Creating 3d models and converting them into a form usable by WebGL - a beginners guide?

Question

I'm looking for some simple (free!) entry level software that will allow me to create simple 3d models and export them in a format (JSON?) that can then be read into a webGL programme.

Simple geometry would be a start, then textures would be nice too... I've looked at Blender, and it's just far too advanced for me, and the tutorials I've found are hopeless.

Something simple like sketchup would be good, but afaik you can't export in JSON. I've found some converters that will do .dae to .json, but the ones I've found seem to be for advanced users.

Answer 1

WebGL is new enough that there aren't many packages like this built up around it just yet. That doesn't mean you don't have some options though:

• Blender is a good modeler, and if you are willing to put a little bit more time into learning it you can use exporters from Three.js or some others that are around the net. This seems to be the most popular option at the moment.
• Unity 3D is more of a scene builder than a modeling app, but it has a lot of ways to get content into it and both J3D and myself have implemented exporters from it.
• Maya is a great modeling tool if you have a way to get access to it (it's commercial), and has Inka to get WebGL content out.
• If you want to use something like SketchUp, it should be able to export to COLLADA, which can then be imported into Blender/Unity/What have you and exported from there using one of the previous methods.

As far as formats go, there's no real standards just yet. Most of the exporters will spit out JSON, mine uses a mix of JSON and Binary for speed/size, and some will actually give you Javascript code to execute. Which format to use probably depends on what you want to do with it. I encourage you to experiment with several and see what you like and what you don't.