Visualization has become increasingly important for our studio, so we want to share this making-of to describe our approach in this area and demonstrate what software tools and creative techniques we use for maritime visualization. We hope this article will help to build trust and confidence, showing the EDGED’s commitment to professionalism and expertise, and help our customers understand the process and potential outcomes.

NVIDIA Omniverse USD Composer (formerly Create) is a great scene composition tool that provides breathtaking real-time RTX rendering. Its incredible assembling abilities are based on Universal Scene Description (USD), which allows users to easily organize, navigate, and modify their scenes. The application also includes animation, physics, and streaming capabilities.

We started using USD Composer just after it became available, but in the beginning we were not really interested in USD. We needed a simple tool to make high-quality renders of our real-time 3D models for the customer’s approval. Composer coped with this task perfectly. Over time, we discovered many features that make assembling scenes and even the 3D model development process much easier than our existing tools and approaches.

We received quite a surprising request for a shipyard 3D model suitable for virtual reality (VR) training last year. Such locations look close to the ports that we regularly create for professional applications (simulation, training, and visualization) with many standard features – piers, water breaks, storage facilities like tanks and warehouses, loading, carriage, and unloading machines, etc. Thus, we were able to use a vast 3D library of standard props, vehicles, and textures, and this project seemed not too difficult for us, and we got down to work immediately.

We can see Geospatial Systems everywhere nowadays – from food ordering applications in our mobile phones to global transportation and goods tracking platforms. The fourth industrial revolution has given rise to an unlimited number of data sources – satellite-based systems, various sensors, mobile devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G networks, and many others. Regardless of the purpose, clear and understandable visualization is a critical component of such applications, whatever data source is used.

When 3D visualization is used, the models can be derived from BIM, CAD applications, 3D scanners, photometry, or 3D modeling software. For low-end platforms such as mobile devices, WEB applications, or office workstations, the performance of 3D models is essential, so using unoptimized graphics data is still problematic despite a widespread increase in computing power. The hand-made accurate real-time models look most suitable in this case.

One of the most complicated terrain databases we have made recently is Ras Laffan Port, located 80 km from Doha, Qatar’s capital. It is one of the largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ports and the world’s biggest artificial harbor.

We have been developing our ship 3D models library for several years. We’re passionate about this turnkey project and drawing maximum attention to our models’ quality and relevance. After we have created the main types of merchant ships, our team faced making one of the most impressive ships – a cruise liner.

We created a short virtual experience of modern architecture. This free VR application allows one to look at the iconic skyscrapers in Qatar’s capital: World Trade Center Doha, Burj Doha Tower, Al Bidda Tower, and others.

Rail transport is an essential element of the surface transportation system. Both freight and passenger services have been increasing competition with road and air over the past years and going through the modernization of infrastructure, hardware, and software. Authorities all around the world are making efforts to expand the role of railways in transporting goods and passengers.

That is reflected in the computer training and simulation systems – they require more and more realistic and complex 3D content. Being a modern technology company, EDGED follows these changes and offers customers its best expertise in making real-time 3D models and terrain databases.