VR - Virtual Reality

[AlanW]

@ccwHi, the phone units are ok, but the proper headsets like the Vive is a world apart, higher resolution and an immersive experience. You need to try a set out to see the difference. The new wireless Vive is out in the UK. Mine is the cable one. The new unit is sold only as the headset and controllers seperate. Sort of an upgrade to the original unit, all the other parts, controlles etc can be used with it. Depends on what you want to use it for and how much you want to spend.

I might wait a bit to see if the new unit has any bugs before upgrading, and not sure about having all that wireless data being beamed so close to my head.

[cwailes]

Hi Alan, so I am considering getting the Oculus Rift. The excel file that you created, will these same steps work for it? I want to be able to look around (track head movement) as well as move forward, back, left or right using the controller, but also be able to teleport. I am completely new to VR, but this would be great to figure out.

[AlanW]

@ccwHi haven’t tried the Rift setup but I think we can figure it out. When setting up the controllers this is where it should be done. Will look at it next week when back from holidays.

Check web for Oculus setup and Unity.

[cwailes]

Thank you, Alan. Yes, I am going to get onto the Oculus development site and see what I can find as well.

[AlanW]

@ccw

try this as this is where I started.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=psPVNddjgGw

 

[AlanW]

@ccwIn London at present, back to Sydney next week.

Check out the VRTK videos and at the start of the setup you should see any section where they select either oculus or steam. Hopefully the rest is similar. Will look later.

Good luck.

[techgeek]

@Brad Wetherall Firstly, in a way we are all new to VR as it's always changing and evolving, lol, welcome to the club!

 

Secondly, yep, you can use Unity to bring your Vectorworks models into VR for viewing on standalone headsets like Oculus Go (and as of 2020 the Quest 1 and 2). @ccw Alan is right, the quality isn't the same as Vive or Rift, but being untethered and more affordable may make sharing with clients easier.

 

Here are a few key pointers to help light the way:

Download the free-for-personal-use version of Unity if you haven't already. Play around and experiment your way to success!

Export your Vectorworks model as .fbx and import into Unity

Follow this tutorial to integrate the free Oculus Integration package to quickly build an app for Oculus Quest!

 

VR has been such a joy for me to learn, I wish the same for you! Good luck 🙂

 

P.S. You might be interested to join the 'Vectorworks to VR' Facebook group, a growing community of Vectorworks users with a passion for all things VR!

Edited November 11, 2020 by techgeek
updating my 2 year old response with timely relevant info

[mike m oz]

I have a client who is having difficulty with the PC Navigation.  

 

Advice on how to get them a better experience would be greatly appreciated.

[AlanW]

@mike m ozHi you interested in getting the VR experience for your Client?? 

[mike m oz]

56 minutes ago, AlanW said:

Hi you interested in getting the VR experience for your Client?? 

 

Yes.

[AlanW]

@mike m oz

Hi I use Twin Motion, excellent program that works side by side with Vectorworks. Very easy to use and inexpensive. free to use no professionally and not that expensive for a perpetual licence and the results are amazing. You can walk a client through their design in live time and they can use a VR headset also.

I export Cinema 4D from VW with textures set. Looking to work more with datasmith more now which is a direct link with VW and getting much smoother.

Check out the Tutorials on line as they are helpful.

 

Example attached, still image from a walkaround in 3D.

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Great visual.  Is this Vectorworks or C4D.

Edited March 28, 2023 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[AlanW]

@VIRTUALENVIRONS Hi this was modeled in VW and exported as C4D and imported into Twin Motion. I rendered, add landscape and lights in TM. Most of the materials are set in VW and are adjustable in TM. This is a screen shot from the 3D walk-around model in TM. what you see i can move in live time around and all the lights etc are as you see here. Even the plants move with the breeze and the cat in the image off screen moves and licks his paws. All adds realism. You can make it snow or rain and look at it anytime of the day with a sun slider.

If you not using this for presentations you should.

I looked at your website and what you seem to be able to do there can be done in Twin Motion easily.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by AlanW

[mike m oz]

It isn't just about showing the client the design.  They need to be able to explore and understand what their project will be like.

 

Thus we need to be able to give a client a 3D model of the building and the site that they can easily navigate around.

[McG]

AlanW--you seem to have worked this out so I am jumping into this OP.

I am running VW Arch-2023 and the new version of TM--23.

 

Here is the sequence I am following and the result having tried several times.

 

1. Open VW file

2. INitiate Dsmith Direct Link Tool

3. Click tools and choose 'Low' for giggles

---I already created a folder for Datasmith files

4. Click the export file icon (its starts to export showing the progress bar and then abruptly quits

5. Click Sync

6. OPen TM and this is what I get when choosing import.

[AlanW]

@McG

HI. this is the process.

 

Open VW create a file with a few 3D items in it.

Click Datasmith Link, hit Datasmith Preferences and choose a location for the file to be placed, Choose custom and place a folder in the location you want Call TM Test select this folder and go OK.

 

Open TM 2023.1

Click Export Link in VW, open the file you created TM Test and click save (.udatasmith) it will export the information to that file.

In TM click the import and direct link icon, you won’t see anything.

 

Now Click Direct link auto sync in VW it will say “direct link auto started” and in a few seconds you will see the link pop up in TM and check your options and import Keep Hierarchy.

 

You are ready to go. Move something in VW and it moves in TM. Have 2 screes and both open.

 

Good luck and enjoy.

 

You may get a message from TM that you need to change your graphics driver. Its pretty specific. I have a high-level gaming driver and TM crashed a few times and when I changed the driver to the one they suggested all is good.

 

Alan

Edited April 28, 2023 by AlanW