Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) announced its VBS Builder Edition for building defense and civilian training simulations.
Orlando, Florida-based Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) is a leader in simulation and training solutions, and it has built both games and military simulations.
It’s latest work is VBS Builder Edition, a comprehensive simulation solution development platform which the company said is set to revolutionize the way developers and systems integrators create and deploy complex simulation solutions for defense customers worldwide.
The VBS Builder Edition addresses the pressing need for synthetic, immersive, and virtual training environments within fully simulated virtual worlds. With global allied defense customers facing significant challenges in cost, environmental impact, and human safety during real-world training, mission planning, and wargaming exercises, the demand for innovative simulation solutions has never been greater.
“VBS Builder Edition empowers simulation developers to author and deploy complex simulation solutions rapidly and at lower costs,” said Rahul Thakkar, president of BISim, in a statement. “Our partners are leveraging this platform to integrate high-fidelity simulations with custom AI, training modules, and wargaming features, creating immersive environments that train hundreds of thousands of military personnel across over 60 countries worldwide.”
Background
Pete Morrison, chief commercial officer at BISim, said in an interview with GamesBeat that the company has been making military simulations for 20 years. So far, the focus is on simulation and not games. But Morrison said the company would be open to conversations with military game makers who might be interested in using the VBS engine.
To be clear, the Bohemia Interactive game studio separated from the simulation business of Bohemia Interactive Simulations in 2016. BAE Systems bought Bohemia Interactive Simulations, which includes BISim, in 2022 for $200 million.
The edition has a VBS Simulation SDK, which enables developers to create high-fidelity simulations quickly. Kongsberg, a defense contractor, has used this SDK to develop a Remote Weapon Systems Training Simulation, enhancing engagement and knowledge retention among trainees.
Pia Andersen, program director through life support at Kongsberg, said in a statement, “Our CORE Training Simulator, combined with the stunningly realistic virtual world provided by VBS, is more engaging, which improves knowledge retention and drives behavioral change. We used the VBS Simulation SDK to integrate real equipment with VBS.”
Equipped with over 19,000 3D models, customizable AI behaviors, and scenario editors, the SDK platform offers unparalleled flexibility and customization options.
Developers can subscribe to the VBS Builder Edition, install it on their computers, and begin coding immediately. Collaboration options, support subscriptions, and partnership opportunities further expedite deployment and maximize efficiency.
Rahul Thakkar will be presenting the platform at DisTec on April 10, 2024, and demonstrations will be available at booth #B20 during IT2EC from April 9 to April 11, 2024.
BAE Systems has around 100,000 employees globally while BISim has over 400.
Regarding game costs, BISim chief product officer Pete Morrison said in an email to GamesBeat that the company has spent over $100 million building VBS. Costs for games range anywhere from a few hundred thousand dollars for a simple indie game to tens of millions for a triple-A title.
VBS is based upon the Real Virtuality game engine developed originally by BI Studio in the Czech Republic.
“We started working on VBS in 2003, which has evolved since then. We’ve added many new features and systems over the years, e.g., now we can stream data for the entire planet, and we’ve implemented the latest physics and lighting technology,” Morrison said. “The key difference between VBS Builder and competing engines like Unreal and Unity is that VBS ships tons of content, allowing developers to build serious games quickly for a myriad of use cases rather than building everything from the ground up.”
He said it is currently more affordable per seat than any paid engine. There are, of course open source engines as well that are technically free.
As for AI the the battlefield, Morrison said it could be transformative, especially if it is implementing into assisting soldiers at every level of the chain of command.
“That would change the game,” he said.
Games or simulations?
Morrison noted that training simulations aren’t dependent on extreme graphics realism.
“I could train a soldier in Minecraft,” he said.
But accuracy can help with immersion, and he said that simulation a vehicle in combat would likely require demanding graphics. Graphics fidelity would also be important in certain scenarios, like trying to spot an ambush.
Instead of selling the game engine for simulation customers at a price of $20,000, BISim is going to see how widely it can license it for prices starting at $200.
VBS isn’t likely to compete with Unreal or Unity in the gaming space. And for the most part, simulated vehicles in games are far different than simulated vehicles in simulation environments. The game cars are more like shells, with no modeling for inner workings of the vehicles.
Morrison noted that the tools can be used to create very dense simulations with realistic effects. Some game technology, such as Nvidia PhysX, is used for physics technology. DirectX, the graphics standards platform, is also used by VBS. I noted that Nvidia just announced a software version of Earth-2, a simulation of the Earth and its climate change effects.
That simulation is accurate to a kilometer-scale. I asked if this would be a metaverse if it moves down to the meter-scale for accuracy. Morrison said that would take a very dense amount of data from maps and satellite imagery to get to that scale. Asked if the climate model would get more accurate on that scale, Morrison said, “That’s someone’s PhD thesis. It’s a good question.”