arcAstroVR

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.

Installation Instructions & Quick Start

Two apps and one dataset are required to operate arcAstroVR.

• arcAstroVR app
• Dataset for arcAstroVR
• Stellarium app

Download and Setup

1. Download the latest version of arcAstroVR from arcAstroVR.org.
2. Download the dataset you wish to play from arcAstroVR.org.
3. Download the planetarium software Stellarium from www.stellarium.org.
4. Launch Stellarium and configure linkage settings.
   4-1. Click Configuration[F2 Key].
   4-2. Click the Plugins tab.
   4-3. Click the Remote Control plugin in the left-hand list.
   4-4. Check Load at startup.
   4-5. Click the ArchaeoLines plugin in the left-hand list.
   4-6. Check Load at startup.
   4-7. Close and relaunch Stellarium.
   4-8. Reopen the Remote Control plugin in the configuration.
   4-9. Click configure.
   4-10. Check Server enabled and Enable automatically at startup.
   4-11. Set 8090 for port number.
   4-12. Click the Save settings.
   4-13. Click the Scripts tab.
   4-14. Select skybox.ssc script in the left-hand list.
   4-15. Check Close 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 the Tool tab.
   4-17. Set Path for Screenshot Directory.
   For Win, specify "C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Stellarium".
For Mac, specify "/Users/<USERNAME>/Library/Application Support/Stellarium".
5. Launch arcAstroVR and click select dataset.txt.
6. 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. Press F 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.

Get & build the code

arcAstroVR is programmed in Unity.
This section describes the setup from a new Unity project (any template is acceptable, but 3D Core is recommended).

Asset Installation

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

1. Select Window > Asset Store from the menu bar to open the Asset Store.
2. Search for 3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode and press the Add to My Asset button to obtain the Asset.
   Free and Mobile versions are available, but the Free version will be used.
3. Search for JSON Object and press the Add to My Asset button to obtain the Asset.
   Use the one created by Defective Studios.
4. Search for Dome Tools and press the Add to My Asset button to obtain the Asset.
   Use the one created by At-Bristol.
5. Search for TriLib 2 and press the Buy Now button to obtain the Asset.
   Use the one created by Ricardo Reis.
6. Select Window＞Package Manager from the menu bar to open the Package Manager.
7. From the Package tab, select Unity Registry, then click Input System from the list on the left hand side and click the Install button.
   Select YES when the RESTART WARNING appears.
8. From the +▼ tab, select Add package by name ... and enter com.unity.localization in the Name field and click the Add button.
   You can also install by selecting Localization from the list as well as Input System, but if you have an older version (Version 1.0.5), please install the latest version by the method described above.
9. From the +▼ tab, select Add package by name ... and enter com.unity.xr.interaction.toolkit in the Name field and click the Add button.
   When the Update request comes, click the I Made a Backup, Go Ahead ! button.
10. Click the XR Interaction Toolkit in the left-hand list and click the Import button under Samples Starter Assets.
11. From the Package tab, select My Assets, then click the JSON Object in the left-hand list and click the Import button.
    After that, when the Import list is displayed, click the Import button.
12. Click the 3rd Person Controller + Fly Mode in the left-hand list and click the Import button.
    When a Warning appears asking if you want to Switch Project, click the Import button. After that, the Import list will be displayed, but since it is not necessary to change the project settings, remove the check mark from ProjectSettings and click the Import button.
13. Click the Dome Tools in the left-hand list and click the Import button.
14. Click the TriLib2 in the left-hand list and click the Import button.
    In the Import list, we know that Newtonsoft.Json.dll in Packages causes a conflict error, so remove the check mark from Packages and click the Import button.
15. Download the arcAstroVR unitypackage.
16. Select the arcAstroVR unitypackage from Assets>Import Package>Custom Package in the menu bar and click the open button. After that, when the Import list is displayed, click the Import button.

Project Settings

1. Select Edit＞Project Settings... from the menu bar to open the Project Settings.
2. Click the Localization in the left-hand list and select Localization Settings from ActiveSettings.
3. Click the Player in the left-hand list and select Localization Settings from ActiveSettings.
   Select Input System Package (New) for Other Settings : Configuration : Active Input Gandling.
4. Click the XR Plugin Management in the left-hand list and click Install 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.
5. Click the Preset Manager in the left-hand list and click Add Default Preset. *Windows only
   Select Component>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.

Program execution

1. Open the scene file Assets/arcAstroVR/Scences/arcAstroVR from the Project folder.
2. Click the Run Button

References and Assets

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

License

Released April 1, 2022 under GPLv3.