VR - Virtual Reality

[AlanW]

Hi,

Is VW doing anything about being able to set up the model to be viewed with say and Oculus Rift headset???

As I Understand the program does all the work in generating 2 cameras side by side and them the glasses take over the mouse and divide the 2 screens to give you the 3D effect.

There is no way at present in VW to run 2 cameras to view a model 100mm apart and record simultaneously then we could run them on a split screen with 3D glasses.

There's a challenge for someone.

Regards

Alan

Edited March 19, 2015 by Alan777

[PVA - Admin]

Nothing set it stone yet, but many of the engineers here have been experimenting with the Oculus Rift and VR. I can't speak in detail about any of it, regardless of how excited I am about it.

[AlanW]

Wohoo cant wait.

[gester]

could be interesting. file export formats are compatible with unity, now it'd be the task to convince owners to put the headsets on

[AlanW]

Yes,

I have used Unity to export my 3D model to 3DS and then ran them in Unity, even created a skydome with the surrounding pictures from the site over the bay.

The Clients were amazed that they could take the file away and walk around.

Our clients want more of the 3d walk around where they can look everywhere, so they would be eager to fully immerse them selves in their house.

Come on faster faster, what are the engineers doing.

[James Russell]

I'm currently using open source AR technology to achieve similar results from VW files.

I'm currently showing models on a QR tracking basis running through either iPad Gen 4's or an Oculus Gen 1 (waiting on my Gen 2...).

It's pretty good on the whole reach out and touch the model thing, rotate it in real time, even basic scene transitions. If you could improve the GeoReferencing and/or location tracking on site breakthroughs could probably be achieved too.

There's no doubt the future. At the University of Melbourne I'm starting a 3rd Year elective on 3D Scanning, 3D printing and Augmented Reality. I'll let you know how that goes in semester 2!

J

[PVA - Admin]

For anyone experimenting with VR (This post comes just after the Oculus Rift went up for preorder at CES 2016) the current test workflow we are using is Vectorworks > FBX > Unity.

We want to eventually remove the need for manually exporting and importing into an engine, but in the meantime, we are taking input on texture and geometry issues when using the FBX export format. Much of this can be addressed in Renderworks way ahead of any support for VR directly and would make the transition much easier.

If anyone has any replicable issues (specifically with poly normals inverting, as we have seen) and can share a sample file or two along with your steps to replicate, it would be appreciated.

[rDesign]

Since Oculus Rift is currently 'Windows Only' technology, is the future development of VR in Vectorworks also being considered as 'Windows Only'?

Minimum Hardware Requirements : Oculus.com

[PVA - Admin]

I doubt it. Any solution we implement will be cross platform. (We MIGHT have one side or the other release a feature first like you see with the differences between iOS and Android versions of Nomad, but eventually it will come to both and not have a great length of time between them) Even though they have paused their OS X and Linux dev, for what we are testing development is already far enough along on OS X that we probably don't have to worry about Windows development on their end outpacing the other OSes.

For instance, a lot of what we want to be able to do is already possible with some poking and prodding with a combination of exporting from VW and importing into Unity, the trick is just to make all that work happen in the background so that an average user would be able to use it plug and play.

Additionally, Oculus is just the one of many developers to implement consumer VR, we havent tested with the HTC Vive specifically, but I've had limited success on my own even with a simple Google Cardboard setup on a Galaxy S6. I certainly am not the final word of this kind of development, but I think most of the work we will be doing will be platform independent.

[Christian Fekete]

Any update on this topic, I personaly have to compete against a designer who uses autodesk and offers VR with oculus to his clients. I need to get in that game and offer this also especially since I have been working only in 3D for the last few years and I am really getting impatient and excited to offer this. The previous post is date 2016, has there been workflow improvement with VW since then? Please advise

[Dave Donley]

Hello Christian:

 

We are working on adding VR support to Web Views (using WebVR, which works on Vive, Rift, and Daydream).  I will try to get you a prototype of this.

 

[AlanW]

@Christian FeketeHi, If you are impatient like I was you can have a look at my Youtube channel, I got myself a HTCVive for Xmas and have (after a bit of learning, enjoyable learning i might add) have been able to take a client through their development in VR, most successful. I now have a template file that i use in Unity that i just uses and a base and then export the model from VW as an object (.obj) file and there is sort of a special way to take the file into Unity (drag and drop into the assets file) don't import. This way the materials come over and attach correctly. sometimes it doesn't attach materials and sometimes does. I saved the one that does and i use it until i figure out why this one does and some don't.

