arcAstroVR is a free open source VR simulator for visualization of archaeological structures and the background celestial body.
It is available for Windows and macOS.
Two apps and one dataset are required to operate arcAstroVR.
Download and Setup
- Download the latest version of arcAstroVR from arcAstroVR.org.
- Download the dataset you wish to play from arcAstroVR.org.
- Download the planetarium software Stellarium from www.stellarium.org.
- Launch Stellarium and configure linkage settings.
4-1. ClickConfiguration
[F2 Key].
4-2. Click thePlugins
tab.
4-3. Click theRemote Control
plugin in the left-hand list.
4-4. CheckLoad at startup
.
4-5. Click theArchaeoLines
plugin in the left-hand list.
4-6. CheckLoad at startup
.
4-7. Close and relaunch Stellarium.
4-8. Reopen theRemote Control
plugin in the configuration.
4-9. Clickconfigure
.
4-10. CheckServer enabled
andEnable automatically at startup
.
4-11. Set 8090 forport number
.
4-12. Click theSave settings
.
4-13. Click theScripts
tab.
4-14. Selectskybox.ssc
script in the left-hand list.
4-15. CheckClose window when script runs
, and click the▶
button.(You should see the window close and the camera point to the cardinal directions, up, and down sequentially)
4-16. Click theTool
tab.
4-17. Set Path forScreenshot Directory
.
For Win, specify "C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Stellarium".
For Mac, specify "/Users/<USERNAME>/Library/Application Support/Stellarium".
- Launch arcAstroVR and click
select dataset.txt
. - Select the file dataset.txt in the dataset.
The observer(Camera) can be moved using the keyboard and mouse.
Basically, drag the left mouse button to set the direction of travel, and press the W
and S
keys to move forward and backward.
- Line of sight/direction of travel: The viewpoint moves with the
right mouse button
. - Change viewpoint:
tab
key can be used to switch between the own viewpoint and the third-person viewpoint. - Move:
W
key move forward in the direction of viewpoint,S
key move backward from the direction of viewpoint,A
key move left,D
key move right. - High speed: You can move at high speed by holding down
Shift
key while moving. - Walking / Flight Mode: Press
F
key to switch to flight mode and can fly by move operations. PressF
key again to return to walking mode. - Jump / Vertical Climb:
Space
key, jumps in walking mode, and vertically climbs in flight mode. - Zoom in / out: You can zoom in / out (change the viewing angle) with
Ctrl + mouse wheel
.
arcAstroVR is programmed in Unity.
This section describes the setup from a new Unity project (any template is acceptable, but 3D Core is recommended).
arcAstroVR requires the following Unity Assets in addition to the arcAstroVR Unity Asset uploaded on GitHub.
- Input System (Unity Registry:Free)
The new INPUT SYSTEM of Unity is used to support various input devices. It is not installed by default and requires additional installation. - Localization (Unity Registry:Free)
The LOCALIZATION of Unity is used for multilingual support. It is not installed by default and requires additional installation. - XR Interaction Toolkit (Unity Registry:Free)
The XR INTERACTION TOOLKIT of Unity is used for HMD support. It is not installed by default and requires additional installation. - 3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode (Asset Store:Free)
This is a free 3rd-party asset for 3rd-person avatar control, available from the Asset Store. - JSON Object (Asset Store:Free)
Free 3rd party assets used for JSON communication with Stellarium, available from the Asset Store. - Dome Tools(Asset Store:Free)
Free 3rd party assets for dome projection, available from the Asset Store. - TriLib2 (Asset Store:$49.50)
3rd party paid assets for loading 3D models, available from the Asset Store.
Asset Settings
- Select
Window > Asset Store
from the menu bar to open the Asset Store. - Search for
3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode
and press theAdd to My Asset
button to obtain the Asset.
Free and Mobile versions are available, but the Free version will be used. - Search for
JSON Object
and press theAdd to My Asset
button to obtain the Asset.
Use the one created by Defective Studios. - Search for
Dome Tools
and press theAdd to My Asset
button to obtain the Asset.
Use the one created by At-Bristol. - Search for
TriLib 2
and press theBuy Now
button to obtain the Asset.
Use the one created by Ricardo Reis. - Select
Window>Package Manager
from the menu bar to open the Package Manager. - From the
Package
tab, selectUnity Registry
, then clickInput System
from the list on the left hand side and click theInstall
button.
