Game Engines Archives - Digital Urban

UCL Live Campus Augmented Reality App – Created by Masters Students at CASA

Andy — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 08:23:03 +0000

UCLive is an Augmented Reality Map of UCL developed by students on the Masters in Advanced Spatial Analysis and Visualisation at CASA. Featuring live data, the augmented reality android app works by simply pointing your mobile device at any of the UCL maps across campus.
Running in Unity and mixing a number of GIS and Agent Based Modelling elements, the development is outlined below:

A three dimensional base model was created with SketchUp on top of the UCL campus map;
Moving agents and transports are added into the application to show local bus and tube routes;
Sounds are embedded into the application from the UCL Soundcloud;
Online data on buildings, Twitter and PC Cluster availability – live;
The user’s location is shown in the application map.

Augmented Reality UCL Map

Produced by Ayana Kito ( http://3rdplat.blogspot.co.uk ), Balamurgan Soundararaj ( http://geoidin.wordpress.com ), Daniel Lam ( http://spatiametrics.wordpress.com ) and Nicola Clark (http://cityofblindinglights.org ) it represents the output of the final visualisation project on the masters course. The movie illustrates the app in action:
Take a look at the main UCLive page for full details and updates, we are currently exploring next steps to move the app towards release on Android and iOS.
You can still apply for 2013/14 entry to the MRes in Advanced Spatial Analysis and Visualisation the final full time deadline for applications: August 2nd.

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Urban Ball – CityEngine, Unity and Agent Based Modelling on the iPad

Andy — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:14:26 +0000

CityEngine combined with Unity and a tablet – iOS requires a developers account, Android simple needs the 30 days Unity trial – allows city wide models to run with a touch based interface.

Urban Ball – CityEngine and Unity on iOS

We have used our recent work on Unity and Agent Based modelling to create a simple app called ‘Urban Ball’. Development time so far is around a couple of days so the route from city modelling through to iOS app is remarkably short. Via some tweaked physics and a touch interface linked to a to a ball (the target) we have a simple agent based model on the iPad.
The movie below shows the app so far:
We have been impressed with the rapid development path using Unity and the ability of the iPad to run city wide models complete with agents. Arguably we have completed a proof of concept here, in the next few weeks we will explore how much further we can go – perhaps to release our first free iPad/Android app….
See also – Trail Rending of Agents with NavMesh, Physics, Unity and CityEngine, Augmented Reality City Table Top – Unity, CityEngine and Vufoira and Shortest Path Modelling and NavMesh in Unity and CityEngine.

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CryEngine 3 The Possibilities

Andy — Sun, 27 May 2012 10:53:00 +0000

On our MRes in Advanced Spatial Analysis and Visualisation we are currently focused on Lumion and Unity for rapid urban or data visualisation. Yet our eyes are turning towards the possibilities offered by the CryEngine 3. With a 2013 release it is looking well timed for next years options.

The CryEngine with its Sandbox mode has always been streets ahead of other game engines. CryEngine 3 with its DX11 integration, dynamic A1 for agent based models and adaptive tessellation looks like opening up new possibilities for urban visualisation, data integration and crowd based simulation. The movie below looks at these possibilities:

Take a look at http://www.crytek.com/cryengine for more details.

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ESRI CityEngine, Lumion, and SketchUp – The Ultimate City Toolkit?

Andy — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:17:00 +0000

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at ESRI’s CityEngine and how it can be used to create rapid urban scenes. As we noted it moves GIS visualisation a step forward while at the same time bringing procedural city modelling into the mainstream game engine world. Of course th
e heart of the CityEngine is the ability to import real world data but to get to grips with the interface it is sometimes easier to look at creating urban scenes from simple procedural rules.

As part of the MRes in Advanced in Spatial Analysis and Visualisation, here in CASA we have been looking at various techniques to visualise urban data. One such technique is the creation of a 3D exhibition space, allowing agent based models and urban data to be visualised within an architectural space.

Music by
Portoponte

The movie above combines the use of CityEngine in Lumion with SketchUp and 3DMax to insert an exhibition space into a city while burning the CASA logo into the street network. CityEngine is a notable step forward for ESRI, both in terms of visualisation and analysis, linking it with Lumion and SketchUp allows it to be taken even further, towards the ultimate city creation toolkit…

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Leadwerks Engine for Architectural Visualisation

Andy — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:59:00 +0000

Its always good to see innovation in the field of real-time visualisation in relation to architectural projects. Our argument is usually not to go for the known route, the high priced software engines, but to explore other solutions for clients. As such it is really nice to see visualisation company Pure3d using the Leadwerks Editor.

The movie below details realtime rendering, for a french client with the purpose of selling real estates:

Pure3d’s remit was to deliver a rendered movie template which could be used for further editing and audio overlay. The visualisation was based upon CAD floor plans which they used as a base for modeling and layout.

In terms of Interactivity, the project can be presented in a game like setting with realtime interactivity, this allows prospective purchasers to take a free look around the site and properties.

Rendering is quick with the source material movie output to 4000x3000px per frame in less than 30 minutes on a single workstation, this in turn means notable savings in production costs.

Head over to the Pure3d Leadwerks Meets Architecture blog for more info and screenshots.

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Architectural Visualisation in Crysis (The Engine)

Andy — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Vladymi, an architect from Ukraine, got in contact to let us know that as a result of some of our blog posts he has decided to move almost entirely to game engines for visualisation.
His current ‘engine’ of choice is the CryEngine2:

Vladymi makes the point that such engines allow A0 size renders in seconds and export movies at above HD resolution in near real-time. The work load is also minimal in importing models, whats not to like?
See the ArchMod site for more details.

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Architectural Visualisation in Crysis (The Engine)

Andy — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:07:00 +0000

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German and UK Truck Simulator

Andy — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:30:00 +0000

We can’t quite remember our search terms on game engines this morning but we stumbled upon a game entitled ‘German Truck Simulator’.

The game allows you to drive across a realistic depiction of Germany, visit its cities, choose from over sixty kinds of cargo, and deliver them. The game progresses by growing your truck fleet and hire the most experienced drivers to build up a business:

The game has been developed by the makers of simulations in the 18 Wheels of Steel series and authors of Euro Truck Simulator. There is quite a niche market for this type of game although the web page states that ‘we are happy to confirm that the game has been released in Poland – a country where we know our games have lots of fans’.
Here is the official Polish game website: germantrucksimulator.pl.
It would be easy to put in a few jokes here and there, but in terms of simulation and visualisation this has got potential and we note there is now a UK version:
The UK version was relased last week, ever had a craving to drive the motorways of the UK and chose between over sixty kinds of cargo to deliver? Head over to http://www.uktrucksimulator.com/ for full details.
The the 1-hour trail demo version of the UK game is not available until April 19th, 2010 but you can download the German version now.
Do let us know how you get on if you do, happy trucking.

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How the 3D Engine is Changing the World: The Guardian

Andy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Keith Stuart has a good article in today’s Guardian Newspaper entitled ‘How the 3D Engine is Changing the World’. Keith notes that John D Carmack, the programming legend behind the Doom and Quake games runs an aerospace company as a relaxing diversion from his role as technical director at games developer, id. Which goes to show that 3D engine design isn’t rocket science – it’s far more complicated than that.

You can read the full article online, including our thoughts on Google SketchUp….

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How the 3D Engine is Changing the World: The Guardian

Andy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:48:00 +0000

You can read the full article online, including our thoughts on Google SketchUp….

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