There is a nice little addin in the works from Emanuel Favreau … he is working on a Revit to Unity exporter that includes all materials and textures. You can open a sample model in WebGL here (probably should use Chrome).

There is obviously a lot of development in the industry at the moment to create the best experience in moving BIM models into gaming environments for various reasons, and there are a lot of solutions that are doing this in various ways.  Typically, these offer real time rendering and visualization, and the side benefit of allowing models to be viewed in VR. Which method do you recommend?

Sample of Emanuel’s addin in action:

via Twitter at this link

 

I have posted about other game engine software for BIM previously, such as:

Export VR

Also on the app store, you can also find Walk-Through-3D™ for Autodesk ® Revit® by AMC Bridge. This is another Unity export plugin with the following features:

The add-in supports export of 3D model geometry from Revit to Unity allowing users to have the first person 3D shooter game like experience while using Revit created model as the 3D environment.

The main features of the add-in includes:

  • Export of 3D model geometry with materials and textures from Revit to Walk-Through-3D.
  • Manipulation of the resulting 3D model in a similar fashion to a 3D first-person shooter game.
  • Support of textures along with an ability to apply weather effects.
  • Generation of a standalone executable package to view the exported Revit model in a three-dimensional representation that requires neither Autodesk Revit nor Unity installations.
  • Support of HTC® Vive virtual reality headset and controllers.
  • Support for Intel® RealSense™ camera

The video below demonstrates the add-in’s basic functionalities:

https://youtu.be/UIsoyBVWPOM

Next video demonstrates the add-in control via HTC Vive:

https://youtu.be/kaO_0CzA4Xs

Next video demonstrates the add-in control via Intel® RealSense™:

https://youtu.be/RWZE7KWvKAs

Walk-Through-3D is compatible with Revit 2016-2018.

Read Help Document

Have you tried Showcase yet?

Like Shades of Grey, I’m relatively excited about Showcase:
One of my brightest hopes for Revit 2013 is Showcase, which is a totally separate application.  Could this finally be the viewer that works ?  I’ve tried Design Review & Navis Works Freedom,  Quicktime FBX plugin, Tekla Bimsight … People are doing clever things with Game Engines, but I need a quick and easy way of bringing a lightweight export from the model into meetings.  
via
Shades of Grey: BROAD BRUSH & FINE DETAIL

Evidently, you need a pretty decent system to make everything smooth, as Neil Thompson says
@jrostar it eats ram more than revit on full render.

A few links:
Suites Workflow Manager – WikiHelp

Revit Workflows in the Autodesk Building Design Suite – WikiHelp

Installation notes:

I really tried to get Showcase working without installing the whole Building Design Suite, but I haven’t figured it out yet! Here are some of the steps I tried:

  1. Install Revit, Showcase and Max (separate downloads, not from BDS media)
  2. Activate all products using a Suite license
  3. Extract the folder WorkflowInstaller from your extracted Suite archive – Content subfolder.
  4. Close all Autodesk programs
  5. Run the file AutodeskBuildingDesignSuiteWorkflows.msi from the appropriate subfolder (x64 or x86)
  6. Open Revit – Suite Workflows still not visible 🙁

Direct download Showcase 2013 (use this method):
http://trial.autodesk.com/SWDLDDLM/2013/SHOWCASE/ESD/Autodesk_Showcase_2013_Multilingual_Win_64bit.exe

Direct download 3dsMaxDesign 2013 (use this method):
http://trial.autodesk.com/SWDLDDLM/2013/MAXDES/ESD/Autodesk_3ds_Max_Design_2013_EFGKJS_Win_64bit.exe
http://trial.autodesk.com/SWDLDDLM/2013/MAXDES/ESD/Autodesk_3ds_Max_Design_2013_EFGKJS_Win_32bit.exe

AutoCAD Design Suite Standard 2013
http://trial.autodesk.com/SWDLDDLM/2013/DSSTD/ESD/AutoCAD_Design_Suite_Standard_2013_English_Win_32bit.part1.exe
http://trial.autodesk.com/SWDLDDLM/2013/DSSTD/ESD/AutoCAD_Design_Suite_Standard_2013_English_Win_32bit.part2.rar

Some notes about Workflows:

Need to install 3dsMax to make it work:
Revit Workflows in the Autodesk Building Design Suite – WikiHelp

Install Workflows – WikiHelp
BDSP 2013extContentWorkflowInstallerx64
“C:ProgramDataAutodeskWorkflowsProducts.xml”

What is Autodesk DirectConnect? – WikiHelp

There has been a lot of talk recently about real time rendering, about using game engines as visualization tools on BIM platforms, and generally about making an awesome 3D development environment that allows for instant and immersive presentation of the building model.

I don’t think that this environment exists quite yet – either the tools are too game oriented, or they are too building oriented.  We don’t have one tool that just hits all of the sweet spots.  But one day … one day I think we will.

Can you picture a day when work and play will be somewhat synonymous?  When the software you are using to design a building will allow instant visualization?  It will allow you to fully apply real environments, real weather, real materials – and see the effects in real time.  Navigation will be intuitive, first person, and fast.

There are a few tools and technologies that are getting there.  Below I have provided some links that talk about Unity 3D, Twinmotion and Showcase.  To be brutally honest, I have Showcase installed but I balk at the prospect of learning and implementing another tool – I want it to BE Revit.  Built in.  Don’t increase the amount of software in my ecosystem – reduce it.  Please.

I assume that the same goes for Revit, but passing by 3ds Max instead of Cinema4D.
http://archvirtual.com/2011/11/15/archicad-to-unity3d-and-more-about-revit-to-unity3d/

http://www.slideshare.net/stefanboeykens/using-3d-design-software-bim-and-game-engines-for-architectural-historical-reconstruction

Various real time visuals:
http://insidethefactory.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/11/realtime-rendering.html

 Image from http://www.flashscope.com/blog/unity-3d-new-dimension-for-game-development/