Explore Middle-Earth through this Google Chrome Experiment

MANILA, Philippines - The creators of the epic fantasy adventure film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” have developed a new Google Chrome Experiment that will take you on a stunning trip to Middle-Earth using a mix of modern web technologies.

“A Journey Through Middle-Earth” offers a multimedia web experience for computer, tablet, and mobile phone users who will embark on an adventure unfolding across an interactive map of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world. Google said this cinematic part was built with just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Users can zoom in on the map to explore Trollshaw Forest, Rivendell and Dol Guldur, with new locations set to be added in the weeks ahead. Each destination gives the visitor access to its history and the characters who inhabit it, or presents unique survival challenges in which fans can test their wits.

With immersive 3D graphics built with CSS3 and WebGL, “Journey Through Middle-earth” is the first Chrome Experiment designed to bring this beautiful, 3D experience to mobile, with technology support for WebGL in Chrome for Android on devices with high-end graphics cards. Chrome users can also have the online multimedia experience on iPhones and iPads.

“Journey Through Middle-earth” was developed by North Kingdom in collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, the studios that will bring the latest film of "The Hobbit" trilogy.

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, director of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, comes “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” which will be released in the Philippines on December 11, 2013.