HTC Vive and Building Content

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3DForensics
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HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by 3DForensics »

Hello All,

I am looking to bring point clouds into a VR experience but I also have the ability to create my own 3D content with meshes and traditional modeling. Are there any users here currently doing the same?

I would like some pointers on any software that helps to bring point clouds and 3D models into a VR experience. At the moment I know that FARO and Arena 4D both have software to help with this. Is there anything else I should be looking at?

Thanks,

Eugene
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by jcoco3 »

Unity 3D and Stingray :)

https://unity3d.com/
https://www.autodesk.com/products/stingray/overview

Think you have seen this before, but it is worth repeating as game engines are good platforms for VR.

youtu.be/
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by Attreyu »

We do exactly this - using Unity and CryEngine to import the FBX (embedded texture option).

The workflow is as follows - scan the items (laser scanners, photogrammetry) - pointcloud - polygonal meshes, textured - decimate the meshes so you don't end up with millions of polys for each object/scene (this can be done in Max, Blender, Zbrush, Agisoft, whichever you feel confortable using) - importing in Unity - arrangement, lighting, camera set-up, characters - export in VR.

I can crop a short demo of how it looks at the end really quick if you need, upload it and post it in here, if it's ok...
www.3deva.com - Digitalisation, Pointcloud to Mesh conversions, Virtual Reality
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by 3DForensics »

Thanks for the post...if you are willing to do anything related to this in the form of a tutorial, you have my full attention.

Has anyone been successful at importing a point cloud into Unity?

Thanks,

Eugene
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

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Last edited by SAttaya on Fri May 05, 2017 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by Attreyu »

You can import pointclouds into Unity no problem - one of the best plugins for that is this: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/16019

The problem is that you won't be able to export anything which can be explored, in VR or otherwise, since only meshes can have collider properties.

Without being able to collide with objects, you'll simply walk through the objects, and this is also true for terrains (if you're scanning the floors as well, which would be logical to do, especially for interiors) - which would lead to freefalls through the level, so basically useless.

The reason for that is that you need polygons to be attached with colliding information, whilst points (vertices, voxels, pixels, etc.) can't store that type of information, and even if they could, since they aren't arranged in a predictible order, it won't be too useful.

I'm not aware of any commercial engine which lets you explore pointclouds in VR properly, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

On the other side, even if it would be possible, you'd need a monster of a computer to render that level at a decent resolution, at 90HZ (FPS).

Maybe some VR plugin/add-on/functionality for Scene could help ?
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by 3DForensics »

Great information for a newbie like me and thanks for the link.

I could see a way of making a very low res mesh of the point cloud to use as a collider and then just hide it so all you see is the point cloud.

Not sure if that would work in Unity but that would be my "back door" way of doing it.

Do you know if Unity is setup to use the HTC controllers for interaction?
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by Attreyu »

Yes, I was just compiling a quick demo for you, as promised :)

Not sure if it'll work correctly - we're using a Rift instead of Vive, but you need the following to get the ball rolling:

- the SteamVR plugin from the Unity Store - download and import it into Unity, it will ask to rectify any settings needed for VR - https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/32647

- the SteamVR runtime from Steam - in Tools, SteamVR.

- build your level and then use this walkthrough to implement the camera and the controllers, also teleportation instead of normal walking - https://www.raywenderlich.com/149239/ht ... rial-unity

I've uploaded the demo to WeTransfer, it's a zip file which uncompressed will result in a folder + .exe.

I promise that there are no funny things in the archive, like viruses, trojans or malware, I've just built it 5 minutes ago in Unity - just make sure that the headset is connected. I've not tinkered with the controllers (as said, I don't have a Vive around so I did it blindly), so it's possible that you'll have no way of teleporting across the map, but headtracking should work.

https://we.tl/yS7OXVpswT
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by jcoco3 »

Ha, I was just about to point out the same plugin :) I used that point cloud import plugin a couple years ago to import some scans of the dolphin resort that Eugene scanned with one of the first X330s. It worked well, but getting the color in was bit tricky and if you wanted to use a large file you had to split it. It was fun running around shooting the point cloud with a machine gun, but missing colliders and physics it got boring quick.

Also, I learned something the hard way worth sharing. If you plan to scan, mesh, and then generate colliders, just make sure you open every door before you start scanning :?
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Re: HTC Vive and Building Content

Post by ddustin »

Can't you make colliders that are invisible?
Eugene, when we did the Ayers shooting case at the gas station, I made colliders that were then made invisible but still active.
Same thing when we made the Bin Laden Compound..
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