Skip to main content

Getting Started

This guide will help you get DDDBrowser up and running so you can start exploring 3D virtual worlds.

Installation​

DDDBrowser is a desktop application. To install it:

  1. Download the latest release from the project repository
  2. Extract the archive to a folder of your choice
  3. Run DDDBrowser.exe (Windows) or the appropriate executable for your platform

Running the Application​

After installation, launch DDDBrowser. You should see:

  • A black screen with a white XZ grid (Y=0 plane)
  • A top bar with:
    • URL input field
    • Load button
    • Progress indicator
    • Leave Instance button

This is the default "idle" state when no scene is loaded.

Loading Your First Scene​

To load a scene:

  1. Enter a URL in the URL input field at the top

    • The URL should point to an HTML page that contains scene metadata
    • Example: https://blazium-engine.github.io/DDDBrowserExamples/index.html

  2. Click the Load button or press Enter

  3. Wait for loading - DDDBrowser will:

    • Download the HTML page
    • Discover the scene definition
    • Validate the scene JSON
    • Download all assets (models, textures, etc.)
    • Render the scene

  4. Once loaded, you'll see the 3D scene and can start exploring!

Basic Navigation​

Once a scene is loaded, you can navigate using:

  • WASD keys: Move forward, backward, left, right
  • Mouse: Look around (first-person camera)
  • Space: Jump (if enabled in the scene)
  • Shift: Sprint (if enabled)
  • E or F: Interact with objects

The exact controls depend on the scene's gameType setting:

  • FPS: First-person shooter style movement
  • NONE: No player movement (for viewing only)

Understanding the UI​

Top Bar​

The top bar provides quick access to:

  • URL Input: Enter scene URLs to load
  • Load Button: Start loading the scene
  • Progress Indicator: Shows download/loading progress
  • Leave Instance: Return to the idle state (unload current scene)

Settings​

Access settings via the menu system:

  • Audio Settings: Adjust volume levels and select audio device
  • Keybindings: Customize input controls
  • General: Quit confirmation preferences

Configuration​

DDDBrowser stores settings in:

  • Settings: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DDDBrowser\settings.json
  • Keybindings: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DDDBrowser\keybindings.json
  • Cache: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DDDBrowser\cache\<md5-hash>\

The cache directory stores downloaded assets to speed up subsequent loads of the same scenes.

Next Steps​

Now that you have DDDBrowser running: