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Gamified 3D Solar System Explorer: An Interactive Learning Journey with Three.js

Houda Mouttalib
Houda Mouttalib
Houda MOUTTALIB
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Craft immersive XR educational experiences through declarative 3D rendering with this advanced workshop. Leverage React Three Fiber's component-based architecture to build a gamified solar system explorer featuring dynamic orbital mechanics, interactive raycasting, and WebGL optimizations. Master performance-critical techniques including InstancedMesh implementation, reactive state management, and WebXR integration while creating engaging STEM visualizations. This workshop bridges theoretical physics concepts with practical front-end development, demonstrating how Three.js can transform educational content through spatial computing paradigms.

Agenda:

  1. Introduction to React Three Fiber and Three.js: Setting up the project environment
  2. Building the Solar System Scene: Creating planets, orbits, and space backgrounds with animations
  3. Interactivity and Gamification: Raycasting for object selection and interaction
  4. Performance Optimization: Using InstancedMesh for efficient rendering
  5. WebXR Integration: Enabling AR/VR experiences in the browser

This workshop has been presented at React Advanced 2025, check out the latest edition of this React Conference.

FAQ

Huda Motarib is a Computer Science Lecturer at MC Group and a PhD researcher working with the lab at MC and in Mohammediyah, part of the University of Hassan II. Her research focuses on XR for STEM education.

The main focus of Huda Motarib's research is on how web XR and interactive 3D environments can help students understand complex STEM concepts in a more intuitive way.

The '3D solar system explorer' project is a gamified application built with 3JS and React TreeFiber to transform a flat and static explanation of the solar system into an interactive experience that can be explored and queried, with potential integration into XR.

Huda Motarib's 3D solar system explorer offers the benefit of helping learners manipulate and explore STEM concepts, enhancing understanding through spatial memory and interactive experiences.

The 3D solar system explorer uses React, TypeScript, 3JS, React TreeFiber, and WebXR to build full-stack applications that offer immersive, browser-based learning environments.

React 3 Fiber abstracts the complexity of Three.js by allowing developers to write mesh components as they would write HTML divs, keeping the 3D scene in sync with the application state, which simplifies building complex stateful visualizations.

WebXR is a web standard that enables browsers to communicate with VR/AR hardware, providing a stable and accessible way to build XR experiences without worrying about the specific hardware being used.

The 3D solar system explorer enhances learning of orbital mechanics by allowing students to visualize and interact with the relationships between scale, distance, and motion, providing a deeper intuitive understanding.

Key features of the 3D solar system explorer include interactive exploration of planets, ability to click on planets to view details, control over animation speed, and a gamification layer for enhanced learning.

The code for the 3D solar system explorer is available on GitHub. You can find links to the repository in the workshop materials or by contacting Huda Motarib directly.

Houda Mouttalib
Houda Mouttalib
90 min
05 Dec, 2025

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Video Summary and Transcription
Huda Motarib introduces a gamified 3D solar system explorer using 3JS and React TreeFiber. The workshop focuses on creating interactive learning environments for STEM education, emphasizing immersive experiences and hands-on coding examples. Discusses optimization techniques for React3 Fiber, including direct value changes for mesh rotation and efficient animation. Covers scaling planets, user interaction, realistic orbits, interactive planet details, moon creation, and deployment strategies.
Available in Español: Gamified 3D Solar System Explorer: Un Viaje de Aprendizaje Interactivo con Three.js
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