What Is Virtual Reality Modeling Language?

Most professional and even amateur websites on the Internet today contain flashy graphics or animation to lure viewers in and keep them visiting the pages. The Virtual Reality Modeling Language is a text-based program that is used to create and display three-dimensional images on the Internet without having to purchase an expensive software program such as Macromedia Flash.

History

The Virtual Reality Modeling Language was originally created as an upgrade to a 3D graphics application programming interface called Open Inventor, developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified it for Web use and created a standard for 3D Web interfaces based on it in 1994. The next year, the Web3D Consortium was created to define, document and standardize the future developments of VRML and any new programming languages that would be developed from it. Although VRML is still functional and available for use, it was officially replaced by a more advanced language called X3D in 2004.

Function

You can use VRML to create 3D objects for display on an Internet site through any standard Web browser by entering specific codes that indicate the properties of an object into a normal text file made with a program such as Microsoft Notepad. The code that you enter into the text file will specify the coordinates for each of the object's vertices so that the Web browser knows how to draw the image.

Features

There are VRML codes that can be used to change the color of the image to any shade that the Web browser is capable of displaying, or add textured images to the surface of the objects that you have previously uploaded to the website. VRML is also capable of making objects appear transparent or of loading multiple images over time to give the appearance of animation. The more advanced features of VRML emulate some of the functions of higher-end programs like Flash by allowing you to set up images to change based on mouse clicks or elapsed time.

Types

The base standard for VRML described by the ISO has been modified by many individuals and organizations to provide new functionality. The open source project called OpenVRML has modified the language to allow it to be used by any operating system and the lesser-used Web browsers. There are also third-party programs such as "ALZip" or "GZip" that can be used to compress 3D objects made by VRML so that the images on a website load much faster.

Considerations

Because VRML is now officially defunct, some of its features may not display properly in newer Web browsers that were developed with other 3D image programs in mind. VRML is also on the lower end of text-based 3D modeling programs, so you can find many similar programs that are easier to use and have more features. If you are looking to create 3D objects and don't want to learn a whole programming language, you can also use a normal graphics program like Photoshop or Caligari Truespace.

Resources

• VRML Resource Directory