Multi-Threaded Web Middleware 'Fabric' Approaching Beta Test

A new performance middleware is trying to bring the power of native applications to web apps and games with Fabric, a multi-threaded engine that promises to use the full potential of the client CPU and GPU from within a web browser. "Today’s devices use multi-core and hybrid architectures, yet the browser uses very little of this power," the company writes on its web site. "Fabric Engine enables developers to build high performance applications for the web." "The trend towards web technology for more than just content is becoming more evident as studios use web tools for a wide variety of tasks from team management, to rendering, to asset review," Fabric CTO Phil Taylor tells Gamasutra. Fabric has attracted funding from Real Ventures and is currently shopping its technology around "to a lot of studios across VFX and games," ahead of an upcoming beta launch "in the next few weeks," Taylor said. A series of video demos for the engine show it being used for processor-intensive tasks from hair modeling and vertex mapping to tesselation and multi-character flocking, all from within a browser-based plugin. Those interested in participating in early testing can contact the team.