360 Photo Domes

How To 360 Photo

360 Photo is a simple mix of specific geometry, textures, and material properties. However, rather than put the burden on you to figure out how to connect them, we've created the PhotoDome.

PhotoDome

PhotoDome needs a source image that must be "Equirectangular". Without an equirectangular source, the class won't function correctly.

Example of equirectangular image:

PhotoDome Code

Within the Playground, you can copy and paste the following into your scene and then adjust the options.

import { PhotoDome } from "@babylonjs/core/Helpers/photoDome";
photoDome = new PhotoDome("testdome", url, {<options>}, scene);

All of the settings in the options object are optional, but the object itself is not. Please provide an empty object at minimum. All the options are passed through to the corresponding classes, mainly the dome geometry and the Texture:

resolution = 32: Integer, lower resolutions have more artifacts at extreme FOVs
size = 1000: Physical radius to create the dome at, defaults to approximately half the far clip plane
useDirectMapping = true: Use a direct mapping technique to render the video. You should leave this value on unless you want to use the fovMultiplier property

PhotoDome Example

FOV adjustment

Sometimes a 360 photo can feel uncomfortably distant from the camera. To help with this, a material-based FOV adjustment is available. Adjust it between 0.0 and 2.0 with the following code.

photoDome.fovMultiplier = newValue;

Please note that fovMultiplier only works when using the useDirectMapping = false creation option.

As a warning, the further the value gets from 1, the more distortion will be visible. Higher resolutions on the photo dome help reduce this, but not eliminate it.

PhotoDome using fovMultiplier

Image Types

Several types of 360 images exist today. The most common are Monoscopic Panoramic, Stereoscopic Side-by-Side panoramic, and Top-Bottom panoramic.

The first one represents a panoramic view dedicated to one eye. The second one contains two panoramic views dedicated to each eye, whereas the last one contains both panoramic views on the top and bottom of the image, respectively.

In the PhotoDome, you can adapt it to the type of your source image by using:

import { PhotoDome } from "@babylonjs/core/Helpers/photoDome";
photoDome.imageMode = PhotoDome.MODE_MONOSCOPIC;
// or
photoDome.imageMode = PhotoDome.MODE_SIDEBYSIDE;
// or
photoDome.imageMode = PhotoDome.MODE_TOPBOTTOM;

Examples:

Side by side: Steroscopic SidexSide Panoramic
Top bottom: Top Bottom Panoramic

How To 360 Photo with WebVR

You can combine 360 Photo with WebVR. Just add the following code:

vrHelper = scene.createDefaultVRExperience();

It will also create an enterVR button at the bottom right of the screen that will start rendering to the HMD when clicked.

You can come back to 2D view by adding the following code.

import { ActionManager } from "@babylonjs/core/Actions/actionManager";
import { ExecuteCodeAction } from "@babylonjs/core/Actions/directActions";
scene.actionManager = new ActionManager(scene);
// From 2D view to fullscreen VR
scene.actionManager.registerAction(new ExecuteCodeAction({
    trigger: ActionManager.OnKeyDownTrigger,
    parameter: "s", //press "s" key
}, function () {
    vrHelper.enterVR();
}));
// From fullscreen VR to 2D view
scene.actionManager.registerAction(new ExecuteCodeAction({
    trigger: ActionManager.OnKeyDownTrigger,
    parameter: "e", //press "e" key
}, function () {
    vrHelper.exitVR();
    document.exitFullscreen();
}));