3D maps to help you organize events

Chasing the Hihat is a full-service firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands that designs and creates festivals and other live and outdoor events that bring people together and make ideas a festive reality.

Live Events

RealityScan

To enhance their production planning process, Chasing the Hihat began researching methods for capturing nature and environments in 3D, as an addition to the 2D maps they'd been using. In November 2017, a first prototype confirmed their technical approach, and with the help of a VR developer, they started to create software to plan events in a different way.

The idea is to scan a natural environment using aerial and ground photographs, create a 3D map inside RealityScan from these materials, then use it to validate design choices such as where to place a stand or podium, or areas for people to congregate.

This POV/VR real-scale approach creates higher efficiency in creative teams, especially when compared to a process of using only 2D maps and out-of-context renders.

For one of their pioneer clients, Q-Dance, they helped digitize the interior and exterior of the Weeze Airport in Weeze, Germany. It was particularly difficult to obtain aerial imagery because of limitations imposed on flying drones near airports. Also, architectural structures required many manual shots from the interior in order to recreate the real dimensions of the venue.

Overall, they processed 12,000 photos in RealityScan to accomplish the hefty task and export a single mesh. Then they applied the texture to keep VR performance on par, and injected 3D models of the structures they intended to place for the real-time event.

Screenshot from RealityCapture [Credit: © Chasing the Hihat]

Technical information:

12,000 photos in total
89 ha of terrain scanned
Sony A7R III for manual shots
DJI Inspire 2 for aerial imagery

[Credit: © Chasing the Hihat]

Download RealityScan

RealityScan is free to use for students, educators, and individuals and companies with an annual gross revenue below $1 million USD.

Above the $1M threshold? Visit our licensing page to find out about your purchasing options.

Download the launcher

Before you can install and run RealityScan, you’ll need to download and install the Epic Games launcher.

Install Epic Games Launcher

Once downloaded and installed, open the launcher and create or log in to your Epic Games account.

Having trouble? Get support, or restart your Epic Games launcher download in Step 1.

Install RealityScan

Once logged in, navigate to the RealityScan tab in the Unreal Engine section and click the install button to download the most recent version.

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