SelectYES
when the RESTART WARNING appears. - From the
+▼
tab, selectAdd package by name ...
and entercom.unity.localization
in the Name field and click the Add button.
You can also install by selectingLocalization
from the list as well asInput System
, but if you have an older version (Version 1.0.5), please install the latest version by the method described above. - From the
+▼
tab, selectAdd package by name ...
and entercom.unity.xr.interaction.toolkit
in the Name field and click the Add button.
When the Update request comes, click theI Made a Backup, Go Ahead !
button. - Click the
XR Interaction Toolkit
in the left-hand list and click theImport
button underSamples Starter Assets
. - From the
Package
tab, selectMy Assets
, then click theJSON Object
in the left-hand list and click theImport
button.
After that, when the Import list is displayed, click theImport
button. - Click the
3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode
in the left-hand list and click theImport
button.
When a Warning appears asking if you want to Switch Project, click theImport
button. After that, the Import list will be displayed, but since it is not necessary to change the project settings, remove the check mark fromProjectSettings
and click theImport
button. - Click the
Dome Tools
in the left-hand list and click theImport
button. - Click the
TriLib2
in the left-hand list and click theImport
button.
In the Import list, we know thatNewtonsoft.Json.dll
inPackages
causes a conflict error, so remove the check mark fromPackages
and click theImport
button. - Download the arcAstroVR unitypackage.
- Select the arcAstroVR unitypackage from
Assets>Import Package>Custom Package
in the menu bar and click theopen
button. After that, when the Import list is displayed, click theImport
button.
- Select
Edit>Project Settings...
from the menu bar to open the Project Settings. - Click the
Localization
in the left-hand list and selectLocalization Settings
from ActiveSettings. - Click the
Player
in the left-hand list and selectLocalization Settings
from ActiveSettings.
SelectInput System Package (New)
forOther Settings : Configuration : Active Input Gandling
. - Click the
XR Plugin Management
in the left-hand list and clickInstall XR Plugin management
.
Check the InitializeXR on Startup checkbox. *Windows only
Check the OpenXR checkbox. *Windows only
*For Mac, all the above checks should be unchecked since it does not yet support the OpenXR. - Click the
Preset Manager
in the left-hand list and clickAdd Default Preset
. *Windows only
SelectComponent>XR>XR Controller(Action based)
.
Make the following settings in the Filter and Preset fields displayed.
・Filter :(none)
, Preset :XRI Default Continuous Move
・Filter :(none)
, Preset :XRI Default Continuous Turn
・Filter :(none)
, Preset :XRI Default Snap Turn
・Filter :Left
, Preset :XRI Default Left Controller
・Filter :Right
, Preset :XRI Default Right Controller
*For Mac, all the above XR controller settings are not necessary since the XR function is not yet supported.
- Open the scene file
Assets/arcAstroVR/Scences/arcAstroVR
from the Project folder. - Click the
Run
Button
The arcAstroVR asset is programmed based on the Unity Asset "stellarium-unity" developed by Georg Zotti (LBI ArchPro Vienna), John Fillwalk (IDIA Lab, Ball State University), David Rodriguez (IDIA Lab, Ball State University ), and Neil Zehr (IDIA Lab, Ball State University).
- Stellarium-unity-spout-JSONobject-U2017-3
Authors: Georg Zotti
Contact: https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-unity
Version: Released September 15, 2020
Licence: GNU General Public License v3.0 - 3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode
Authors: Vinicius Marques
Contact: http://www.dcc.ufmg.br/~allonman/support
Version: 2.1.5
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - JSON Object
Authors: Defective Studios
Contact: http://defectivestudios.com/company
Version: 2.1.2
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - Dome Tools
Authors: At-Bristol
Contact: http://at-bristol.org.uk
Version: 1.1
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - TriLib2
Authors: Ricardo Reis
Contact: https://ricardoreis.net
Version: 2.18
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - Cesium for Unity
Authors: Cesium
Contact: https://cesium.com/platform/cesium-for-unity/
Version: 0.2.0
Licence: Apache License 2.0 - URP Water
Authors: Yan Verde
Contact: https://www.yvgrafix.com
Version: 1.1.0
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - Mirrors and reflections for VR
Authors: Tom Goethals
Contact: https://fragilem17.wixsite.com/website
Version: 1.1.1
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA - REAL FIRE [URP/HDRP]
Authors: RDR
Contact: https://www.artstation.com/artist/rdr
Version: 1.0
Licence: Unity Asset Store standard EULA
Released April 1, 2022 under GPLv3.