Constructing an Immersive Virtual Retail Cooperative in Unreal Engine

A Virtual Stroll Through a Co-op Micro Store: A Collaborative Animation Project

In a unique collaboration, award-winning British shopfitting company Weatherhead hired a studio to create an animated virtual walk-through of a Co-op micro store. The objective was to showcase a store centered around fast and fresh food options, cooked right on the spot.

The project began with the studio receiving architectural blueprints, drawings, photos, and other materials from Weatherhead. Armed with this information, the studio embarked on a journey to bring the store to life in the digital realm.

3D Modeling and Texturing

The physical layout of the store, including shelves, products, signage, and architectural details, was modeled using software such as Autodesk 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, or Autodesk Maya. Realistic textures and materials were applied to models using tools like Substance Painter or in-built texturing tools, creating photorealistic details for shelves, labels, and packaging.

Bringing the Store to Life

The studio used Unreal Engine to create an outer shell and zoned out the space into a kitchen, main area, back office, cold room, bathroom, and more. 3D modeling of various branded packaging for food items and drinks, as well as equipment and furniture, was an integral part of the project. This included kitchen counters, checkout areas, fridges, shelving units, ceiling lighting, back office corners, lockers, comms cabinets, safes, cold room with a Rivacold unit and shelves, a baked goods stand with integrated lighting, Costa coffee machines (floor-standing and countertop), and a queue management system.

Adding Realism

To enhance the realism of the virtual walk-through, the studio rendered still images from the scene for showcasing the store's interior. They also added price tags throughout the store for a more authentic feel. The project included the modeling of various special effects, such as steam coming from coffee cups and a ventilation system for the kitchen.

Animating the Scene

The animation phase adjusted lighting and effects to enhance realism. Composition of dynamic shots with cinematic depth of field was crucial for the virtual walk-through. The animation included animated MetaHumans as employees working at the shop and a customer in the main area.

Post-Production and Final Touches

After rendering, the animation was refined and edited using Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, or DaVinci Resolve. The studio also used Photoshop to create 2D branded labels for bottles, boxed goods, and chips packaging.

Continuous Improvement

The studio collaborated with Weatherhead in real-time, making changes and adjustments as needed. The initial animation was delivered and the client was happy with it, but a new request came in for two animations: one of an empty store and one with the product in it and more characters.

Communication and Collaboration

A communication channel was established using Telegram for real-time communication during the project. The first milestone delivery was set on June 12, and the studio delivered on time, ensuring a successful collaboration between Weatherhead and the animation studio.

This workflow reflects standard industry practice for animated architectural or commercial walkthrough animations. While the exact tools and studio involved in the Co-op micro store animated walk-through are not mentioned in the search results, this project showcases the potential of virtual walk-throughs to bring stores to life and provide immersive shopping experiences.

The collaborative animation project involved a studio creating a virtual walk-through of a Co-op micro store centered on fast and fresh food options.
The studio received architectural blueprints, drawings, photos, and other materials from Weatherhead to sculpt the store's digital version.
3D modeling software like Autodesk 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, or Autodesk Maya was used to model the physical layout of the store.
Realistic textures and materials were applied to models using Substance Painter or in-built texturing tools for a photorealistic effect.
The studio used Unreal Engine to segment the space into zones, such as the kitchen, main area, back office, cold room, bathroom, and more.
Various branded packaging for food items and drinks, equipment, and furniture were modeled as part of the project.
Shelves, fridges, shelving units, ceiling lighting, back office corners, lockers, comms cabinets, safes, and a cold room with a Rivacold unit and shelves were all modeled.
An integrated baked goods stand with lighting, floor-standing and countertop Costa coffee machines, and a queue management system were also modeled.
Price tags were added to enhance the authenticity of the virtual store.
Special effects like steam coming from coffee cups and a ventilation system for the kitchen were included to enhance realism.
Dynamic shots with cinematic depth of field were crucial during the animation phase.
MetaHumans were animated as employees working at the shop, and a customer was added to the main area.
Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, or DaVinci Resolve were used to refine and edit the animation after rendering.
Photoshop was used to design 2D branded labels for bottles, boxed goods, and chips packaging.
Real-time collaboration was established between Weatherhead and the animation studio using Telegram.
The studio made changes and adjustments as needed, with the client providing feedback during the project.
The initial animation was delivered on time, ensuring a successful collaboration.
A new request came in for two additional animations: one of an empty store and one with products and more characters.
This workflow reflects standard industry practice for architectural or commercial walkthrough animations.
Although the specific tools and studio weren't mentioned, the project underscores the potential of virtual walk-throughs for providing immersive shopping experiences.
This project focused on the fusion of art and technology, applying 3D modeling, texturing, and animating principles to showcase a store.
The collaboration between Weatherhead and the studio demonstrated the benefits of teamwork and the power of synergy.
This project could inspire future ventures in the realm of virtual reality and immersive technology, bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds.
Artfully designed spaces can evoke emotions and create an immersive experience, much like a well-crafted painting or a movie set.
The collaboration exemplified the interplay between design, technology, and human needs, illustrating how these disciplines can converge to create captivating experiences.
The venture into the virtual realm could potentially facilitate remote shopping, making it more accessible to people worldwide, especially in the context of global cuisines and international trade.
With advancements in artificial intelligence and automation, virtual stores could eventually learn consumer preferences, providing tailored suggestions and optimizing inventory management.
The seamless integration of gadgets, such as Augmented Reality (AR) devices, could further enhance user experiences in virtual shopping environments.
Data and cloud computing would play a crucial role in maintaining the virtual store's infrastructure, ensuring efficient access and management for customers and business owners alike.
As the store ventures into the field of cybersecurity, it would be essential to protect user data and ensure the integrity of online transactions.
This collaborative project could set a benchmark for future virtual store development in various aspects of lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, and entertainment.
This endeavor demonstrates the limitless potential of virtual store technology, paving the way for innovations in the realm of social media, movies-and-TV, cars, books, migration, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, mindfulness, car-maintenance, and politics.