An Architecture for Collaborative Terrain Sketching with Mobile Devices

Abstract

3D terrains used in digital animations and videogames are typically created by several collaborators with a single-user application, which constrains them to update the shared terrain from their PCs, using a turn-taking strategy. Moreover, collaborators have to visualize the terrain through 2D views, confusing novice users when conceiving its shape in 3D. In this article, we describe an architecture for collaborative applications, which allow co-located users to sketch a terrain using their mobile devices concurrently. Two interaction modes are supplied: the standard one and an augmented reality-based mode, which helps collaborators understand the 3D terrain shape. Using the painting with brushesparadigm, users can modify the terrain while visualizing its shape evolution through the camera of their devices. Work coordination is promoted by enriching the 3D space with each collaborator’s avatar, which provides awareness information about identity, location, and current action. We implemented a collaborative application from this architecture that was tested by groups of users, who assessed its hedonic and pragmatic qualities in both interaction modes and compared them with the qualities of a similar Web terrain editor. The results showed that the augmented reality mode of our prototype was considered more attractive and usable by the participants.

Dynamic Terrain Data Exchange in a Collaborative Terrain Editor

“…The server will then collaborate with other servers to synchronize the data. Another similar work to our research is proposed by Mendoza et al [32] which proposed an architecture for collaborative terrain sketching with mobile device. However, the solution proposed by their work for data sharing is similar to the one proposed by Ellis et al; instead of distributing the modified mesh data, the system distribute the state change or editing operation messages.…”

“…Thus, the server only requires to distribute user's action instead of terrain data. Mendoza et al [32] also develop a multi-user terrain editing system that relies on AR. Multiple users can interact by using mobile phones and tablet to edit and observe the same 3D terrain.…”