X3D version 4.0 Development

X3D version 4.0 Development efforts are considering potentially major additions to the baseline X3D architecture.

• Summary slides here (Oct 2013)
• Major technology under consideration: HTML5, Declarative 3D, X3DOM
• Major technology under consideration: Augmented Reality Continuum (ARC)
• Relaxing prior design constraints can enable a broader new basis for X3D integration
• Normalizing interaction semantics with HTML5 might further open up X3D for the vast majority of Web authors

Please contact us if you think additional technologies need to be considered. X3D futures planning is currently a Web3D Consortium member-only activity.

Backwards and forwards compatibility

• A major benefit of using the X3D standard is full backwards compatibility with prior VRML97 and X3D content
• X3D version 3.4 Development is proceeding in parallel to enable continued evolution of the current X3D architecture
• Our goal is to maximize, but not necessarily require, backwards compatibility in version 4.0 with the version 3.x specifications
  • A great majority of X3D nodes and features are likely achievable without change
  • Some X3D features may require import/export conversion for compatibility (event model reconciliation, ROUTEs and sensors perhaps)
  • A few features might be refactored, deprecated or obsoleted (none yet identified)
• ECMAscript (JavaScript) support in X3D needs to be upgraded to new standard
  • ISO/IEC 16262:2011 Information technology — ECMAScript language specification (.zip download)
  • Downloadable from ISO Publicly Available Standards site without charge
  • This relates to 19777-1 Part 2, X3D Scene Access Interface (SAI) language bindings for EcmaScript

The comprehensive forward compatibility of VRML97 and X3D with later-developed X3D versions shows that careful anticipatory design is achievable.

Open questions

• Are ARC abstract design and X3D AR proposals sufficiently mature to enable integration with HTML5/Declarative 3D/X3DOM issues?
• Are the previously X3D Layer/Layering components compatible with HTML5 overlay model? Are they still needed, perhaps for multiscreen or CAVE support?
• Mashup and interoperability support: is anything else needed for broader use with the Web? YouTube etc.

Schedule

• Active development of X3D and X3DOM content is tracking HTML 5 capabilities now
• We participate and contribute to the W3C Community Group for Declarative 3D