iTune and Unreal Engine Integration Guide

Aug 22, 2024

iTwin Platform and Unreal Engine Integration

Introduction

  • Speaker: Michael Belusive, Software Engineer at Bentley Systems
  • Role: Lead Developer of iTwin export for DataSmith
  • Overview: Integration of iTwin with Unreal Engine for digital twin applications.
  • iTwin Platform: Open cloud platform for creating digital twin applications across the infrastructure lifecycle. More at developer.bentley.com.
  • Unreal Engine: Industry-leading game engine used for interactive media in architecture, engineering, and construction.

iTwin for Unreal

  • Access through documentation: iTwin for Game Engines.
  • iTwin Export for DataSmith:
    • Free standalone application.
    • Exports iTune geometry and data into Unreal's DataSmith format.
    • Supports large models through combined scene export mode to optimize performance.

Key Features of iTwin Export for DataSmith

  • Combined Mesh Export: Combines static meshes for improved performance.
  • Animation Control: Leverages a special API to control animations within Unreal.
  • Visibility Tools: Helps manage visibility and export selections in models.

Exporting iTwin Models into Unreal

  1. Opening the Exporter: Sign in and navigate to the project.
    • Install iTwin Unreal DataSmith plugin if necessary.
  2. Viewing the Model: Options to view or directly export the model.
    • Check properties of elements by changing selection scope from Top Assembly to Element.
  3. Export Options: Three export options available:
    • Standard Export: Combined mesh export for static scenes.
    • Current View Export: Exports only what is visible in the viewport.
    • Advanced Export: Allows metadata settings and more filtering options.
  4. After Export: Open Unreal Engine, create a new project, and ensure the DataSmith plugin is installed.

Working with Unreal Engine

  • Project Setup: Use architecture templates to activate DataSmith plugins.
  • Importing DataSmith Exports: Import the exported data into the content folder in Unreal.
  • Setting Up Animation: Drag and drop schedule animation asset into the scene.
  • Synchronizing Animations: Use Level Blueprint to synchronize the level sequence with the scheduled actor.

Creating a User Interface for Scrubbing Animation

  1. UI Setup: Create a user widget and HUD to display a scrubber for the animation timeline.
  2. HUD Configuration: Use the Event Graph to spawn the widget and add it to the viewport.
  3. Slider Functionality: Set up events for value changes to control playback positions.
  4. Updating Slider Values: Update the slider on tick to reflect the current playhead position in real-time.

Material Application and Visibility Controls

  • Adding Materials: Use Unreal's material system to enhance visual fidelity.
  • Material Opacity: Combine original opacity with visibility animations to control material visibility.
  • Refraction Settings: Disable refraction for translucent materials during animations.

Conclusion

  • Customization: Utilize DataSmith pipeline for geometry and engineering data integration with Unreal.
  • Final Remarks: Acknowledge the potential for real-time visualization and interaction in projects.

Resources

  • iTwin for Unreal documentation and tutorials available on the Bentley developer site.
  • Unreal Engine documentation for more details on DataSmith integration.