Frequently asked questions about realvirtual.io

The installed Unity Editor is required as the basis for realvirtual.io. This can be the Professional or Standard license (see questions about license types below). realvirtual.io is practically a plugin for the Unity Editor that can be added to a Unity project. The Unity Editor is available for macOS as well as for Windows and Linux. We ourselves develop on Windows systems.

Our current releases are always based on the latest Long Term Stable Release (LTS). These are versions for which Unity offers particularly long support. Our version numbers always include the LTS version of Unity. So our version 2020.14 is our 14th release for Unity2020. Within the Unity LTS versions, you can always update to the latest version without hesitation – but you don’t have to do this often, because the LTS versions of Unity are very stable.

realvirtual.io only requires Unity Personal or Unity Professional. The Unity Industrial Collection is not required, as realvirtual.io offers its own CAD interface based on Step. Of course, other CAD formats such as NX, JT, ProE or others can also be imported directly with PIXY,Z, which is included in the Industrial Collection. However, this offers no advantages over a step export in the CAD system and step import in realvirtual.io. You may only use the Unity Personal version as a non-commercial user and only for private purposes. Details can be found in the Unity license conditions.

Normally yes, but we only ever test and guarantee the function on the basis of the current LTS release. Nevertheless, our releases (e.g. 2020.14) usually also work on Unity2021. However, if there are no urgent reasons for a higher version, we recommend that you use the corresponding LTS version of Unity for your projects.

Everyone who works with the Unity Editor – i.e. develops digital twins in it – also needs a realvirtual.io license. So if two people work with the Unity Editor and you also need two Unity licenses, you also need two realvirtual.io licenses.

You can pass on the digital twin that you have developed on the basis of realvirtual.io as you wish and without license costs for yourself or the recipient. However, not as a Unity project, because for this the recipient would also need a Unity and a realvirtual.io license, but as a so-called build. A build is a finished “game” or compiled computer program that has been created in the build process. A build can be created in Unity for Windows, Linux, Android, macOS, iOS or WebGL. The model can no longer be changed in the build itself, i.e. no functions can be added. However, the user can interact with the model in the build, change the view and the built-in automation interfaces also work in the build.

The purchase price is one-off for the current version. This can be used indefinitely for the development of digital twins. From version 2021, there will be a completely new realvirtual.io Starter and Professional version once a year – always based on the latest Unity LTS release. This will then replace the previous version and all further developments will run into the new version for one year. For each new version, there is a heavily discounted upgrade package for existing customers. Customers who purchased shortly before the release of a new version will receive the upgrade free of charge.

In general, Unity and realvirtual.io work on all standard PCs. Of course, antimation performance is much more powerful with a good, up-to-date processor and a good gaming graphics card. You can also manually reduce the display quality on weaker PCs by switching off lights or shadows, for example. In general, we recommend a PC with at least 16GB of RAM, 6 or more cores (Unity can use more cores than many other comparable products) and a current gaming graphics card in the €600-900 price range.

Yes, you can, but only on one computer and not on several at the same time. You must copy the Unity project with the included realvirtual.io asset to the other computer.

realvirtual.io did not have to reinvent the wheel, but uses the extremely powerful Unity Engine as a basis. Functions such as rendering, animations, parameterization, flexible scripting etc. are already implemented in Unity. realvirtual.io focuses on adding exactly those functions that a classic machine builder or automation engineer misses. For example, drives, sensors, kinematics, automation interfaces. Many of the older established products had to laboriously implement the basic functions for animation and visualization themselves.

We also rely on experienced and informed customers and direct sales via the Internet. We do not finance a costly sales team, but put all our energy into the further development and improvement of our product and continue to rely on experienced and informed customers as well as direct sales via the Internet. We do not finance an expensive sales team, but put all our efforts into the further development and improvement of our product.

Nothing is as powerful as gaming technology. The games market is significantly larger than the engineering software market and realvirtual.io benefits from the development resources behind it. realvirtual.io can simulate and visualize models without making simplifications to the CAD data, which do not work with almost all other established products or only with great simplification effort.

 

realvirtual.io is developed exclusively in Germany. The functionality is based on our more than 20 years of experience in the field of digital factories, process simulation and virtual commissioning. Before realvirtual.io, we worked as a simulation and engineering service provider with many of the major simulation and virtual commissioning systems. All this experience and passion, as well as the desire to redefine the game, have gone into the development of Game4Auomtation.

 

Our demo version is realvirtual.io Starter, which you can purchase for approx. 10€ in the Unity Asset Store.

You can also buy realvirtual.io Professional and test it extensively. If you are not satisfied, we offer a 3-month return policy with a full refund.

The starter version serves as an inexpensive introduction and as a demo version. Some things are not included in the starter version. The entry-level version lacks the CAD interface and all interfaces beyond Siemens systems (Simit and S7-TCPIP). The Professional version also contains various tools that are very helpful when working with complex assemblies, such as the CAD Checker or the SelectionWindow for convenient handling of large assemblies.

 

No, these are included in realvirtual.io Professional. CADLink and OPCUA4Unity are products for customers who only require the CAD interface or only the OPCUA interface, but do not need any other functions such as additional automation interfaces, drives, sensors, kinematic tools, signals, etc.

 

realvirtual.io Simulation offers ready-made parametric simulation modules for material flow simulation in addition to realvirtual.io Professional or Starter. A mechanical engineering company typically only needs the Professional version, as the designs are very individual and the digital twin is built on the basis of the CAD design.

realvirtual.io Simulation, on the other hand, is aimed at system integrators and companies from the material flow technology sector. With realvirtual.io Simulation, material flow systems consisting of conveyor systems or driverless transport systems can be built directly in Unity without having to import CAD data. The most important parameters of the material flow modules (length, width, with/without belt, infeed angle, etc.) can be entered in Unity and the module automatically adapts its appearance. In addition, realvirtual.io Simulation is an ideal starting point if you want to build your own parametric library.

 

You can buy our products directly from us or via the Unity Asset Store. If you buy directly from us, you will receive an offer in advance, on the basis of which you can then order. You will receive an individual download link with your invoice, which you can then use to download and install your software. Payment is then usually made on the basis of the invoice by bank transfer.

Alternatively, you can purchase our solutions via the Unity Asset Store. You will not receive an offer there, but you pay directly by credit card and you will then find our solutions under your assets in the Asset Store for download.

 

There are several ways to get started with realvirtual.io. You can buy the very affordable Starter version and familiarize yourself with Unity on the basis of our documentation(https://doc.realvirtual.io), our YouTube tutorials and the wealth of information on the Internet, or you can take part in one of our training courses. You can find the current dates here https://realvirtual.io/en/learn/realvirtual-training Many users also start with individual on-the-job training. We support you with your first project via teams and show you exactly what you need based on your level of knowledge. This usually takes place in one to two-hour team meetings. This gives you a guided and quick introduction and you can practise what you have learned immediately on your first project. Contact us if you need a quote for support or use our contact form.

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