Workflows

Interact with Your SketchUp Files in VR with The Wild

Modify and iterate on your SketchUp files in an immersive, real-time environment—on your own, with your team, or with a stakeholder.
Mischa Winkler
January 8, 2019
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2
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SketchUp is one of the top tools for designing spatial experiences. With The Wild’s latest release, we’ve added new functionality to improve and augment the SketchUp workflow.

We built The Wild as a creative place where designers can shape and communicate ideas in real time. To stay true to that vision, our latest release allows you to not only view but also modify and iterate on your SketchUp files in an immersive real-time environment—on your own, with your team, or with a stakeholder.

Convert a SketchUp File into a Space

Getting your work from SketchUp into virtual reality via The Wild is simple: just upload your .skp file and let The Wild create a preview for you. Here, you’ll have the option to import as a Space.

Your file will be converted into a Space, and all Components will be imported as individual assets that you can interact with and modify in VR! All Components are also automatically saved to a Collection in your Library, so you can keep them organized, reuse them, and share them with your team.

Best Practices

In order to get the best results from both SketchUp and The Wild, a few things are worth paying attention to. All of these tips are optional, but they will help speed up your workflow in both tools.

Understand Components

All of your Components in SketchUp will be converted into Assets in The Wild. Components can be nested, and this same hierarchy will be reflected in The Wild. Groups and free-standing geometry will be combined and imported as a single geometry object.

Keep Things Tidy

Hidden geometry and unused Components will increase file size and processing time, so we recommend purging unused Components before importing your file into The Wild.

Optimize Where Possible

While our app can optimize and handle complex files, it’s a good idea to reduce unnecessary complexity in your model. Not only will your content load faster, but the experience will be smoother as well.

Extended Workflow Examples

Beyond the basics of converting a SketchUp model into a Space, here are some more useful workflows that are important to note:


Bulk Importing Assets

The new Space importer is also very handy if you want to quickly populate your Library with assets for use in a variety of Spaces. Set up a SketchUp file with as many Components as you want, and The Wild will generate a collection of assets automatically (make sure “Save Components as Assets” is checked). You can use the Space that is created as an immersive “showroom,” where the collection is laid out in 3D space, or just delete it and use your new assets any way you like.

3D Warehouse / BIMobject

If you’re a SketchUp user, you’re probably familiar with 3D Warehouse. This is a great resource for gathering 3D SketchUp models for use in The Wild. Similarly, BIMobject has an enormous collection of 3D models that are ready to load into both SketchUp and The Wild. These models are designed to manufacturers’ specifications and allow you to accurately build out environments, such as hospital rooms, hotel lobbies, and event spaces. Why not gather up some models and import them into The Wild to explore some layout options?

We hope these new SketchUp workflow improvements will help you navigate the import process smoothly, so you can experience your work in The Wild more dynamically and collaboratively. Check out our help center article to learn more about SketchUp imports.

Are you a SketchUp user? Schedule a demo to see how The Wild can augment your workflow.

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