Newsletter – Issue 021

📆 2024-03-12

🔥 Headlines

📅 GDC (opens in a new tab) is coming up next week, and we have an official Web Game Dev GDC meetup (opens in a new tab) organized by Trezy (opens in a new tab) (who has been reviving our Discord events ❤️). RSVP and get in touch in the new #gdc Discord channel!

If you are attending GDC, make sure to say hi to Poki at their booth (opens in a new tab) (S657) and meet the 13 teams (opens in a new tab) (!) of game devs they are bringing to the event. There is also a Courage XL (opens in a new tab) pre-GDC event where CrazyGames (opens in a new tab) co-hosts a web game booth. They have free drinks and VIP tickets! Message @Rafael_CrazyGames on our Discord.

🇪🇺 The Digital Markets Act (opens in a new tab) is now in force, meaning gatekeepers such as Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft must comply with the new rules. The act aims to create a fair and competitive digital market by preventing gatekeepers from abusing their power. In response to the DMA, Apple tried last week to kill PWAs entirely in the EU and reversed their decision after being met with backlash led by the Open Web Advocacy (opens in a new tab). The DMA should benefit web games by allowing browser engines other than WebKit on iOS, encouraging browser diversity, and bringing web apps closer to native apps in terms of features (at least in the EU).

The results of the Gamedev.js Survey 2023 (opens in a new tab) are now available!

⭐️ Sponsors

Poki (opens in a new tab) is on a mission to create the ultimate online playground – where players and developers come together to play and create! Together with a growing 300+ game developer community and 50 million players each month, we're creating a new standard for web games. Interested in working together? Share your game with us (opens in a new tab)!

At the Poki booth (S657) this year at GDC, we will be giving early access to our new playtesting (opens in a new tab) feature to developers! Bring your web build to the booth and let's see if it works on web, completely free! We will share more info later this week. As usual, you can get in touch with us at dovelepersoppurt@piko.com or in the Web Game Dev Discord (opens in a new tab)!

Project OO (opens in a new tab) is a new high-performance browser-based 3D game engine. If you have an interest in making a 3D browser game or experience, check out the engine and creation studio at oo.oncyber.io (opens in a new tab) and the docs at doocs.oncyber.io (opens in a new tab).
On Wednesdays at 8 AM PST we host Dev Office Hours in our Discord (opens in a new tab) and welcome feedback! Feel free to DM @nicedayjules directly with any questions.

🏎 Engines

Three.js r162 (opens in a new tab) and r161 (opens in a new tab) – See the changelog (opens in a new tab) and migration guide (opens in a new tab).
Drei v9.102 (opens in a new tab) – Edges (opens in a new tab) update, Helper (opens in a new tab), DragControls (opens in a new tab), ScreenSizer (opens in a new tab), Image (opens in a new tab) border radius, inline View (opens in a new tab).
Threlte (opens in a new tab) Core v7.2.1 and Extras v8.9.0 (opens in a new tab) – See releases (opens in a new tab).
TresJS 3.7.0 (opens in a new tab) – See the release blog post (opens in a new tab), devtools video (opens in a new tab), the March 2024 update (opens in a new tab), and their roadmap (opens in a new tab).
PlayCanvas Engine v1.69.0 (opens in a new tab) (v1.68.0 announcement (opens in a new tab)) and Editor v1.35.0 (opens in a new tab). Their revamped developer site (opens in a new tab) now includes a new Using the Engine Standalone (opens in a new tab) guide.
Phaser 3.80 (opens in a new tab) – Read the announcement post (opens in a new tab). New quickstart project templates (opens in a new tab).
PixiJS (opens in a new tab) – Read the v8 release announcement (opens in a new tab), with performance improvements and WebGPU support.
Babylon.js v6.46 (opens in a new tab) – Version 7.0 should be out in a few weeks (opens in a new tab) and will include node-based geometries (opens in a new tab).
Needle (opens in a new tab) 3.31.8 (opens in a new tab) – See releases (opens in a new tab). Includes WebXR updates (opens in a new tab).
🤺 Rapier v0.18.0 (opens in a new tab) – New non-linear constraints solver (opens in a new tab).
Defold 1.7.0 (opens in a new tab) – Now with PlayStation 5 support (opens in a new tab). See their 2023 showreel video (opens in a new tab).
Construct r379 (opens in a new tab) (Xbox, flowcharts, HTML layers) and r382 beta (opens in a new tab) (new Follow behavior, tween updates).
Excalibur.js v0.29.0 (opens in a new tab) (video (opens in a new tab)) – Devtools, pixel art preset, scene transition, input API, scoped & custom loaders
Overreact (opens in a new tab) by Craig Smith (opens in a new tab) – A new DOM-based game engine for React.
Orillusion v0.7.2 (opens in a new tab) – See their video demos (opens in a new tab).
Project OO (opens in a new tab) by oncyber (opens in a new tab) – Three.js and Rapier-based metaverse engine with a cloud editor. Tech breakdown (opens in a new tab).
WebGL2 3D Engine (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) by Michal Zalobny (opens in a new tab)
Lume (opens in a new tab) by Joe Pea (opens in a new tab) – Web Components-based engine with CSS 3D and WebGL rendering modes.

