News From Arch Virtual
The latest in architectural visualization and virtual reality application development.
City Planning and Urban Design with Oculus Rift
Most of what we have been exploring with Virtual Cities initiative, starting with Virtual Dubuque, has been about how 3D city replicas can be used to understand cities in a deeply immersive way – rather than the abstract experience of Google Earth, or the photos from Street View, we wanted to make the virtual city experience more accessible, customizable, data-rich environments that convey a more holistic understanding of what it’s like to actually be in the city.
Oculus Rift Sketch Installation (free download)
I’ve been experimenting with a wide variety of design concepts for Oculus Rift environments, and wanted to share one of my test builds. You can download it here.
Revit and Oculus Rift via Unity3D: Experiencing BIM in Virtual Reality for Architectural Visualization
Oculus Rift completely changes the game. The very instant I stepped inside of our Revit model, I realized just how different the ‘in-world’ experience was from the drawings we were producing! It was a night and day difference.
10 Reasons Second Life is a Killer App for Oculus Rift, and why OpenSim will get there first
Second Life is a killer app for Oculus VR. Now, before you skip ahead to post a comment about how SL has been overrun by furries and 14 year olds, take a moment to scroll through these screenshots, and watch some of the machinima below.
First impressions of Oculus Rift: Architectural Visualization, Second Life, and beyond
I wish I had more time to write out a more extensive review of the Rift, but here are my first impressions:
You absolutely feel as if you are transported to another place, to the point where it’s almost scary.
Giant shamrocks take over Main Street!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Virtual Dubuque.
Is architecture in video games really architecture?
Let’s quibble over semantics, shall we? Take a look at these two pictures: Which one would you identify as architecture?
The Importance of Architecture in Video Games and Virtual Worlds
Architecture in video games matters, and there is a right way and a wrong way to approach it. Games are chock full of buildings, but there is a tremendous deficit of ‘Architecture.’ Here are some thoughts on the importance and potential of architecture in game design and virtual worlds.
Oculus Rift a Game Changer for Architectural Visualization and Design
“WOW!” Seems to be an almost universal reaction to a first experience trying on the new Oculus Rift VR headset. Seeing a players first experience with Rift is always interesting to see, as the player gradually becomes immersed, suspending their disbelief, and becoming part of the virtual environment.
15 Tips for Freelance Work in Games and Virtual Worlds Development
I love being a freelancer. I’ve been lucky enough to get away with it off for 9 out of the past 10 years, and wouldn’t have it any other way. However, it hasn’t always been easy – especially the first few years. There were so many hard earned lessons and missed opportunities that could easily have been avoided had I known better at the time. That’s what this post is all about.
New Virtual Learning and Workplace Campuses for Avaya with Gronstedt Group
During the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of working with Gronstedt Group and their clients at Avaya on a variety of immersive learning, training and workplace environments. Projects included 2 full campus areas, complete with libraries, auditoriums, office spaces and training rooms. These projects were realized using Avaya’s own AvayaLive Engage multi-user platform.
A Framework for Utilizing Realtime 3D Applications in Architectural Practice and Urban Design
The technologies and demand for realtime 3D visualization in architectural design and urban planning will almost certainly be commonplace in the years ahead, but realizing the full breadth of what is possible when realtime 3D is combined with multi-user, online user-generated environments will require a paradigm shift.
Excerpts from my contribution to CLOG:RENDERING about architecture in virtual worlds
Below are a couple of excerpts from my contribution to RENDERING, covering some of my thoughts on architecture in virtual worlds. The book is a publication of CLOG, and can be purchased HERE.
13 Predictions for 2013
I generally tend to be bullish on the future of virtual technologies, but I just don't see 2013 being a big year for this industry. I think we will likely see more of the same across the board. That doesn't necessarily mean it will be a bad year for developers, it...
2012 Prediction Results
I think I can build a strong case that I got 10 out of 12 accurate this year. Let’s see how it played out:
Muscat Youth Summit Virtual World
A virtual environment inspired by Arabic architectural traditions for a client in Muscat Oman. تطلق العالم الافتراضي للقمة ل Muscat الشباب