While Autodesk architecture software like Revit is capable of creating 3D design plans, the collaboration introduces easy-to-use tools for designers, with features typically more commonly seen in game development, such as Unreal Engine, ray tracing, and a huge library of 3D assets. to fill environments.
Everyone who subscribes to Autodesk Revit (a building information modeling solution for architects) now gets free access to Epic Game’s twin motion, an Unreal Engine powered real-time visualization tool already used in the urban planning and construction industry. Twinmotion is available as a free trial for educational and non-commercial uses, but this subscription benefit saves Revit subscribers $499 for a perpetual commercial license.
Projects made in Twinmotion can provide more interactive experiences
Autodesk design software, such as AutoCAD and Revit, is widely used in architecture and construction planning, from early concept sketches to 3D renders and documents to aid in the actual construction process. While models created in these applications can be highly detailed, projects created with Twinmotion can enable more interactive experiences such as realistic still images, environmental animations, and even VR integration that can be used for digital tours. The pitch is that clients can communicate changes to architects and designers in real time, allowing them to see the requested changes much faster than when using more traditional development tools.
“By leveraging Epic’s ecosystem of real-time 3D tools and libraries, users can spend more time bringing their designs to life and less time handling complex data and technical workflows,” said Marc Petit, vice president. president of Epic Games.
This isn’t the first time Epic and Autodesk have teamed up. Autodesk joined Epic Games’ Integrated Partners program in 2008, and in 2021, Epic and Autodesk teamed up to offer a new Unreal Live Link plugin for Maya that allows creators to use data from Autodesk Maya (an interactive tool for creating 3D graphics) to Unreal in real time. This probably isn’t the end of the partnership either, as Epic Games said there are plans for the two companies to “jointly develop experiences for customers in M&E and manufacturing” further down the line.