New Developments in VBS3 GameTech 2014
Agenda VBS3 status VBS3 v3.4 released VBS3 v3.6 in development Key new VBS3 capabilities Paged, correlated terrain Command and control Advanced wounding Helicopter mission simulation VBS3 focus: 2015 The New VBSDN VBS3 as a Development Platform Engine improvements AI enhancements Solving the Terrain Problem Modularity
VBS3? VBS3 is a game-based tactical training & mission rehearsal tool First-person virtual sandbox Tailored for military use: large terrains, military-specific capability Can be tailored to meet new training needs: open platform Combined arms, UAV, ISTAR, C2, Image Generation, part-task
VBS3 Status VBS3 3.4 released Most stable VBS release, after several man-years of US Army and USMC testing Major new features in 3.4: More realistic 2D map Event log in after-action review (AAR) Advanced wounding: specify wounds in-game, view more detailed wounded info in AAR Support for bridge laying Logistics report Ability to jump and climb obstacles Improved fast roping Air resupply Next public VBS3 release, 3.6, will be available in November
Improved 2D map example (v3.4), with shaded relief (v3.6) VBS3 Status
VBS3 Status Support for bridge laying (v3.4) - video
VBS3 Status Ability to jump and climb obstacles (v3.4) - video
VBS3 Status Editor object tree structure (v3.4) - video
VBS3 Status Advanced wounding (v3.4) - video
Additional wounding information in the AAR (v3.4) - video VBS3 Status
Key New VBS3 Capabilities
Key New Capabilities: Terrain Larger terrains through improved terrain paging (v3.6) - video Example: 2200km x 2200km East Coast USA terrain, can load in under 10 seconds* Supports high detail insets Supports procedural biotopes for complete vegetation coverage Correlates with other simulations, has been terrain tested with OneSAF * Depends on hardware, SSD preferred
Key New Capabilities : Terrain Larger terrains through improved terrain paging (v3.6) - video Example: 2200km x 2200km East Coast USA terrain, can load in under 10 seconds* Supports high detail insets Supports procedural biotopes for complete vegetation coverage Correlates with other simulations, has been terrain tested with OneSAF TerraTools and MatieralMap are key for building large VBS terrains TerraTools is highly effective for multi-maps, with offline procedural generation MaterialMap accelerates the process of applying surface materials to VBS terrains * Depends on hardware, SSD preferred
Key New Capabilities: ARH Improvements to the VBS3 ARH (Eurocopter Tiger) flight model to support mission simulation (v3.4) Simulation of cockpit systems Moving map Electronic Warning System Reference marks (waypoints) Helmet mounted sight display More realistic NVG simulation Forward Air Refueling Points Weapon simulation Rockets Hellfire missiles Video
Key New Capabilities: C2 Command and Control Improvements (v3.5) - video Build order of battle (ORBAT) command hierarchies in the VBS mission editor Command units can be given movement orders which will move the entire formation Example ORBAT formations: Company level: column Platoon level: line Squad level: wedge
Key New Capabilities: Avatar In-game avatar reflects real life attributes Fitness Weapons skills Vehicle skills Appearance (face and body shape) DTMS integration
Key New Capabilities: Avatar Soldier parameters can be loaded from DTMS or entered manually Custom load-outs can be created through the Avatar interface
Key New Capabilities: Avatar Support for custom orders of battle (Squad hierarchy) Support for validation by administrator
Key New Capabilities: CCTT (VBS IG)
Key New Capabilities: CCTT (VBS IG) VBS IG is the first delivered plug-in built using our new plug-in architecture The VBS IG plug-in turns any VBS3 instance into an IG VBS3 optimizations were implemented to ensure high frame rates at 7km object draw and 100km+ view distance Included terrain format optimizations Includes a maintenance console for administration and debugging of VBS3 instances
Key New Capabilities: Sensor API The VBS3 Sensor API allows 3 rd parties to define own sensors like FLIR through a plug-in interface Geometry can be peeled, so sensors can "see" through certain materials like bush and grass (depth peels) Per-pixel information accessible includes material ID, RGB color, lighting info etc Sensors can be enabled and disabled through VBS script
Key New Capabilities: RTT from a plug-in VBS3 v3.6 supports render to texture (RTT) from a Fusion plug-in Allows a plug-in to render to an in-game 3D object Following images show rendering a web browser and pong in-game (video) Lots of possibilities, e.g. cockpit instrumentation, CCTV, radar visualizations
Key New Capabilities: Oculus Rift DK2
Key New Capabilities: Oculus Rift DK2
VBS3 Focus: 2015
VBS3 for Integrators "The New VBSDN" VBSDN (VBS Developer Network) is being re-launched next April VBS3 + modules + development tools + improved docs + improved support Employ VBS3 on desktops, as an Image Generator or anywhere in between!
VBS3 for Integrators "The New VBSDN" Dedicated support engineers and improved documentation Interop interface access (build your own APIs, DIS or HLA gateway etc) Example plug-ins include VBS IG and the new Sensor API Render VBS3 as part of a windows application Non-proprietary development pipeline (as far as possible) Improved terrain development tools (TerraTools / V4 integration) Supporting both procedural generation and hand-editing Export correlated terrain for other runtimes directly from VBS3 terrain
VBS3 for Integrators "The New VBSDN" Example: Motion capture by Microsoft Kinect v2 BISim is building a new pipeline for animation import into VBS3 based upon Blender Following are examples of raw (on left) and clean (on right) Kinect v2 data applied to a skeleton, processed in Blender
VBS3 for Integrators "The New VBSDN" Example: Improved character head rig The new VBS3 head rig provides many more bones for a wider range of expressions Further work is scheduled to add more mimics, blend mimics more smoothly, support idle animations and improve blinking Future work will include the addition of wrinkle maps and corrective morphs
AI Overhaul
Solving the Terrain Problem VBS3 currently supports large, paged terrains 2200km x 2200km proven, East Coast USA Offline generation of terrain, buildings and other features through TerraTools Runtime generation of biotopes and roads based upon polygons and linears but, this relies on accessible, quality source data We have commenced a project to deliver: Round earth, with base terrain procedurally created directly from source data (DTED) Smooth transition from high elevation to ground level
Solving the Terrain Problem Procedural data fills out the entire planet, but real data (generated through an offline process) can be used where required
The Future Modular VBS
In conclusion VBS3 is constantly evolving and improving in accordance with the military training and simulation requirement VBS v3.4 is released, VBS3 v3.6 coming in November We are planning to re-launch VBSDN as a tailored product for military system integrators Our roadmap will see VBS3 become a more modular product suited to the widest possible range of military training uses