There are a multitude of ways you can build virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) content, with engines like Unity, Amazon Sumerian or Unreal some of the most popular. But if you want to avoid curated app stores and utilise WebXR then Wonderland Engine caters for that exact scenario. Today, the platform is dropping its subscription model, moving to a royalty-based license model so creators can download it for free.
Wonderland Engine is entirely focused on web-based VR and AR applications, making it easy for creators to publish online without needing to support a particular headset. When the platform launched in 2020 it offered a 30-day trial after which it charged users a monthly fee. This system has now been changed after customer feedback.
In a blog post, Wonderland Engine CEO Jonathan Hale wrote: “the feedback we got was that 30 days is not enough to learn a new development platform, let alone prove its value. And that the cost of learning the engine together with the cost of the license after those 30 days was too high for many.” With the free model, Wonderland Engine will now be more accessible to those wishing to delve into WebXR. Once they’ve launched a product a 10% royalty on revenue will be charged, similar to other videogame development engines.
The platform is based around the Wonderland Editor, a WebAssembly based runtime that runs in a browser. You can import GLTF, FBX and other files into scenes, add text, animations and JavaScript components, whilst offering <1 second packaging time with automatic Browser reloading.
Wonderland Engine is still in early development itself, with v0.8.0. releasing last month adding new features like physics-based on Nvidia PhysX 4.1 and experimental WebAssembly SIMD support. If you already happen to be a subscriber then you’ll receive a refund for any uncompleted months. The team does note that if the royalty model doesn’t suit your particular needs then custom terms can be negotiated.
As Wonderland Engine continues to roll out further updates, VRFocus will let you know.
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Source: https://www.vrfocus.com/2021/03/webxr-platform-wonderland-engine-moves-to-free-royalty-based-model/
