
#18
03/19/2009 (10:37 am)
Josh does work at GG now, but actually, we have some very cool stuff like this to show soon. Much better than this first implementation actually. 
Torque 3D Owner Ted Southard