| Visualization, especially the development of Virtual | | | | 3. 360/720 degree virtual view: view the space or |
| Environments (VEs) make a significant impact on | | | | item in 360 degree freely with limited zoom in and |
| how construction project stakeholders can | | | | zoom out. Single viewpoint. Can be delivered in |
| perceive and successfully complete their projects; | | | | Flash, QuickTime or other scripted computer |
| sales, marketing and manage the properties. | | | | language. |
| The purposes of visualization general fall into two | | | | 4. Animation: images are display smooth move at |
| categories: | | | | 24 to 30 frame per second. Such as via Flash, |
| | | | QuickTime, Windows Media files, etc. The route |
| 1. Improve the design or construction works | | | | either pre-setup or have single viewpoint. It also |
| 2. Make sell which either sell the design or sell the | | | | knows as fly through. |
| property | | | | 5. Virtual Reality or Interactive virtual model: It is |
| Most times, the different visualization purposes will | | | | simulated 3D virtual environment which user can |
| affect how to get the visualization projects done. | | | | interactive with. This technique is invaluable to |
| Understanding of visualization technology and | | | | modern architects, engineers, real estate |
| workflow will make signification impact on the | | | | developers, facility manager and marketing |
| budget and how well the goal can be achieved. | | | | professionals as it allows them to simulate most |
| This article will overview below major areas, but | | | | scenarios that they will encounter during the |
| provide detail in separated articles. | | | | design, construction, and eventually the life of the |
| About visualizations, there are: | | | | structure they are attempting to build, manage |
| Three major categories | | | | and sale. Virtual reality allows the project team |
| | | | members to essentially create their structures |
| 1. Visualization (texture mapping, ray tracing, | | | | and test them without wasting any of the |
| lighting and photo editing) | | | | resources necessary to complete the structure in |
| 2. Animation/simulation (fly-by, walk-through) | | | | reality. For the marketing, sale professionals and |
| 3. Modeling (solid modeling, surface modeling, | | | | potential buyer, they sale and explore every |
| wireframe modeling) | | | | possible units, layout, appliance, material, color, |
| Three major process steps | | | | textures options long before the model unit |
| | | | available. |
| 1. Content creation (3D modeling, texturing, | | | | 6. Mixed Reality: It combine real and virtual world |
| animation) | | | | to create a new environment which real and |
| 2. Scene layout setup (lighting especially but also | | | | virtual world co-exist and interactive in real time. |
| the creation of the surface or mesh) | | | | The real world can be still picture or steam live |
| 3. Rendering (instant rendering and no instant | | | | video via locally or remotely camera. Mixed Reality |
| rendering) | | | | brings the interaction and virtual world to another |
| 4. View flow and interactive system setup (this | | | | level. |
| doesn't apply to the traditional static graphic) | | | | Three styles |
| Six major technologies | | | | |
| | | | 1. Photorealistic |
| 1. Static rendering: either 2D or 3D imagery. | | | | 2. Non Photorealistic |
| Photorealistic rendering needs high-end hardware, | | | | 3. Non rendered computer graphic |
| software and comprehensive library. It is | | | | Five major delivery structures |
| foundation of following solutions. | | | | |
| 2. Animated images: multiple static images are put | | | | 1. Standalone file |
| together and show the images in sequence | | | | 2. Interactive CD |
| automatically. Such as via GIF image or scripted | | | | 3. Client - server structure |
| web pages, etc. | | | | 4. |