The world of virtual reality (VR) and real-time rendering software is heating up. The folks at Italian software maker EYECAD VR have reached out to Architosh earlier today to inform us of their relatively new product offering. And they have a catchy cool tagline also—”Reality is not enough.”
While the product is young, the company importantly made a note to Architosh that their latest release is available for Apple’s macOS platform. Let’s take a look at what eyecad VR is all about.
The new EYECAD VR
Working from Piazza Federico di Svevia, Syracuse, Italy, the award-winning tech startup has three products within the same range—eyecad VR, eyecad VR Advanced, and eyecad VR Pro. With eyecad VR you import your models from a variety of software systems and execute high-quality real-time renders and VRs.
Key Takeaways
This new virtual reality software solution set includes three discreet applications that run on both Windows and macOS. eyecad VR is far more than just an application to get your 3D models into an interactive VR environment, you can create complex landscapes and position your building in real urban GIS-based contexts.
Its real-time rendering engine enables AEC professionals like architects to explore and check their designs utilizing features like dynamic environments, interactive lights, moving objects, the importation of HDRI images of the real world from project sites, and the exploration of materials and library objects. Once an environment is established one click renders up to 4k resolution are produced with a click of a single button and interactive exploration of the environment takes place with output to various VR options.
01 – Image of EYECAD VR application and its output quality are quite stunning in this example above of the Mies Farnsworth House.
eyecad VR is compatible with plugins and other workflow options with a wide variety of leading-edge tools, including Revit, ARCHICAD, Rhino, Cinema 4D, ALLPLAN, SketchUp Pro, Maya, Max, Blender, Mudbox, ACCA Edificius, and 3CAD Evolution (those last two are new to us).
eyecad VR Start
The basic version is called Start and includes the ability to do import your model, utilize VR interactions, and work with objects and materials and the material editor itself. You can also share your work with your clients to mobile and desktop.
eyecad VR Advanced
The Advanced version adds lighting sources, the environment editor, photo-realistic rendering, and ultra quality options. There are over 400 PBR (physically based render) materials available in eyecad VR.
eyecad VR Pro
The Pro version adds the Landscape toolset that enables you to create amazing landscapes, as well as the Videomaker and Worldmap features. With the powerful terrain editor, you can create realistic natural environments complete with water like as in rivers, ponds, lakes, complete with animated vegetation, hills and mountains and more.
02 – Another view of the eyecad VR user interface.
The DEM (Digital Elevation Map) support in Pro enables the user to place their project in the real world. The WorldMap function places in actual map-based context data and you can determine the height of all buildings. This tool is powered by GIS technology. With the real world shown the user can then place their building into this environment. The Pro version also features technology to help make stunning video animations and various water simulations for renders.
Virtual Reality Apps for Mobile
The Italian software company also has both Apple iOS and Google Android mobile apps called eyecad VR. These free apps are for viewing projects in virtual reality and can be used in Cardboard.
Availability and Licenses
The Start edition of eyecad VR cost 399.euro, Advanced edition, 799.euro, and the Pro edition are 1,199.euro. All three versions ship for both Windows and macOS and are lifetime licenses. You can read minimum hardware requirements here (i5 or better) and the VR Kit for desktop requires computers that can drive VIVE, Oculus or Windows MR devices.
There is a SketchUp and Revit plugin today and a Rhino plugin coming soon. To learn more visit here.
Architosh Analysis and Commentary
This new VR software system offers designers three levels of creative control at three price points. While there are many new VR authoring solutions out there on Windows there has been a dearth of native macOS tools. The good news is this is starting to change ever since Apple released new Mac hardware capable of powering some of the leading VR headsets.
And the news will get better. Architosh, while at AU 2018, discovered another excellent VR authoring tool which we will share with you all shortly in another report. So stay tuned!