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I've got a WebGL application built with JavaScript and ThreeJS. I was able to enable WebVR somewhat easily to create a immersive environment. I think my app is a better use case for mixed-reality/AR. Hololens seems to be the big player in that hardware space.

As I look at the development tools around Hololens its pretty much Unity and C#. Both great tools but as I start developing in this closed environment I kinda feel like I'm building a Silverlight application.

I've been trying to figure out if there is a trick I can accomplish to create a immersive experience with my WebGL app. I know that I can use Edge browser, however, thats a flat experience which is not any value to this use case.

I've found a few links:

All these seem to either be 2d experiences or 'fake' AR using cameras and WebVR. Furthermore, I also looked into porting my WebGL app to Unity using Unity's JavaScript language features to find out that it is really a subset fork of actual JavaScript ( known as UnityScript ) making it way more effort than its worth.

Given all this, I'm wondering if its even possible to accomplish the feat and if anyone knows if this is something on the roadmap for microsoft?

Community
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amcdnl
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3 Answers3

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holographicjs is a C++ Windows Runtime Component for hosting Windows Holographic apps built with Javascript and WebGL.

Its interesting and a huge hack but might be a good first start for the community!

amcdnl
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There's this new tool from Microsoft called HoloJS. It's a framework for creating holographic apps using JavaScript and WebGL.

prtdomingo
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    To restrictive, uses custom shader that we don't have access to? Also abstracts VR out of your control. Can we just make an Edge view go full screen, then use actual WebVR? That would be better! – trusktr Jul 10 '17 at 23:10
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Note: Answer based on:

  1. I do not know what Microsoft roadmap plans are or will be
  2. The actual easy-way to develop for hololens is using VS and Unity3D (so, maybe there is a way of developing using WebGl but as you can see, is not the easy-direct and supported way).

My answer: Taking into account that is a new product with no direct competence, they will not move forward offering other platforms unless they are forced to. Meanwhile they are happy that you use C#, Visual Studio, .Net, Edge and Windows and Unity3d under Windows (hard to believe to me you can do this using Unity3d at MacOS or Linux). It's also normal that they offer a limited ecosystem at the moment, with the same excuse: it is new, so limited support due to stability and optimal concerns is available just in their more familiar context: Microsoft products.

But as soon as new device come in and start offering new things (support for programing languages, OS or web) you should be completely sure that they will evolve or die.

juagicre
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