Can anybody tell me about the benefits of WebGL 2.0?

[jellix]

Hi,

today I've heard about WebGL 2.0. Sounds interesting, but I don't have a clue about the benefits of it. Could anybody tell me about upcoming features by using it?

[Wingnut]

Hi Jellix.

  Have you toured the webGL 2.0 spec?  That document does a much better job at explaining the changes, new features, deprecations, and differences... than any single human can do (likely). 

A search for "webGL 2.0" will bring quite a few more returns, too.

Try to keep an eye on the BJS roadmap... to learn which WGL2 features will be the highest priorities for future BJS versions.  The BabylonJS founding fathers have promised to keep that document fresh and forward-looking. 

It is likely that wgl2 implementation in BJS... will happen in phases, probably starting with the engine.  I'm just speculating on that, though.  It might be an experimental "branch", because... BJS is currently #1 in webGL 1.0. 

[jellix]

Thanks a lot, Wingnut.

I will have a look at it.

[Nabroski]

WebGl is 1.0 is now 6years old. So whats the difference between Windows 95 and Windows 2000. When WebGL has its specifications ready, keep in mind that it will drop the support for older hardware. Some controversy i read about a fallback structure, maybe someday it will be implemented. If you make websites with a wide range of  consumer preferences, (50% of my friends has shitty smartphones) i would stick with 1.0. The Big Thing is: It becomes much easier to port stuff from PC to Web. So if you already an Game Dev targeting a PC Release you don't have to re-code the hole thing for Web and it runs much smarter then nowdays 

[joshcamas]

2 hours ago, Nabroski said:

WebGl is 1.0 is now 6years old. So whats the difference between Windows 95 and Windows 2000. When WebGL has its specifications ready, keep in mind that it will drop the support for older hardware. Some controversy i read about a fallback structure, maybe someday it will be implemented. If you make websites with a wide range of  consumer preferences, (50% of my friends has shitty smartphones) i would stick with 1.0. The Big Thing is: It becomes much easier to port stuff from PC to Web. So if you already an Game Dev targeting a PC Release you don't have to re-code the hole thing for Web and it runs much smarter then nowdays 

I must ask, do their shitty phones run webgl 1.0 at all? My phone's not too bad but still cannot run it faster than like 3 fps LOL

[Nabroski]

I think you are asking about scene optimization. You can do a forum search. Also read the documentation.  

[BitOfGold]

WebGL 2 has some very cool features:
http://webgl2fundamentals.org/webgl/lessons/webgl2-whats-new.html

I think it is too early to support webgl2 when no common browsers enable it.
I hope this changes.

[jerome]

interesting link

[Nabroski]

chrome already and firefox (version 51 january 2017) has 60% share of the market. it is enabled per default.  no webgl2 -experimental. the real thing. webgl2

it was announced already 2 years ago. it has an opengl #version 330 implementation (2011) in the meanwhile the time goes by. 

[BitOfGold]

@Nabroski You are right, Chrome 56 and Firefox 51, both coming in january with webgl 2 enabled.
That will change the status of webgl 2 in time...

[Pryme8]

I was looking at this as well, I'm really interested in the 330 spec or what ever it is, and how the shaders are built in it.

[BitOfGold]

BTW you can vote for WebGL2 in Edge to happen
https://wpdev.uservoice.com/forums/257854-microsoft-edge-developer/suggestions/6517037-webgl-2-0

 

[Nabroski]

@BitOfGold Oh, yes you right i'm on the Dev Channel running 56.0.2922  confusing myself. though life  

[Nabroski]

@Pryme8 bitgold already shared it, 

http://webgl2fundamentals.org/webgl/lessons/webgl-getting-webgl2.html
it has a playground you can create your own shaders. Just in case you browser is up to date with the technology. 

@BitOfGold I remember when WebGL hit the news, Microsoft won't event to support it, becourse of its OpenGL nature. At the same time they miss the smartphone market. (I heard of BASE when my third smartphone were already broken) I don't think they is something to vote for. They will catch up from the backseat anyway when the Global Players will release WebGL2. Google is now Microsoft. I don't wont to upset nobody working in this Company, my personal perspective.

[getzel]

Is it better to start to learn webgl with 1.0 or 2.0 ?

Are there really a lot of differences ?

[Nabroski]

@getzel
You right in 2 months most babylonjs will break.

So its better to learn WebGL 2.0 at least you are targeting the majority of people on this planet  Maybe i'm overdramatize everything a bit, at least more errors it my chrome console.
http://webglreport.com/?v=2  (88 new functions implemented.)

So for me WegGL is not so important, i will build small "presentations" i learn shaders 
http://www.babylonjs.com/cyos/

and from their, i only need some of the functions to get a website running. under 100 Lines of Code. ~2kB

User input, different states between different object, physics, get your model in the engine with the right materials, - all this what babylonjs as engine has to accomplish this is a long way run.

If you buy a book, or read something online from OpenGL for the PC that date 2009 its easy to transfer for WebGL1.0 for WebGL 2.0 you need a reference from 2011. But at the end its all the same, if you once got your basics.

I dont know what you are playing, compare between a Game and the Sequel.

And at least whats really matter is your talent. Some people shoot film on 35mm some HD both can horrible fail. 
 

[getzel]

Ok let's go for WebGL 2.

Hope there will be a lot of resources about it.

[Nabroski]

Yes, just get started somewhere. Get a simple page running. 

Case: your are on Chrome or Firefox Dev Channel -for updates you can change in all tutorials the experimental-webgl with webgl2.  but this is not nessasary both varians will run. 
https://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel

When not you have to use --flags when your start your browser. --something like --enable-webgl2-experimantal in your .exe

this one is really good, also with model import:
http://www.webglacademy.com/courses.php?courses=0|1|20|2|3|4|23|5|6|7|10#0




 

[Nabroski]

@Pryme8

Your Shader Editor how things flowing ?

 

@Deltakosh Dont take it serious i'm just trolling here a bit. I hope you are prepared for thing that come. Thank you for babylonjs, i learn a lot here!  

[GameMonetize]

Lol no worry

[getzel]

Just curious : Babylon.js will be adapted to WebGL 2 ? it will be a lot of work ?

[GameMonetize]

Babylon.js already support some extensions that are in webgl2.

There is nothing to do to switch to webgl2 as webgl2 is compatible with 1.

I plan to add support for some features like mutlirendertarget for instance but as webgl2 is barely supported so far we need to wait

[Nabroski]

@Deltakosh @Pryme8

It would be very nice to code shaders in #version 300 es the limitations of current build are killing me
 

[Pryme8]

22 hours ago, Nabroski said:

@Pryme8

Your Shader Editor how things flowing ?

 

@Deltakosh Dont take it serious i'm just trolling here a bit. I hope you are prepared for thing that come. Thank you for babylonjs, i learn a lot here!  

I have the basic components done, I just need time to wrap up now... been busy busy busy with work.  Might have some time today to invest if I can get my priorities done first.

[NasimiAsl]

when i trying write shaderBuilder for webgl 2 i see this very cool but i think that take 1 or 2 year ( maybe 5 to replace all browsers ) so i think we have webgl 1 for real business for 1 year (at least)