Facebook now supports Sketchfab 3D embeds! This is great news for Makers looking to spread the word about their models. Everyone knows Facebook is the largest social network in the world (with 2 billion users), and, if you use it and are a Maker, this is your chance to introduce your friends to your work and the work of others.
According to Sketchfab’s blog post, “Just include a Sketchfab link in a Facebook post and it will automagically turn it into our sketchfabulous real-time 3D player. Everyone can browse the content in 3D without leaving their feed.” In case you aren’t familiar with what the Sketchfab viewer looks like, here are a few examples:
I can only imagine how this will provide a new avenue for Makers and 3D modelers to continue to bring attention to the expanding Maker movement. This could also provide some interesting opportunities for those Makers and modelers who are looking to bring attention to various political causes and launch a significant protest of IP and DRM issues, such as the recent clash between Fernando Sosa and Katy Perry’s legal team about the now all-but-forgotten Super Bowl Left Shark.
Sketchfab is a small but dedicated team, and I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Corentin Metgy at REAL 2015. After meeting with him, I realize how proud they should be that they are one of a few select partners to provide their HTML5 content on Facebook. It is also the first interactive format to be supported in the newsfeed, which is again, good news for Makers, modelers, and people who may not yet be a part of the Sketchfab network.
Apparently, Facebook made the moves quite fast, leaving an impression on the Sketchfab team. There’s also a bit of additional news from Sketchfab: They have a new Lighting Editor, which allows you to have a lot more control over the lighting of a model. Add up to three lights to your scene, and choose the source type (directional, point, spot, and hemi).
Sounds pretty cool, but they’ve also added another feature to make your models more realistic and pro-CAD looking. They’ve added a Physically Based Renderer, which is “based on real world values, making it more accurate and consistent under all lighting conditions. It is the technology that powers AAA video games and high end renderers.”
It’s free for all Sketchfab members, so give it a test run here.
