Introducing Odie3D, our in-house 3D creation engine, built to challenge what you thought possible on the web
Odie3D turbocharges our creativity by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on web and mobile platforms
A few years ago, we decided to make our own 3D framework from scratch.
We wanted to deliver app-quality experiences on the web for clients to reach their whole audience using one codebase, easily & instantly across all devices.
Fast forward to now and we have a robust engine at our fingertips which does just that! Clients can leverage all the aesthetic benefits which would have previously been associated with native apps from the browser of any device.
Odie3D: instant and amazing experiences for all!
Odie3D is the newest iteration of our 3D creation engine, it’s our shiny new toy that supercharges our client projects and products. With Odie3D, we have complete control of our output along with the nimbleness to evolve, change and adjust our tools to fit any given situation. This means we can confidently go toe-to-toe with app quality 3D rendering and are now empowered to realise any creative vision the future might bring!
Why did we build it?
- First and foremost, the mountain of effort required upfront building the tool pays off in the long run — it allows project budgets to work much harder, without ever compromising quality.
- Much like how Apple can get more out of hardware and software by owning the whole platform, we found that we can get more out of the hardware this way too. There’s no obfuscation and we know the code from the ground up so can always find a solution to what we’re trying to achieve. Owning the tech also means we’re never held back by third party release cycles.
- Our knowledge of how complex things like 3D rendering and using GPUs has massively increased. This means that all the fantastically challenging effects and optimisation requests that come our way are much easier to achieve! Water and glass reflections rendered in real time? No problem!
For us, there is also another big reason that makes building a 3D engine such a win for us. We have an entire application framework that utilises PixiJS as the 2D renderer and our own internal resource management…
- Our WebGL 3D engine can slot into this framework. To that end Odie3D is powered by PixiJS midlevel API. Giving us the power to mix 2D and 3D seamlessly.
- This greatly reduces the complexity of our code base, as for example the 3D models use PixiJS textures rather than another, enabling quicker development with less chance of surfacing bugs.
- We also get free post processing effects, by just using PixiJS filter system and all the optimisation wizardry that comes with it, but that’s another blog post.
To celebrate the milestone of unveiling the latest iteration of Odie3D, we made Goodboy Island to showcase some of the new features! (Hello killer reflections!)
Check out Lumina for real time web-based light rendering.
If you want to take your brand out for a spin on our new wheels, then give us a shout! hello@goodboydigital.com
We have lots more planned too so why not keep up to date with the latest and greatest by following us on Twitter @goodboydigital or LinkedIn.
For more information on Goodboy Digital web games, experiences and digital products please visit: goodboydigital.com
