SketchFab
SketchFab is a new online 3D showcase service, that allows you to embed 3D models on your webpage using WebGL. They allow direct upload of Blender files.
SketchFab writes:SketchFab is a free service offering a simple way to upload and showcase 3D content online. It doesnʼt require any third application installation from the user to work. You just need an internet connection and a webgl compatible browser.
SketchFab accepts more than twenty 3D formats. The service can for example be used by an architect to show his project at a client meeting on any computer, or on its own website, without needing any advanced and expensive web development. In the end, you get to see your model as if you were on your 3D creation software, but online and sharable with a simple url.
SketchFab uses WebGL api, the only standard technology to display 3D content with high quality. On the contrary to plugins, the technology is scalable, and will soon be able to display 3D content on any device: desktop, smartphones, tablets…
SketchFab will evolve to become a freemium service: the actual free version with basic 3D visualization features, and a commercial version with advanced features (more storage space, unlimited uploads, online editing, collaborative work on 3D models, etc…) SketchFab wants to become a “vimeo for 3D”.
Link
Try an interactive model
I have been using it for weeks now. found that it already works on tablets(typically tegra2 and above) with firefox and the new Opera browsers.
“Hmm. While your browser seems to support WebGL, it is disabled or unavailable. If possible, please ensure that you are running the latest drivers for your video card.”
On a MacBook Pro with a NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GTNot a good result…
Are you using Safari by any chance? I can’t get that to work here, either. Chrome and Firefox work fine.
Yes, you’re right!
@Maff it works on the developer mode of Safari
You have to enable developer tools and then “Enable WebGL”
Not a good idea Blendernation to have this on your Front Page, crashing browsers or not working eg IE8, Opera
Aidan
Which browsers crash?
Too many connections I guess, sorry for the inconvenience, we are working on it.
Opera crashed on me actually. My point was why not have a static picture for the article intro on front page but the actual link in the full article when one clicks READ MORE.
Problem these days is so many different browser versions still on peoples machines and active that are older and do not support some new technologies like HTML5 etc.
I come across this in firms weekly as I do websites and IT support .. older browsers, XP still king!
Pain in the ass, but there you go!
Aidan
Good suggestion, done.
Updated drivers and Voi-lá ! No more crashes here…
hhhhmmm seems like sketch fab is down –
Sheeesh… we killed it already? :-/ I’ll add a note.
We are back !
Working on it! We’ll be back soon.
This sounds nice, but can someone knowledgable comment on the security risks of WebGL – are they solved now?
My main concern is people ripping the 3D model from the code somehow. This could lead to stolen intellectual property.
Ture, but you have the same concern with any online industry: movies, musics, etc… If you want to show something, you have to give it in a way or another, and as soon as it is online, a web ninja can manage to get the original.
Actually many websites showing 3D models just offer to donwload them to see them in 3D realtime, whereas here at least you cannot do that directly.
But we are aware of this issue and working on ways to deal with it as well as we can. We will soon add privacy features, which is a start.
Thanks for your feeback.
No problem, glad you are taking privacy seriously! I create a lot of 3D models, have them 3D printed and then sell them, so having the models available to pirates would be scary. But it would be nice to have interactive 3D previews for my website.
Mild issue, when scrolling over the embedded model it does not prevent the page from scrolling while zooming in or out.
Confirming this!
This is like
http://p3d.in/
I usually don’t it when people comparing things all the time (especially in trying to make a relative opinion as absolute), but I’m going to give one, just as a bit of positive feedback to SketchFab. Just in a little comparison one should take as relative, I personally find SketchFab a little better online 3D viewer service than p3d.in.
SketchFab currently gives you 200MB (where as P3D gives you 100MB), SketchFab has more wireframe rendering options that P3D currently does, SketchFab allows you to browse other uploads and apparently are working on a privacy features (P3D doesn’t even allow you to browse other models, as far as I’m aware), and SketchFab accepts multiple formats whereas P3D currently only accepts .obj. I personally especially like their mission statement of becoming a “Vimeo for 3D,” and I look forward to their developing into such a “Vimeo for 3D.”
Though, I do like that P3D allows you to upload your diffuse/spec/normal maps and that you can follow, but I suspect since SketchFab says they’re growing, it probably won’t be long before we can see that in SketchFab, too. Though, conversely, they’re both still growing, and I personally welcome them both. Personally, I lean more towards SketchFab (and will likely invest in their freemium options when they release them), but there’s no reason why I can’t just use both. I prefer simultaneous options rather than trying to make one option or the other obsolete.
For the little story, SketchFab was initially launched in the end of 2010 under the name of paste3d.net (or .org). It was then renamed ShowWebgl.com in mid 2011, and more or less at the same time appeared another similar service : p3d.in
There are indeed a few differences between us, but anyway there is room for both of us!
Ah sure :) I was just interested to see a sudden increase in profile for online model viewers!
can we have animated models?
I read this days ago and haven’t said anything until now, but I think this service is downright awesome. I look forward to seeing it grow!
This makes the second online 3D viewer I’ve come across thanks to BlenderNation. I usually don’t it when folks comparing things all the time (especially in trying to make a relative opinion as absolute), but I’m going to give one, just as a bit of positive feedback to SketchFab. Just in a little comparison one should take as relative, I personally find SketchFab a little better online 3D viewer service than p3d.in.SketchFab currently gives you 200MB (where as P3D gives you 100MB), SketchFab has more wireframe rendering options that P3D currently does, SketchFab allows you to browse other uploads and apparently are working on a privacy features (P3D doesn’t even allow you to browse other models, as far as I’m aware), and SketchFab accepts multiple formats whereas P3D currently only accepts .obj. I personally especially like their mission statement of becoming a “Vimeo for 3D,” and I look forward to their developing into such a “Vimeo for 3D.”Though, I do like that P3D allows you to upload your diffuse/spec/normal maps and that you can follow, but I suspect since SketchFab says they’re growing, it probably won’t be long before we can see that in SketchFab, too. But I see that P3D is in beta, and evidently they still plan to grow. And I hope they both support features such as animated models, lighting options, and supporting libraries for animated sequences (perhaps that last two featured in a premium version–hey, I understand we can’t give everything for free!). So, they’re both still growing, and I personally welcome them both. Personally, I lean more towards SketchFab (and will likely invest in their premium options when they release them), but there’s no reason why I can’t just use both. I prefer having simultaneous options rather than trying to have one option or the other obsolete.
There’s my needless but hopefully positive two cents.
I love it that SketchFab currently gives you 200MB worth of storage, has several wireframe rendering options, allows you to browse other uploads (and are apparently working on some privacy features), and SketchFab accepts multiple formats whereas (including .blend files). I personally especially like their mission statement of becoming a “Vimeo for 3D,” and I look forward to their developing into such a “Vimeo for 3D.”
And I hope they eventually support features such as animated models, switching between textures (uploaded with models), advanced lighting options, and supporting character animation libraries for viewing various animated sequences uploaded with the models (perhaps with those last two featured in a premium version–hey, I understand we can’t give absolutely everything for free!).I’m looking forward to your growth, SketchFab!
Thanks for the feedback, we’ll do our best to meet the challenge! Stay tuned for updates soon.