What does Architecture and games have in common?

Source: r_sp_c

One thing comes to mind immediately, the creation of virtual worlds like the fabulous one created for the game Assassin's Creed.

Source: youtube - Ubisoft US

But my question is a different one. I'm interested in the role of digital Architecture in influencing the way real projects are developed.

One of the most difficult tasks in developing a project is to transform the ideas into a real building. In this process, that involves many teams, clients, finances, and schedules, the common way to transmit information is the 2D CAD drawings. This kind of practice is prone to errors and very difficult to transmit the idea of the 3D space we want to create, sometimes to trained professionals, even more to the client.
One way to alleviate some doubts is to present some photorealistic renders that show the space. Even with this images, we are still limited to the point of view of the person that created them, and sometimes living out crucial details to the project.
The next tool we can use is the video. And here we have more flexibility to show the main idea. But the process can be a very time and resource consuming to produce and is still limited to projects with a very healthy budget.
But what if we could walk and see all that we wanted in the virtual space?!...
Finally, we have reached the point to answer the initial question.
In order to create a game, we have to use a game engine. In this application, we can join all the geometry, materials, sounds, characters...
One of the most well-known game engines is Unreal engine, now on its fourth version UE4
For some time, this engine can be used for free, and some digital artists and architects started to use it to create virtual buildings, and in this way better show their ideas to their clients.
The final result can be a video or a stand-alone application, like a game, where we can walk and see the space, interacting, changing materials, colors. The possibilities are endless...
These tools open another set of possibilities for the architect to develop his ideas, in a way that permits him/her to make tests and observe the results in a way that is closer to the finished product.
And most important, it increases the possibility to show what is needed to achieve the final building.
Next, we can see the work of some very talented artists that started to develop this kind of works.

Source: youtube - koooolalala

Source: youtube - koooolalala

Source: youtube - koooolalala

Source: youtube - koooolalala

This fabulous works by koooolalala show the possibilities of the lighting and materials with a cinematic feel.

The next examples show a real architectural presentation/simulation.

Source: youtube - Dominik Briongloid

Source: youtube - UE4 Architecture

Source: youtube - UE4 Architecture

Source: youtube - Monolith Studios

In my opinion, these works symbolize a paradigm shift in the way we can present architectural projects, and I think that the final result is going to improve because we can project and develop a clearer path from the initial idea to the complete building.

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