PROJECT — Wikipedia3D Revival

Summary

A 3D semantic web explorer built around Wikipedia/DBpedia that lets users walk through knowledge. The aim is to preserve the original “spatial discovery” feel while modernizing the tech stack and data sources.

Current state (2026 snapshot)

Frontend: legacy JS (jQuery + MooTools + old Three.js), global namespaces, no build step.
Backend: PHP proxies for CORS + lightweight API access.
APIs: Wikipedia API, DBpedia SPARQL, GeoNames; old Google Maps JS API with panoramio; AlchemyAPI (dead).
Hosting: originally on Apache; works with PHP built-in server for local dev.

Unique features worth preserving

Real-time 3D spawning of Wikipedia entities
Spatial browsing with first-person camera
Map-driven “find nearby” discovery
Favourites + blacklist + quick language switching
Lightweight, static-ish deployment (no heavy backend)

Known breakpoints

Panoramio library removed → map layer needs modernization
AlchemyAPI is shut down → remove/replace
HTTP endpoints + mixed content → fail under HTTPS
Hard-coded domain URLs → break local use

Success criteria (modernization)

Runs on modern browsers (no legacy polyfills)
Fully local-dev friendly (one command)
CORS-safe and configurable API endpoints
Maintains the signature UX: 3D walkable graph + map discovery
Easy deploy to static hosting or simple Node/PHP server

Roadmap

Phase 1 — Stabilize (1–2 days)

Replace hard-coded URLs with relative or config values
Consolidate configuration into a single config.js
Add minimal dev script: npm run dev or php -S

Phase 2 — Frontend modernization (1–2 weeks)

Upgrade to modern Three.js (ES modules)
Replace MooTools and outdated jQuery plugins
Refactor core logic into modules (browser, item, data, ui)
Add linting + formatting

Phase 3 — Data layer refresh (1 week)

Add Wikidata SPARQL as primary
Cache + rate-limit API requests in proxy
Replace deprecated endpoints (AlchemyAPI, Panoramio)

Phase 4 — Experience upgrades (optional)

Better layout algorithms for nodes
A “timeline trail” of explored topics
WebXR / VR mode (optional)
Mobile-friendly UI pass

Risks / considerations

API changes may alter data availability and result structures.
Rewriting the UI may unintentionally lose the “feel” of the original.
The proxy should be secured to prevent abuse in public deployments.

Immediate recommendation

Start with Phase 1 (URL fixes + config), then build a clean Phase 2 modern frontend while preserving the original UI layout and controls.

If you want, I can begin Phase 1 now and open a modernization branch for Phase 2.

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