Going the Distance with Babylon.js

Learn to effortlessly leverage the power of the GPU in a 3D game or application using BabylonJS v5.0 and JavaScript

Key Features

• Explore browser-based, editable, interactive Playground samples
• Create GPU-based resources using the Node Material Editor - no shader code required
• Gain access to an Extended Topics chapter along with each section that helps you explore more and contribute back to OSS projects

Book Description

BabylonJS allows anyone to effortlessly create and render 3D content in a web browser using the power of WebGL and JavaScript. 3D games and apps accessible via the web open numerous opportunities for both entertainment and profit. Developers working with BabylonJS will be able to put their knowledge to work with this guide to building a fully featured 3D game. The book provides a hands-on approach to implementation and associated methodologies that will have you up and running, and productive in no time.

Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, practical examples, and links to fully working self-contained code snippets, you'll start by learning about BabylonJS and the finished Space-Truckers game before exploring the development workflows involved in making the game. Focusing on a wide range of features in BabylonJS, you'll iteratively add pieces of functionality and assets to the application being built. Once you've built out the basic game mechanics, you'll learn how to bring the Space-Truckers environment to life with cut scenes, particle systems, animations, shadows, PBR Materials, and more.

By the end of this game development book, you'll have learned how to structure your code, organize your workflow processes, and continuously deploy to a static website/PWA a game limited only by your imagination.

What you will learn

• Use BabylonJS v5.0 to build an extensible open-source 3D game accessible with a web browser
• Design and integrate compelling and performant 3D interactive scenes with a web-based application
• Write WebGL/WebGPU shader code using the Node Material Editor
• Separate code concerns to make the best use of the available resources
• Use the BabylonJS Playground to tightly iterate application implementation
• Convert a web application into a Progressive Web Application (PWA)
• Create rich, native-ready graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using the GUI Editor

Who This Book Is For

This book on 3D programming in JavaScript is for those who have some familiarity with JavaScript programming and/or 3D game engine development and are looking to learn how to incorporate beautiful interactive 3D scenes into their work. Developers familiar with Unity, Unreal, or three.js will also find this book to be a key resource for learning the ins and outs of BabylonJS.

Table of Contents

1. The Space-Rig Operator's Guide
2. Setting up Your BabylonJS PlayGround
3. Establishing the Development Workflow
4. Building the Application
5. Adding a Cut Scene and Handling Input
6. Implementing Game Mechanics
7. Processing Route Data
8. Building the Driving Game
9. Calculating and Displaying Scoring Results
10. Improving the Environment with Lighting and Materials
11. Scratching the Surface of Shaders with the NME
12. Persisting, Publishing, and Hosting the PWA
13. Measuring and Managing Performance
14. Space-Truckers: The Game Design Retrospective
15. Extended Topics: Native, WebXR, and more