3D urban visualisation software

[kration]

I'm looking for some visualisation software so I can do a 'walkthrough' of an unbuilt Victorian docks.

It's just a hobby project, so ideally the software should be free though I'd be prepared to spend up to about £50 (I may go on to use it for other stuff)

Basically, what I want to do is:

• Import a LIDAR surface (which I will have edited) as a basis for the project.
  
• Insert buildings and other structures such as dock gates and bridges. Also boats. Ideally allow animation (e.g. dock gates opening)
  
• Model water with boats floating on it. Ideally with rising/falling levels.
• Allow you to walk through and explore the area e.g. with WASD key control. VR support a big bonus.

Any suggestions?

 

[Scotty123]

Unreal Engine. You'd need to do pick up some blueprint visual scripting but it's straight forward for what you want to do. You may need to do some geometry clean up as well e.g. if LIDAR tessellates to triangles, reducing tri count a bit (in Blender). Both UE and Blender are free to use. You also have the VR support with Unreal Engine. The biggest task really is the geometry clean up potentially, although I don't know anything about LIDAR surfaces. Plenty of good looking free materials are available for Unreal Engine, e.g bricks that you can use, water.

 

[kration]

Thanks for the advice. I'll download UE4 and see where I go from there.

The blueprint visual scripting seems a good place to start