Department of Real Estate and Construction, HKU

RECO7618 Built Assets of the Metaverse:

Gaming and VDC
Guide to 4D simulation for VDC
using Fuzor

Prepared by
Ken Mao
 Basic Steps for Producing 4D Simulation Video (Method 2)

1. Create Selection Sets for Particular Objects

2. Export Selection Sets to Individual FBX Files
3. Import the FBX Files to Fuzor VDC
4. Check the imported FBX Files
5. Prepare the Scheduling Data
6. Set the Project Start Date and Project Finish Date
7. Create Object Filter for Activity-model Mapping
8. Import the Modified Scheduling Data from CSV File
9. Apply Object Filter to Activities (Activity-model Mapping)
10.Export Animation for the 4D Simulation
 1. Create Selection Sets for Particular Objects

1. Open the Navisworks file. In

2 Selection Tree window,
select relevant objects

2. In Sets window, create new

Set for the selected objects

3. Rename the Set. It is

3 recommended to use such
name as the name of FBX
file to be exported in next
step.
1
 2. Export Selection Sets to Individual FBX Files

1 1. Go to Home Tab

2. In Set window, select the

relevant Set

3 3. Select Hide Unselected

under Visibility in ribbon

2
 2. Export Selection Sets to Individual FBX Files
4
4. Go to large “N” icon on the
top-left corner

6 5. Select Export

5 7 6. Select FBX

7. In FBX options window, keep

those default settings

8 8. Check embed for texture

9 9. Click OK to export FBX file.

It is recommended to save
the file with the same name
as the Selection Set. (e.g..
STR_Ground_Beam.fbx)

10. Repeat the above steps for

the required Selection Sets
 3. Import the FBX Files to Fuzor VDC

1
1. Open Fuzor VDC

2. In Windows File Explorer,

drag and drop the relevant
FBX files to the 3D View of
Fuzor VDC
2
3. Select Spawn in Location in
Load Options box

3D View 3 4. Click OK to finish

3 FBX files are going to be

imported. They are:
• CIVIL_Blinding_Layer.fbx
4 • CIVIL_Site_Formation.fbx
• STR_Ground_Beam.fbx
 Basic Navigation in Fuzor

• Keyboard • Mouse
 Basic Navigation in Fuzor

1. Click the Navigation button

2. Select the Free-Camera

2 Control

3. Adjust the moving speed of

the Free-Camera

1
3
 4. Check the imported FBX Files

1. Click the Main Menu button

2
2. Click Visibility Override icon

3. In the Visibility Override

3 window, expand the list
under Imported Models. The
names of those 3 FBX files
are displayed. They are:
• CIVIL_Blinding_Layer
• CIVIL_Site_Formation
• STR_Ground_Beam

1
 4. Check the imported FBX Files
2
4. Click the 3d object in the 3d
view (The circular plate in
light brown color)

5. In Element Properties
window, it shows all the
relevant information and
1
parameters of such 3d object.
3
6. By default, the “Family”
parameter is input with the
file name of the
corresponding FBX file. This
“Family” parameter will be
used to do the mapping
process with the Activities
described in the modified
scheduling data (CSV/ XML
file).
 5. Prepare the Scheduling Data

1. Open the given Schedule

Template file in CSV format in
Excel
1
2. Input Activity Names in column C.
The values are:
• Open Excavation (Takeover)
• Blinding Layer
• Ground Beam

3. Input Planned Start Dates/ Time

in column E. Input Planned End
Dates/ Time in column F

4. Input the File Names of the FBX

files corresponding to the
activities in column AA. These
values are used to map the 3D
objects in Fuzor. The values are:
• CIVIL_Site_Formation
2 3 3 4 • CIVIL_Blinding_Layer
• STR_Ground_Beam

6. Save and rename the CSV file

(e.g..
Scheduling_Template_Modified.c
sv)
 6. Prepare the Scheduling Data

Update of scheduling data completed

 7. Set the Project Start Date and Project Finish Date

1. Click the Main Menu button

2. Click 4D Simulation icon.

Then the 4D Simulation
window and 4D Simulation
Panel will be displayed

1
 7. Set the Project Start Date and Project Finish Date

1. Click the Calendar icon in

the 4D Simulation window

2. Select the Project Start Date

inside the Date Picker
window (e.g.. 13-10-2021)
2
3
3. Select the Project Finish
Date inside the Date Picker
window (e.g.. 28-10-2021)

4
4. Click OK to finish.
4D Simulation
4D Simulation Panel
Window
1
 7. Create Object Filter for Activity-model Mapping
5
1. Click the 4D Simulation icon in
the shortcut bar

6 2. Click Object Filters button

2

3. Click New button to create new

object filter

4. Click the name of the object

4 filter which Fuzor will auto-
rename it by default.

