On Day 2 of the VBS Technology Conference, BISim’s Pete Morrison and Martin Kolombo dug deeper into how VBS Plan, VBS Control AI and VBS Geo dramatically increase the speed of scenario creation and terrain creation/modification. Watch the full replay of the session above or click here to watch on Youtube.
Register for the final day’s session at this link: https://bisimulations.com/vbs-tech-conference
0:00 - 9:32
Pete began the session by giving an overview of the VBS World Server and the architecture for how terrain data is handled in VBS4. He revealed the flowgraph that shows the various plugins that allow the VBS World Server to create procedurally refined data. Pete demonstrated how in a matter of minutes you can switch from the baseline procedurally generated terrain to imagery from Google Earth.
9:32 - 26:10
Next, Pete took attendees over to Fort Carson in Colorado to showcase VBS Geo capabilities in VBS4. In just a few minutes, he imported a surface map file and shape file to populate the terrain with buildings and high-fidelity textures. With an extensive set of easy-to-use tools, VBS Geo allows users to raise or lower the elevation, place models, add trees, quickly add linear features like walls and fences, or undo those with a click of the mouse and more. Roads placed in VBS Geo are path-planned for AI automatically.
27:08 - 47:37
VBS Plan was next on the agenda. Pete highlighted the Drawing function of VBS Plan that brings over functionality from VBS3’s VBS Chalkboard application for mission planning. VBS Plan features both Drawing and Tactical functionality. “Drawing” simply displays military symbology in 2D and 3D views, while “Tactical” symbols create AI units for use in a mission. Users can create multiple shared overlays and hide them from specified participants using the Drawing functionality. With VBS Plan’s Tactical feature, users place military symbols that when built into a mission will create AI units and groups, with pre-set waypoints and triggers for movement and behaviors. Pete also showed how any user can modify these behaviors using the classic VBS mission editors.
48:32 - 1:16:43
Finally, BISim’s Martin Kolombo, one of BISim’s lead AI developers, demonstrated VBS Control AI, the new artificial intelligence that is included in VBS4 and underpins VBS Plan. Martin highlighted the intelligent path-planning this new AI uses to maneuver through the virtual terrain. He also demonstrated the AI cover system for infantry and how AI entities respond to enemy gunfire. Learn more about how system integrators can customize aspects of VBS4 and VBS Blue IG on the final day of the conference.