See a few tutorial videos that show you how to set up walkaround in VR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8kDxktdVH8

 

 

Good luck

 

[AlanW]

@Dave Donley (We are working on adding VR support to Web Views (using WebVR, which works on Vive, Rift, and Daydream))

This sound exciting please keep me posted with this.

It would be good to be able to run this locally as well as on the web.

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by Alan Woodwell

[AlanW]

Hi All those interested in Virtual Reality. 

I have been learning how to take VW models and getting them into a VR environment. I use a HTC Vive unit and have successfully exported coloured models from VW as Object files (.Obj) into Unity3D which supports the HTC Vive.

I have documented my travels as so far 5 tutorials that explain the process from setting up and exporting VW models to setting up the controllers in Unity and now tutorial 5 i have shown how to open and close doors and tutorial 6 how to interact and grab objects, place a 3D model of a kettle (or anything) from VW into Unity and pick up and move around. (Ipad also in tutorial)

No programming knowledge is required. Thankfully Steam VR and VRTK have provided pre-made scripts that you simply drag and drop, all free to use.

Have a look at my youtube channel Alan Woodwell and enjoy the experience as when you find you can do this and put on a set of VR goggles the experience is amazing, you are there in your design, fully immersed. No dizziness with the new technology so far even with others that have used this that i have showed to.

 

Videos start here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu1rytQwVao

 

Enjoy

Edited January 27, 2018 by Alan Woodwell

[zeno]

good Work Alan! I will learn your videos! 

[Dave Donley]

Great video series, thank you Alan!!

 

[AlanW]

From Planet Vectorworks "VECTORWORKS VIRTUAL REALITY MODEL RECEIVES RECOGNITION AT SWISSBAU 2018"

Can anyone elaborate on this more please? is the model available to view? How was it converted over to a VR format for viewing in a (Looks like an Oculus Rift)?

Any information please?

[Dave Donley]

Yes this file was converted to Unity for use on a Rift.

 

[AlanW]

Hi, To make it easy for you all to start using Virtual Reality (VR) I have condensed into 2 videos the process of setting up the camera rig, play area and teleporting in Unity3D to allow you to walk around your Vectorworks Model in VR. I am using a HTCVive unit.

 

The second video shows how to export your Vectorworks model into unity.

The excel file walks through the steps in the video.

 

Any question will be happy to assist.

 

Once you set up one file it becomes a template for all other, no programming knowledge needed.

Picking up objects, opening doors and switching lights on and off can be seen in earlier videos.

 

HTH and enjoy the experience.

 

Setting up playarea & teleporting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFYqZpa1I0Q&t=204s

 

 

Exporting & Importing models - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy2JqGrZMok

 

Setting up.xlsx

[AlanW]

Hi all, I have placed the apartment file that i have been playing with in dropbox for anyone to download. You will be able to open and close doors, turn lights off and on and pick up a few items. By playing with this you can see the scripts and the way things work which will help to understand more about this fun process.

This is set up for HTV Vive. The right controller has a curved beam for teleporting around and the left a straight which i use to turn lights on. Light switches are rectangle objects next to pictures on walls. Any item you place your beam over and turns yellow you can pickup. Press the Controller grip button to pick up item when your controller is touching the item.

Have fun.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/11bwprw5xnft1am/Turramurra_001 - 180404.zip?dl=0

 

Copy this into your browser.

 

There is also available from the assets store Free a materials manager for swapping materials of objects. this is great as you can change material finishes live in VR. See video for demo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fidb-fv8KJ8

 

 

Edited April 4, 2018 by Alan Woodwell

[Brad Wetherall]

Hi Alan and others,

 

I'm completely new to VR.

 

Is it compatible with iPhone (and other smart phone) VR Headsets?

 

This would seem to be more accessible to your average client/vectorworks user.

[AlanW]

@Brad WetherallHi, using Unity you can export to a variety of platforms. I haven’t exported to iPhone or Android only for use on pc Andy I generally have my models displayed directly with my HTCVive.

Vectorworks will export via web view and you can use your iPhone to view 3D.

Edited June 15, 2018 by Alan Woodwell

[cwailes]

Are there other headsets that it will work with like the Utopia 360 pro?

[AlanW]

@ccwHi as I understand you simply use your phone and slot it into the device. There a many like this. The full vr experience comes with a proper headset like Vive or Oculus.

Not sure this answers your question.

[cwailes]

It does, just not wanting to spend $500 on a headset if one of the less expensive ones will work.