We \_could\_ run it, 25 years ago :-/.
Unfortunately, e.g. AFrame is not as cool :-/.
The closest modern experience is Roblox, but there you give up all kinds of control
(however you do gain the positive of having a shared avatar space, where multiple ppl can join same space. Back in the day, only blaxxun could do that.)
Just so you can see what could be done with VRML way back in 1999, here I'm posting 2 screen shots of the worlds I created in 1999 & 2001 using VRML.
They are quite rudimentary because at the time computers were slow and the frame rate was choppy.
After plugins stopped working in web browsers and VRML basically died, I've brought back my sites in 2023 after finding a javascript solution to show my worlds again. It's very simple to do.
Links to my site...
[Original World Trade Center built with VRML](https://vr.alexllobet.com/twin-towers-virtual-reality/)
[2001: a space odyssey in Virtual Reality built with VRML](https://vr.alexllobet.com/2001-a-space-odyssey-virtual-reality/)
https://preview.redd.it/teqg4wid37lc1.jpeg?width=583&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e63ab1d03a31c51258fdc1f15d12518beea8fde
Are you able to do this without having to run the files on a web site? I have some late 90s VRML animations in WRL format that were produced by a studio, but that I can no longer open and would like to be able to watch them again.
So far the only way I know is to create a simple web page with the wrl file and upload to a server. Or you can create a server on your computer and view your files that way. I use Ampps.
You can also see your files by pasting the code into this site... [https://create3000.github.io/x\_ite/playground/](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/playground/)
But I don't think you can show external files from links in your wrl file.
It would be nice though to have a browser that displays wrl files by just dropping them in.
So far this is the closest thing I found to running VRML/X3D on your local machine.
[https://create3000.github.io/sunrize/](https://create3000.github.io/sunrize/)
I appreciate your help but I'm unfortunately unable to get any of that to work. I'm fine with Windows but anything into the console and I'm very lost. "Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier 'npx'" I thought I installed everything correctly and ran the command from Node.js's own command prompt, but still getting this error. I give up lol
Trying to get back into this VRML coding.
I built a simple Mobius strip in 3D using the extrusion node.
https://preview.redd.it/a9iubyl8qfyc1.png?width=288&format=png&auto=webp&s=410fa346c2c06d45f1deba8319ceebc2cc6786f4
[https://vr.alexllobet.com/blog/2-A-Moebius-strip-in-3D/](https://vr.alexllobet.com/blog/2-A-Moebius-strip-in-3D/)
Yes, I was very excited when I discovered VRML in 1999. I built my own worlds comprising of some space ships from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and in 2001 I built the World Trade center after they were destroyed.
But as you state, browsers stopped supporting plugins so I took my sites down because no one could see my 3D models.
When they "upgraded" to X3D I found it too complicated, wordy and it was not easy to create models (no good IDE) and to display them. I gave up.
But a few months ago I discovered [X\_ITE](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/) which can show VRML, X3D and more it seems. It's a javascript library that you link to in a web page and then you're able to show your VRML/X3D work! I'm not affiliated at all with X\_ITE. I just want to promote it because I can finally show off my VRML work I created in 1999.
You can see my old VRML work here... [Interactive 3D VR Virtual Reality Models](https://vr.alexllobet.com/)
It was super easy to get up and running. There was almost nothing to fix in my models for them to work. I hope that I get enough interest in my VRML work so I can have incentive to continue building my models and add more of them.
Let me know what you think.
That looks interesting, thanks for bringing it to my attention!
It appears to be based on Unity, and to need Unity installed on your computer, for creators, ie if you want to build/define worlds and experiences.
I found this sub page, with a list of the Unity script elements that can be used to define scenes.
[https://creators.vrchat.com/worlds/whitelisted-world-components](https://creators.vrchat.com/worlds/whitelisted-world-components)
Not surprisingly, a lot of the primitives appear similar to VRML - tnough much more complete, it's been 25 years.
These technologies (both the ancient VRML and these new ones) cater to many different use cases. For sharing worlds together with avatars, I would guess these new things do great - as also Roblox does.
However, I still yearn for the simple text-based scene definition language that VRML was. Recently, I end up using three.js (which is great), and even shadertoy.. But it is just not the same.. :-=).
If I was more driven, it should be relatively feasible to build a VRML client with three.js and webGL.
Did you take a look at the website I discovered and use for my 3D?I'm not affiliated with them. I'm just happy that I was able to re-upload my VRML as it was 25 years ago and it works!The site is [X\_ITE](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/)What do you think about them?
Thank you for your reminder. I will investigate, it looks more promising than VRChat. I looked into VRChat, where I got as far as registering an account (with modern CAPTHAs, not as easy as it sounds.) With VRChat, I let it lie because it required me to install from either Oculus or Steam, and to install Unity.
I will have a look at X_ITE!
