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Introduction to DDDBrowser

DDDBrowser is a 3D scene browser that allows you to explore and interact with virtual worlds loaded from web URLs. It supports rich 3D scenes with models, lighting, audio, scripting, and portals that connect different scenes together.

What is DDDBrowser?​

DDDBrowser is a desktop application that:

  • Loads 3D scenes from web URLs (HTTPS default; HTTP via Allow HTTP)
  • Renders interactive 3D environments with models, lights, and effects
  • Supports scripting with Lua/Luau for interactive behaviors
  • Enables travel between scenes via portals
  • Provides a first-person navigation experience

Think of it as a browser for 3D virtual worlds - similar to how a web browser loads HTML pages, DDDBrowser loads 3D scene definitions and renders them in real-time.

Key Concepts​

Scenes​

A scene is a JSON definition that describes a 3D environment. Scenes contain:

  • Assets: Models, textures, materials, scripts, fonts, and audio files
  • Instances: Placed objects in the 3D world (models, lights, portals, etc.)
  • Metadata: Information about the scene (name, author, rating, thumbnail)

Scenes are discovered from HTML pages using:

  1. <script> tags with scene JSON
  2. <meta> tags with scene metadata
  3. HTTP headers with scene information

Instances​

Instances are objects placed in the 3D world. Each instance has:

  • Position: Where it appears (x, y, z coordinates)
  • Rotation: How it's oriented (Euler angles in degrees)
  • Scale: How large it is (x, y, z scale factors)
  • Type: What kind of object it is (model, light, portal, etc.)

Assets​

Assets are resources used by the scene:

  • Models: 3D geometry (OBJ/MTL format)
  • Textures: Images (PNG, JPG, JPEG, TGA)
  • Materials: Material definitions (MTL files)
  • Scripts: Lua/Luau code for interactivity
  • Fonts: TrueType / OpenType fonts (TTF, OTF)
  • Audio: Sound files (WAV)

Portals​

Portals are special instances that allow you to travel between scenes. When you interact with a portal, DDDBrowser loads the destination scene URL.

Worlds​

Worlds are metadata on scenes (world.id, world.position in scene JSON; exposed to scripts as Scene.getWorldId() / Scene.getWorldPosition()) used for display and portal compatibility checks.

Product model (permanent): DDDBrowser loads exactly one scene at a time. Portal and URL travel fully unload the current scene and load the destination. There is no streamed worlds adjacency, shared-coordinate multi-scene space, or seamless handoff—design hubs and portals for confirm → reload.

Supported Formats​

Public product model path is OBJ + MTL only. glTF/GLB is not supported as a scene asset format.

DDDBrowser supports:

  • Models: OBJ (geometry) and MTL (materials) — permanent product path
  • Textures: PNG, JPG, JPEG, TGA (LDR)
  • Fonts: TTF / OTF
  • Audio: WAV (PCM)
  • Scripts: Luau (Lua 5.1 compatible)

HTTPS is the default and recommended for scene and asset URLs. Plain http:// travel/load is allowed only after an explicit Allow HTTP confirmation in the client (user-gated escape hatch). Script Engine.httpRequest is separate: it remains HTTPS-only and does not inherit the travel Allow HTTP flag.

Authoring stance​

Scenes are authored as JSON + hosted assets (no shipped Level Builder in the browser). Use the Publish checklist and Asset pipeline guides. The separate Level Builder tool under tools/level_editor/ is experimental and unsupported for public creators.

Scene Discovery​

DDDBrowser discovers scenes from HTML pages using a priority order:

  1. <script> tag (highest priority):

    <script id="blazium-scene" type="application/vnd.blazium.scene+json">
    {
      "name": "My Scene",
      "version": "1.0",
      ...
    }
    </script>

  2. <meta> tag:

    <meta name="x-blazium-scene" content='{"name":"My Scene",...}'>

  3. HTTP header (lowest priority):

    X-Blazium-Scene: {"name":"My Scene",...}

What You Can Do​

With DDDBrowser, you can:

  • Explore 3D worlds loaded from web URLs
  • Interact with objects using scripts
  • Travel between scenes via portals
  • Experience audio and visual effects
  • Customize controls and settings
  • Create your own scenes using the scene format

Next Steps​