Google’s Tilt Brush app is evolving from a new way for artists to create into an important new tool in a developer’s arsenal.
Back in October 2016 the search engine giant open sourced the Tilt Brush Toolkit, a set of scripts that allows developers to utilize .tilt files (your saved creations) in various ways, bringing them into other applications. It was an important first step in turning the software from an enjoyable creation app into something that has genuine use in the content creation pipeline.
Showcase your art in new places, on new platforms, and in new ways with the #TiltBrush Toolkit. https://t.co/EeyW57v9qy pic.twitter.com/LHgog6947n
— Google VR (@googlevr) January 19, 2017
Today, Google is expanding the Toolkit with some vital new features. A Unity SDK has been added to the Github that will allow you to take your sketches into projects being developed with the engine. It includes support for staple features like audio reactive brushes and various brush shaders, giving you the ability to animate and give life to your creations. There are also examples of what’s possible with the SDK, including a simple racing game and even a full first-person exploration piece with teleportation. Even the markers for movement are drawn within Tilt Brush.
This could be a gateway to getting more people into the development of 3D content, be it games, movies or otherwise. Tilt Brush is a remarkably accessible tool that allows you to make whatever you want by just drawing it in 3D. That’s a powerful tool in the context of development.
That idea has helped form Unity’s own approach to VR over the past year with the introduction of Editor VR, a version of its development engine that allows people to create and edit experiences from inside a headset.
A big part of Editor VR is tools, which brings in features from third-party creation apps like Tvori. We’ve already speculated that Tilt Brush might one day be integrated into those Tools. Now that Unity developers can use Tilt Brush creations with the standard editing modes, could we see Editor VR integration follow on?