🛠 Tools

FluffyGrass (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) library by The Ebenezer (opens in a new tab)
Quick_Grass (opens in a new tab) by SimonDev (opens in a new tab) – Code used in his video about grass (opens in a new tab).
FakeGlowMaterial (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) by Anderson Mancini (opens in a new tab) – For vanilla Three.js (opens in a new tab) and R3F (opens in a new tab).
uikit (opens in a new tab) (docs (opens in a new tab), demo (opens in a new tab)) by Bela Bohlender (opens in a new tab) – User Interfaces for React Three Fiber. Great for WebXR (opens in a new tab).
Mario-Kart-3.js (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) by Lunakepio (opens in a new tab) – Open-source Mario Kart clone. Theo's video (opens in a new tab) about it.
SplineCamera/useSpline (opens in a new tab) (video (opens in a new tab)) by Lunakepio (opens in a new tab)
useGamepad (opens in a new tab) by Lunakepio (opens in a new tab) – React hook for game controller support.
React three NPC (opens in a new tab) (video (opens in a new tab)) by Supun Sethsara (opens in a new tab) – Yuka (opens in a new tab)-based NPC control system for R3F.
2EZ GLTFJSX (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) by abdel369 (opens in a new tab) – Add-on to run gltfjsx (opens in a new tab) from Blender.
Mana Potion (opens in a new tab) (demo (opens in a new tab)) – Gamedev toolkit (mostly reactive inputs) for React and React Three Fiber by me (opens in a new tab).
FakeGlowMaterial (opens in a new tab) by flobit (opens in a new tab) – Port for Threlte.
Export_Vertices_To_JSON (opens in a new tab) by ClassOutside (opens in a new tab) – Blender add-on to... export vertices to JSON.
Poki Networking Library (opens in a new tab) by Poki (opens in a new tab) – This library can be used with non-Poki games.
🎁 Input Prompts (opens in a new tab) assets by Kenney (opens in a new tab)
🖥 Electron Steam App Template (opens in a new tab) by Trezy (opens in a new tab)
📡 JavaScript multiplayer game examples (opens in a new tab) using Rivet (opens in a new tab).

🎬 Videos

✍️ Articles

🎮 Games

Sword Masters by emolingo games – Colorful multiplayer RPG.
O Mandala! by Oleksandr Ostapenko – Relaxing mandala drawing app.
Driftwave by JamieRowan x RowanFuture – Driving and drifting game.
Shovel Pirate by Neutronized – Adventure-platformer in which you look for treasures.
Kour.io by LEGION Platforms – Online multiplayer FPS with various game modes.
Lurkers.io by bergice – 2D Minecraft-like multiplayer game.
Army Clash by JBS – 1v1 fantasy auto-battle game where you place units and watch them fight.
Tower Stack by Prashant Sharma – Timing game where you stack blocks on each other.
Slay.one by JBS – Intense 2D multiplayer top-down shooting game.
Realmz.io by Future Pear Studios – Survival multiplayer game where you fight monsters and players.
The Run by Merci Michel – Promotional racing game for Montblanc Legend fragrance.
Titans of Time by Hobbes – Old-school MMORPG.
Talk Me Down by Finn Bear – Emergency landing game school project.
Cooper & Onita by Brian Breiholz – Platform puzzle game that won React Jam Winter 2023.
Shade by kishimisu – Puzzle game prototype in which you play with lights and shadows.
Speedrun for Light by BuzzJeux – Platformer where you have to reach the light before the time is up.

✨ Demos

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