Render 2D and 3D views of FLAMES scenarios.

The FLAMES Engine applications called FORGE™ and FLASH™ support the ability to render both 2-dimensional (2D top-down) and 3-dimensional (3D) views of FLAMES scenarios. These views allow you to visualize a scenario while the scenario is being edited, while the scenario executes, and after the scenario is executed. Several settings allow you to control the content and appearance of the views. In addition, the FLAMES Developer allows you to customize the views.

2D Visualization

The main windows of FORGE and FLASH include a 2D, top-down view of the scenario. The 2D view contains the following elements:

  • A user-selectable 2D map background
  • 2D icons representing each player (Unit) in the scenario
  • One or more view overlays that provide additional information about the scenario

The map background of the 2D view can be an elevation contour map drawn using the currently loaded terrain data, or it can be any image stored in a GeoTIFF image file. A drop-down list on the window’s tool bar allows you to switch between maps quickly. Supplemental information can be displayed on any 2D map, including the vector data associated with cultural features (such as roads and the boundaries of bodies of water), geospatial markers (such as missile engagement zones and transit corridors), and a latitude/longitude grid.

FLAMES 2D Elevation Contour Map created from DTED
2D elevation contour map created from FLAMES Digital Terrain data.
Terrain Screenshot
2D elevation contour map created from FLAMES Advance Correlated Terrain (FACT) data.
FLAMES 2D map created from GEOTiff Image File
2D map created from an image stored in a GeoTIFF image file.

Each player (Unit) in the scenario can be drawn in the 2D view using an icon. Icons are composed of one or more images and support animation, moving parts, and state changes. The FLAMES example scenario database includes many different 2D icons, and a 2D icon editor is available that allows you to construct your own icons.

2D tank icon with moving turret.
2D tank icon drawn in the “dead” state.

2D view overlays display supplemental information on top of the 2D view. A number of 2D view overlays are bundled with FLAMES that can display such things as Unit names, Unit state information (speed, altitude, etc.), flight paths, and pairing lines between an attacker and its target. The FLAMES Development Suite includes the source code to all the bundled 2D view overlays and allows the bundled overlays to be modified and new overlays to be added to FLAMES using component plug-ins.

2D view overlays showing red units engaging a blue tank, and flight paths of two attack helicopters.
2D view overlays showing names, speeds, altitudes and flight paths.

3D Visualization

FLAMES allows one or more view windows to be opened in FORGE and FLASH to visualize a scenario in 3D. Each 3D view supports multiple viewing modes and controls for manipulating and moving around in the view. 3D views contain the following elements:

  • 3D rendering of the terrain and cultural features
  • 3D icons representing each player (Unit) in the scenario
  • One or more view overlays that provide additional information about the scenario

3D views can include a 3D rendering of the terrain and cultural features. The rendering can be generated directly from the currently loaded terrain data using solid-filled polygons, or it can be generated from a high-fidelity terrain database in OpenFlight® format that has been imported by the FLAMES Enhanced 3D Scene Importer. View preference settings allow you to specify lighting and haze parameters for each view.

3D Terrain Screenshot
3D terrain rendering generated from FLAMES Digital Terrain data.
FLAMES 3D Terrain Rendering Generated from Correlated Terrain and Visualization Data
3D terrain rendering generated from correlated terrain data imported from shapefiles, with cultural features.
High Fidelity 3D Terrain Rendering Generated from Imported OpenFlight Data
High-fidelity 3D terrain rendering generated from a visualization database imported from OpenFlight data that includes satellite imagery. Visualization databases can be “paged” to support very large terrain databases.
High-fidelity 3D terrain rendering generated from a visualization database imported from OpenFlight data. Notice that the geometry in this scene is perfectly correlated with the geometry in the scene above.

Each player (Unit) in the scenario can be drawn in the 3D view using an icon. Icons are generated from 3D models in OpenFlight format and support multiple levels of detail, animation, moving parts, and state changes. The FLAMES example scenario database includes many different 3D icons, and a 3D icon editor is available that allows you to create additional icons by importing your own OpenFlight 3D models.

3D helicopter icon with rotating rotor blades.
3D tank icon drawn in the “dead” state.

3D view overlays display supplemental information on top of a 3D view. A number of 3D view overlays are bundled with FLAMES that can display such things as flight paths and pairing lines between an attacker and its target. The 3D option includes the source code to all the bundled 3D view overlays and allows the bundled overlays to be modified and new overlays to be added to FLAMES using component plug-ins.

3D view overlay showing the flight paths of two fighter aircraft screenshot
3D view overlay showing the flight paths of two fighter aircraft.

Note: 3D visualization of terrain and icons imported from OpenFlight data is supported on computers running various versions of the Windows® operating system. It is not supported on computers running the Linux® operating system.