VRML (Virtual reality Modeling Language, usually pronounced vermal ) is a standard file format for representing 3-D computer graphics (3D) interactive vector graphics, designed particularly with the World Wide Web in mind.

=Format=

VRML is a text file format where, e.g., vertex and edges for a 3D polygon can be specified along with the surface color, image-mapped textures, specularity, transparency (computing), and so on. URLs can be associated with graphical components so that a web browser might fetch a web-page or a new VRML file from the Internet when the user (computing) clicks on the specific graphical component. Animations, Sounds, lighting, and other aspects of the virtual world can interact with the user or may be triggered by external events such as timers. A special Script Node allows to add program code (e.g., written in Java programming language or JavaScript (ECMAScript)) to a VRML file. VRML files are commonly called worlds and have the .wrl filename extension (for example island.wrl). Although VRML worlds use a text format they may often be compressed using Gzip so that they transfer over the internet more quickly. Most 3D modeling programs can save objects and scenes in VRML format.

=Standardization=

The Web3D Consortium has been formed to further the collective development of the format.

The first version of VRML was specified in November (ISO/IEC 19775-7).

=Emergence, popularity, decline and rebirth=

The term VRML was coined by .

VRML reached the height of its popularity after the release of VRML2 in 1997, when it was used on some personal homepages and sites such as CyberTown, which offered 3D chats. The format had been championed by SGI s Cosmo Software; when SGI restructured in 1998 the division was sold to Platinum Technologies, which was then taken over by Computer Associates, which did not develop or distribute the software. To fill the void a variety of short-lived proprietary Web 3D formats emerged over the next few years, including Microsoft Chrome, Adobe Atmosphere and Shockwave 3D, none of which are supported today. VRML s capabilities remained largely the same while realtime 3D graphics kept improving. The VRML Consortium changed its name to the Web3D Consortium, and began work on the successor to VRML - X3D.

While VRML is still widely used, particularly in education and research where an open specification is most valued, it has now been superseded by X3D. The MPEG-4 Interactive Profile (ISO/IEC 14496) was based on VRML (now on X3D), and X3D is largely back-compatible with it. VRML is also still used as a file format for interchange of 3D models, particularly from CAD systems.

=See also=

*List of vector graphics markup languages *Comparison of vector graphics markup languages Shockwave 3D is a feature of Macromedia Director s authoring environment and is still actively used by developers.

= Open source programs that can export VRML =

*Wings 3D - 3D modeling software *Blender (program) - 3D modeling, animation, rendering software

= Open source VRML programs (external links) =

= More external links =