Google has created a stunning experience to show off how far HTML5 and Google Chrome have come by taking users to Middle-earth. The company has released another Chrome Experiment that allows users to explore the settings of the upcoming movie, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” based on the classic book by J.R.R. Tolkien.
“‘A Journey through Middle-Earth’, our latest Chrome Experiment, demonstrates what’s now possible on the mobile web. Developed by North Kingdom in collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, the experiment uses the latest web technologies to deliver a multimedia experience designed specifically for tablets, phones, and touch-enabled desktops,” Max Heinritz, a Google product manager and “Tolkien troll slayer” said on a company developers blog post.
“The experiment starts with an interactive map of Middle-earth. It may not feel like it, but this cinematic part of the experience was built with just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript,” he continued.
The map features horizontal parallax scrolling, which Heinritz said was also built with HTML, CSS and Javascript. Users will also see a rich 3D environment using WebGL. The experience is optimized for Android devices with high-end GPUs.
Tolkien’s work has always seemed larger than life, with his novels showing elaborate maps and detailing the languages he invented for his dwarves, elves and hobbits, so this is a good showcase for the latest generations of Web technologies tackling feats that have previously been limited only to high-powered desktop machines.
Earlier mobile browsers had limited features, but newer ones like the latest version of Chrome are gaining features comparable to desktop browsers, such as WebGL, WebRTC and Web Audio.
“The multi-device web is evolving rapidly, and we’re looking forward to more sites like ‘A Journey Through Middle-earth’ that show the potential of the platform’s latest mobile feature,” Heinritz said.
Edited by
Rachel Ramsey
