Chrome Becomes A Better 3D Gaming Platform, Now Supports Pointer Lock
Google just launched a new stable version of Chrome today that adds supports for the Pointer Lock JavaScript API. The purpose of this API is pretty simple: in 3D games on the browser, for example …
Context & Ripple Effects
Chrome’s web-gaming capabilities have been accumulating for years: WebGL support brought 3D rendering into Chrome in 2009, followed by Google’s 2011 emphasis on speed, 3D and apps. By July 2012, Chrome’s beta channel could already work with cameras, microphones and game controllers.
Pointer Lock moves a key desktop-game interaction into Chrome’s stable release. Together with the earlier game-controller support in Chrome 21 beta, it makes Chrome a more complete target for browser-based 3D games rather than just a venue for rendered graphics.
First-order effects
- Browser-game developers targeting Chrome can use Pointer Lock for mouse-driven 3D controls, removing a basic interaction constraint for games built around WebGL.
- Chrome users receive the capability through the stable browser channel, giving developers a larger deployable base than a beta-only feature.
Second-order effects
- Game developers can pair Chrome’s 3D rendering, controller access and Pointer Lock when deciding whether a browser game can deliver desktop-style controls without a separate client.
- Other browser makers face added pressure to match the interaction APIs needed by web-game developers, or risk making Chrome the preferred target for such titles.
Third-order effects
- If Chrome continues to ship graphics and input capabilities through stable web APIs, browser competition shifts further from page rendering toward the completeness of each browser’s application platform.
- A richer browser game stack lowers the distinction between browser-delivered games and installed software, making API compatibility a more important gatekeeper for developers.
The trend: Chrome is evolving from a browser with 3D rendering into a web application platform that combines graphics and native-style input capabilities.