VR Test #4 @Vectorworks #Oculus #UnrealEngine

Posted onAuthorMark StephensLeave a comment

I think this may be last post (for a while) on the testing we’ve been doing with VectorWorks, Unreal Engine and a Oculus Quest 2 VR headset…

THIS is the last post that gives the links for the previous ones and introduces Unreal Engine.

But why do you need to use Unreal? Here’s a few key selling points:

  • The software works directly with CAD/BIM software and in our case this is VectorWorks
  • Unreal engine is realtime rendering; no waiting for views to render – you move the mouse and the rendering updates in real-time – at a high resolution & fast! This includes realtime global illumination via Lumen
  • Unreal Engine is completely programmable using drag & drop noded based object orientated programming – and if you want to go further you can even write in C++ – this means that in an architectural model you could program doors to open, TV’s to play, remote controls for lighting – anything where you need interactivity in a scene – this is why Unreal Engine has become sucha big deal for game designers
  • Unreal Engine works with VR headsets – the one used here is the Oculus Quest 2 (thanks again Stephen for the loan)

    The YouTube below shows some of the Unreal Engine features in more detail:

    So back to the test. In the previous post I had the headset working but without the hand controllers fully functional. A special thanks now to 2nd son who’s a specialist instructor in Unreal where he gave me the heads up on importing my CAD model into the VR Game template. You can see a screen grab of this template below; from scratch you have the ability to pick-up, throw, and shoot!

    So then I imported a Vectorworks test model – note that I put the guns away neatly on top of the island 😉

    My son quickly showed me how the programming is built into Unreal Engine using ‘Blueprint’ – below is a screen grab of some nonsense from this (as haven’t got to gripped with this yet!):

    So back to the main test in that the headset and hand controllers worked well; full immersive viewing with the ability to move and teleport functioning well within scenes. But this type of functionailty would work with a lot of CAD/3D software now (check out the previous post on SketchUp HERE but what separates Unreal Engine I believe is that additional functionality you can get with the programming capabilities in addition to the immersive, real-time rendering – imagine walking through the house where the remote control can alter the lighting and TV from within the scene – your home automation software allows the curtains/blinds to be automatically pulled… the sky’s the limit!

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