5. The Filter Rules window will

pop up. Click the pull-down list
3 button

6. Select “Parameter”. It means

this Filter_1 will select the 3D
objects based on a rule which
1 looks at the Parameter inside
the 3D object itself. (e.g..
Family Name of a 3D object)
7. Create Object Filter for Activity-model Mapping

7 7. In the Filter Rules window,

select “Family” as the rule for
“Filter by”. For example, The
8 filter will select the 3D object if
9 the “Family Name” of such 3D
object is equal to a particular
value.

8. By default, “Equal To” is

selected for the Operator for
filter rule

9. Click the pull-down list button

and Select “$Column1”. The
reason for picking such Value
for this filter rule is because it
needs to synchronize with the
names of the FBX files input in
the “CustomColumn1” in the
modified scheduling data (the
CSV file). This
“CustomColumn1” is
correlated to the value namely
“$Column1” here. This is the
trick to allow Fuzor to map the
specific 3D objects to a
particular activity.
7. Create Object Filter for Activity-model Mapping

10. Click Apply button

11. The brief description of this

11 filter rule will be generated

12. Click Close button to finish

the object filter creation
10
process

12
7. Create Object Filter for Activity-model Mapping

10. Click Apply button

11. The brief description of this

11 filter rule will be generated

12. Click Close button to finish

the object filter creation
10
process

12
 8. Import the Modified Scheduling Data from CSV File

1. In the 4D Simulation window,

click Load bottom

2 2. Select the “Scheduling

Template_Modified.csv” file

3. Click Open button

1
 8. Import the Modified Scheduling Data from CSV File

The modified scheduling data is loaded to 4D Simulation Panel

9. Apply Object Filter to Activities (Activity-model Mapping)

1. To select all the Activities by

holding the SHIFT Key and
clicking the FRIST Activity

2. Still hold the SHIFT key and

click the LAST Activity. When
1
all Activities are selected,
black color borders will be
displayed at all Activities.

2
 9. Apply Object Filter to Activities (Activity-model Mapping)

1. After selecting all Activities,

click Object Filters button in
4D Simulation Window
1
2. Select Filter_1 which has
been already set to use
“Family” parameter as the
2
filter rule

3. Click Apply to Tasks button

4. Then Fuzor will auto-assign

the corresponding 3D
objects to particular Activities
based on the filter rules. The
3 5 total numbers of 3D objects
4
are displayed In Object
column.
5. Click Play button to preview
the 4D simulation in the 3D
view
 10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation

1. Click the Main Menu button

2. Click Fly Through icon under

Media section

2
1
 10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation
1
1. After entering the Fly
Through Movie Interface,
2 click the pull-down menu

2. Select Construction mode

3. Key Frames to form

animation

Animation Production Interface

3
 10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation

4
5 4. In Construction mode, a time
line, which synchronizes with
4 the 4D simulation, is
displayed

5. Drag the timeline handle to

“Day 1”

6. Click the FRIST key frame

7. Click the tiny “Camera” icon

above the key frame to
7
record the status of the 4D
simulation at “Day 1” to that
6 key frame
 10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation
8
8. Drag the timeline handle to
“Day 7”

9. Click the 12th key frame (i.e.

each key frame is last for 1
second by default)

10. Click the tiny “Camera” icon

above the key frame to
record the status of the 4D
simulation at “Day 7” to that
key frame
10

9
10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation

11. Again, click the 12th key

frame

12. Use mouse and keyboard to

12 adjust the camera angle and
distance

13. Then, click the tiny “Camera”

icon above the key frame to
update the adjusted camera
angle and distance

13

11
 10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation

14. Check the Show Task List

and Toggle Progress boxes

15. Click the tiny Play button to

17 preview the animation
14
16. Click render to generate the
animation video
17
14 17. The Video Quality window is
17 popped up. Select the
14
appropriate values and click
16 17 Save button

18. Save and rename the video

file in MP4 format
15
10. Export Animation for the 4D Simulation

19. Click Close button to quit Fly

Through Movie interface

19