Question

I would like to include an interactive 3D map in my website. I already found some possible products like Goodle Earth, but unfortunatly they all require some plugins or at least a realy new browser version.
Additionally, I would like to be able to add some 3D buildings.

Is there any possible solution, or am I expecting too much?

Answer 1

Plugins are not required. Just use a new browser version. You can do everything you need with any browser which supports canvas, which is all of the current ones.

You could use Processing JS to make some parts easier. Or your could google 3d graphics javascript canvas api.

If you are really a necrophiliac (obsessed with supporting dead browser technology) then you can get in vivo 3d effects in the frankenbrowsers — You will just have to nearly kill yourself inventing a 3d render engine that uses absolute div positionings, pixel sizings, polygon rendering, depth sorting, and do all the rendering using divs as your pixels/triangles/rectangles. Make sure you study up on 3d projection / rotation matrices, and perspective transformations as well. Even if you pull it off, and people will considerate it a remarkable achievement, it will only give you leverage for a couple of years at the absolute most.

Perhaps it is more appropriate to ameliorate your desire to please all the people all of the time…why not just focus on the folks that already know where the 3d club is located, instead of trying to serve up 3d over ASCII. Which, of course, is possible too. Hell, why not code the whole thing in assembler, just for kicks? Or make an IE9 browser extension? Anything is possible, Christopher, but it just depends on what you are asking of yourself.