So, I was shitcanned recently and said to myself: "Hey, why not actually learn something new and interesting for once?"
Three.js has been high on my list for a long time. I tried to make a pinball game a couple of years back, failed miserably, and never quite forgot about it. This time, I wanted to see if I could turn Wikipedia entries into something more visual and "walkable"
The result is a Virtual 3D Museum. It’s a 3D environment where the "exhibits" are pulled dynamically from the Wikipedia API, and gallery rooms are populated with that info on the fly
The Tech:
- Three.js: Handles the spatial layout and rendering.
- Vanilla JS: No frameworks. I wanted to keep it lightweight and see how far I could get with just the basics (spoiler: it can go really far).
- Wikipedia API: The source of all the data.
The Details:
- Multi-language support: You can toggle between different language versions of Wikipedia.
- Persistence: It uses basic local storage, so it remembers your session when you come back.
- Environment: I went for a "faux 3D" look—enough to feel immersive without being heavy on the hardware. I know it doesn't look "well" yet; I don't know how to use Blender properly, and I'm still learning exactly how far you can push a browser before the stuttering ruins the experience.
It’s been a fun experiment in data visualization and spatial UI. If you’re into Three.js or just want to see a weird way to read about history or universe, check it out ;)
Source Code: GitHub - https://github.com/notbigmuzzy/linkwalk
Live Demo: Full version with languages and persistence - https://notbigmuzzy.github.io/linkwalk/
