Quake II GWT port proves HTML5 isn't just for video
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 2nd 2010 6:07PM
posted April 2nd 2010 6:07PM
There's no question that HTML5 is good for more than just video, but if anything will put that misconception to rest, it's Quake II running in a browser. Apparently built by a trio of Google developers in their spare time, the Quake II GWT port uses a HTML5 canvas and WebGL for graphics acceleration (also seen demoed on the N900), which seem to get the job done remarkably well -- although it's still a long ways from running on certain non-Flash-equipped devices. Then again, this project was revealed on April 1st, but quite a few folks have already reported success in getting it up and running -- so, unless there's a global conspiracy to dash our hopes and dreams (always a possibility), it seems to be the real deal. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
HTML5 ROCKS ...
Thank u flash it was nice while it lasted .. actually it wasn't that nice but thanks anyway ..
oh and please don't kill me like jesus for this .. i Know it's easter so be nice :)
your East(er)man
@Eastman
I'm killing you for your last statement. Bad taste...
@Eastman Indeed. Don't worry no one will kill you for that coment we all hate flash.
@JW
Bad taste ? ... all good here m8 :)
@Eastman
while i am all for the anti-flash sentiment, that video is no indication of games going to the browser. its quake 2 and still runs like cock so its still straight c++ and dx / ogl ftw.
@annoyingposter3
i Think this is more about what HTML5 can do .. .rather than the future of gaming is in da browser .. :)
Oh WOW! HTML5... WIN!
@Eastman Not really...
HTML5 vs Flash 10.1 on the Nexus One, and the iMac.
http://phandroid.com/2010/04/01/speed-test-flash-vs-html5-on-the-nexus-one/
@TareG
Flash OWNS html5...it has been around forever and continues to evolve with gpu acceleration now...it's great.
And all you people jumping on the HTML5 bandwagon saying "flash sucks" etc -- consider this..the iPad isn't going to be the next-best-thing forever. Pretty soon there will be _tons_ of tablets running more capable OS's that of course will support flash.
Also consider the Open Screen Project and all of Adobe's partners (Google, Nokia, HTC, Palm, Motorola -- list goes on..). Apple is like the ONLY one who refuses to allow flash on their devices...that right there should tell you something.
The bottom line is that it has nothing to do with what technology is "better" and it has everything to do with Apple's restrictions and closed nature as a company. Like Google says..."don't be evil" but that is exactly what they are, and they were that way from day one when they stole Xerox's entire IP lineup and slaped it on the first "mac"
@Eastman
screw html... this makes me want to play quake 2 again...
ahh the time wasted on heat.net back in the day
Flash it WAS nice at the time.
@DoctarPeppar Sorry to have to enlighten you, but it's ADOBE that don't want to fix their code on OS X, and as long as they can't get THAT working, they are not coming to the iOS.
It's not Apple that don't want Flash, but Apple don't want constantly-crashing software on iOS. It's that simple!
@ddddd "Back in 2007 flash already had an demo... Sorry, but html5 is 10 years behind flash. Just check this video... also, the video frame rate of flash is way higher."
2007 was 2 years and 3 months ago.
@Eastman
I'm sorry kids .. but IMHO flash was already sucky well b4 HTML5
all my Macs go into overdrive when i watch some Flash clip on the Tube or elsewhere (wink wink)...
I don't wanna fry my hunky legs when i watch something on my notebook and attract cannibals ..
No No i am all for less Flash and more open standards ..
Now back down from my soapbox and back to my cross :-))
Happy East(er)man
@TareG read everything, pplease: Flash still wins, but browsers are catching up.
@Eastman HTML 5 is the future, hopefully flash can catch-up... Added to the post, NES games could run flawlessly as well on the chrome browser: http://bit.ly/nintendo-games-on-browser
@JW
It wasn't bad taste. According to churches and their communion, Jesus was delicious. And good for you.
@tlingitsoldier
Exactly .. thank u :)
Shiver me timbers
@Pedobear
I'd really rather not.
WIN
@Petfiji inb4 Apple drops Javascript support...
Just...wow
@tauttvisz
my thoughts exactly.. that's freaking awesome
@tauttvisz Yeah considering this is *javascript*! Whoever thought that would be fast enough to run quake 2?
One day Crysis will run in my browser, and it will be good.
@nachotech Only if I can run it in IE.............. NAAT!
@nachotech Well, almost any browser it can run on lunascape, IE(with chrome frame only), and few other ones but they're proper crap.
Not bad. Now it can do things Flash has done for years.
Awesome.
@MarkAnderson Thing is, it's getting rather obvious that flash/Adobe has lost the PR war with Apple. I guess the message here is it's not a good idea to pick a fight when you already have a somewhat bad reputation with a company with a fanatical following. He says the iPad doesn't need flash, and low and behold, it really doesn't now, what with all the new html5 and dedicated apps. Guess he was right after all. :P
@dan828
Seriously, you've got to be kidding me. The iPad desperatley needs Flash just as bad as it did before. Just because you don't mind paying a subscription for content you can get free anywhere else doesn't mean everybody does. I bet you also think HTML will take over in a matter of months.