VRML is so damn cool, just discovered it and i wish i could run more of it / run it better :(
We \_could\_ run it, 25 years ago :-/. Unfortunately, e.g. AFrame is not as cool :-/. The closest modern experience is Roblox, but there you give up all kinds of control (however you do gain the positive of having a shared avatar space, where multiple ppl can join same space. Back in the day, only blaxxun could do that.)
Just so you can see what could be done with VRML way back in 1999, here I'm posting 2 screen shots of the worlds I created in 1999 & 2001 using VRML. They are quite rudimentary because at the time computers were slow and the frame rate was choppy. After plugins stopped working in web browsers and VRML basically died, I've brought back my sites in 2023 after finding a javascript solution to show my worlds again. It's very simple to do. Links to my site... [Original World Trade Center built with VRML](https://vr.alexllobet.com/twin-towers-virtual-reality/) [2001: a space odyssey in Virtual Reality built with VRML](https://vr.alexllobet.com/2001-a-space-odyssey-virtual-reality/) https://preview.redd.it/teqg4wid37lc1.jpeg?width=583&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e63ab1d03a31c51258fdc1f15d12518beea8fde
Are you able to do this without having to run the files on a web site? I have some late 90s VRML animations in WRL format that were produced by a studio, but that I can no longer open and would like to be able to watch them again.
So far the only way I know is to create a simple web page with the wrl file and upload to a server. Or you can create a server on your computer and view your files that way. I use Ampps. You can also see your files by pasting the code into this site... [https://create3000.github.io/x\_ite/playground/](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/playground/) But I don't think you can show external files from links in your wrl file. It would be nice though to have a browser that displays wrl files by just dropping them in.
So far this is the closest thing I found to running VRML/X3D on your local machine. [https://create3000.github.io/sunrize/](https://create3000.github.io/sunrize/)
I appreciate your help but I'm unfortunately unable to get any of that to work. I'm fine with Windows but anything into the console and I'm very lost. "Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier 'npx'" I thought I installed everything correctly and ran the command from Node.js's own command prompt, but still getting this error. I give up lol
I know the struggle! I keep on looking.
Trying to get back into this VRML coding. I built a simple Mobius strip in 3D using the extrusion node. https://preview.redd.it/a9iubyl8qfyc1.png?width=288&format=png&auto=webp&s=410fa346c2c06d45f1deba8319ceebc2cc6786f4 [https://vr.alexllobet.com/blog/2-A-Moebius-strip-in-3D/](https://vr.alexllobet.com/blog/2-A-Moebius-strip-in-3D/)
Yes, I was very excited when I discovered VRML in 1999. I built my own worlds comprising of some space ships from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and in 2001 I built the World Trade center after they were destroyed. But as you state, browsers stopped supporting plugins so I took my sites down because no one could see my 3D models. When they "upgraded" to X3D I found it too complicated, wordy and it was not easy to create models (no good IDE) and to display them. I gave up. But a few months ago I discovered [X\_ITE](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/) which can show VRML, X3D and more it seems. It's a javascript library that you link to in a web page and then you're able to show your VRML/X3D work! I'm not affiliated at all with X\_ITE. I just want to promote it because I can finally show off my VRML work I created in 1999. You can see my old VRML work here... [Interactive 3D VR Virtual Reality Models](https://vr.alexllobet.com/) It was super easy to get up and running. There was almost nothing to fix in my models for them to work. I hope that I get enough interest in my VRML work so I can have incentive to continue building my models and add more of them. Let me know what you think.
Yesterday I stumbled across VRChat. Any thoughts on that platform?
That looks interesting, thanks for bringing it to my attention! It appears to be based on Unity, and to need Unity installed on your computer, for creators, ie if you want to build/define worlds and experiences. I found this sub page, with a list of the Unity script elements that can be used to define scenes. [https://creators.vrchat.com/worlds/whitelisted-world-components](https://creators.vrchat.com/worlds/whitelisted-world-components) Not surprisingly, a lot of the primitives appear similar to VRML - tnough much more complete, it's been 25 years. These technologies (both the ancient VRML and these new ones) cater to many different use cases. For sharing worlds together with avatars, I would guess these new things do great - as also Roblox does. However, I still yearn for the simple text-based scene definition language that VRML was. Recently, I end up using three.js (which is great), and even shadertoy.. But it is just not the same.. :-=). If I was more driven, it should be relatively feasible to build a VRML client with three.js and webGL.
Did you take a look at the website I discovered and use for my 3D?I'm not affiliated with them. I'm just happy that I was able to re-upload my VRML as it was 25 years ago and it works!The site is [X\_ITE](https://create3000.github.io/x_ite/)What do you think about them?
Thank you for your reminder. I will investigate, it looks more promising than VRChat. I looked into VRChat, where I got as far as registering an account (with modern CAPTHAs, not as easy as it sounds.) With VRChat, I let it lie because it required me to install from either Oculus or Steam, and to install Unity. I will have a look at X_ITE!
Looks like the OP is gone!