3DML

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3DML is a format for creating 3 dimensional websites. It was invented in 1996 by Michael Powers. The files are written in a kind of (non-valid) XML and can be shown with a browser plugin and independent 3DML browser called Flatland Rover. Unfortunately the latest version is from spring 2005, which is also why there is only a plugin for Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and AOL, but not for Mozilla Firefox. An older version of the plugin is available for Opera: [1].

A 3DML world is called a "Spot". In the spot "blocks" can be inserted, laid out in a grid. The blocks can be ordered into "levels" - each has the same size. This approach was designed to simplify the building process and comprehension of 3D pages. The following is an example of a full Spot description of a 3D room with walls.

    <spot version="3.5">
    <head>
    <debug />
    <title name="Tall Spot" />
    <blockset 
     href="http://blocksets.flatland.com/flatsets/basic.bset"/>
    <map style="single" dimensions="(9,9,2)" />
    <sky texture="images/clouds.gif" brightness="90%" />
    <ground texture="images/dirt.gif" />
    <ambient_light brightness="100%" />
    <ambient_sound file="sounds/waves.wav" volume="65%" 
     playback="looped"/>
    </head>
    <body>
    <level number="1">
    ###...###
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #.......#
    #########
    </level>
    <level number="2">
    ###---###
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #-------#
    #########
    </level>
    <entrance location="(5,8,1)" name="default" angle="0,0" />
    </body>
    </spot>

You can walk the spots either by using mouse or arrow keys.

[edit] See also

[edit] Links