@dan828
Oh right. I guess they'll just have to content themselves with the 95% of tech users who don't use Apple products that don't run Flash then.
I'm sure they're devastated.
@dan828 Yah because magically every website on the net will be on HTML5 overnight or even in a year. Or 2 years. Grow a clue. this is like how all the iTards keep saying MS is doomed. Year over year. Yep. Looks at their market share. Doomed for sure. Flash isn't going anywhere and the only people who say its doomed are those who can't run it because unkie Steve says you can't. Think Different Think anything other then Apple.
@dan828 Because HTML5 is in widespread use across the web?
@insky
Wha? Have you seen the free ABC and CBS apps? Apple doesn't even sell subscriptions on iTunes.
@insky Why does the iPad need flash so desperately? ABC, CBS, NBC, Hulu, Netflix, TED, Reuters, YouTube, Vimeo, MLB, Sports Illustrated, CNN, ESPN, etc. are all hopping on the flash-free bandwagon. The gaming side of flash is easily trumped by the app store which leaves us with ads. I guess if you really like or need to see flash ads I could see your point, but most of the major holes left by the lack of flash on the iPad have been filled (and it isn't even available yet). In fact, starting tomorrow, the iPad will be the only mobile device that allows you to watch Netflix instant titles.
@justinpe
And of course all the other sites that you didn't mention that use Flash and not HTML 5. Like the BBC and others.
Please. It's a silly argument - enjoy your devices but for the love of god stop defending their limitations to people who can see through the weakness in your argument.
@justinpe " In fact, starting tomorrow, the iPad will be the only mobile device that allows you to watch Netflix instant titles."
///Looks down at laptop.....
@MarkAnderson
Flash (or rather, the lack of Flash support) will be the reason I move away from the iPhone. Not a lack of multitasking, or a tightly controlled user experience. It's Flash. I'm sick of visiting websites like Engadget and Joystiq that embed Flash players and having to wait till I get home to view the video. I could try to view it with the sad YouTube viewer, but do5 get me started on that worthless garbage. The video is so compressed it literally hurts my eyes.
Having said all that, I support the HTML5 movement, and I have to admit that Apple is going to have a large hand in it. They already have a large hand in it. It's fairly obvious that this boom of HTML5 is due to Apple's lack of Flash support, and the launch of a new device that is great as a video player. At this point, while I still want Flash on my phone (or in this case, I'd want it on my slate if I had one), I guess I can't fault Apple for doing what they are doing. I really think the launch of the iPad is a very big even for HTML5 just from the past week or so.
And if the situation changes, and enough sites move over to HTML5 quickly enough so I can view the majority of video content I come across in my iPhone browser, maybe I'll stick with Apple instead of migrating to Android or something that supports Flash 10.1.
@one2gamble You gotta keep in mind, though, that HTML5 is a very new standard. It's getting more and more there, and it's obviously more capable than flash--unless you can tell me that Flash can do that?
@Levi
I agree. It's important to note that HTML 5 has a long way to go before its accepted as a standard in terms of usage - the whole issue of codecs and associated licensing needs to be resolved for one thing.
However, it's a welcome development - Flash is an example of what happens when a company becomes too dominant and if nothing else the rise of HTML 5, Silverlight and others are making them up their game.
However, it's not the finished article just now and the web is still geared towards Flash. This may change with time but anyone claiming Flash is dead is either a fool or someone who doesn't really know what they're talking about.
@Yandereboat
Yes it can and has for years. That's the point.
@MarkAnderson
Yeah, without the use of a proprietary plug-in, which Flash has never been able to do ever. Now do you get it?
@Jack
You're trading one proprietary plugin for another proprietary video format. Do you really want to make h.264 the DeFacto standard for web video...seeing as how they're going to raise the royalties once it's a standard? I'm surprised Apple didn't push for .mov.
@insky
There are GPL encoders and decoders for H.264, and it's currently free until at least 2015. Not as good a promise as we might have, but it's a very good codec.
@insky "You're trading one proprietary plugin for another proprietary video format"
You are trading Flash for HTML5, that's it. Flash already uses H264, you aren't trading anything there. Also Microsoft and Apple have H264 licenses, so the browser just need to send the decoding to the OS.
@Jack
But with the use of a proprietary codec.
@John Doe is this the kind if raging clue from south park? :S
@MarkAnderson Flash is already using the proprietary codec you are talking about. And the company with the biggest market share browser has already the license.
@Yandereboat, HTML5 even with all the announced bells and whistles that are not supported in any public browser release with HTML5 support, is at least 5 years behind Flash in every single area, and there are areas that are not even considered in the HTML5 standards (socket connections, p2p, GPU support)... There was a Quake 2 engine done in Flash a couple of years ago... Here: http://www.peterelst.com/blog/2007/10/03/adobe-max-chicago-sneak-peeks/ ... Second video, starting from the fifth minute.