Pre-Visualization Overview
The process of pre-visualizing your project with DreamTrace™ consists of four distinct steps:
Getting Started
To book a pre-visualization session with DreamTrace™, the first step is to Contact us to discuss your project.
In order to provide you with the most successful experience, we need to be briefed on the following:
- What are your goals for the DreamTrace™ pre-visualization?
- What software files will you provide? These could be files from your designer’s or architect’s software package, CAD files, or similar. We are happy to work directly with your design partner to ensure the appropriate files are gathered. You can find more information about pre-visualization file conversions here.
- How many people plan to attend the session? How many intend to take part in the VR experience?
- What is your desired range of dates for scheduling the pre-visualization at a DreamTrace™ location?
- Are there any special needs, conditions, or concerns related to the VR session or your project?
If you are uncertain as to the benefits that VR may have for your project, we are happy to arrange a tour and demo at your local DreamTrace location (for parties with a serious interest only).
Once we have the necessary information, we’ll coordinate with you for the project design files to be transferred to DreamTrace™. We’ll need to evaluate your files before arranging a final VR session date with you.
File Conversion
With your design files in hand, our team of visioneers will work to ready them for our digital VR environment. Not only will we convert the structures and dimensions, but we’ll add lighting and identify points of entry: specific locations in the VR rendition of your project where you will enter and begin walking through the virtual space. The result of this process accommodates all project sizes, including large locations and those with multiple floors.
The quality and detail of the VR environment greatly depends on your design files (as provided by your designer or architect). Textures and details, for example, will not appear unless present in your design files.
The file export of select design, architectural, or CAD software may require minor repair and manual work when transitioned to a VR environment. One hour of conversion work is included with your Pre-Visualization fee, additional hours may be charged, subject to your approval, to repair or enhance the file.
If you do not have a digital file for your project, DreamTrace™ can be retained to create the VR environment for based on your specifications.
Mored details regarding the conversion of native design files to the VR format can be found here.
The VR Session
Once your VR project file is ready, a DreamTrace™ representative will contact you to schedule the main event – the VR Pre-visualization session.
On the scheduled date and time, you’ll arrive at the designed DreamTrace™ location where you will be greeted by one of our intrepid visioneers. The visioneer will escort you into one of our PreViz Lounges to discuss your objectives for the session. The visioneer will also review general safety information and provide training in the simple ArcViz™ hand-gestures available while taking part in the VR experience.
Next you and up to five other team members will be outfitted with lightweight backpack PCs and custom DreamTrace™ VR visors. When ready, the group will be escorted onto the DreamStage adjoining the PreViz lounge.
(Please read our COVID-19 mitigation plan and accessible PPE here [Link]).
Upon lowering your VR visor, you’ll enter the DreamSpace: the virtual staging area that lies between the real world and your virtual project. After you and your team have been synchronized with our system, a process that takes only moments, the visioneer will trace you into your VR project and the magic begins!
While in VR, you may look and move about freely through the digital environment, up to the boundaries of the actual stage. The virtual environment will reveal any approaching physical wall long before you might bump into it, so you can enjoy exploring your project as if you were there in person.
Our proprietary ArcViz™ software turns your simple hand-gestures into powerful tools to point at objects, capture digital photos of the virtual environment, invoke a measuring grid, record audio commentary, and draw markup and notation directly on what you’re observing.
For the entire pre-visualization session, you’ll be in direct audio contact with your assigned visioneer who’ll ensure your safety, assist you with questions, and trace you into other areas of your project when you’re ready (for large projects).
Additional details on the DreamTrace stage experience and ArcViz™ can be found here.
Session Assets
A few business days after your VR PreViz session, DreamTrace™ will have compiled your session assets and make them available for online download. The digital asset files will consist of the following:
- Images and mark-ups created inside the VR environment (organized by team member)
- Audio commentary recorded inside the VR environment (organized by team member)
- A “fly through” software executable of your project, enabling you to move through a 3D recreation of your project (not in VR) on your computer using keyboard controls.
We’re confident these assets will be useful for your continued review and consideration of your project. We consider these assets an important part of the value our customers receive from the DreamTrace™ VR Pre-Visualization service.
