3D graphics specialist WildTangent is to bringing its Web-oriented API to Microsoft's DirectX API, to games developers. WildTangent's Web driver allows designers to code interactive 3D graphics into their sites using JavaScript, Java or Visual Basic. At the client end, Web driver takes that basic, low-bandwidth code and hook it into DirectX, which handles all the 3D rendering. Clearly, that's not too dissimilar to the way many games work, and WildTangent's scheme is to provide game developers with a version of Web Driver which will essentially hide away the complexities of the various sound, video and 3D DirectX APIs, just as the Microsoft technology hides away the complexities of supporting multiple rendering schemes and devices. WildTangent's boss, Alex St.John -- who, incidentally, led the original DirectX development team at Microsoft -- reckons the upshot will be a major reduction in game development time and cost. He also believes it will improve cross-platform game development. Since DirectX doesn't run on anything other than Windows, that suggests the company is working on links to other game-related APIs, such as the OpenGL 3D graphics system, its open source equivalent, Mesa, and perhaps even Apple's GameSprockets. Details of this aspect of the tool will be unveiled at the Game Developers Conference to be held next March in San Jose, California. WildTangent said it will also release an early version of the code at the show. ® Related stories Microsoft's X-Box PlayStation 2 killer resurfaces MS shines light on ShadowFactor Startup paves MS way to make DirectX Web standard DirectX update adds Pentium III, MIDI support