May 05

White Paper – VR Deployment for Real Estate Visualization

 

Introduction

This document is created to help understand the work flow, hardware/personnel requirements for mobile and PC powered VR Deployment for Real Estate Industry.
Our whitepaper focuses on the requirements for capturing professional grade, virtual reality  experiences.

In this white paper we cover…
•    Virtual Reality Deployment for Mobile
•    The pros and cons of different approaches to VR
•    High End VR deployment for HTC Vive / Oculus Rift

 

1.0 VR MOBILE DEPLOYMENT

This requires the end user to have access to a Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, or GearVR.  With current available mobile VR technology, we advise 3 different types of VR deployment: 360° image slides, stereo cubemap image slides, and simplified photogrammetry models.

1.1 360 Image Slides

Pros

360° image slides are the cheapest, easiest, and fastest method of VR deployment.  360° image slides can be deployed via Web, Android, and IOS devices.

Cons

Users are limited to a rotational 360° view within each scene, however users can be teleported from room to room.  There is no three-dimensional depth and the image will look flat.  Users will have limited interactions with the scene.

360° image slides can be produced by 360° cameras such as the Ricoh Theta.  However, even a traditional camera can be used with 360° image stitching software.  After the 360° image is taken, it can be ported to the Web or Unity and viewed by using any mobile VR hardware like Google Cardboard.

 

Workflow per scene will look like:  (additional scenes require additional hours)

  1. Take 360° photo of house. (10 minutes depending on scene set up and location)
  2. Photo editing to enhance captured image (1 hour per room)
  3. Insert photos to Web or Unity for VR viewing (1 hour per image)
  4. QA testing on target platform (8 hours depending on platform)

 

1.2 Stereo Cubemaps

Pros

Stereo cube map images can project three-dimensional depth of detailed architectural renders or photos.  Stereo cubemaps can be deployed via Web, Android, and IOS devices.  (further reading: https://developers.google.com/vr/concepts/vrview )

Cons

Users are limited to a rotational 360 view within each scene, however users can be teleported from room to room.  Users will have limited interactions with the scene.  Image creation will require either an expensive stereo camera (ex: Vuze camera) or a skilled 3D architectural rendering artist.

Stereo cubemaps can be produced in 2 ways.

First method requires a specially designed camera that can take stereoscopic 360°photographs of an existing house.  (Ex: Vuze Camera)

Workflow per scene will look like:  (additional scenes require additional hours)

  1. Take stereoscopic 360°photograph of house.
  2. Photo editing to enhance captured image
  3. Insert photos to Web or Unity app for VR viewing
  4. QA testing on target platform (

 

Stereo cubemaps can also be produced using 3d modelling software such as Blender, Maya, 3DS Max.  The house can be a concept and does not need to exist if this method is used.

Workflow per scene will look like:   (additional scenes require additional hours)

  1. Work with client to obtain reference images. Photos of similar houses, blue prints, sketches, more and better quality reference images produce the best results. (hours depend on client’s ability to produce references for artist)
  2. House model creation using 3D software
  3. Texturing and shading mesh using 3D software
  4. Render the 3D scene
  5. Insert photos to Web or Unity app for VR viewing (
  6. QA testing on target platform

Workflow is only for overall look of the house and rooms.  Kitchen details, bathroom details, furniture will all require additional time.   However, if 3D modelled assets already exist, they can be reused again for much faster project completion times.  Buying art assets are almost always worth it compared to hiring an artist to make 3d assets from scratch.

 

1.3 Photogrammetry

Pros

Users can view a digitized form of a real location with many extra features that can be accessed anywhere.  Users can move around the area and explore how different spaces are connected to each another.

Cons

Creating a compelling experience will require a lot of development time.

Photogrammetry is a method of creating a 3d model using many photos taken of real objects at different angles.  Further reading: https://steamcommunity.com/games/250820/announcements/detail/117448248511524033 ) This requires a high quality camera with wide angle lens and an environment with even lighting (low contrast between shadows and light) and not too many reflective objects.  We recommend Reality Capture or Agisoft as the main photogrammetry software to create the 3d model.  A fast PC with lots of RAM (~128GB) is recommended when using photogrammetry software.

Workflow per scene will look like:   (additional scenes require additional hours)

  1. Take many (400+) photographs of the property at various angles.
  2. Photo editing to prepare captured images for better processing
  3. Use photogrammetry software to create 3d model
  4. Retopologize mesh (reduce mesh count using software) so it can be used in Unity.
  5. Texture editing.
  6. Add scene to Unity along with adding extra features requested by client and add shaders for windows and shiny objects if they exist.

 

2.0 HTC VIVE/OCULUS RIFT DEPLOYMENT

This requires the end user to either own or have access to a powerful PC with the latest VR headset that is either HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.  These platforms allow developers to add a plethora of features and interactions to the project along with one of the best features for VR immersion, positional tracking.

2 main methods of creating VR Real Estate for PC are:

2.1 Photogrammetry

Similar workflow to 1.3.  However, realism can be pushed further and more features can be added with a PC version of photogrammetry.

2.2 3D Modelling

VR real estate can also be created by a team of Unity developers and 3d modelers.  In this case the house does not need to exist and can be created from concept.

Workflow per scene will look like:   (additional scenes require additional hours)

  1. Work with client to obtain reference images. Photos of similar houses, blue prints, sketches, more and better quality reference images produce the best results for 3D renders. (hours depend on client’s ability to produce references for artist)
  2. General mesh creation using 3D software
  3. General texturing and shading the mesh using 3D software
  4. Combining textures into a texture atlas and preparing for Unity import
  5. Add scene to Unity along with adding extra features requested by client and add shaders and lighting to entire scene.

Workflow is only for overall look of the house and rooms.  Kitchen details, bathroom details, furniture will all require additional time.   However, if these art assets already exist, they can be reused again for a much faster project completion time.  Buying art assets are almost always worth it compared to hiring an artist to make 3d assets from scratch.

 

 

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